His Wolf's Choice
Page 26
Daya winced, but nodded her head. “Do you want to go now?” She asked walking over to the bed to sit down so she can put on her shoes.
“I was thinking more of a visit with our patient,” Brianna suggested, and Daya froze for a second before she finished tying her shoe laces. “But maybe a work out session would be better for you.”
Daya got up meeting Brianna’s eyes seeing her searching look.
“Let’s go see our patient,” Daya replied letting out a soft sigh.
“No,” Brianna uttered after a brief pause, “I think you should get some exercise first.”
Daya’s eyes widened in astonishment and Brianna gave a simple shrug of her shoulders before smiling.
“You’re not ready to see Garin just yet, I can see that,” Brianna offered, and Daya bit her lip worry flashing over her face. “He is doing fine, though, since I see you want to ask me. I should also tell you that he wanted to know the minute you woke up.”
Daya clenched her hands into fists before she jerked her head. “I guess I’m…” she began only to be stopped when Brianna sighed slowly.
“Not being like yourself, but I think I can understand why,” Brianna said quietly giving a single shake of her head. “Why don’t we go exercise and by then you will be too tired to make up another excuse to avoid Garin?”
Daya opened her mouth, but closed it just as abruptly a flush staining her cheeks.
Brianna urged her out closing the door behind them and they headed for the stairs running into Whitney who was coming up them.
“You’re finally awake, huh,” Whitney sneered one hand resting on the curve of her hip.
“Unlike some,” Brianna said in a low voice, “Daya worried about someone and spent the last few days taking care of him.”
“Because you wouldn’t let me in the room,” Whitney snarled her hands curling into fists.
Brianna widened her eyes. “You never offered,” she retorted. “You only mentioned that you were checking on him.”
Whitney’s face turned pale at her words, but her eyes were dark with fury. “Watch yourself, pack doctor.”
“Personally, I think you should be watching yourself,” Brianna snapped back and with a slight nod of her head, she guided Daya around the woman who stood in their way.
Whitney glared after them, and Brianna heard her mumble turning away.
“The human should be the one watching herself.”
Brianna’s eyes narrowed at the insult and she almost turned back to her when Daya put a hand on her shoulder.
“Leave it alone, Brianna,” Daya replied eyes forward and she kept walking. “I didn’t hear her, but I’m sure human was mentioned.”
“It was,” Brianna muttered. “Daya, don’t go anywhere without me, and any of the others.”
Daya sighed and shook her head. “She doesn’t scare me, Brianna, but I will do as you ask. Now, let ‘s go to that gym so I can tire my leg out.”
Brianna heard the teasing note in her voice, and chuckling, she directed her to the gym Alpha Female Dena showed her earlier.
Brianna didn’t go easy on her, and Daya groaned seeing the glint in the other woman’s eyes.
Brianna went through the routine that they had established, and then made her do a few more exercises.
Almost an hour later, they were done and Daya was lying on the floor arms outstretched and breathing heavily, but there was a gleam in her eyes that made Brianna chuckle.
“Feeling better,” Brianna chided watching Daya push herself up to a sitting position.
Daya chuckled, but nodded her head letting out a breath.
“Ready to see Garin?” Brianna’s voice was quiet, but she was watching Daya intently.
Daya sighed closing her eyes before she slowly nodded her head. “Yeah, I’m ready to see him now.”
Brianna grinned not going to laugh knowing that she had been thinking about him the entire time they were working out, but worry about Whitney and how Garin still felt about her kept intruding into her thoughts.
“You can’t wait to see him,” Brianna teased helping Daya to her feet after she opened her eyes.
Daya bit her lip giving Brianna a quick look. “I must be stupid,” she muttered when they headed out the gym. “His mate is here and…”
“And it’s you that he wants to see,” Brianna assured her with a quick look. “Don’t let what happened in that room when he woke up make you step back now. Whitney had a reason for being there and it wasn’t to make sure Garin was all right.”
