Chapter 41
CALEB
Istare back at Jaxon as his blue eyes flare with a challenge. There’s no point fighting him. I crossed into his territory without permission. He has every right to be angry. They have to know the truth to understand.
“I’m here because Evan is my mate,” I say simply.
Jaxon pulls back an inch with a tense frown. “What?”
“Yeah, there’s your big secret,” I murmur hollowly. “I used a spell to cross into your territory. Showing our relationship in front of my father is too much of a risk, and we’ve been keeping it quiet.”
After a few moments, he releases me, and I twist my head towards the room they took Evan to. Everything aches to the point of despair.
“No one else can know,” I sigh.
“And you didn’t think you could trust me?” Jaxon’s face fills with concern as I glance at him.
“I haven’t told anyone,” I confess. “Not even Felix. It’s not worth the risk.”
He slides a hand through his hair. “What happened?”
“I woke up, and Evan was in the bathroom,” I say slowly as the memory slides through my brain once more. “He punched the mirror and tried to—”
The words fail me. I don’t even know if I can say them out loud because it’s too fresh, too raw. The blood. So much blood.
“He’s been struggling,” I say, my throat scratching.
Jaxon looks back at Ava, who stands there sheepishly. “What?”
“I knew,” she whispers. “I figured out they were mates.”
And she didn’t tell her mate? I respect her loyalty to Evan.
“You knew?” Jaxon says with furrowed brows.
Ava nods. “For a while. But that’s not important. Evan’s mental stability is.”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “He can’t keep living like this.”
“He thinks it’s his fault.”
After hearing about their past, I know what she’s talking about.
Jaxon takes another step back and looks at Ava. “You said he’s started therapy.”
“Only a few sessions. Therapy doesn’t work overnight. You know that. It took months to help me.” She wraps her arms around herself. “But we need to do more. What if Caleb wasn’t there tonight?”
I remove myself from the wall to pace. The thought lingers and claws at my insides, nausea creeping up my throat. “I don’t even want to consider that possibility,” I say through gritted teeth.
Ava’s eyes are remorseful. “But thank the Goddess you were.”
I wouldn’t have forgiven myself for ignoring him earlier if I heard a different outcome from them. No doubt my entire soul would have been ripped to shreds, and that thought alone is terrifying.
My hand slams onto the wall as I let my head lower. Every inch of my body suddenly feels like lead, and as the seconds tick by, all I want is to be beside my mate.
“We’ll make sure he’s okay, Caleb,” Ava says as she steps to my side.
Her words might be strong, but her voice tells me she’s just as scared.
“I don’t want him to hurt anymore.”
“Me neither,” she sniffles. “He’s suffered so much.”
The doctor pokes her head out of the door, and we all glance over.
“Is he okay?” Jaxon asks, voicing my thoughts immediately.
She nods slowly. “Yes, he’s stable, but he needs rest. Do I need to get Gemma?”
“When he wakes up,” Ava says as the doctor leaves. “We’ll give you a minute with him.”
“And we’ll keep people away from this area,” Jaxon says. “I’ll try my hardest to keep your privacy.”
“I know people are going to work it out sooner or later. The doctors probably already have their suspicions.”
“I’ll talk to them.”
“Thank you.”
When I step into the private room, my eyes immediately fall upon Evan as he rests on the bed. I look at his wrist to find it bandaged along with one of his palms.
I pull up a chair right beside him and take his hand delicately.
My lips press to his knuckles as I stare at his peaceful state, then my chest feels like a sledgehammer has torn through it when I think this is the kind of peace he wants forever.
My head bows, and I press my forehead to our joined hands.
“I’m never giving up on you,” I whisper. “I’m going to do everything I can to help you through your struggles and your battles. No matter what it takes.”
I stroke my fingers through his hair softly, unable to take my eyes off him.
Ten minutes later, his eyelashes begin to twitch, and his lids flick open as he blinks and glances around the room.
“Hey, handsome,” I murmur, my cheeks tight from my dried tears.
Evan’s face is expressionless for a moment before he frowns. “Wha—”
“Here.” I lean over to take a cup of water. “Have something to drink.”
His dry lips latch around the straw as he takes a small sip.
“How are you feeling?” I ask as I place the cup back down.
He doesn’t respond.
“Talk to me, pups.”
Evan’s lifeless eyes flick over my face. “What is there to say?”
I don’t know, but I want him to say something.
“I want to know if you’re okay.”
“No, Caleb, I’m not.”
My eyes close in defeat. I never know the right thing to say.
“It’s not your fault.” I take his hand again. “And those things you hear in your head, they’re not true.”
Evan’s eyes begin to glass over. “It’s not just voices. I hear their screams for help. The sound of their crying and begging.”
My chest tightens.
“I needed them to stop,” he croaks. “I’m broken.”
“No,” I state heavily. “You’re not.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t you dare apologise.”
He inhales thickly. “Why am I not getting better?”
“It’s going to take time.” I kiss his knuckles. “But we’re going to do everything to help you get through this. If you want me to sit in on your therapy, if you have a bad session and you need time to take your mind off stuff, I’m going to be there. It’s you and me now, we’re a team.”
“But you’re busy,” he whispers sadly. “I can’t take you away from your pack.”
I flick my eyes slowly between his. “What do you think about coming to stay with me instead?”
Evan blinks. “What?”
“That way I can keep an eye on you, where I know you’re safe, and I want you by my side. I hate leaving you—it’s the worst part of my day.”
“I thought you said you didn’t want anyone to know…” he trails off.
“It’s our business,” I say without hesitation. “I can tell Felix and Zara, and keep my section of the house closed off to those who aren’t close to me. Only those I trust. What do you think?”
He’s silent for a few seconds. “But I live here.”
“I know.” I nod. “But I need to take care of you.”
“What about Gemma and therapy and—”
“You can still come back to visit Gemma, or you can talk to one of my pack doctors. We can work it out. Don’t worry about the little details.”
He watches me with cautious eyes.
“We’re gonna get you better,” I say softly. “I want you to stay with me at home.”
“Home?”
“Yeah, baby. Home. Do you want to come back to my pack house with me?”
Evan’s mouth parts. “Only if I’m not in the way.”
“You could never be in the way,” I say as I cup his cheek. “It’s where I want you to be. Where you should always be.”
“Okay,” he rasps. “I’ll come home with you.”
My heart fills with relief, but there’s still a lot of work to do to get him back on his feet where he belongs. It might be a long road ahead, but I’m not going to let him down as others have in his life. I’m going to show up and prove that the rest of his life is worth living.