The Alpha’s Mate | Pt.9

"No signs of infection, however, the location and blood loss is concerning." The medic said as she bandaged her up again. "You should be fine until we return."

Tora nodded. She said her thanks and stared suspiciously at the guy sitting in front of her.

"Does it hurt a lot? How did you get hurt so badly?" Ethan's eyes squinted and his brows furrowed.

"I don't need your fake concern, Colonel." Ethan shifted uncomfortably.

"I'd like for us to start over."

"Not interested." Tora refuted right away. "Were you in the fallen aircraft?"

"No, I was in the other one. The team from the fallen aircraft is resting over there. Luckily, only a few were hurt from the explosion."

Tora's gaze followed his hand to a group of people sitting down. Her eyes scanned each individual until they met with a single person, the protagonist of this world.

Tora could feel her skin crawl from the gaze that Freya gave her. Her eyes were exploding with jealousy and hostility, making Tora extremely uncomfortable.

Freya had only seen Hallie from a distance or through the news. They didn't have the same circle of friends nor did they share interests.

She had always felt a sense of dislike towards Hallie. It started when they met at a party a couple of years ago. The man she had her eyes on ended up getting engaged with Hallie and her to someone she disliked.

Freya held her position of Command Sergeant Major very highly. She was recorded as the fastest Beta to ever rank up that quickly. The only stain in her life was her Omega status that she had concealed.

Her world of pride came crumbling down once again when news of Hallie Moore popped up. The buzz around an Omega joining the forces was so prominent that The Royals made multiple emergency calls.

Freya couldn't understand how someone could easily give up their reproductive organs and glands as if it wasn't a big deal. She hated the fact that she didn't have the same courage to do so and proudly joined as an Omega.

Her whole life has been tied down to the simple fact of her classification, but Hallie's life is constantly being elevated by it. The unfairness of this alone contributed to the flame of anger in her heart.

Tora could practically read the emotions and thoughts that bled out of that gaze. It gave her chills yet made her want to giggle with glee. Their nonexistent interactions and her cancellation of the engagement should have quelled the anger in Freya's heart.

Maybe, we were born to hate each other regardless. Tora thought to herself. Her eyes looked past the group and towards the other two participants. Number 59 was currently being treated, and 13 were being questioned and taken care of.

Kierra waved at Tora. Her hands signaled something before the view was cut off by Ethan's face.

"Enough looking around. I had a very good talk with Father— Ah...Mr. Moore, about our engagement. Your father was right about you being the best choice of partner."

What kind of bullshit...?

"We'll get married a week from today. Having heirs is not a big deal. I can always just get another Omega pregnant."

Tora nearly spat out blood. She knew that Alphas like Ethan had a unique mindset, but for it to be this basic is mind-boggling.

"I'll kill you if you continue with this marriage talk. It seems my warning last time wasn't enough, Colonel Clark." Tora's eyes darkened as she stared fiercely at Ethan. She felt her heart tremble with anger and her stomach clenching from holding it in.

"You honestly don't think you can become General in place of your grandfather." Tora felt a vein in her head pop. Her skin that was paled and cold, boiled with anger. Her hands flexed and a punch was thrown with all her might.

"It seems my warnings don't mean much to you, Colonel!" Tora was pulled back to sit down by Ryan. The force of her punch nearly caused her to fall over.

"Miss Moore! Please, refrain from acting so disrespectfully towards the Colonel!" Freya quickly stood up and approached them. Her hands grabbed at Ethan's face, checking gently to see if any bones were broken.

"What a match made in heaven...tsk," Tora mumbled at the vomit-inducing scene. She felt like she should've just fainted instead of having to deal with all this.

"I've heard about your notorious behavior, but to bring that into the military is just another level of low." Tora had to admit that Freya was extremely good at sprouting nonsense.

"Am I supposed to know who you are, Soldier? Because if I don't know your name or face, it's best to shut the fuck up." Tora could hear Kierra snickering in the background.

