Chapter 1 #2
Thayne returned with the cup of ice chips and handed it to Nick, who started spooning them into Carter’s mouth.
Carter moaned at the cold sensation soothing his throat.
Oliver made some notations on the chart in a bin hanging on the wall by the door.
“You’re healing nicely, thanks to your shifter genes, but you aren’t entirely out of the woods yet. ”
Oliver approached the bed again. “Carter, can you try taking the spoon from Nick?”
Carter lifted his hand to grab the spoon, but his fingers wouldn’t close around the handle. He tried again and again, anxiety beginning to set in. “What’s wrong with me?”
“Sometimes a cerebral hemorrhage as severe as the one you sustained can cause paralysis or, in what I can see in your case, issues with fine motor skills. I’m afraid you’re going to be facing some time in physical rehab once you’re healed enough to be released.
And until we can get you up and out of the bed, we won’t know the true extent of what has been affected. ”
Tears flooded Carter’s eyes as Nick squeezed his hand. “It’s going to be okay, Carter. Thayne and I will be there for you every step of the way.”
Carter turned his head and hid his face in the pillow, shoulders shaking with the sobs he attempted to stifle.
No one wanted to keep him around for long already because they either found him boring or annoying with his constant chatter.
Who would want a disabled shifter? Not even his mate would.
Depression settled over Carter. Darryl had not only broken his heart, but he’d also broken his body and firmly knocked the rose-colored glasses away from his eyes.
Nick barely left his side, chatting with him about inane subjects or pack updates.
Carter knew his cousin couldn’t really afford to remain with him.
Not when Nick would soon be beta to the new alpha once Cole, the alpha’s son, took over the pack completely.
Whenever Carter tried to insist Nick go home, his cousin would get an all too familiar, stubborn look on his face.
Carter knew it well from the many times he’d seen it over the years. Nick ignored him and wouldn’t leave.
Their alpha, Elijah Ferris, came to see Carter two days after he had awakened. Carter couldn’t believe it when the tall, broad-shouldered wolf shifter stepped into his room. He sat up straighter in the bed. “Alpha!”
Elijah waved away his formalities. “We’re in a human hospital, Carter. It is better to not use such titles.”
“Yes, Al—sir,” Carter said.
Elijah approached the bed. “How are you feeling?”
Carter flushed and dropped his gaze to his lap with a shrug. “Okay.”
Pulling the chair closer to the bed, Elijah sank down into it. “Are you really okay?”
“Oliver says I will be,” Carter said. He ran his right hand down his leg. “He said I’m going to need physical therapy.”
Regret flooded Elijah’s face. “I’m sorry this happened to you, Carter. Between preparing for the summit, building the relationship between our pack and the Senaka pack, and focusing on training my son, I’m afraid my usual attention to my pack members’ well-being fell to the wayside.”
“It’s not your fault,” Carter protested.
Elijah rested his hand on Carter’s calf. “I should have felt it through the pack bonds. Nick said this is most likely not the first time your human lover has done something like this? Why didn’t you come to us? Or at the very least Nick?”
Nick had tried to get Carter to talk about Darryl and what he’d gone through before ending up in the hospital, but Carter hadn’t wanted to put any more responsibility on his cousin’s shoulders.
Whenever Carter had been involved with another guy who’d taken advantage of him, Nick had come to his rescue, helping him get over his exes and listening to him vent about it.
There’d been a long line of jerks and users, but none of them had ever physically abused him before.
This time, he’d felt ashamed for picking another one who was even worse than all the rest. He hadn’t wanted to admit to Nick that he’d messed up yet again.
Carter didn’t know what was wrong with him or why he kept attracting the wrong men.
He wasn’t stupid. He knew Nick felt accountable for him because he’d promised Carter’s parents he’d take care of Carter after they died.
It made Carter feel like he was nothing but a chore to Nick sometimes.
Another item on a long list of things Nick had to deal with.
He hadn’t wanted to add to Nick’s responsibilities—he already had to deal with his business and becoming Cole’s beta.
Carter couldn’t meet Elijah’s gaze, but he kept his mouth shut, shrugging again.
Elijah sighed and squeezed Carter’s calf.
