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He collects a blood sample and then examines her arms. Sighing, he shakes his head angrily at the sight of her bruises. “As bad as these look, you seem to have good mobility. They may be sore for the next several days, but I don’t think there is any serious damage. If anything changes or you develop more pain, let me know. We can always do some imaging to check things out.”
“Thank you, Max,” she says with a meek smile.
He leans over to hug her. “You’re very welcome. I’m going to get going so the two of you can talk and wind down. Chloe, Nick…I suggest you do the same,” Max says, standing to make his way toward the door.
“Dr. Harper, thanks again. Please let us know the bloodwork results as soon as possible,” I say, walking Max to the door.
“Of course. Good night. Chloe, Nick—I’ll see you outside.”
“I guess that’s our cue,” Chloe says, sitting next to Olivia and pulling her into a hug.
“Thank you both for being there for me tonight. I love you guys,” Olivia says, standing to hug Nick next.
“We’ll always be here for you, Liv,” Nick says, releasing her. “You know where to find me if you need me,” he says to me.
“Thanks, Nick.”
“Call if either of you needs anything,” Chloe says as she and Nick walk out the door.
The silence is palpable as Olivia and I stand alone in the room and look at each other.
“Your face,” she says as she studies my bruises from my fight with Ian.
My chest aches when wet tears roll down her cheeks. I gently wipe them away, then bend down to place my forehead on hers. “I’ve never felt so panicked in my entire life as I did today.”
She gasps in tears. “I know. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, Olivia. When I think about what he could have done to you?—”
“But he didn’t,” she interrupts. “You were there. You saved me.”
“Tell me what you need, Olivia. I’ll do anything.” I feel like I’m strangling, it’s so painful to even utter my next words. “Did I make a mistake bringing you back here tonight?” I hold my breath so tightly it hurts as I wait for her response. As much as I need her to be mine, my love for her would never allow me to impose something upon her that makes her unhappy.
Her mouth drops open in shock. “What? I don’t understand. What about earlier upstairs? Do you not want me here anymore?”
I cup her face, raising her eyes to meet mine. “Of course, I want you here. I want that more than anything, but you left me today, Olivia. I’m not like Ian. I won’t force you to be here. I need you to want me as much as I want you.”
“I was pissed off and scared, Ethan. You had just told me you want to turn me into a werewolf. I panicked. I’m so sorry for running the way I did. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I just didn’t know how to handle what you told me. But, then…then Ian—” She shakes her head as tears roll down her cheeks.
“I know, baby,” I say, pulling her to me.
“He was going to mark me, Ethan.”
“He would have done more than that,” I say, knowing what would come next. Olivia doesn’t ask me to elaborate. She knows too.
“I’m sorry I left you this afternoon. You have no idea how badly I regret that decision. I still haven’t processed exactly howto handle what I learned today, but my real feelings became very clear to me tonight. I want to move forward with you, Ethan…if you’ll still have me.”
My body tenses as I comprehend her words. I raise her chin to look at me. “Are you kidding? Of course, I’ll still have you, but I need you to be sure. I want you to be mine, Olivia. Completely mine.”
“I’m already yours.”
“I want you in every way, by my side. I need that from you.”
“Then you’ll have me.”
“But you just said?—”
“Then you’ll help me understand. You’ll help me come to terms with my new reality. I think I can handle anything if you’re here to love me through it.”
