“A twin?” he demanded. More secrets. “She’s an omega like you. She has to be.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
“Yeah, but fuck all good that knowledge will do you,” the female on the bed growled. Her skin was pale as she lay there, her side covered in blood that had soaked through the bandages. Despite the wound, the female gripped a pistol in her hand, the barrel aimed right at him. “Rena, what did you do?”
“I could ask you the same question, Max. I go away for a few weeks and you get yourself blown to hell.”
“And you got yourself captured.”
Despite the banter he could hear the pain in the female’s voice and noted the way her fingers shook as they gripped the weapon.
Serena ran a hand through her hair and looked chagrined. “Yeah. But I’m here now.”
“With one of them.”
“To save you. We have an… understanding.” Serena looked at him and he nodded, knowing what she needed him to say. “I am a heal—doctor. I’m here to treat you. Nothing else. Once that’s done, I will leave and never mention this place to anyone. That’s the deal we made.”
Max narrowed her eyes at him. “Why?”
“Because my omega asked this of me.”
Her lip curled back from her teeth and she altered her grip on the pistol. From here he could see the grip was slick with blood. Her blood. “Your omega, my ass. Rena belongs to no one but herself.”
He lifted his hands, deciding not to argue when the female was clearly half out of her mind with blood loss and pain. “Shoot if you need to, but if you do, you lose any chance of being healed. Even from here I can tell your…” he searched for the human word. “Your gut is perforated. You won’t survive without me.”
Serena made a small noise of grief and worry. “Dammit, Max. Stop being fucking stubborn and let him help. He’s here. The damage is done.”
“You made a deal with this beast for me?”
“It was going to happen anyway. Had happened. So, yes. I did. Now put the gun down and let him do his job. He’s good at it. I promise.”
It was disturbing to see a female so like his Serena in such pain, but he pushed that thought aside. “I am the best healer on this planet. If I move quickly, I believe I can save you. But you don’t have much time. Decide now.”
“You’re an asshole,” she growled but lowered the weapon.
He chuckled as he moved forward, placing his pack on a nearby trolley and dragging it toward her. “So I keep being told. May I?” he asked, motioning toward her side.
She nodded as Serena rounded the other side of the bed to hold her hand. Sweat streaked Max’s blonde hair, longer than Serena’s, as she leaned her head back against the hard pillows of the bed. Her lips compressed, her hand tightening on her sister’s as he worked. He hated causing her pain, each flinch and caught breath making his heart clench.
“You’re doing really well, Max,” he murmured. He’d noticed humans liked talking and praise.
“Not my first rodeo,” the female bit out, her attention divided between him and another soldier who ducked through the tent flap. “Yes, Siobhan?”
“Patrols are in from the southern sectors, General. You’re going to want to—”
Kinn managed to stay on task as the pieces fell into place. This camp. The way the others had recognized Serena. He wasn’t just working on his omega’s sister. He was patching up the leader of the rebels.
Lord Tane would strangle him with his own entrails if he ever learned of this. But honor demanded he abide by his promise. He looked down at the female. Besides, this was a warrior. Taking her now would be dishonorable to everyone, including her. Even the enemy deserved better than that… if an omega could be the enemy.
“No more interruptions,” he barked. “You can issue orders or you can live. Choose.”
Max nodded, but Serena spoke, her voice ringing with command. “Siobhan, have Harris take command for now and debrief the patrols.”
Max’s lips quirked as Siobhan snapped out a salute and left the tent. “Still got it, Rena.” She looked at Kinn directly. “Okay, Doc. How am I looking?”
He grumbled in the back of his throat. “Like you’ve been hit by a proximity mine. Which you shouldn’t have been. You’re an omega. You should be protected. Cherished. Not on a battlefield.”
“Cherished?” Max started to laugh, but it died away to a pained gasp. “Didn’t know you alien bastards even knew that word. I’m on a battlefield because the alternative was to be brutalized and broken until I died. Thanks, but I’d rather go out fighting.”
“And you very nearly did.”
“Nearly, but not will?” Serena asked, her voice soft and full of hope.
“Not today.” He cleaned off his hands and then set out the rest of his equipment. “It would be best if you were unconscious for this next bit. It will be unpleasant and any movement might make things worse.”
To his surprise, the female didn’t answer but looked at Serena. “If I die, shoot him for me?”
“You know I will.”
Max looked back at him and then closed her eyes. “Okay then. I could use a nap anyway.”
6
“Will she be okay?” Serena asked, coming to stand at his side as he double checked his patient’s vitals. She was sleeping peacefully now, her color a lot better than when he’d arrived hours earlier.
He grunted in response. Saving his omega’s twin’s life hadn’t been easy, but being a healer wasn’t easy. He was a warrior, but the hardest battles he fought were in the medical hall, trying to heal the damage wrought to blood and bone, flesh and skin. And that was made a thousand times worse when he was working on a precious omega.
Although, he wouldn’t have known she was one. That she was the general of the human resistance… Hardy. Her name was Hardy. General Max Hardy. He pulled the name from the memories of security briefings and interrogations to try and gather intelligence on the human resistance.
He looked at the female on the bed again. They’d assumed they were looking for a beta male.
They’d never once suspected they were looking for a female. And an omega.
None of this should be possible. They knew the human omegas were different. It was why they’d brought Serena to him in the first place. Lord Tane wanted to know what the differences were and what caused them, but this was still unexpected. To lack submissiveness was one thing, but these females were soldiers.
And he couldn’t reveal that without breaking his oath to Serena.
“You’re looking grumpy again. What’s wrong?” Serena asked.
“You are my secretive, stubborn little omega.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes. “You should have told me about this place the moment you came to me. Your sister would never have been injured. All these omegas would be safe and cared for.”
She shot him a dark look. “You mean claimed. Do you think human omegas are all going to happily give up their freedom just for something to eat and a safe place to sleep? Still? Because, buddy, if you do, I have bad news for you.”