The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 165

Athena

"His Alpha healing..."

"Might not be enough!" I was shouting again, not caring anymore. "You keep saying that like it's some guarantee but it's not. Sometimes injuries are too severe. Sometimes even Alphas don't fully recover." I didn't complete my sentence but I know he knew what I was thinking, our dad's were Aphas. But they didn't survive.

Orion's silence was answer enough. He knew I was right.

I took a shaky breath, trying to calm down. Getting angry at Orion wasn't helping and it wasn't right. He wasn't the enemy here. He was just trying to protect me, protect the babies, protect our secret.

But god, it was hard to be rational when the man I loved was fighting for his life.

"I need to do something," I said more quietly. "I can't just sit in that waiting room pretending I'm okay with letting human medicine handle this. I'm not okay with it. I won't be okay with it."

"I know." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Believe me, Athena, if there was a safe way for you to help him, I'd be all for it. But this, using your powers in a hospital full of humans, it's too dangerous."

"So what then? We just hope for the best?"

"We trust the doctors. We wait. And when he's stable enough, we can transfer him somewhere more private, somewhere you could..."

"That could take days. Weeks. You're asking me to watch him suffer when I could end it right now."

"I'm asking you to be smart!" His patience was wearing thin, I could hear it in his voice. "To think about more than just right now. Yes, you could probably heal him. But at what cost? Your safety? The babies' safety? Our entire community's safety?"

"Tristan is part of our community," I shot back. "He's your best friend, Orion. Or have you forgotten that?"

The words hit him, I could see it in his face. The way his jaw tightened, his eyes hardened.

"You think I'm not torn up about this?" His voice was low, dangerous. "You think I'm not terrified for him too? He's like a brother to me, Athena. Has been since we were kids. I love him."

"Then let me save him."

"I can't. Not if it means potentially losing you in the process. Not if it means risking those babies." He stepped closer, his hands on my shoulders, forcing me to look at him.

"I love Tristan, but I love you more. You're my sister. If I had to choose between his life and yours, I'm choosing yours every single time. If I was in that position too, I wouldn't want you to risk your life for me. I'll choose you always."

The words should have been comforting. Should have made me feel loved and protected. Instead, they just made me angry.

"You don't get to make that choice for me," I said.

"Like hell I don't. You're carrying two babies, Athena. You're not thinking clearly..."

"Don't you dare tell me I'm not thinking clearly!" I shoved his hands off my shoulders. "I'm thinking perfectly clearly. Clearer than you, apparently, since you're willing to let Tristan die to protect some hypothetical risk."

"It's not hypothetical. The risk is real. And I'm not willing to gamble with your life or those babies' lives, not even for Tristan."

We stared at each other, the tension thick between us. I'd never been this angry at Orion before. We fought sometimes, all siblings did, but never like this. But I've never raised my voice at him, none I can remember.

I've always respected him. Always.

"I need to do this," I said quietly. "I need to at least try."

"And I can't let you."

"You can't stop me either."

"Athena..."

"No." I stepped back, putting distance between us. "You can guard that hospital room all you want, but I'll find a way. I'll sneak in at night, I'll wait until you fall asleep, I'll do whatever it takes. So you can either help me find a safe way to do this, or you can watch me do it the dangerous way. Your choice."

He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the conflict in his eyes. The worry. The frustration. The understanding that I meant every word.

"You're so damn stubborn," he muttered.

"I learned from the best."

Despite everything, despite the anger and fear and desperation, he almost smiled. Almost.

"Even if I wanted to help you," he said slowly, "I don't know how. There's no scenario where you healing him in that hospital room doesn't raise questions. The moment his injuries start disappearing, the moment doctors notice he's recovering at an impossible rate, they'll investigate. They'll want answers we can't give them."

He was right. Again. I hated how much sense he made.

"There has to be another way," I said, more to myself than to him. "There has to be..."

The door opened and Derek stuck his head in. "Sorry to interrupt, but I might have a solution."

Orion and I both turned to him, hope flickering in my chest.

"I've been making calls," Derek said, stepping fully into the room. "Talking to people, pulling some strings. And I think I found a way to get Tristan out of here."

"Out of the hospital?" I asked. "They'll never agree to discharge him in his condition."

"Not discharge. Transfer." Derek pulled out his phone, showing us something on the screen.

"My family owns a private medical facility across town. Small, exclusive, usually handles wealthy patients who want discretion. I talked to the director, he owes me a favor, and he's willing to accept Tristan as a patient."

"A private facility," Orion said slowly, understanding dawning on his face. "With fewer people, more control over who has access to him..."

"And no cameras in the patient rooms," Derek finished. "It's designed for privacy. For people who don't want any record of their medical treatment."

"That's perfect," I breathed. "That's exactly what we need."

"But you're not in good terms with your family" Orion said, making me turn to Derek.

I remember Tristan saying something like that, Derek's family was dangerous.

Wasn't it going to put Tristan at risk.

"I asked him to be as discreet as possible. No one would know, not even my family. That's the only hospital he would be allowed to be transferred to."

"Hold on," Orion said. "Even if we can transfer him, the doctors here aren't just going to let us walk out with a critical patient. They'll have questions, concerns..."

"They'll have legal protection," Derek interrupted. "We sign an agreement stating that we're taking full responsibility for Tristan's care. That if anything happens during the transfer or after, it's on us, not them. They'll cover their asses legally and we'll get what we want."

It wasn't perfect. Moving Tristan while he was this injured was risky. But it was better than the alternative, better than trying to heal him here where we'd definitely be caught.

"What about staff at this private facility?" Orion asked. "They'll still see if Athena heals him."

"Our family doctor will be the only one treating him," Derek said. "Dr. Ben. He's been with my family for thirty years, completely trustworthy. And he knows about... well, about people like you. Like us. He's treated Alphas before, knows how to be discreet."

"He knows about my powers?" I asked.

"Not specifically, but he won't ask questions. That's why my family uses him. He sees what he needs to see, documents what needs to be documented, and forgets everything else."

Orion looked at me, communication passing between us again. He was still worried, still unsure, but I could see him considering it. Weighing the risks.

"We'd have to move fast," Derek said. "Get him transferred tonight before his condition changes or complications arise that make moving him impossible."

"Do it," I said immediately.

"Athena..." Orion started.

"Do it," I repeated, looking at him. "Please. This is our chance. Maybe our only chance."

He studied my face for a long moment, then sighed heavily. "Fine. But we do this smart. Carefully. And the second—the SECOND—you start feeling weak or sick or anything wrong, you stop. You hear me?"

"I hear you."

"I mean it, Athena. I'm not losing you because you pushed yourself too hard trying to save Tristan."