Daya gave her a confused look, and Brianna shook her head. “I’ll let Garin tell you what we think is going on.”
With those words said, Brianna and Daya headed to the stairs and up them not talking both deep in their own thoughts.
They were almost at Garin’s room when Brianna’s mouth tightened her eyes flashing angrily hearing Whitney’s soft cooing tones.
“Daya,” she said softly before they even reached the room. “Garin has a visitor.”
Garin slowly slipped his legs to the side of the bed wincing, but he gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his feet letting out a hiss when his side protested the movement.
“You’re pushing it,” Alec argued walking into the room just then.
Garin glared at him. “Where is Brianna?”
Alec hesitated. “She is downstairs with Daya…”
Garin paled walking over to the window slowly. “I guess Daya didn’t want to see me.”
“She is confused and worried, Garin,” Alec told him walking further into the room. “She was worried about you that she asked to come here after learning about what happened, and then she sat with you for two days while you stayed unconscious. On the day you opened your eyes, she found Whitney in your room.”
“I didn’t ask her to come to me,” Garin argued his voice rough with emotion.
“No, you didn’t and Daya isn’t stupid, she knows that,” Alec agreed with a shake of his head. “But…”
“I chose to stay here,” Garin finished closing his eyes. “When I woke up, Daya was there and then I felt Whitney.”
“In that second, who did you want?” Alec voice was low and echoed around the room, and Garin’s eyes flashed open turning to him.
His mouth opened to reply when there was a knock on the door, and it opened after Garin gave a terse ‘come in’.
“Alec, Alpha Leonardo would like to see you.” The fighter wolf who came in nodded his head to Garin, but there was a dark look in his eyes that neither men missed.
“I’ll go and see what’s going on,” Alec said in a light tone. Garin.
Well, I guess it’s about time since my door was locked last night.
Alec chuckled getting a confused look from the man, and he shook his head walking to the door waiting for a second before disappearing out of it.
The man turned to Garin with a harsh look on his face.
“So, what did she do to get you to make up some story to get Alec out of the room?” Garin asked turning his attention to the window sensing the man’s shock at his words.
“She isn’t good enough for you,” he snarled. “She is Alpha Ralph’s mate…”
Garin turned to look at him seeing the anger and a hint of passion in his gaze. “I wonder where Alpha Ralph is at the moment…” His eyes hardened staring at the man. “And how he would feel if he knew one of his members was sleeping with his marked mate?”
The man flushed and then growled at Garin who merely lifted an eyebrow before turning to look back out the window although he kept his senses alert hearing his wolf snarl although there was a hint of laughter too.
Shaking his head, Garin stared out the window hearing the door close behind his guest and then he turned leaning against the windowsill.
“I can’t wait until we go home,” Garin muttered his wolf howling in agreement.
There was a sudden knock on his bedroom door and his wolf growled not in greeting, and Garin sighed heavily just as the door opened w
ith Whitney strolling into the room leaving the door open a crack.
“Garin.” Her voice was husky and Garin noted the skimpy outfit.
“Alpha Female.” He was polite and indifferent giving her a nod of respect although he didn’t straighten up from the windowsill.
“Oh, Garin.” Whitney pouted walking over to him, and Garin watched her with hooded eyes. “I was so worried about you.”
“I appreciate your concern,” Garin remarked grinning inwardly when there was a brief look of confusion that crossed her face.
“It just made me realize how much you care about me,” Whitney continued shaking off his attitude of indifference. “Ralph has disappeared without letting me know anything.”
Garin didn’t say anything watching a few tears slip from her eyes.
“I was such a fool, Garin, to reject you,” Whitney sobbed walking closer to him. “Can you…?”
Whatever she was going to say was interrupted when someone pushed the door open and began, “Garin, it’s good to see you up…”
He stopped when he saw Whitney sending Garin a sharp look which Garin merely met with a slight shrug of his shoulders.
