Scum (Book 1)

35. Medic

Chey’s POV

I’m disoriented from using the crown of my head as a weapon, but I will not allow this moment to escape me. Fighting six people at the same time isn’t easy, and for an ‘omega’ like me, it should have been impossible.

I approach my alpha and the jerk of a man who I know used his status to interfere with the match, doing my best to keep the expression of pain off my face even though my thighs feel like they’re being crushed by concrete blocks.

I’m not an i***t, I know that this fight has to end with someone, and because I’m already badly injured, I’m willing to fold while I still have the strength to keep my head up.

“Alpha Arlon, you’re much kinder than you let on.”

“What are you trying to say?” The man looks sick to his stomach, which is really a beautiful sight to me.

“I know that Leanne is not your pack's top female fighter, so I’ll have to thank you for not wanting to embarrass the Alpine pack.” I slightly bow, trying to give the appearance that I’m being truthful, and I have to really thank the alpha females around me for teaching me to hone my microaggression skills in such a short amount of time.

Seeing a way out of the situation he put himself in, Alpha Arlon raises his chin, smoothing his suit jacket as though he’s preparing to pose for a photo.

“As long as you're aware.” The man doesn’t stay behind any longer than he has to, and not even his daughter has anything to say about what everyone just witnessed.

Immediately, Royce and Liam guide me to a nearby bench, personally seeing to my treatment because they know no one else will.

The claw marks on my leg are deep, but if I go to the hospital, they won’t stitch them because ‘animal’ wounds need to be properly irrigated and monitored over several days in order to avoid infection.

I know this because I’m technically a nurse, so despite the instinct I have to visit an emergency room, I know that all we can do is control the bleeding, so I start walking my alpha and beta through the steps while I still can.

“Jenna’s already buying the stuff you asked for.” Liam’s hands are shaking as he uses his belt as a tourniquet, and I’m sure Riker’s insistent fussing about why I’m not being seen by a medic isn’t helping, so I come to Liam’s rescue.

“Riker, among everything else, I am a medic within the Alpine pack, and right now, I need you to be quiet so Alpha Liam can concentrate.” The man instantly closes his mouth, which makes me realize that mine is dry.

“I’ll get you a drink.” I must have been smacking my lips because I know Riker didn’t read my mind.

The man comes back with a bottle of water that he opens and pours into his mouth before handing it to me.

I know that people do that to inspire confidence, but I’m thirsty, so I’m just annoyed by what I see as a waste.

“Jenna’s almost in the front.” I stand on my own, not wanting to appear weaker than I already do, and I thank the goddess that Liam is respectful of that.

Although I won this fight, if I collapse, someone might use that against me, and I’m not sure I can restrain myself as much as I did tonight in a future fight. I could have killed Leanne several times, but I chose not to.

Likewise, I could have killed her mate, but I incapacitated her instead, and lastly, I could have broken the necks of every other person who surrounded me after that, but I could tell they were just following orders, so I refrained from losing my temper.

A familiar voice starts nagging in my ear, ordering people to move out of her way, but if Phoebe knows what’s good for her, she’ll stay far, far away from me.

“CHEY! You-” The woman grabs on to my arm, but I shrug her off roughly, narrowing my eyes at her. “What’s wrong? What did I do wrong?”

When Alpha Arlon confronted me, Phoebe disappeared from view. She practically ran away from the area; not even Jenna, a non-fighter, was that cowardly.

“You know, I really thought of you as a nice person, but just like any other alpha, you only know how to use your power when it benefits you.” Phoebe’s face recoils, genuinely confused by my outburst. “You only came to defend me against Morgan because you had something over her, and since we’re talking about it, what you said was so disgusting that it made me realize that you’re a fun girl, but you’re a bad person.”

“But Chey, everyone within our circle knows about it.”

“So what?” I interject, ignoring the throbbing of my legs, hands, and head as I raise my voice. “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know that I’d feel extremely blessed to find a mate who’d be willing to set aside his reputation and pride for my sake.”

“Chey, you’re not thinking clearly. Why are you defending someone who disrespected you first?”

“Alpha Phoebe, I’m not that benevolent. I just can’t help but to think of why her family’s situation would be seen as such a terrible thing. Unless of course, the ‘shame’ is associated with someone’s rank.”

