Page 43 of Shadowed Bond

I drag a chair beside her bed once they stop trying to make me move, and sit down, elbows on my knees, hands clasped so tightly my knuckles ache. The doctor says something about how they’ve done what they can, and she will be ok.

Only then do I exhale in relief.

I hear him.

Sort of.

Most of my attention stays on Charlotte.

On the faint rise and fall of her chest.

A nurse tells me I should let them clean my wounds.

I ignore her. The doctor tells me again, but I ignore him, too.

Then Ahren steps forward. “Ares, something I need to know?”

“No,” I snarl at the alpha whose pack I’m at.

“Right then, as a guest on my lands, you will get your wounds checked, or I’m kicking you out, and trust me, I will teleport you home and leave you there – without her.”

I narrow my eyes at him, growling low, and he almost smiles – almost. Asshole.

“Then we are in agreement; you will let them heal you.”

I grunt, not moving as they get to work, the best they can while I refuse to budge at all.

My gaze remains fixed on her, needing her to wake up. My jaw is aching from how hard I’m clenching it.

If I had listened sooner, if I had thought for two seconds instead of charging at every problem like brute force could solve it, maybe we wouldn’t be here. Maybe she wouldn’t have had to use so much of her power. Maybe she wouldn’t have collapsed after hearing me tell her I didn’t need her.

After a while, Ahren stops talking; I don’t even know what he was saying anyway. Once we’re alone, I look at the woman on the bed.

“I didn’t mean it.” I lean forward, lowering my voice so only she can hear me, even though she probably can’t. “You hear me, Princess? I didn’t mean it.”

I glance at her hand that rests on top of the blanket, and I slowly reach out and take it before I can think better of it. Her fingers are cool against mine, the sizzling spark of the bond making me suck in a breath. Her soft hand is way smaller than mine, with slender, long fingers and perfect nails.

“If I could take those words back, I would,” I say, my voice hoarse. “Every single one. You’re not a weakness, Charlotte.”

Her face remains still. I swallow hard, tightening my hand around hers, brushing my thumb across her knuckles.

“I was scared,” I whisper roughly, swallowing hard. I don’t say shit like this, and admitting it out loud isn’t easy.

But fuck pride.

Fuck fear.

Fuck all of it.

“I was scared because the second that bond snapped into place, I knew,” I murmur, watching her as the machines beep steadily beside us. “I knew if something happened to you, it would drive me to madness, and I hated that it fucking terrified me. The thought of losing you... Of something hurting you, fuck...”

I lower my head, resting my other hand over hers, cocooning it between both of mine.

“So wake up and call me an asshole,” I say, my voice rough. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’m a coward. I don’t care. Just wake the fuck up, Arden.”

But she doesn’t answer, and I lower my head.

Come on…