“Thank you,” Garin replied with a smile. “I’m hoping to get better so we can go home.”
The other man laughed and nodded his head before walking away although he still gave Whitney a searching look as he left.
“We never have time to ourselves,” Whitney remarked a hand going out to him. “It seems like we are always getting interrupted.”
Garin didn’t say a word although he tensed, and yet his wolf suddenly relaxed which told him one thing blue eyes suddenly shifting to the door.
“Garin,” Brianna called out walking into the room although there was a hard look on her face. “Daya and I just got done working out, and thought we would come see you.”
Garin’s eyes went to the woman who walked in behind her seeing how those brown eyes he loved were dark shifting to Whitney.
Whitney gnashed her teeth turning to them. “We were having a private conversation, so I suggest you leave.”
It was more of an order, but neither woman reacted to it.
“How is your wound feeling today?” Brianna asked walking over to Garin a slight frown on her face.
“It pulled some when I got out of bed, but it is manageable,” Garin replied keeping his face straight catching the flicker of humor that flashed over Brianna’s face before she directed her attention to his wound.
“Just what Daya told me,” she muttered taking off the bandage to check his wound, and nodding her head in satisfaction, she stepped back. “You are healing well, and after tonight’s shift, you should be good to go.”
Garin smiled in relief his blue gaze going to Daya. “Which means we can leave in the next few days.”
“Yes,” Brianna agreed about to take a step back when Whitney snarled reaching out and grabbing her hard by the arm.
“I believe I told you we wanted some privacy,” she growled loudly, and Alec who was coming back into the room stilled eyes narrowing on the hand which held Brianna.
“Alpha Female Dena wants to see you,” Alec replied getting everyone’s attention although his gaze was still on Whitney’s hand. “She wasn’t too thrilled about hearing you were in Garin’s room.”
“Well, I have…” Whitney began only to be interrupted, again, when the same man from earlier came into the room after a brief knock on the door.
“Alpha Female Dena wants to see you, Alpha Female Whitney,” he stated repeating what Alec had already said watching Whitney’s face flair with a flush shooting him a glare.
“I thought…” she said waspishly.
“That I was merely trying to get you out of the room like you did with me,” Alec confirmed seeing her face go pale at his words. “Unfortunately, Alpha Female Whitney, I don’t need to scoop down to your level.”
Whitney put her hands on her hips glaring at him. “You need to remember who I am, Fighter Wolf,” she demanded in a tight voice.
“He is a Beta,” Brianna reminded her shaking off the hand still on her arm. “Maybe you should remember that, Alpha Female.”
She stressed the Alpha Female in such a way that Whitney’s eyes widened and swung to her with a hot tirade about to spew from her mouth.
“Alpha Female Dena is waiting,” the other man repeated giving Whitney a frown which hardened when Whitney muttered sharply swinging toward the door.
“The damn woman needs to get off my back.”
She swept out the door and Alec shifted the man a quick look before he nodded walking out of the room.
“Ralph needs to get back soon,” Alec commented running a hand through his hair. “Or Whitney will found herself not liking what happens next.”
“Whitney should watch herself,” Brianna muttered after the fighter wolf left the room eyes going to Daya. “More than you, Daya.”
Daya’s head swung around at the comment and her mouth opened, but no words came out when her brown eyes were caught by Garin’s blue ones.
“Why does Daya need to watch herself?” Alec questioned in a puzzled voice.
Brianna shook her head a brief smiled drifting over her face. “That’s what Whitney uttered when she passed by us as we were heading for the gym.”
At her words, Garin’s eyes narrowed and Daya swallowed catching the fury that darkened his eyes.
“Garin.”
The one word was whispery soft, and yet the reaction it got almost made Daya groan.
Garin’s eyes intensified the blue almost gray although it was fury that blazed out from them, and Daya was briefly aware that Brianna and Alec were talking while heading for the door.
