The Rise of an Omega ✓

21.

Arriving at the hospital in record time, thanks to Ethan's little concern about speeding laws, they were oriented to a waiting room where the rest of his family was. Before coming in, though, Ethan stopped Amelia and told her to keep her head low and try to hide her face in his jacket. She was surprised Ethan remembered this detail at a moment like that.

Ethan was the first to enter the room, Lilly right after and Amelia lastly. She stopped at the door when some people stood up recognizing Ethan.

George and Vanessa were there, holding hands, his shoulder supporting her head, and her eyes red. Taylor came to hug her mate as soon as she passed the door, giving Amelia a sad smile over Lilly's shoulder.

Ethan then greeted three other people that Amelia never saw before. They looked in their fifties. The only woman had her face red showered in dried tears and she hugged Ethan strongly as he kept apologizing to them. The man beside them, patting Ethan's back was shaking his head saying that he had nothing to apologize for. The other man was wearing a policeman's uniform, reading 'chief'.

It was when it clicked in Amelia's head. The two with Ethan should be Henry's and George's parents. And the chief of police could only be Taylor's father. She felt her heart tighten understanding why Ethan was apologizing so much.

"He is going to be fine, darling. It was just a scare. He is going to left this hospital without sequelae. That's all that matters now." Assured the woman. And Amelia felt a little better knowing no one there blamed Ethan. Except for himself.

Amelia had never met their family, and she was hesitant, looking at the corridor thinking about excusing herself to grab a coffee and let them have their moment. But Ethan chose for her. Calling her name, smiling the best he could for her sake. He knew she was nervous.

"This is Amelia, our new omega." He introduced her as soon as she got close to them. "These are Monica and Julius Anderson, Henry's and George's parents. And this is Chief Campbell, Taylor's dad." Amelia did her best to smile, embarrassed with the amount of heat in her cheeks.

They kindly greeted her in a manner that made her feel relaxed. Mr. Campbell's greeting, though, made her feel like they knew about her, making her wonder what they had heard about her.

"Oh, just call me Robert. I am not a chief in this city." He smiled at his own joke. "Nice to meet you, Amelia. It's a shame that it has to be in circumstances like that." Amelia nodded, she felt the same.

They rearranged in the small room, waiting for the next visit time. Mr. Anderson said the rest of the family would come the next morning to see Henry.

When the nurse came in saying that they could go to his room, but only three people at a time, George recommended Ethan, Amelia, and Taylor to go first. His serious expression worried Amelia, and it didn't help when his stare longed on the omega, seeming sad.

The sight of her friend in a hospital bed, with needles in his veins and a large bandage in his right shoulder, was not one Amelia wanted to see again in a million years. The constant beep of the machine connected to his chest was unnerving.

"Hey, it's not as bad as it seems. Now I have a medical certificate that says I can't go to college for at last three weeks. I got an earlier vacation, guys!" Amelia should not be surprised by Henry trying to lift the mood. She left a laugh of disbelief at him.

"Next time you scare me like that again, I will delete all the files of your final paper and you will have to start from scratch. Got it?" Amelia threatened in the bossiest tone she could. It should not be good because Ethan laughed, but she was happy to at least be able to make the alpha smile.

"That's right, man. You can't just go around getting shot like that and interrupt our dates. That's just rude." Taylor mocked.

"But seriously, man. What happened? I still can't understand anything." Ethan started the serious talk they need to have. Henry sighed.

"I was exhausted from all the study and I fell asleep on the table, again." He looked fast at Amelia, who had already reprimanded him for doing it. "I was so tired that I didn't hear when he entered the house. I only woke up when I heard someone climbing the stairs. I didn't pay too much attention, I couldn't even open my eyes." He grimaced. "Man, I was so tired. When I finally noticed that the smell was from none of you, I reacted and went to my door. He saw me and before I could do anything he shot me and ran away."

"This is..." Ethan hesitated before finding the right word to describe it. "Weird."

"And makes zero sense." Amelia continued.

"I know. And that is the thing." Henry said, looking serious at Ethan. Amelia sometimes forgot that Henry was a beta, but at this moment he seemed nothing but a wolf confessing his worries to the alpha. "It was like he didn't know I was there. Maybe he thought the house was empty, I don't know." He said confused.

"It was like he was looking for something." He finished.

At this moment, Ethan glanced at Amelia and his voice got lower, almost like a growl.

"Or someone." The two words were enough to take away all the color in Amelia's face. Her breath was caught in her throat. The panic spreading in her body.

"That's something I wanted to say... I didn't run after the man because I was busy with Henry, but I recognized his smell." She looked at Amelia. "It was the same that day, in the forest, when I found you. It was the hunter."