Ethan

I blink my eyes open to bright white lights and the sterile scent of a hospital.

It takes a few moments for my senses to focus on the details around me. At first I see only my surgeon’s face hovering above me. Has the surgery not begun yet? I wonder dazedly. I could have sworn I’d already started counting backwards for the anesthesiologist.

But when my doctor speaks, there’s a smile in his voice. “Welcome back Ethan. Everything went perfectly. You’ve been asleep for a while, but your family is eager to see you.

My family, I muse, the wheels in my mind turning much too slowly. Does he mean Nina and Matthew? But even as I think these words, my wolf pipes up.

I smell Jane. I smell the pups! They’re here! He exclaims.

No, they can’t be. It’s not possible. I reply, groaning internally at the pain this simple fact causes me.

Jane’s scent washes over me, much too potent to be my wolf’s imagination. Gentle fingers stroke my cheek, and the next thing I know, her sweet voice is floating through my consciousness. “Open your eyes, Ethan.”

I hadn’t even realized that I closed them again. I’m hovering on the edge of sleep, barely able to tell dreams from reality. I shake my head stubbornly, determined to stay in the dream. “No.” The word is little more than a whisper, my lips slurring the hard consonant. “Wanna stay.. in dream.”

I feel soft, familiar lips graze my temple, and I want to cry for wanting Jane. “Okay, my love.

There’s no rush.”

She feels so real- sounds so real. My wolf is whining in my head, and I gradually lift my heavy eyelids, caving to his pressure. At once I see Jane’s stunning features hovering above me. Her face is blurred around the edges, like an out of focus photo, but I don’t care. She’s beaming down at me, her emerald eyes swimming with tears. “Hello mate

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful, and suddenly I’m afraid I imagined the doctor’s words. “Am I in heaven?” I murmur, trying to reach for her but realizing I can’t lift my hand. That fact alone tells me this isn’t entirely my imagination – if I had it my way she would already be in my arms.

“No, of course not.” Jane answers, caressing my jaw. “You’re just a little hazy from the drugs.”

is this possible?” I

I’ve often heard her use when the pups are upset. “The

but the mention of my surgery jolts me into the present quicker

man.” Jane replies, hiccupping a

mind is working, waves of violent emotion are slamming into me one after the other. This isn’t right. She can’t know. “No,” I manage to shake my

back from my crown, and something deep inside

only knows what else. I jerk against the dead weight of my arms and legs, hating that I can’t move. I growl my frustration into the to0-bright room, and the machine beside me starts beeping faster and faster. Suddenly the doctor reappears, replacing Jane. “Easy

Jane’s voice intimates,

his mate in.” The doctor suggests, sounding farther away

My mate is already here! My wolf thunderS. I want to shout at the man for suggesting Jane leave, but

seem to get the message. “Nevermind.” The

mouth that

lip quirks and I want to throttle her and kiss her at once. “You didn’t seem to like the idea of me

my wolf.” I mumble drunkenly, “He’s not being

reasonable to push me away for the sake of your own stubborn pride? To

never wanted to hurt you.” I fight back a sob, wishing for the thousandth time that

have a

trying to hug me without actually jostling my body. Instead she lets me feel her warm curves pressing against my side, her slender limbs cradling whatever they can reach. It’s a terribly awkward position, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t effective. I can feel my wolf calming by the second, and I manage to lift my arm for the first time, circling it around her back to

to say hello. A few stray tears escape

closer. “Because mates give each other what they need, even when they

I’m trying to do!”I rumble in agony. “I’m no good for

disagree, and so do the pups.” Jane informs me simply. “You’re always taking care of everyone else, Ethan – even when it kills you. Now it’s time you let us return

slurring like a man who’s ten drinks in. “Im

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