“Concussion,” the doctor said.
“Motherfuckers!” Sawyer growled and the doctor flinched but carried on.
The doctor inspected my bleeding and crusted elbow. “She’ll need sutures for this laceration on the elbow.”
The woman frowned. “Why isn’t she healing?”
Sawyer’s growl turned into a whine. “Where’s the witch!” he cried into the hallway. “Get these fucking cuffs off her!”
Eugene’s voice came back: “She’s on her way.”
The two doctors shared a look, and then Sawyer swallowed hard. “Her … the cuffs basically make her human. She can’t heal until they come off.” There was so much gut-wrenching guilt in his tone that it brought tears to my eyes. I reached out a hand for him but he faced the wall, head down as if he couldn’t even look at me in that moment.
The woman raised her eyebrows but said nothing while the male doctor let his eyes roam over Sawyer’s naked back. “Let me look at that nasty wound on your flank.”
“I’m fine,” Sawyer growled, spinning back around with yellow eyes. “Demi first.”
The doctor shook his head. “I can see your ribcage, Sawyer. Werewolves are not impervious to infection, my duty is to the alpha fami—”
“Your duty is to follow orders.” Sawyer looked murderous, and I just wanted to fall asleep, everything felt so heavy. “Help. Demi.First. She is my family.”
She is my family.
Were there ever four more powerful words? I wondered if I’d even heard him right.
The doctor sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’ll need to get a CT on her. And I’d like to x-ray her spine and ribs,” he ordered, and the woman typed up something on her tablet. “Even if we can get her healing back, she’ll heal all wrong and have a permanent injury without the bones being set properly.”
Oh God.
I tried to focus on his words but everything in the room spun and I started to feel nauseated.
“I feel sick,” I told them both.
They shared a look. “Could be a brain bleed. Order that CT scan stat, and where is this witch? We need those cuffs off now before damage begins to become permanent,” the doctor barked to the female and Sawyer simultaneously.
Sawyer fell to his knees, leaning over me at the bed, his face contorted into absolute misery. “Demi?” His voice was a hoarse whisper, fading in and out with warbled tones.
“Hmm?” I tried to focus on staying awake, but everything was too bright. Too loud. Too heavy.
Leaning in, he whispered in my ear. “I don’t deserve you.” His breath feathered over me. “But I don’t think I can live without you … assuming you’ll even have me.” My brain was too slow in trying to process those words. Everything felt so heavy and sluggish and loud and painful.
Did Sawyer just … I couldn’t think any more about it because a tide of black water yanked me under and everything drifted away.
* * *
When I came to,I felt warmth beneath my cheek. Then the rise and fall of someone’s chest. Cracking open my eyes, I let the sunlight filter in and looked up. Two burning blue eyes stared down at me.
“How are you feeling?” Sawyer’s arms wrapped around me tighter, as if he were afraid I was going to run away.
I took in a deep breath and felt no pain. My eyes flicked down to my wrists—no cuffs.
Oh thank God.My wolf stirred at the thought of freedom.
“I’m okay.” I tried to sit up and there was a moment when Sawyer held on, not letting me go, but then it passed and I pulled myself up to a sitting position as he released me.
We were silent, just looking at each other, unsure what to say. My eyes ran over a bandage at his ribcage. “You okay?”