When Brianna put a hand on Daya’s shoulder, she shifted dark brown eyes to her that shimmered with heat, and Brianna chuckled before tightening her hand on Daya’s shoulder. Then she was escorted out of the room by Alec.
Daya slowly turned back to Garin who had moved closer to her while Brianna had her attention, and her eyes widened.
She was so focused on him that she didn’t hear the soft click, but Garin did and he grinned slowly.
Alec had locked the door behind them as he and Brianna left the room.
“How are you?” Garin asked his voice rough with a touch of something that Daya couldn’t decipher.
Shaking her head, Daya gave a brief smile. “That should be my question to you, Garin.”
Garin growled taking the last step toward her. “I’m doing fine, Daya.”
Daya glanced over him seeing the flash of pain on his face before he shuttered it at her intense look.
Daya sighed and without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him laying her head on his chest. She made sure not to put any pressure against him so her arms were loosely clasped around him.
“I was so worried about you,” Daya admitted in a soft voice a light catch in it.
Garin closed his eyes while his own arms enclosed around her.
“I know,” he said quietly. “And I’m sorry, but my wolf and I needed to have a conversation.”
Daya pulled back although not far since Garin wouldn’t let her go.
The confusion on her face made Garin chuckle and he leaned to kiss her briefly yet with a passion that stole Daya’s breath.
“I’ll explain, but not right now.”
With that said, Garin retook her lips and it was some time later before either lifted their head.
Laying on the bed an hour later, Daya let out a breath resting lightly against Garin’s uninjured side.
“This position seems awfully familiar,” she teased lightly shifting her head back on Garin’s shoulder to look up at him with a soft smile.
Garin glanced down at her running a hand through her hair letting his eyes drift over her face before landing on her lips.
“Yes, we have,” he agreed leaning down to kiss her lips again. “And one of these days, you’ll make an honest man out of me.”
Daya giggled at his ton
e even though she wondered if that day would ever come.
“Oh, yes, it will,” Garin uttered shocking her and she lifted her head gazing at him seeing a seriousness on his face that made her speechless. “Tonight’s the full moon.”
The words were said slowly while Garin lightly tangled his hand in her hair watching it’s length shift through his fingers.
“Brianna made a comment about it while we were working out,” Daya replied still staring at him.
“Once I shift, except for maybe a small scar, my wound will be healed,” Garin confirmed pressing his lips against her forehead.
Daya bit her lip before asking hesitantly. “Does that mean we can go home?” She flushed feeling his eyes linger on her. “Don’t get me wrong, I like Alpha Leonardo, Alpha Female Dena and their pack…well, what I’ve seen of it, but I would like to go home.”
Garin found himself smiling at her words while his wolf growled in contentment although there was frustration, too, which Garin understood fully.
“Garin…”
At her tone, he pushed away those thoughts for the moment and stared down her seeing the slight wariness on her face.
“Are you going to…?”
She couldn’t finish the sentence, and she didn’t have to when Garin tugged her closer to him. “When we leave here, we leave together.” Garin’s husky voice made tears come to Daya’s eyes, but she blinked them back before forming her next statement.
“I will understand if you wanted to stay for…”
Again, Garin interrupted her with a slight chuckle although his eyes narrowed on her before giving her a wicked grin. “Are you trying to get out of making me dinner?”
Daya swallowed feeling her body react to his words and she shook her head. “No, I promised you dinner,” she replied her voice husky which drew an answering moan from Garin.
He leaned down to kiss her passionately. “Not here,” he uttered pulling back forcing himself to regain control. “When we finally make love, it will be in our room back at home.”
Daya nodded her head even though her body was on fire from just the kiss alone, so she had a feeling that she would melt when they finally did make love.
Garin was leaning down to kiss her again when suddenly there was banging at the door before it was unlocked and Alec strolled into the room his body tense.