“Chey, we need to get you cleaned up.” I’m aware that I’m still bleeding, and I’m actually becoming lightheaded, but I can’t waste this opportunity either, so I politely ask my alpha for a minute, not quite over the fact that he doubted my strength.

“You’re selfish and entitled. All of you are.” I cast my eyes around the crowd still gathered, but few people look moved, they’re simply annoyed that an omega is talking down to them, including Phoebe.

“Chey, you can’t talk to me like that.” I’m not actually angry with the woman, but I am mad, and she’s the perfect person to take my aggression out on because I feel that she has some sway.

“Alpha Phoebe, I apologize. Please forgive me for passing my place.” I bow so deeply that it’s mocking, causing the woman to avert her eyes. She just inadvertently pulled her rank on me because she didn’t like what I was saying, but that’s exactly what I wanted, hoping that she can learn something from it. “May I be excused?”

“Chey, you don’t have to…” The woman pauses, takes a deep breath, and makes a hand gesture, allowing me to leave. She knows that I wasn’t actually asking for permission, she just realized that arguing with me was pointless.

Using all the strength I have left, I make my way to the exit of the gym, ignoring my blurred vision as I pass by whispering men and women who are pointing at my leg. I don’t want to look down at it because I may be tempted to seek out and kill Leanne as soon as I come into my wolf if I do.

“Chey… You don’t need to push yourself. Let one of us help you.” I’d forgotten that Royce, Riker, and Liam were following me, but as soon as the car came into view, I stopped.

“Is anyone looking?” All three men answer with a ‘no’ at the same time, and after meeting eyes with Riker, I faint.

Liam’s POV

I saw what Chey did. She deliberately chose Riker to lean on instead of me, her alpha, and for the moment being, her boyfriend.

She’s angry, I could sense that, but I didn’t do anything wrong.

Fortunately, Riker didn’t realize what happened, so he quickly passed Chey’s body to me, promising to come to our room with a doctor within the hour.

I trust and believe the man, and because Chey’s life is in danger, I nod, carrying the limp woman into the backseat of the car where I have her awkwardly laying on my lap.

“What the hell happened? You told me that she won!” Jenna is frantic, and we’re only not wrecking because Royce is reassuring her, something I know Chey took into consideration when she chose Riker to lean against.

We get to the hotel, and Royce opens a back door for us, not wanting us to be seen carrying a half dressed and bloody teenager through the lobby. We tactfully take the stairs, and when we get to our room, Jenna starts the shower for me.

Placing Chey’s body in the tub, the three of us take turns opening up bottles of saline that we pour over the woman’s wound, but the bottles aren’t large enough to be effective, so we eventually switch to antibacterial soap and warm water from the shower head.

We’re getting blood everywhere and the fact that Chey is still bleeding has me thinking that we’re doing something wrong.

True to his word, Riker arrives at our room with his father, and the man looks less than thrilled about what’s happening.

“Move,” he rudely orders, brandishing a first aid kit that forces me to remember that, on top of being an alpha, the man is also a surgeon. “Remember our deal,” he says to his son, waiting for Riker to nod before he starts to tear Chey’s shorts to better access her injured leg.

Out of respect, everyone except Jenna turns away, but after what felt like forever, my sister gives us the okay to turn back.

Riker’s father placed a small towel over Chey’s girl parts, so the only thing we can see are the wounds on her leg being pulled closed with some sort of clear bandage.

“You did well with the saline, but you need to keep the area dry. I can’t promise that it won’t get infected, but if what my son tells me is true, then this girl will know what to do when she wakes up.” The man picks up his things, casting his son the kind of warning glance that I know all too well before leaving.

“How did you get him to agree?”

“I told him that I would start pursuing Phoebe.”

“She’s going to kill you.”

“Not if she want’s Chey’s forgiveness.” Riker tells us that his plan is to give Phoebe all the credit when Chey wakes up, saying that it’ll be a win-win for everyone. “We could have taken her to the hospital, potentially opening your pack up to human intrusion, or we could have let her die. Once I tell Phoebe my choices, she’ll play along at least for a little while.”

With that, Riker leaves, allowing us to shift Chey onto the bed in peace.