Chapter 36 Faye
THIRTY-SIX
Faye
I clamp my thighs around Damon. I’m terrified, but his scent unfurls around me, providing me with a warmth that makes me feel safe. And when he says he’s got me, he says it with a conviction that makes me believe it.
As soon as I get used to the sensation of riding and realize I won’t get thrown off at every bend, I actually start enjoying it.
Although I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
I’m still mad at him for how he spoke to Amora and her alphas.
They weren’t to blame for the football players or my clumsiness.
It doesn’t take long to get to the clinic at the edge of campus. As soon as I hop off, he throws me over his shoulder and paces across the parking lot.
“I can walk!” He’s making a fuss over nothing. “You don’t have to carry me. It’s only a cut.”
“I’m not giving you another chance to injure yourself before you’re checked out.”
Luckily, the clinic is relatively quiet—so I don’t have to be humiliated by the whole campus seeing him carrying me—and we’re ushered forward to fill out check-in forms quickly.
“You can put your insurance details there,” the receptionist points at a box.
Health insurance? My heart sinks. “I-I…”
I’m rarely sick, and when I have been, Gram’s took me to the local doctor who accepted a lifetime supply of tea and lotion in exchange for medical care.
The receptionist’s kindness evaporates, her nose creasing in disapproval. “You do have health insurance, don’t you?”
“She’s covered by the Silverwood Pack policy,” Damon answers for me. “I’ll complete the forms.”
He snatches the clipboard from me then scribbles down some details before she points us toward a waiting room.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I say as soon as we’re alone again. “I can pay my own way.”
“Sure you can.” I’m not sure if he believes me or whether he wants to save my pride. Either way, I’m grateful. “Cole would kill me if you didn’t let us cover the bill. You’re courting our pack. We look after you.”
“Well, thank you.” I sneak a quick glance at him. The sexy asshole is still glowering “You really don’t have to stay. I’ll be fine on my own from here.”
He plonks himself down in a seat then crosses his arms. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Sitting side-by-side, I wring my hands nervously in my lap as the excruciatingly long minutes tick by.
My wound has bled through the scrap of Damon’s shirt, but I don’t do anything about it, not wanting Damon to cause a scene.
The silence feels like a heavy blanket over us, my skin prickling with even more heat when Damon side-eyes me.
“Faye Nightingale?” a nurse calls for me. “Your alpha can come with you, if you’d like?”
Although my rational brain knows this is a safe place, I still feel on edge. But I won’t ask Damon to stay when he already thinks I’m weak and pathetic.
“He’s not my—”
“I’m coming,” Damon interrupts, jumping up and placing a firm hand on my shoulder.
In the exam room, the nurse checks me over before scribbling a bunch of notes to hand over to the doctor.
We don’t talk while I sit on the exam table and Damon leans against the wall.
I stare at the beige walls while he plays on his phone.
The atmosphere is so tense that I feel like I’m losing my mind.
On the positive side, the awkwardness completely distracts me from any discomfort in my leg.
Finally, after what feels like forever, I breathe a sigh of relief when the doctor informs me that my wound is only superficial and doesn’t require stitches.
They clean and wrap the wound, give me some painkillers, then send us on our way.
“Thanks for staying with me,” I say as we step out of the clinic. “You really didn’t have to.”
He shrugs nonchalantly then thrusts the helmet into my hands again.
“Can we…” Nope, stupid idea. He’s made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t want to spend time with me. “Forget it.”
“What?” he asks. “What were you going to say?”
“I was going to ask if we could get ice cream?” I know it’s late, but it’s still warm, and Vi’s sCream Queen truck will be out. Nothing beats a midnight sundae.
Damon’s jaw clenches, like he’s battling his inner will. I’m sure he’ll insist on taking me home or calling one of the other guys. Instead, he takes me by surprise. “Fine. But after that, I’m taking you home.”
Maybe this is progress?
The wind tickles my legs as we ride to the ice cream truck. After Damon parks near the bench I sat on my first night here, we join the line. I insist on waiting with him, despite Damon’s protesting that I should sit on a bench to rest my leg.
“Damon Silverwood!” Vi exclaims when we reach the front of the line.
Her eyes sparkle when she looks at me. “And how could I forget you? The only two customers who order potato chips on their sundaes. I should have known. A match made in ice cream heaven is a match for life. Would you like your usual orders?”
My jaw drops. “You still remember my order?”
