I'd love to
“Of course, she is.”
Those four words settled the storm in my heart. I let out an exhilarating breath.
“Thank fucking goddess,”
“I watched the news. That was an impressive move.” Dr. Drake said, “I mean, you, telling everyone about her being your second chance mate.”
“Well, it was about time.”
“Yes, it sure was. So what's the plan? Are you officially gonna make her your mate?”
“Yes.”
He stared at me longer, like he was checking for any sincerity behind my claims.
I think he saw it, and that got him smiling broadly. He sucked in his teeth.
“I feel sick for supporting this thing you both share, but for your sake, I hope it works out. You've got a damn fever for her. It's…scary.”
No shit.
“It's gonna work out,” I was trying to convince myself more than I was trying to convince him.
I've come way too far to start having doubts. It's gonna work out. It has to.
We exited the elevator and he led the way to Elena's room.
I didn't even need him to tell me which was her room. Seeing my men lined up outside was all the answers I needed. And he was kinda right. I had no reason to send this many people down here to look after her.
Blame it on my paranoia.
“Boss,” Miguel approached me the second he saw me coming.
“Miguel, take these men back to the Packhouse.” I sighed in exhaustion.
“As you wish.”
“You too. Stay with them there. I'll take care of watching over Elena.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Thank you.”
I slowly walked into the room and Dr. Drake was examining her. Seeing her triggered tears I certainly didn't wanna shed in front of Dr. Drake. So I held them in.
“How’s she doing?” The croaky effect in my voice was a dead giveaway. But Dr. Drake didn't seem like he noticed. Or he was just good at pretending.
“She's stable. Her bruises are gonna heal quickly. She's just weak and needs all the sleep she can get. So don't be in a hurry to wake her up.”
“Nah, I'll just sit and wait.”
He gave me a look. Then nodded. “Alright then.” Dr. Drake turned to leave.
“Wait. And my child?”
“Still intact.” He smiled.
I exhaled in relief. “Good.”
Dr. Drake left while I pulled a stool and sat next to her.
Her bruises were poking my eyes, fuelling the anger I was harboring for Trent.
She looked so in pain. My heart broke when I saw a tear sliding down her eye.
I gently picked up her hand, caressing it in mine, while fighting back my own tears.
“I'm so sorry, baby. I should have been there. I should have stopped him from hurting you. I'm so sorry…”
I watered her hand with kisses. Trent never deserved her. And seeing him hurt her countless times and get away with it makes me feel fucking worthless.
Maybe I don't deserve her either. Maybe she's better off far from both of us. Maybe then she wouldn't go through all this.
I'd let her go if I had any bit of nobility left in me. But I don't. My obsession to keep her by my side would never let me harbor the thoughts of letting her go. Even if it's killing me. Even if it's killing both of us.
Seconds turned to minutes and hours, but I was seated next to her, saying my little prayers into her hand that was still very tightly held in my grip.
Her slight movement got me jerking out of my thoughts. She'd opened her eyes…dimly.
I swallowed, watching her like a damn hawk. Her face knotted in pain and she groaned.
“Elena,” my voice came in a weightless whisper.
She slowly turned her head in my direction. Her eyes widened a bit more but got covered with tears. They successfully triggered mine so badly. I couldn't help them and they rolled down my eyes.
“Vince…” her weak stutter sent a fluttering effect into my heart.
“How you feeling, baby?”
“Did I lose it?” She sobbed, touching her stomach with her free hand.
Her question had a raw fear in it. An echo of what I sounded like when I asked Dr. Drake about her pregnancy.
Why are we terrified of losing the child? Why does it feel like we're holding on to it so badly because we're craving something that'd eternally keep us linked to each other?
We seem to be hanging on to it like a lifeline, and it's fucking pathetic.
“We didn't lose it,” I kissed her hand. She exhaled, shutting her eyes. Tears streamed down.
“How you feeling?”
“My head hurts,” she groaned.
“Yeah, you got a bruise. I'm sorry.” I kissed her hand again. “Can you tell me what happened between you and Trent? What led to this?”
Her eyes flashed open. A couple of seconds more passed before she began talking.
“He…he…came to Uncle Leo's house, caused quite a ruckus, and threatened me into following him. Then he took me to his bedroom and said I owed him an heir…”
“What did he mean by that?”
“Tracy lost her child. And Trent blames me for it. Mother blames me for it too. But I swear, I didn't do it intentionally. She was attacking me and…” she paused, deeply sobbing and the words that were hard to come out.
She looked genuinely crushed, terrified; it hurt watching her.
“Shuush, that's enough,” I whispered, patting her face.
“You have to believe me, I really didn't mean to hurt her.”
“I believe you. I do.” I kissed her hand. Hell, I'd support her even if she intentionally did it. Tracy's been terrible to her ever since. She kinda got what she deserved.
Elena quieted, taking slow, deep breaths.
“Where is he?” She asked. “What did you do to him?”
“Nothing yet. He ran away. But my men are combing the streets for him.”
Her eyes held shock and fear. I kissed her hand again, longer this time, reassuringly.
“Don't worry about him coming close to you, it's never gonna happen.”
She nodded. Her eyes stayed on my face. Then her hand came to my face, teasing my stubbles.
“Have you been crying?”
The question caught me off guard. I was gonna laugh, but my throat was way too tight for that.
A chuckle, maybe. But I ended up bobbing instead.
“Vince…” her soft whisper triggered another set of wetness in my eyes.
I bobbed again. “I thought I was gonna lose you and that scared me shitless.”
She smiled. "So you cried?"
Yeah, story of my life.
“When you get well, you're coming home with me,” I said, watching her keenly to see her reaction. I hope it won't be a blatant disapproval. My poor heart won't be able to take it.
“Home?”
“My Pack. My house…” I paused. “...my mate.”
She stared blankly at me and her smile faded. “I don't understand…”
“I wanna officially make you my mate…”
“Vince…”
“I already told the whole Pack and beyond that you're my second chance mate.”
Her little eyes popped. “Am I?”
“Yes,” I confessed, with flickering eyes and a nervous smile.
She thought for a second. A trail of shock gleamed in her eyes.
“The mark…”
“Yes.”
She swallowed. “But…but why don't I feel it?”
“Because you're still mated to Trent. But I feel it, deeper than you could ever imagine.”
“Am I really…” she stopped, flustered for seconds. “It doesn't make any sense.”
“I don't care if it doesn't. I just know you are and I plan on making it official.” I kissed her hand and nuzzled it. “Say you'll come home with me. Tell me, baby. Please."
She smiled. It had approval written in it. My scarred heart healed a bit at the smile.
“I'd love to.”
I never thought I could smile ear to ear. But I just did. And for a second, I imagined how shocked Leo would have been if he saw me like this right now.
A rigid, irritated ass like me, smiling sheepishly like some lovestruck teenager.
“I love you, Elena.” The words floated out of my lips.
It wasn't a loud declaration. It didn't come with jamborees. But it was sincere. It was my most expensive truth. It was everything I was feeling at the moment.
There was an unhealthy rumbling in my guts at the silence. But it vanished as she caressed my face with her hand, with that heart-fluttering gentle smile.
“I love you too, Vince.”
I let out a breath, stood slightly, and pressed a kiss on her forehead. She deserved more than that but her body wouldn't take anything more right now.
Shortly, she began snoring softly, our hands intertwined, and I sat there, watching her, feeling more whole and happy than I'd ever felt in years.