Chapter Twenty-Four
Felix
June
If the nurses thought it was strange that I wouldn’t let Bennett out of my bed, they handled it with immense professionalism.
I’d never been sick or injured like this before, and while I knew it was normal for omegas to become extra clingy and needy when sick, I was afraid I was taking things to a whole other level.
I had to assume the fresh—unconsummated—mating bond was making things worse.
Or I am just needy as fuck when hurt.
I needed Bennett’s skin against mine more than I needed any of the medicine they were giving me in here.
If I could have crawled into his skin with him, I might have considered that.
The first time he’d left me to go to the bathroom after I woke up, my stomach had hurt so badly that I’d ended up vomiting over the edge of the bed.
Since then, Carissa had left an extra bed pan for Bennett, and I got the pleasure of watching Bennett every time he peed.
Even if he spent the whole time shaking his head at me and telling me not to look because he knew it made me want things that my body—allegedly—wasn’t ready for.
Even though my team was pleased with my recovery, Dr. Tanaka had insisted on a psychiatric evaluation, despite my assurances that I hadn’t tried to harm myself.
She’d also made me see one of their addiction specialists because of the morphine I’d been given for the first twenty-four hours of my stay—not to mention the recent heroin overdose.
Both had cleared me, and the medicine I was still taking was greatly reducing the withdrawal symptoms I was experiencing.
I was grateful not to have to experience that in full this time.
My scans were clear, there was no permanent brain damage, and aside from having to hobble around on crutches to compensate for my broken leg, I was in pretty good shape. If all continued to go well, I’d be released tomorrow morning.
The only strange thing was that my nurse, Julia, had completely disappeared.
According to Bennett, the last anyone had seen her was when she’d said she was taking Ryder away.
According to Wyatt, there was camera footage of them leaving the hospital together but neither of them appeared to be in distress.
So far, I hadn’t had the energy to think too much about how they might be connected.
I’d spoken to Clara on the phone and reassured her that I hadn’t relapsed and that I would explain the whole situation later.
Despite knowing that I’d had visitors when I was in a coma, I’d had none other than Bennett since waking up.
Wyatt had called Bennett to ask when they could visit and Bennett had growled at him.
Wyatt had decided that since alphas were extremely possessive around other alphas after a new bond—especially when that bond hadn’t been consummated—he and Ally would just see me once I was released.
I wouldn’t mind watching Bennett bare his teeth and growl at his family during their visit, but I don’t want to put him through anymore stress than he’s already experienced since my accident.
“Who’s been taking care of Marley and Benny?
” I gasped as Bennett tucked away his dick and pushed the bed pan back under the bed.
He used the hand sanitizer on the wall, slid back into his spot next to me, and wrapped his arm around me.
I fit perfectly in the crook of his arm, and I was pretty sure I could live in that one spot for the rest of my life.
“Oakley,” he said. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t have sent any alphas to tend to Marley.”
“Are they both doing okay?”
He chuckled and reached for his phone on the tray in front of us. “Here.” He handed it to me and leaned back, resting his head on mine. “She sends photos at every walk.”
“Because you requested them?” I gave him a knowing look.
“I was already worried about you every second, there was no need for me to worry about my dog too.”
“Our dog,” I said, swatting his chest.
“Let’s ask him who he belongs to,” Bennett said.
I laughed and scrolled through the pictures. “He looks happy with her. Maybe we’re both about to lose our dog.”
“I’ll give up my sister before I give up my dog,” Bennett said.
“Yeah right.” I handed the phone back to him. “I can’t wait to go home to our room. I feel like I’ve been in this hospital bed for a year.”
Bennett kissed the top of my head. “I can’t wait to go back to our bed either.”
Bennett’s phone buzzed and I saw an incoming message from Wyatt.
Wyatt: If you’re done growling at everyone who comes within ten feet of your new mate, we really need to talk about Ryder and the case.
I showed the message to Bennett. “Do you think you’re done growling?”
“No,” he grumbled. “I’m pretty sure I won’t be until I’ve claimed you properly.”
“Ah, your body wants to fuck me, but your overprotective brain can’t even fathom it when I’m still in the hospital, am I right?”
Bennett scowled at me. “Do I mock your omega instincts?”
“My omega instincts are adorable. Your alpha instincts are ridiculous.” I smiled, full of love for this man.
