Through Hell [AOB/LGBT+/mpreg]

41

When Oliver is released from the hospital he spends his time with Verlee.

It was only a week of hell, but it was enough to break him.

He gives into the need to see her, touch her, and make sure she's okay as he coddles her in order to forget about the pup he once carried. Manny doesn't leave his side for a second, too traumatized and scared of the world outside their little bubble.

Oliver doesn't remember much of how he was kidnapped.

When he finds the strength to leave the nursery, he hears snippets in the halls.

He learns that while the mated pair were distracted by each other's presence in the park, Oro had been shot before something blunt had knocked him out. It was clearly premeditated when another person had used chloroform against Oliver to rip him away from his alpha.

It was a direct attack on them, against them.

It was meant to teach Oliver a lesson for getting Rando killed. For biting that one alpha.  The small sects ganging up together to destroy Oro, to burn down their pack and wreck the alpha until he went feral and had to be put down.

It had backfired spectacularly when Oro did in fact go on a rampage and kill everyone on that boat upon discovering Oliver's location.

As Oliver walks to the kitchen, Verlee in his arms and Manny clutching to his sweats, he pauses at the sight in the living room.

Oro is talking with the FBI agent Oliver had conspired with.  His heart stutters in his chest, wondering what the hell is going on.

He approaches cautiously, coming to stand beside his alpha.  The men don't react as he sidles beside his mate, the alpha wrapping an arm around him and their pup.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Carlos."

"Thank you for helping me get rid of that filth."

"Anytime, alpha."

The agent looks at Oliver and gives him a nod before leaving.

Oro turns to his omega and smooths away the crinkle in his brow with his thumb.  There's so much Oliver wants to ask, wants to know.

But he's tired.

"Ready when you are," the alpha whispers.

Oliver nods.  He disappears into the kitchen and returns with daisies and lilies.

When they arrive, the room is sterile and Oliver's heart aches.  He places the brightly colored daisies next to the bedside where Boa sleeps.  Oliver refuses to believe the young alpha will never wake up, not after trying his damnest to protect his and Oro's pups.  So, he chooses to believe the younger man is only sleeping because he will wake up.

Maybe not now.

Maybe not ever.

But Oliver won't let him slip.

Their last and final stop is the cemetery.

Oliver thinks this isn't the happy ending he'd imagined.

He's still profoundly hurt, wounded and empty in ways he's not sure he'll ever recover from.

But Carlos' hand slips into his and he thinks he wouldn't have it any other way.

This is not a happy ending, not by a long shot.

But it's the right path to one.

He lets a tear slip when Manny places the white lilies in front of the headstone.

He can feel Carlos press a kiss to his forehead and then to Verlee's still cradled in his aching arms.

"I love you, through hell and back."

He chokes on his tears, "Always."

Fin.