"Command Sergeant Major, Franz Gording. Commanding officer under Colonel Clark. Now that you hear this, please be a bit more respectful." Her spiteful voice resembled Sarah's from the last world. The smirk on Tora's face fell once she noticed the coincidences.

Freya felt satisfied seeing her faltering expressions. Her hands gently traced the face of the man she felt was her bonded mate. The drug she had taken to suppress her Omega, was preventing her from feeling the bond. But she knew deep down inside that this person was hers and she was his.

It was rare for anyone to actually pair with their bonded mate. The link between bonds had weakened after the near genocide of Omegas during the break of the invasion. Modifications were made to severe the dependency on bonds which helped the remaining citizens survive and grow to the numbers that they have now.

The myth of bonded pairs became the dream of every Omega. Freya had always found those dreamy thoughts to be foolish. She was different from the others who strive to be as basic and stereotypical as possible. That was until the ball two years ago.

Her enjoyment was nonexistent because of the whiff of strong scents constantly bombarding her nose. She felt so nauseated, that she nearly passed out. Her eyes rolled back and she stumbled.

Everything stopped when a pair of strong, warm arms held her. The beautiful pair of eyes that looked at her made her heart beat fast. She felt feverish the moment her nose caught a whiff of that blossoming scent. It was comforting and safe. It made her feel things she'd never felt before.

She felt her life becoming meaningful again, until the announcement of the engagement between the heirs of the Moore's and Clark's. Her heart sank and her world nearly collapsed. Her Alpha was no longer hers alone and that made Freya angry.

"You shouldn't touch people so casually, Major Gording." She was awoken from her thoughts when the hand she dearly wanted to hold brushed her off. A stern look from Ethan caused her to shudder uncontrollably.

"I apologize, Colonel." Her heart tinged with a burning sensation as she moved away from him. "Does it hurt a lot? Do we need to ice it?"

"I'm fine." The force behind that punch was brutal, nearly breaking his jaw. It had knocked him out for a minute. His heart burst with excitement. It was the first time anyone has treated him like that and he was loving it.

He glanced at the hands holding onto Hallie's shoulder, feeling unsatisfied. It was his fault that their relationship ended up like this. He was stubborn to believe that something as incredible as fated partners was the only option for having a great future.

He felt the faint connection of mates from the person beside him, but the Hallie in front of him was more enticing. She represented all the excitement of making the wrong choices and that got his skin crawling.

"Why are we still sitting around instead of leaving?" Tora spoke sternly. Her mind felt clustered from all the thoughts that popped up.

Tora brushed off Ryan's hands and stood up. She felt like she would go crazy if she stayed here any longer.

'You should just leave it to the others and rest.'

Her eyes looked around as she waved the note casually.

As expected. No one else can see this.

'You're tired.'

I'm speechless.

"We should leave for the aircraft. I'll head south to the medical facility to check on the other survivors." Everyone sitting stood up instantly.

"That's dangerous. Those things are crowded over there." Ethan's eyes sharpened and his tongue clicked in annoyance. "Just come with me and return home to get you treated. The crew will grab the other participants."

At least he's acting the way I expected him to.

Tora could barely hold in the grin that was about to escape.

One down. The biggest fish needs to be baited next. I can't leave here without our main heroine.

Her eyes casually darted toward Freya who had a visible frown. Once their eyes met, Tora chuckled and sent her a mocking glare.

How dare that slut—! Freya nearly went into frenzy mode. She felt her head become feverish with anger. "Colonel Clark and I will head back with the participants here first. The rest of you head towards the southern facility, rescue the participants, and quickly board the aircraft back."

Everything happened very quickly. They were now on board and heading back to space.

Tora felt like she could finally relax a bit. She leaned back trying to get comfortable without irritating her wounds more.

Her eyes closed and she sat there in silence until they landed.

They were all led to individual rooms for a short quarantine and check-up.

"Ready for a checkup?"

"Go check on 43 first." She pushed Liam out the door and slammed it shut. Her hands were shaking and she now felt extremely cold.