“I never forget an order!” Vi winks. “I can make you something different, if you’d prefer?”
“No!” I say, already salivating. “The usual is great.”
Damon nods with a grunt in agreement.
“So you like chips on your ice cream too, huh?” I ask when Vi turns away to busy herself making our sundaes.
His lips curve into a half-smile. “It’s the only way to eat it.”
“Right?” I laugh. “The savory and sweet just work together.”
“They do. Never trust Laz to buy you an ice cream. One time, he tricked me and put chili chips on it instead.”
Who knew it’d take ice cream toppings to break the ice between us? The tightness in my chest loosens.
Vi places our sundaes on the counter, which Damon insists on paying for, then we make our way back to the picnic bench to sit down. A few other students mill around, but it’s relatively quiet.
“Thank you for staying with me tonight,” I say.
“It would help if you didn’t keep putting yourself in situations where I have to save you,” he replies, only this time, there’s a playfulness to his tone.
“Still, you didn’t have to take me to the clinic.”
“You know I did.” He shakes his shaggy, black locks.
Our eyes meet. Heated desire stirs behind his piercing green eyes, making my perfume bloom. Damon oozes sex appeal. He’s hot in an intense, brooding way that makes me wonder what he’s hiding beneath his tatts.
I take a giant mouthful of ice cream, grimacing as I’m hit with brain-freeze. At least it cools me off.
He smirks. “Hungry?”
My breath hitches when he reaches for my face. His thumb brushes my chin, lighting up every nerve ending in my body.
“Fudge sauce.” I watch his Adam’s apple work as he wipes it off then yanks his hand away as if he’s afraid that touching me for too long will cause him to burst into flames.
“Damon, I…” We haven’t properly addressed what happened. “About your past—”
His emotional walls are up a flash, his shoulders tensing. “We don’t have to talk about it.”
“But I want to,” I say. “I know you’re afraid of hurting me, and you blame yourself for what happened with Roxanna, but it wasn’t your fault that she got hurt. You were the victim.”
“An alpha’s job is to protect omegas,” he says through gritted teeth. “I failed.”
“You protected me tonight,” I remind him. “And the first time I met you. You work in security. Surely, you’ve saved many omegas over the years? You can’t let one incident in your past dictate your entire future.”
“You don’t understand.”
I sigh. “You know, I never thought I’d find a pack.
” I push my ice cream away. “I grew up afraid of alphas because of what happened to my parents. I thought most packs didn’t care about omegas, that all they wanted to do was take what they wanted.
But I was wrong. You and the others have shown me that. ”
“That’s different.”
“My point is, I see things differently now because I tried,” I continue, determined to get through to him.
“I could have fought this whole scent match thing, but by getting to know you all, I gained a new perspective. You can’t keep punishing yourself.
You’re not a monster, no matter how much you think you are. ”
“You don’t know me.”
“But I’d like to.” I hope he hears the sincerity in my voice. He’s my missing piece. Without him, there is no bonding or pack. “And no matter how hard you try to hide it, I think you’d like to get to know me too.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking.” I can see fear in his gaze, a hidden vulnerability peering out from behind his tough bravado. “If I ever hurt you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“You’re not going to hurt me.”
“You can’t know that.” He presses the heels of his palms to his forehead. “I’m not like the others. I’m wild. When I get past a certain threshold, I lose control. Lose myself to my alpha instincts. It’s almost happened once before. What if it happens again and something bad happens?”
“I’m not afraid of you, Damon.”
“Are you done?” He gestures to my sundae, signaling an end to the conversation. “I should take you home.”
Not waiting for my response, he jumps to his feet, dashing my hopes that we’re finally making progress. I don’t know how many more times I can deal with his rejection. Each one feels like losing another layer of skin.
“I’ll walk back by myself.” I head away from his bike. “It’s not far. The gate to OV is over there.”
He looks pained. “Faye—”
“It’s okay, I get it,” I cut him off. “I’ve already made a fool of myself enough tonight, and you’ve made your feelings clear.
But I need you to know that this hurt you’re feeling?
Well, I’m feeling it too. You’re my scent match.
You know you are. If this is how it’s going to be between us, I don’t know whether I can be part of the Silverwood Pack. ”
I turn my back on him and start walking when my stupid shoe gets caught in a pothole. Everything happens in slow motion. I stumble, yet right before my face hits the ground, powerful arms wrap around my waist to catch me.