The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 33: Never better.

~Dahlia’s POV~

I peeled my swollen eyes slowly expecting to be hit with the familiar darkness of my cell but surprisingly, I was not. I was hit instead with a light so bright that it made my head hurt with a splitting headache and I groaned at the pain.

Still reeling from the shock, I made to stand up to see where I was, but just as I did strong arms pressed down on my shoulders. The hold was light and purposefully gentle but it still sent pain rushing through my body and I winced, only letting out a small sigh of relief when Doc Ava’s face popped into view.

"Hello Dahlia," she greeted warmly, her gentle voice sending warmth throughout my body and I smiled at her.

"Hi Ava."

"This is the second time I’m having to treat you for life threatening injuries just this week. Do you not think I should have to reserve a bed for you here at the hospital, just in case?" She asked and for some reason, I chuckled at that.

A vision of Ms Jennifer’s harsh blue eyes flashed across my mind and with a shudder– knowing fully well that she may be sending me back here anytime soon, I responded; "Maybe you should. I fear I might get into trouble soon."

"I hope you don’t." Ava responded, her voice serious. "You’re an Omega, and the continuous sprain on your body is rendering you very weak. Soon it’ll be taking you so much of your strength for you to heal from even small cuts."

Even though she had been as vague as possible, the warning in her voice was clear. I was obviously in danger health-wise and this past week has taken its toll on my body.

However, something still bugged me so much and I couldn’t help but wonder what I was doing here.

Was it not only a few minutes ago that I was being attacked in my cell by Dan and Kane?

If so, then how’s it possible that I am here now, being treated by Ava when the duration of my punishment hasn’t been fully met?

Speaking of, who was the knight that had come to save me from Dan and Kane earlier? Was it Alpha Zarek?

These questions and several more plagued my mind as I stared up at Doc Ava who was busy mashing up some substances together. When she was done with them, she leaned over and soon began to apply a warm ointment to my arms... then on my neck.

I cleared my throat. "How am I here, Ava? Am I not supposed to still be at the dungeons, serving my punishment? Or have I been out this time for 7 days?" I asked and at the sound of my voice, she stopped what she was doing to lean away from me.

Even from here, I could see the conflict in her eyes. There was something she wasn’t saying and her silence was only managing to make me more curious than I would’ve been on a normal day.

"You were brought in last night. You were unconscious and had been nearly raped." She answered, making a shudder run up my spine as the feel of Dan’s fingers kneading my nipples flashed across my memory.

I shook my head. "So I wasn’t?"

"No child, you were not. You were saved just in time but I do not know if you’ll be sent back to the dungeons after you’ve been treated."

Her words made a frown etch its way onto my face. The idea of returning to that dark enclosed space didn’t sit right with me. It made me scared and worried, but before I could ask her more about it, and how soon they intend to send me back there, I was suddenly hit with the overwhelming realization that we were not the only ones here. Someone was watching us and I could feel the weight of their eyes burning into my skin, making the hairs on my body stand on end.

In curiosity, and maybe a tinge of fear, I tilted my head to the side, in the direction of the source of my discomfort and almost let out a breath of relief when I saw who it was.

It was Beta Orion and he was beaming a soft shy smile at me.

A smile that I almost returned.

Almost.

That is until the last words he had spoken about me slammed against my head like angry bulls.

"I do not want her," He had said to Alpha Zarek, dismissing me like I was nothing but a bug he intended to discard... like I was a worthless piece of thrash.

The thought made me mad and in anger, I glanced away from him even as he stalked closer to me and Doc Ava.

"Dahlia?" He called out skeptically as he got closer, but soon as I heard my name on his lips, I saw red. He didn’t deserve to call me that... he didn’t deserve to refer to me like we were acquaintances .

Rage like no other simmered just beneath my skin but then deciding that I wouldn’t say a word to him–to prevent myself from saying something that I might regret later– I pressed my lips together and glared. Hard. at him.

Hell, for the first time, I didn’t even bother with greeting him. I didn’t care about a lot of things anymore.

"I know that right now you’re still very hurt and you wouldn’t want to talk to me or anyone that must’ve inflicted you with pain, but I just wanted you to know that I am sorry."

More silence. More rage.

"I promised to protect you from harm and I couldn’t when you needed me the most."

Still, I said nothing.

"And even though I would’ve wanted to help, the evidence against you was a lot... and I didn’t want to believe them at the ti–"

"I didn’t steal the Alpha’s money." I snapped, interrupting him and he didn’t comment on it, but the way he nodded as he looked away only made me realize then that he didn’t believe me. No one would... especially not with the way whoever must’ve planned this did it.

My heart burned in my chest at this realization and I bit down on my lips to hold back the sob that threatened to spill from my eyes. By the gods, I hated this. I hated that I had been accused so cleanly that there was nothing I would say to anyone that they would even believe.

"Also, Amara is fine. She’s been asking about you for about two days now and I know that you wouldn’t want her to see you like this, but maybe I could bring her to you tomorrow? Is that fine with you?"

I looked away.

"Dahlia?"

"Do not bring my father to me. I do not want her to see me like this." I said and he nodded wordlessly.

However, the silence that descended between us stretched for so long, it began to feel awkward ; and when Beta Orion probably couldn’t take it anymore, he smiled one last time at me and turned around. He was about to step out of the room when a question popped into my head and without thinking it through, I blurted it out.

I asked; "Would I be sent back to the dungeon?" And at the sound of my voice, he stopped but he didn’t turn around.

However, I noticed the way his back and shoulders stiffened. I even heard his sharp intake of air. He was quite silent for a few minutes before he finally spoke, and when he did, his voice was barely above a whisper.

He said; "I have no idea, Dahlia, but you had stolen from the king... and you’ll still need to be punished."

I wanted to tell him that I hadn’t taken the money. I wanted to scream at him, to prove my innocence to him and make him understand that I would never steal, that it just wasn’t my nature, but I didn’t.

Instead, I nodded solemnly— even though I knew that he wouldn’t see me do that— and then dropped back into bed with my eyes closed, whilst I waited for whatever came next.

And deep down, I knew that it was nothing good.

Alpha Zarek... or Ms Jennifer would make sure of that.