Ah, shit. I might die at this rate.

Tora grabbed the casual clothes placed on the bed and tried to change into them.

The suit was easy to remove. All she needed to do was reach behind her neck and scan her prints to inflate it.

The suit that wrapped tightly around her muscular body quickly released itself. She quickly slipped it off and got changed.

She sat down, took a few deep breaths, and undressed her bandages. Compared to earlier, her bleeding was a lot less. She could see bruises forming around the wounds and across her chest and stomach.

Luckily for Tora, the painkiller was still active and suppressing it.

The door swung open and in strode her grandfather and Colonel Mason. They both had serious and solemn looks on their faces.

None of them said anything. They simply scanned her from head to toe with a perplexed look.

"You're hungry, aren't you? Grandpa hasn't cooked anything for you yet." We're being monitored, don't say anything.

"I'm hungry, but I'll wait until we get home."

At the mention of home, his expression turned even more grim. There was a shadow cast over his face.

"That useless son of mine has caused a disturbance again. I'm afraid you won't make it home."

"I heard." Maybe it was the wounds on her body, but her chest felt heavy. It felt like the weight of a mountain was crushing her, causing her to be unable to breathe.

That's not your father, Tora. He simply looks the same. That's all...

"They're planning it for next week. That's when Colonel Clark's rut begins." Jack elaborated.

"Good. A wedding will happen as they planned." Tora smirked and chuckled. This confused both of the men standing in the room. "Make sure everyone is invited. I want the wedding to be broadcast live." 

"Alright, I'll do what you asked." Although Robert had no idea what Tora was planning, he chose to believe in his granddaughter.

The last time he met Hallie was during her 10th birthday. She was smart and confident. A tiny ball of sunshine. However, Robert couldn't bring himself to love his granddaughter.

It would've been better if Hallie was born an Alpha or Beta. She was instead an Omega in the Moore family which was run by John.

She would be better off dead.

Robert wasn't sure if the incident that led her to come to him was a good thing or not, but he was glad that she did.

The more he observed and interacted with her, the more he felt intrigued and frightened. There was something about her that scared him.

Robert had noticed the slight look of indifference that would appear every once in a while. Hallie would often have these looks and thoughts that made it seem like she was viewing this world from above.

It was an odd feeling that continued to plague his thoughts. Even now, the smirk and apathetic demeanor she displayed despite being so pale from her injuries really made his heart sink.

"Dr. Hills will be in shortly. Does it hurt?"

"I suppose that it does hurt." Tora couldn't really explain whether or not she felt pain. All she could feel was warmth and cold clashing inside of her. Her head felt light and she was sleepy.

"You're giving me all the troubles." A door swung open. "If you're tired, you should sleep."

Liam gave the two men a nod and glided forward to the bed. He pulled open the shirt to see the wounds.

"Ah...I forgot I unwrapped it earlier." Tora exclaimed softly as she stared at the bloody shirt and wound. 

Robert and Jack both flinched. They were so focused on the wedding news that they forgot to check the wound. Robert had asked earlier but also failed to notice her shirt becoming bloody.

"It's a lot worse than I imagined..." His hands gently pushed on the bruises around the wounds. Liam took note of the broken ribs that he could feel and proceeded to quickly wrap her open wounds up. "It's better to take you back to our hospital."

"Okay..."

"It's best if you don't walk anymore. I'll carry you." Liam gently slid his hands under her thighs and around her back. He was careful not to squeeze the areas near her wounds.

Tora wiggled around awkwardly. She had never been princess carried like this before. "I'll walk, so put me down." Her hands patted gently on his chest, grabbing his attention.

"Alright. I'll hold onto you while you walk."

The instant compliance was unsettling. Robert and Jack watched as the two of them calmly strode out of the room without speaking another word.

+

Liam worked quickly with his team of experts. They patched her up and fixed the broken bones. Overall, the surgery lasted around 13 hours.

During the time that they waited, Robert and Jack studied the microchips. It was easy to gather data since this was the newest technology made by the Moore's.

