Chapter 25 #2
“I know a man in love when I see one. And if he’s anything like his father, he’ll never leave your side.”
“He did though. He walked away. The other night.”
“So I hear. And I think he knows he screwed up. What can I say, Faelan? I can do my best, but they’re still men. Bound to screw up once in a while.” Leslie laughed. “I hope you can bring yourself to forgive him.”
“I don’t want to hold on to grudges.” I remembered Eriska’s words about moving forward with grace. “I healed him because I couldn’t imagine a future without him. It would seem silly to hold on to something so small in the face of that.”
“Sure, and it’s a relief to be hearing you say that,” Luch said from where he stood in the doorway, and my eyes whipped to his. My heartbeat escalated. “Though you’ll still be getting a proper apology from me.”
“Luch,” I whispered, relief filling me. He was alive. And healthy. He wore a loose pair of scrubs and there was color in his skin. I wanted to run into his arms and cuddle against his chest.
“And before he does that, I also owe you an apology.” To my shock, Luch’s dad pushed him lightly aside and strode to the bed. He glanced at the monitors beside me, reading them, and then gave me a quick nod. “Vitals look good.”
“Thanks,” I said, looking at the man who almost killed me.
“It has come to my attention that I’m a stubborn arse, and have a blind spot for certain things, which has led me to cause serious issues for those I love. I’m sorry I insulted you, by offering to pay you off.”
“You what?” Leslie exclaimed.
“And I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you to heal Luch. You saved my boy, and for that I owe you a debt. Anything you need—ever—and I will give it to you.”
“Thank you,” I said, understanding how difficult apologizing was for a man like Richard.
“Now, I’m going to take my beautiful wife out of here and let her scold me for a while.”
“It’ll be more than a scolding, Richard Carmichael. What were you thinking? Pay the poor girl off?” Leslie was already berating Richard as he held the door for her, and he hung his head as he followed her out.
“You’re right, darling.”
“How … how are you?” Luch came to stand by me, raising and then lowering his hands awkwardly as though he didn’t know what to do or say.
“I’m hurt,” I said, and Luch snapped to attention.
“What do you need? Should I call Lynn? Where does it hurt?”
“Here.” I tapped my heart.
“Oh.” Luch’s face fell. “My father’s the heart surgeon.”
“I think I know what will help.”
“What’s that?” Luch’s eyes were wary, his face heavy with sadness.
“A hug.” I patted the bed next to me.
“Can I? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” I scooted so that Luch could crawl in, and he lifted me easily, maneuvering me until I was cradled against his chest, and when I heard his steady heartbeat beneath my ear, the tears came.
“Och, don’t. I’ll never forgive myself if you cry, Faelan.”
“Happy tears,” I gulped out. “I promise.”
“I haven’t slept. Two days you’ve been out, and nothing was bringing you back. I tried the tea. Everyone was here. Sophie, Lia, Shona … the whole lot of them. Did you know they’re all magick too? We had every type of healer and healing things we could find in here. And nothing helped.”
“It all helped. I just needed one last healer. My mum.”
“You saw her?” Luch sucked in a breath, and I tilted my head to look up at him.
“Aye. I was on the edge, between the worlds, and she brought me back.”
“That’s … terrifying. Just to think how close you were.
I almost lost you.” Luch’s voice rumbled in his chest and his arms tightened around me.
“Before I could even tell you what I was. It was all a mess in my head. I should have trusted you with my secret, Faelan. You gave me yours, I should have told you mine. I’m sorry, I am, for not showing you my world sooner. ”
“I understand. I don’t like it. But I understand.”
“Do you?” Luch shifted so he could pull me more tightly against him, and the heartbeat monitor registered an increase in my beats. We both laughed softly.
“I do. Because if I’m being truthful with myself?
I’m not sure when I would have told you about healing.
Not with what you’d told me about your mum, and especially due to your clear dislike for healers.
If I hadn’t been tossed into telling you, I might never have said anything.
Or waited a good long time before I did. ”
“You’re giving me a lot of grace, Faelan. But I’ll take it. I don’t ever want to lose you again or give you reason to think you can’t trust me.”
“Is that it? The last of the secrets?”
“Well, I have two more.”
“Two more?” I twisted and pushed myself up on his chest, glaring down at him.
“Aye. The first is … well, I can hear Oban talk to me. In my head.”
“Och, that’s nothing. I can hear him, and most of the other animals too.”
“What? You never told me that!” Luch’s mouth dropped open, and I laughed, surprising myself.
“I guess I hadn’t. Huh, we do have a few secrets, don’t we?”
“I guess we do.”
“So what’s the second one?” I was already getting sleepy again, the emotional toll of seeing my mum, waking up, and seeing Luch again already making its mark on me.
“The second one is that I love you. I love you so very much, Faelan of the flowers, and I will through all time. Of that much I know. We feel it, you know, us Wulvers.” Luch tapped his chest. “We’re bound now. I’ll always protect you and walk by your side, if you’ll have me.”
“I will,” I said, and smiled against his lips when he came in for a kiss. “And I love you, Dr. Carmichael. And while I dearly love seeing you all sexy in your scrubs, I just don’t have the energy for anything else right now.”
Luch’s laugh rang out across the room.
“Only you would suggest we could get dirty while you have a waiting room full of your friends desperately waiting to see you again.”
“I do?” I’d never had friends, or family, who’d wait in the emergency room for me before.
That’s when it clicked into place for me.
I’d done it. I’d found a home, friends, and now with Luch? A family.
“You sure do, darling. A lot of people that care deeply about you. Myself included.”
“They can wait … just a little longer, right? I can’t seem to work up much energy to do anything more.” Already my eyes were fluttering closed, and I snuggled closer into Luch’s chest. “Just a little bit more. Just like this.”
“Anything for you, my love. Sweet Faelan of the flowers, together we’ll walk the fields, mine forever.”
Those were the last words before I drifted into a peaceful and pain-free sleep, knowing in my heart of hearts, that I’d finally grown roots and was ready to bloom.