“I hope you know I care for every one of my pack members. You can come to me for anything you need. Nick is worried about you, too. He’s already retrieved all of your belongings and brought them to his house.
You won’t be returning to your apartment. ”
Head flying up in shock, Carter asked, “What? But how?”
“The police arrested Darryl for assault. While he waited to make bail, I had a couple of our pack members go in and get your things. They packed your clothing and the other personal effects you had there.”
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Carter said, fear causing his heart to pound, making him dizzy. “Now Darryl is going to be looking for me!”
Elijah gave a low growl. “Let the son of a bitch try, Carter. I promise you, he will not get within a hundred yards of you. We have a pack enforcer always stationed outside your door. There will be someone until you’re released and back home with Nick.”
“That’s too much trouble,” Carter protested. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me!”
“You are one of our pack.” Elijah said it in such a way that Carter couldn’t argue.
Carter bit his lip and nodded. He could hear the order in his alpha’s tone. “Okay,” he said, obvious reluctance in his voice.
Sara, Elijah’s wife and the alpha mate, came into the room shortly after, giving Carter a hug.
Carter had always liked her. She was so caring and kind.
After she fussed over him, gifting him with a couple of mystery novels, which she knew he liked, and a teddy bear from the gift shop, the two of them left.
Carter’s depression returned full force, and he slumped against the bed, fingering the soft ear of the plush bear on his lap. He’d made trouble for everyone. Again.
It took several more days before Carter’s advanced healing had done enough to allow Oliver to release him into Nick’s care.
Nick and Thayne would take him into their home, caring for him until he was back on his feet.
He would be a burden to the couple, really.
Aside from his inability to grasp anything with his left hand, there were also issues with movement in his right leg.
He couldn’t stand for long, so Carter would be stuck using a wheelchair or crutches for the foreseeable future for any distance longer than the bed to the bathroom.
On the day of his release, Nick walked into the room, pushing a wheelchair and smiling. “Ready to bust out of here, cuz?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
“How are you feeling?” Nick asked while helping Carter dress in a change of clothing he’d brought from Carter’s things.
Carter felt like a child as Nick helped slide the soft gray sweatpants up his legs and the white t-shirt over his head.
Nick then guided him into the wheelchair, helping place his feet on the metal footrests.
“The same,” Carter said. He still couldn’t make a fist or use his fingers the way he used to.
He definitely wouldn’t be returning to his day job for a while.
In fact, he’d be lucky if they didn’t fire him entirely.
Working in IT support required nimble hands most of the time.
Hooking up laptops and computers, typing, using a mouse—all of it needed use of both his hands.
“I need to arrange for some time off of work.”
“Already taken care of, Carter. I called your boss, spoke to him, and they are arranging FMLA for you.”
“Did you tell them what happened?” Carter asked, panicked.
Nick shook his head. “No. I told them you were in an accident and that it would take some time to fully recuperate. Your boss was extremely understanding.”
Carter breathed a sigh of relief. He’d already been embarrassed enough and didn’t want it shared with the people he worked with every day, too. “Thanks.”
Nick patted his shoulder. “We’re family, Carter. It’s what we do for each other.”
Guilt and shame stabbed Carter again. “I’ll work hard to recover so I can get out of your and Thayne’s hair.”
Crouched in front of the chair, Nick gripped Carter’s knee. “You aren’t in our hair, Carter. Get that thought right out of your head. You can stay as long as you need to.” He gave Carter a hard stare. “And we’re going to talk about Darryl and why you didn’t tell me about his abuse.”
Not if Carter could help it, but he nodded anyway.
Nick wheeled him out of the room, chattering about recent events in the pack, including one of their packmates having a set of twins.
Carter listened without comment. Thayne waited for them by the car, and he was his usual serious, grunting self.
Carter remembered when he had first met Thayne.
He’d gone to visit Nick at his home, and Thayne had answered the door rudely.
Thayne was Nick’s true mate. While they hadn’t found their happily ever after right away, they’d eventually completed their bond and were ridiculously, enviously in love with each other.
Every time Carter saw them, his heart ached.
He wanted what they had. It was what Carter had been searching for in the sea of jerks he’d waded through.
“How ya feelin’, shorty?” Thayne asked while helping Nick assist Carter into the vehicle by holding on to the wheelchair.