Bennett laughed and scented my neck, softly kissing Ryder’s faded bonding mark.
I appreciated that he’d chosen to bite me on the other side.
It was nice to allow the past to coexist with my future, and now that Ryder’s mark was a faded scar, I didn’t mind it so much.
He’d been a part of me at one time, and just because he wasn’t the person for me, didn’t mean I wanted to forget him.
Though I wish he hadn’t tainted my memory of our time together even more with his actions recently.
I handed the phone to Bennett. “Just tell Wyatt to meet us at the house tomorrow evening. Maybe if you’re in our home and surrounded by our scents, your instincts will calm down a bit.”
Bennett quickly typed out a response and tossed the phone onto the tray. “We’ll see, but don’t get your hopes up.”
“I love your grumbly ass,” I said, snuggling into his bare chest again. I licked his nipple and giggled at his sharp breath. “This bond is fantastic. I just felt the jolt of arousal in your cock in my own cock.”
“The sex is going to be even better than before,” Bennett said.
“I don’t know how that’s possible, but I can’t wait.” I looked up at him and gave him a soft kiss. “Bennett, I’m really glad you claimed me.”
We hadn’t talked about what had happened to me before I’d landed in the hospital yet.
I only wanted to do it once, which meant doing it in front of Wyatt, and until today, I hadn’t felt strong enough to get through the whole story in one sitting anyway.
But I remembered everything, even more than I realized, and there were things I needed to share with Wyatt and Bennett tomorrow.
He scratched my scalp gently as he gazed lovingly at me.
“I don’t know how to get over it. I don’t regret it.
You’re here and you’re okay and if Ryder had gotten his way, I don’t know if this is where we’d be right now.
But you’ve only ever asked one thing of me, Felix, and I can’t help feeling like I failed you. ”
I pushed myself up and cupped his face. “I saw Ryder twice in the last few weeks, and the only reason I reached out to him was because I wanted to spare him the pain of our bond breaking when I asked you to claim me. I was going to ask you. I should have asked you. I should have told you what I was doing and then you wouldn’t have had any doubt about what I wanted.
I didn’t want you to worry and I didn’t want Ryder to change his mind if he saw you.
Turns out he did that anyway.” I gave Bennett a hard kiss and wiped away a tear trailing down his cheek.
“No more tears, babe. We have each other. Dr. Tanaka said I’m going to make a full recovery.
And I don’t want you to have any regrets.
I heard you. I heard everything you said before you bit me.
I put all my strength into squeezing your hand so that you’d feel my choice.
I would choose you a hundred times over, Bennett.
In this life and in the next. You are my alpha and I am yours. Forever.”
Bennett crashed his lips to mine. “Forever, handsome. Forever.”
Bennett helped me out of his truck the next afternoon, holding me up as he placed my crutches under my armpits. “You okay, handsome?”
“Yes.” I kissed his cheek. “For the thirteenth time since we left the hospital. I’m fine. I’m not too cold. I’m not too hot. I don’t have a headache. I don’t need a wheelchair and I don’t—”
“I get it,” he said, glaring at me. “I will shut up.”
“You won’t.” I chuckled, kissing him again and scenting his neck.
He put his arm around my upper back and walked with me into the house.
He opened the front door and groaned loudly as we both scented the spiced vanilla in the air. “I told you to come tonight, Wyatt,” Bennett grumbled.
Benny came sprinting to the door and jumped up against Bennett’s legs. Bennett reached down to pet him while I rolled my eyes.
I’m the injured one, Benny. Right here. And I’m basically chopped liver because I don’t command you to behave. Ridiculous.
Wyatt sat in a chair in the living room and looked over his shoulder at us. “And I told you—both of you—that we need to talk about this now. If you were anyone else, you’d never have gotten this much leeway from me. There have been a few developments, and I need Felix’s official statement.”
“Well, you can wait until I get him comfortable first,” Bennett said. He walked me over to the couch and took my crutches from me. “Are you hungry, handsome?”
“Yes, but I can wait until after Wyatt leaves,” I said.
“No. Let me heat you up some soup. Oakley said she put some in the fridge. Wyatt can wait ten minutes.” Bennett gave him a stern look.
“Hey, Wyatt,” I said as Bennett scooped me up and set me lengthwise on the couch. He took the pillows from the couch and a nearby chair and stacked them at the foot of the couch before lifting my leg and placing it on top.