Unshift 288
Unshift 288
288 Ava: Healed
Lucas motions toward his arms and legs with a wry smile. "I guess my healing came back with a vengeance." That's an understatement.
My heart pounds as I rush a few feet forward, stopping short at the foot of the bed as I drink him
In.
Alive. Well. Healed.
The strong alpha I remember, even if he doesn't know me anymore.
"Can L... would it be okay if I looked you over?" All the confidence I projected at that receptionist from earlier is gone, and I'm timid in front of my mate, this man with my heart in his hands.
He surprises me by standing up beside the bed, a low chuckle stirring my heart and tear ducts. into production. A slow circle, arms raised, as if showing himself off.
Steady,
Confident.
No trace of the injuries that had left him bedridden.
The familiar planes of his face soften with a lopsided smile that squeezes my heart. I ache to touch him, to assure myself this isn't another dream that will evaporate like mist.
His golden eyes are clear, no longer marred by the hint of pain. The broad shoulders I once clung to stand straight, unbowed by suffering. His skin is unblemished, no longer marred by recent wounds. Joy surges through my veins, bright and buoyant. He's here. Whole. Well, almost.
My vision blurs with tears, and I hiccup in the most unladylike manner. "I'm so glad you're better.
The words aren't enough to convey the depth of my joy over his recovery.
Lucas motions for me to sit on the end of the bed. I perch there, hyper-aware of his presence as he settles on the opposite end. The distance between us feels too far, and I wonder if for him it isn't far enough.
His gaze is still that of a stranger, but his words are more friendly than yesterday. "The mate bond must be real. You're the only change in my treatment. I guess my body recognizes it
somehow.
ours.
My eyes
on the bed. I ache to reach out, to feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers. But I hold back, not wanting
helped at all, I'm just thankful to have finally done something for you. My lips quirk. "You're usually the one doing everything for me. It's odd to have the shoe on the other fit He chuckles. "I can
a strange expression crossing his face. "Your
it. "I showered before I came, I insist, my voice higher than usual. "I'm clean." Lucas shakes
trying to think of what could
me?
Lifting my wrist, I waft the bracelet in the air between us. "It's
to sniff, then shakes his head. "No. Something
eyes, reminiscent of the way Lucas
wrong. By the way his nose wrinkles and he recoils back just a bit, my guess is that I'm really
He doesn't like how
dislike my scent? Such
wanted to bury
I
wrinkles again. "I think it should
heart drops. "Ava.
The Blackwood Greys,
in on recent history and the current pack situation.
on my neck. "Beta
bending his knee to rest his arm against it. Casual. Powerful. Looking way too good for someone who doesn't want me yet.
muses. "A curious choice of
choice for either of us, I remind
forgot about
288 Ava: Healed
it's just some
little phrases
my arm, I realize my itching is back, and that string of connection within me is
that right now.
wrong?" he asks
I'm sure you're
you breaking out of this
shutters, and I wonder what landmine I've walked into. "We haven't talked about
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!