Page 41 of Dark Goodbye

“There are forms he’s supposed to sign, but every time I go to his office, he’s nowhere to be found. I’ve checked the logs, and it seems as if I’m just missing him somehow. None of the other Healers have been able to track him down. It’s all very strange.”

Holding out my hands, I motion for her to give me the files, my insides squirming the longer she hesitates. “I’ll hold onto these for him. No doubt he’s slipped outside or something. I’ve not known him to imbibe the calming fumes of the folium serenum, but I suppose it’s not too late to start.”

She leans in close, glancing about for a moment. “But isn’t that illegal?”

I hunch down, matching her height and grin for a moment. “I won’t tell if you won’t…”

The look of shock on her face would be comical if not for the seriousness of the situation. Once more, she glances about and slides her hand into her pocket, pulling out a rolled mass of the tranquil-inducing leaves. “I did find this out the back. Could it be his?”

Sliding my hand forward, I take it and slip it into my pocket. “If it is, I’ll make sure I’ll get it back to him.”

Her relief is nearly palpable as she pulls back and straightens back up. “Thank you. I was debating with myself all morning about whether I should find you and turn it over, but I didn’t want to get anyone into trouble.”

“In this line of work, I can understand partaking from time to time as long as it doesn’t affect performance. I may need to sit Malus down and discuss his habits.” Her eyes widen in panic as her hands fly up, gesturing for me to stop. “Don’t worry. None of this will come back to you. I’ll make sure he puts the folders back at your station when he’s done.”

I turn, not allowing her to drag me into further conversations that would force me to lie. It’s just one more tally that can be stacked against me if the truth ever comes out. No doubt, I’ll have to make today the last day I cover for his absence. Any more, and they’ll know for certain I had something to do with it.

Making my way back to my office, I flip through the first few folders, and anger churns in my gut. More murders. And these seem to have been done around the same time he kidnapped Ladria. Sweat beads on my forehead as I push the door open and lock it back behind me.

She could easily have been one of his victims. Despite how much she loathes being an omega, it’s the one thing that kept her alive. Pulling Malus’s thumb sleeve out of a locked drawer, I set it beside me while I take pictures of these new additions, adding them to the stack of evidence.

A simple forgery and a press of the thumb, and no one is the wiser. Scooping them back up, I make my way to his office and pause at the door, resting my hand on the handle for several moments. Fixing another false smile on my face, I make my way back to the desk and set them down, nodding over at the nurse.

“Alpha Healer Malus is feeling unwell. I witnessed his signature on the documents and told him to go home. The last thing this medical facility needs is a full-blown pandemic forcing all of us to our beds. Send out a memo to let everyone know to up their nutrient intake. Malus will be away from the clinic for at least a week.”

Knowing how much my staff is prone to hysteria, I let the lie do its job. Soon, she whips out sanitization clothes and wipes down the folders before turning to clean the counters. That will keep her busy long enough to not notice Malus “leaving” the clinic.

As I turn, I bump into a second nurse, the brunette, and stifle a curse under my breath. “Yes. What now?”

“I’m-I’m sorry Alpha Healer. There’s another-.”

“Godsdammit,” I roar, causing all the betas near me to huddle into themselves. “This is the last fucking thing I need right now. Isn’t there another Alpha Healer that can deal with this?”

“Forgive me, but no. Alpha Healers Aeron and Brathier are busy in surgery. From the notice I just received, Malus is out of commission. Besides, once more, you’re requested by name.”

“Prep a free surgery room.” Wiping my hand across my face, I groan and readjust my respirators. I just can’t catch a break.

The moment I enter the curtained-off area, however, I know something is wrong. The omega in question is not strapped down to the gurney. I stare at the empty bed, processing what’s going on when a pair of slim hands wrap around my waist and hold on tight.

My blood runs cold as her nails dig in, threatening to draw blood. Only one omega is allowed to do that, and it's not this woman literally trying to sink her claws into me. I can’t hurt her though. That would land me in prison far quicker than accusations of Malus’s death.

Gripping her slim wrists, I pull away, extricating myself, but she continues to cling to me, opting to wrap her legs around mine like a wounded animal seeking asylum. The more she struggles, the more she rubs her scent into me, making it nearly impossible to go back to Ladria untainted.

A feral growl vibrates through my chest, growing in volume until it fills the space. One by one, her fingers let go as she drops to her knees, hoping I’ll finally satisfy her. Her eyes are blown wide without even a hint of color other than the jet black of her pupils.

How was she allowed to get this far in the process before being put into one of the surgery rooms? With the others, I’ve had at least a day before their heat fully took hold. This omega is nearly feral, resembling the omegas from the Dead Lands. All that’s missing is the wild look in her eyes and drool sliding down her chin.

“Nurse!” I bark out, ignoring the omega’s wince at the anger in my tone. “Surgery room. Now.”

Keeping my growl constant, I watch the omega as I inch over to the side, feeling the drawers with my hand. I know each of them by heart, to the extent that I could find whatever I needed in a power outage. Soon, my fingers trip over the drawer containing the sedative meds.

I grab one and remove the safety cap with my teeth, barring my ferocious grin to the quivering lump of frightened omega. However, the moment my growl stops, she flies back into action, flinging herself toward me. Using her momentum against her, I sink the needle deep into her arm, holding her at bay as the nurses and a few beta attendants storm in and hold her down.

Minutes go by, and soon, her eyes close, and her breathing evens. The medical staff stares up at me in expectation. Based on their lack of reaction, they must have their respirators in as I ordered. No doubt her pheromones are strong enough to tempt even the most stoic beta.

In a tangle of limbs, we carry her into, what’s no longer affectionately called, the breeding chamber. As with all other omegas, the old bedding has been taken out and new bedding put into place. The amount of laundry added to the nurse’s rotations has been astronomical, and I know I’ll need to send them some sort of thanks once this is all over.

We toss her down on top of the piles and leave the room, locking it from the outside. Betas gather around, all of them peering at the small screen, watching as she rolls about in her sleep. Even with the pants and coats, their erections are evident.