And just like that, the coach stepped back. Had he been talking about me? Apparently, given he called me his, and his coach didn’t ask any questions.
"Fine," the coach said. "He can go home with you, but if anything?—"
A snarl built in Axel's chest.
"—I mean, take good care of him."
"I promise I will," I said. "But he's going to be here for at least another day. We have to make sure there's no brain swelling."
"I can't believe it." Coach shook his head. "You've been playing for me for how long? In all that time, you’ve kept all your teeth, broken no bones, and no missing games due to sprains or pulls. What takes you out? Not the sport. No, that would be too normal. You go and get slammed into by a ton of metal and glass. I need to wrap you in bubble wrap when you're not at work from now on."
"Coach, let me just get ready to go back to work, and then you can make fun of me."
"Fair enough. And Stan, I apologize for the way I treated you. You didn't deserve that."
"It's fine, Coach," I said, using the same name Axel referred to him by and calling it good. "It's hard seeing someone you care about like this."
"Yeah, it really is."
It was nice to see that while he was part of a team, a money-making venture and not a fun activity with friends, he was still being taken care of. It wasn't a pack, it would never be, but I got the sense that it wasn't too far off. And I was glad that he had that.
Coach left, and I waited for rounds to listen to any new updates with Axel, not wanting him to be caught off guard when he heard how bad his concussion could potentially be. It was already healing better than expected, thanks to his wolf finally being present, but the doctors wouldn’t know that.
“Thanks for being here with me.” Axel took my hand as I sat by his bedside.
“I’ll be here as long as you need me.” It was a vow.
5
AXEL
Stan’s house was small but cozy, and its proximity to the woods was perfect for him being able to shift undetected by humans.
But there was only one bedroom.
“You take my bed.” He led me into the living room and positioned me on the couch. Ouch. Now I understood why my teammates complained when they injured themselves.
“I’m not kicking you out of your bed.” I patted the sofa cushions. “I can sleep here.”
“Axel, you have a concussion, three broken ribs, and a broken wrist, among other injuries. You’re sleeping in my bed.”
I saluted. “Yes, sir.”
“I’m supposed to be looking after you. What would your coach say if he found out I’d parked you on the sofa?”
I shrugged but even that was agony. “He might kick your ass.”
Stan giggled, and I did too, but it hurt every part of my body. “Don’t make me laugh.”
He put his hands on his hips. “I did no such thing. It was all you.”
Gods, I’d forgotten how being with Stan lifted my mood. How I’d missed him. In the years we’d been apart, I’d forgotten how he put me at ease and was a sounding board for when life was in the toilet.
I didn’t have the energy to fight him about the bed. The bumps on the drive from the hospital had reinforced how I needed to heal, and to do that, I had to shift.
I can’t right now.
I know, buddy, but we’ll work on that.
