“You can still come back to visit Gemma, or you can talk to one of my pack doctors. We can work it out. Don’t worry about the little details.”
He watches me with cautious eyes.
“We’re gonna get you better,” I say softly. “I want you to stay with me at home.”
“Home?”
“Yeah, baby. Home. Do you want to come back to my pack house with me?”
Evan’s mouth parts. “Only if I’m not in the way.”
“You could never be in the way,” I say as I cup his cheek. “It’s where I want you to be. Where you should always be.”
“Okay,” he rasps. “I’ll come home with you.”
My heart fills with relief, but there’s still a lot of work to do to get him back on his feet where he belongs. It might be a longroad ahead, but I’m not going to let him down as others have in his life. I’m going to show up and prove that the rest of his life is worth living.
42
EVAN
Numb doesn’t even come close to how I feel.
The doctors came in to evaluate me with Gemma present. The results weren’t exactly a shock. I suppose I didn’t want to accept that I have complex PTSD, but it was inevitable.
They discuss further therapy and possible medication, which they recommend will help with my detachment, flashbacks, and nightmares.
Caleb asks more questions about the medication, but all I do is sit here and stare at the wall. There isn’t an ounce of energy inside me as they talk amongst themselves. I should be present, but I can’t find it in myself to be.
“Hey.” Caleb cups my arm tenderly. “Are you listening?”
My eyes vacantly tilt to his. “It’s a lot to take in.”
He sucks in a low breath. “I know. You need rest. We’ll talk about it in the morning, or when you’re feeling up to it.”
Caleb turns to the doctors to thank them for everything, but I’ve gone back to distancing myself from the conversation again.
A few moments later, Jaxon and Ava come into the room, and suddenly everything feels too crowded and overwhelming. Ava steps towards my bed and flashes me a soft smile.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
“Empty,” I confess.
“We’re all here for you, Evan.”
“We’ll need to have someone with you,” Jaxon says. “We don’t want this to happen again.”
Caleb looks to Jaxon. “Evan will be coming home with me.”
“What?”
“He’s my mate, and it’s my responsibility to look after him. So I will. At my pack house.”
The look on Jaxon’s face is bewildered, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they know about us.
“And when did you think of asking me?” Jaxon folds his arms over his chest.
Caleb stares back at him. “I’m not asking you, Jaxon. I’m telling you. I ran it by Evan, and he agreed. It’s the best place for him to be.”