"General! Colonel! Bad news! The Master just arrived and is kicking up a storm!" Jack bounced to his feet.

"General. I will stay here, you should head out and chat with...the Master..." Jack seemed apprehensive calling John, Master of the Moore family.

Robert had always noticed this odd behavior. Jack and John seemed to be on bad terms with each other ever since they first met years ago.

"My son would've known that you are here as well. He's quite a meticulous person. It would be odd if only I appeared but you were missing."

"I understand..." They needed to keep what they found a secret from everyone, including the blood-sucking Master of the Moore's.

"Location of my daughter, NOW!"

"She's in recovery. Please, calm down."

"Are the Hills's planning on getting in my way!?"

"The insolence!" Everyone was instantly rooted in their spot, none daring to move. Their bodies were heavy as if gravity was gripping tightly at their feet.

The heavy steps that signified discipline echoed through the hallway. The beautiful brown eyes glowed as they glared towards John.

"Fa—father..." Although John wasn't affected by the pressure, he still shivered at the glare his father gave him. "Mason..."

The moment his eyes caught sight of Jack, he sarcastically greeted him. Jack felt like a vein was about to pop from all the teeth-gritting he did.

Not even a Colonel title in front of my last name. A weak nobody dares to treat me with such disrespect!

The burning gaze of hatred greatly stimulated the pleasure in John's childish heart. He felt a sense of joy that had been missing since Hallie's accident a few months ago.

Both Robert and Jack could practically read the thoughts behind that smug expression. Robert felt a great sense of disappointment in his son's childish behavior, while Jack felt annoyed by it.

"I want my daught—."

"MY granddaughter is currently recovering. Don't worry, she'll attend the wedding as planned." Robert snorted at the sigh of relief that John exclaimed.

"Hallie has no future in the military. It's better if she's living a peaceful life with a husband that can protect her."

"I disagree." Jack crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. He side-eyed John with disgust. "I've heard of the phrase that everyone can become a parent but not everyone should. I finally understand what that meant."

"It's ANYONE can be a father or mother, but not everyone can be a parent. Idiotic bastard."

"General, please grant me permission to punch a bitch."

"Your muscle brain is only good for physical activities. Cowardice bastard."

"A coward is someone who hides behind his father's glory."

"What are you? A child? Do you really have to respond to everything I say!?"

"For someone who claims to run a family, you're very good at BEING a child."

The banter between the two continued. Tora had long woken up from her post-surgery recovery. She felt her grandfather's pressure and made her way to the source.

"Your father is usually very good at keeping up his cool Alpha persona." Liam bent down to whisper in her ear. "Jack is very impressive, don't you think?"

"Yes, I should keep him near me at all times."

"Keep me near you, too."

Tora simply stared at him and sighed.

The novel had never once described John and Jack's relationship. It was interesting to witness.

"I want a dark Royal Purple as my wedding dress." Her voice cut through the bickering and everyone went silent.

"Royal Purple...?" John sounded confused and worried. "That's a bit..."

"I'm not going if it's any other color."

"I'm afraid that they would take offense—."

"Royal Purple."

"It could result in capital punishment—."

"Royal. Purple."

"Royal Purple it is." John gave in and sighed. He massaged his temples and shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "How are you feeling?"

His eyes scanned Hallie from head to toe. This was his first time seeing his daughter's appearance after the gland removal surgery.

Those sharp eyes, toned muscles, and short hair were the complete opposite of what he raised her to be.

He thought he still had control over his gentle and loving daughter, but the girl in front of him was no longer the person he raised.

"I'm healthy enough to attend a wedding in a week."

A wedding...? Thought everyone who heard that. It was oddly phrased for someone who was talking about their own wedding, but no one said anything about it.

"Make sure Colonel Clark's command sergeant major attends. I want her to wear a beautiful white gown with golden laces."

"Wearing white? But that's—."

"NO ONE, except for her, can wear white and gold. Got it?"