Danielle starts to sit up, but Pollux murmurs, “Easy, dear. Give yourself a moment. The worst hasn’t happened yet.”
I sense the blood leave my beautiful girl, rushing from her face as she whispers, “What?”
I march forward and grip Pollux’s shoulder. “What do you mean?”
He sighs, lifts a hand, and rubs his face, talking to my mate instead of me. “You’ve been on birth control for a prolonged period. I assume it was progesterone based. In rare cases, this ups the risk of a decidual cast.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“It’s…when the lining of the uterus sheds in a single piece. As far as I can determine from the ultrasound I took, that’s what we’re dealing with.”
“And you can’t just…fix it?” My voice shakes as I gravitate toward Danielle’s hand, feel how cold it’s gone when I lace our fingers.
“It’s not something that needs to be fixed.” Pollux blows out a breath and cuts his fingers through his hair. “It’s painful, but harmless. It will pass, and the chances of it happening again are nill, especially if you move away from human birth control…” He returns his attention to my mate. “…or more so even if you let Tor handle the contraceptive instead.”
I bristle. “Neither of us needs contraceptive at this point in time, Polly.”
“Well then, you’ll be fine.”
Fine?What part of this isfine? He’s just told us that the worst hasn’t even started, yet what already has left my mate struggling for air and in tears.
I don’t know that I have ever wanted to kill someone more than right in this precise moment. I would very dearly like to torture Danielle’s mother within an inch of her life, again and again. I understand nowexactlythe emotions that Alexios faced concerning Zahra’s abusive parents. I understand them perfectly.
And Ihatethat I maintain the other side of understanding.
Inflicting pain on the self-righteous does not result in anything. It does little but solidify their deluded beliefs in their own grand narrative. Furthermore, such heinous acts would bring Danielle no peace. Breaking the broken is meaningless. It’s cruel. It’s…not who I am anymore. It’s not who Iwantto be.
It’s not who she wants me to be.
Still, I hate knowing this anger cannot be satiated. I hate knowing that I have indulged in brutality time and again, to no end.
My mate was hurt. And there isnothingI can do about it.
There is no control I can gain over the past.
“Polly, is there anything else you can do to bring her relief?” I ask, spirit cracking.
“It’s likely to resolve within twenty-four hours, and once the tissue is expelled, pain levels will drop significantly, though bleeding will persist for several more days. All I can do is leave you with medicine and the suggestion to keep warm. Heat will help relax your muscles.” His low voice gets grumbly, “Beyond that, expect mood swings and other hormonal shifts.” His glare hits me again.
I reel back. “What? What did I do?”
“Consentis important,” he mutters.
I twitch becausewhydo people keep telling me that? “Do I really seem likethatkind of monster, Pollux?”
Parental, he plods on, “Consent isn’t consent while under clouded judgment, right, Tor?”
“Obviously.”
“Hormones influence one’s drive for intimacy. Hers are about to be…soupier than usual. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Ah.
Clearing my throat, I murmur, “Yes. I do.”
“Great.” He rises from Danielle’s bedside. Then he cracks his neck. Then hehits me in the shoulder.
I startle. “What in the universe wasthatfor?”
