Apprehended Ch. 03

"Consider it done," said Ethan, quickly. "Anything for her."

The doctor ran a finger over an old cigarette scar on my stomach. I flinched involuntarily. "Sol Luna," he said, softly.

I was about to move away when Ethan growled again, scaring the shit out of the poor, older man. "Baldridge!" he spat.

He trembled; his fingers now clumsy. "Forgive me, Alpha." He focused on me once more. "You can lower your shirt, Sol Luna. I will check your feet now."

The rest of the examination went by rather quickly. The worst of it was done, so I felt a little more at ease when the doctor checked my feet and told us that they were deep scratches and nothing more. Good old antibiotic cream, peroxide, gauze and bandages should do the trick. Keeping it covered was also crucial.

Ethan listened intently, asking questions to verify and make sure he got it right before he was satisfied. Honestly, the whole thing made me feel like a little kid whose father was overprotective.

No one ever cared for me before. Other than my lost family members, I was the only one that cared for my own well-being. Having Ethan fawn over me was new and a bit overwhelming. Especially when he was so good looking and I...I...well, I was not.

"Thank you, doctor," said Ethan in a clipped tone. "You may go. Forn waits for your arrival. Keep your eyes open and safe travels."

"Thank you, Alpha."

The doctor bowed at Ethan then at me before leaving quietly.

I stared at Ethan awkwardly.

"You heard the male. Bed rest. No brash movements. No walking. Which means I'm carrying you everywhere. You will be moved to my room permanently until you heal. No questions."

"Ethan!" I said, glaring.

He raised up a firm hand. "My word, Annie. My word. Now come to me, bellula," he said, offering me his arms and approaching me. "I'll take you."

I wanted to tell him no and to shrug him off, but the explosion of pain on my shoulder and ribs made me gasp.

"No sudden movements," he reminded me, sliding one arm under my knees and the other at my back. Effortlessly, he lifted me from the bed and carried me out of the room to his own, which smelled of him and nothing else.

I wanted to groan but felt even more awkward as he settled me on his bed. On his pillow. On his sheets. All things that belonged to him.

He smiled and tucked me in. "Where you should be," he said, quietly.

I wanted to ask what that meant, but he pulled away and I missed the feel of his bare chest against me. The heat between us made me tremble and I realized that I was breathing heavily.

So was he.

"Food," he said, moving to the door. "I will feed you. After you eat, bath. The doctor gave me the salts. He left everything downstairs." He was about to leave before he stopped abruptly and grabbed something on top of his dresser. He came back over to me and offered it. "Remote," he said. "Watch some television, bellula."

I took it hesitantly. He left in silence, leaving me to my thoughts. I put on the TV, which was a large flat screen with insane definition that hung above his fireplace. A mantle sat below, with books, a mug, candles, more books, some other things and...

A phone!

I jerked in excitement and moaned from the pain. Shit!

"Annie?" he called from downstairs. "Are you alright?"

I took a deep breath. It hurt. "Yes. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He muttered something and let me be. I was grateful. I picked a random channel on the television and put up the volume to drown out my sounds. When I was satisfied, I made slow progress as I got up and shuffled my way to the mantle. The pain was excruciating, but I didn't want to stay here and let Ethan nurse me back to health when a hospital was just as good.

If not better.

Lies!

I told my brain to shut up. I didn't need Ethan. I would never need him. At least, that's what I repeated in my head like a mantra. A way to convince myself that the feelings I was having were not real. A mere figment of my imagination. My knight in shining armor that I secretly wanted.

It was all a way to heal. If I clung to him, he would make everything better. But what if he was lying? What if he wasn't being completely honest with me? I knew that he needed to tell me something. Something that explained the weirdness of this place. Of him.

I smiled in triumph when I made it to the phone. I placed a shaky hand on the handle and just as I was about to lift it to my ear, I froze. Who the fuck would I even call? I had no friends. 911? Ethan would be furious. I doubt he'd go so easily with the authorities either. Something nagged at me that any type of separation wouldn't work. Especially when he said that he could die. What did he even mean by that? Was he serious?

Surely, he was joking. Right?

I picked up the phone and put it to my ear.

No signal.

He cut the line!

I wasn't sure if I should be scared or grateful. Did I want to leave him? Truly? A small part of me did. Yet, the bigger part-the part with reason-told me no. Hell fucking no. That part of me trusted him completely. Because the amount of care Ethan showed me for the short period of time we were together was enough to put me at ease. That part of me knew that the connection we shared was strong. Bigger than liking someone. Bigger than even love itself.

I froze again.

This was serious. Whatever it was, it was pulling me to him like a desperate moth to a flame. I wanted him. I wanted all of him. Despite my insecurities and my broken soul, I fucking wanted him more than I needed air.

His heavy footfalls as he ascended the steps had me slamming the phone down and scurrying to move away from it. I didn't make it in time.

"What are you doing?!" he all but shouted. He ran inside, tossing a tray of food on the bed to approach me. He scooped me up into his arms. "Rest, my female. Rest. Why are you so stubborn?"

"Bathroom," I lied, quickly.

He froze with me in his arms. "Bathroom? You realize that I can smell your lie, right?"

"Uhhhh..."

He snorted in impatience. "Did you honestly think that I would leave an available phone for you to use so openly in my room?"

Damn.

Shit, fuck, triple-damn! How did he know?

"Remember what I said," he snapped, his voice sharp. He carried me to his bathroom instead, putting on the light and igniting the space. It was huge. "We are connected, Annie. You cannot ignore the bond. Accept it. You will also have to accept that there are no secrets between us. The longer you stay, the closer we are, the more connected we become. I will know you, sweet female. Just as you will know me."

He placed me on the counter by the large double sinks and settled right in between my legs; shoving his big body into my space. I hitched in a breath as he grabbed my chin and pulled my head up to look into his golden eyes. He smiled, revealing that glorious dimple again. "What shall I do with you, my petal? If you cannot accept being here with me, I will have to convince you."

I stuttered. "C-convince me?"

"Yes," he whispered. He lowered his head and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to my lips once...twice. "I will have you, Annie. So help me, I will. If that means courting you, then I will. Without hesitation. So...tell me. What do you want?"

My mouth fell open in shock. "What?"

"You heard me," he said, releasing my chin to caress it. "What do you want, mea vita?" He lightly nudged my mouth closed.

I thought about that.

And looked right at him when the answer came to me.

"The truth," I said, the words tumbling from my mouth like a raging waterfall. "I want the truth."