Chapter 226

I watched where Andrew’s figure had retreated long after he had disappeared. Even when Jeffrey moved me aside to reach Noah’s injured body, I stared after the phantom of my ex—my mate. My heart longed for him already, and I had to restrain myself from chasing after him.

“Go,” Susan urged me. “Follow him.”

“I can’t.”

It was only Jeffrey’s repeated calling of my name that snapped me out of my mesmerized state.

“Crystal!” Jeffrey said. “Call 9-1-1!”

“What?”

“I have Noah stabilized, but I need you to call emergency services.”

I fumbled with my torn clothing until I found my cell phone, and I immediately dialed the emergency line.

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher answered.

“Hello, my name is Crystal Blanchard, and I am at 1313 Wolfsbane Lane,” I responded, trying to keep myself as calm as possible. “There’s been a fight between two werewolves in their full wolf forms, and one of them is badly injured.”

“Is he conscious?”

“I-I don’t know. He’s really hurt. There’s a lot of blood, but I think he’s still breathing.”

I cursed myself as I felt my calm demeanor quickly slipping.

“Please hurry. I don’t know how much longer we can keep him stabilized.”

“Please try to remain calm, Miss. We’re dispatching help to your location. Please remain on the line.”

“Thank you. Thank you.”

I turned to look at Noah. His eyes were partially open, but his breathing was shallow and ragged. Blood still poured from his wounds, though Jeffrey had dressed them with whatever scraps of cloth he could get a hold of.

“Hang on, Noah,” I told him. “Help is on the way.”

Jeffrey and I stayed in the waiting room while Noah underwent surgery. In addition to the external cuts and bites, Noah had internal injuries that needed to be addressed. I refused to leave until I knew that Noah was going to pull through.

I told Jeffrey that he didn’t need to stay. I insisted, again, that he would probably be reassigned, especially after this incident. Again, he refused to leave my side until he was told to do otherwise.

When the police asked who the other werewolf was that was involved in the fight, Jeffrey and I gave them the same answer: we didn’t know. He was a stranger who had come with some sort of chip on his shoulder regarding Noah, and all we knew was that he had a large black wolf form. The officer seemed to buy it, and we could only hope that we could get Noah to provide the same story when he was well enough to be questioned.

It was close to 11 p.m. when a doctor walked into the waiting room, appearing exhausted yet hopeful.

“Crystal Blanchard?” she asked me. “I’m Dr. Luna Amato. I’m the head doctor in charge of Noah’s surgery and overall care.”

I leapt to my feet and rushed to Dr. Amato’s side, Jeffrey not far behind me.

“How is he? Is Noah going to be okay?” I asked.

“Noah is going to be just fine,” Dr. Amato assured me. “You can come see him right now, although I must insist that only one of you see him at a time.”

I looked over my shoulder at Jeffrey, then turned back to Dr. Amato.

“Well, Dr. Amato, Jeffrey’s my bodyguard. Do you think that he could at least stand outside the door?”

Dr. Amato examined Jeffrey for a moment. She nodded.

“That should be all right. Just try to not wear out the patient. Okay?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Dr. Amato led us to Noah’s room. Jeffrey took his position outside, standing to the right of the door. He nodded at me as I walked inside with Dr. Amato.

The first bed was occupied by someone who had gotten in a motorcycle accident. Thought bloody and raw from skidding across the pavement, it seemed that they would survive. That made me feel a little better about Noah’s own prospects, if this was his roommate.

Noah lay in the second bed, now properly bandaged and attached to an IV. He appeared to be conscious and even smiled at me as I approached him.

“Hello, my love,” Noah said, reaching out his arms to hold me. He winced in pain, and guilt shot through me.

“Oh, Noah,” I replied, wrapping my arms around him gently. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay right now,” he said. “They’ve got me on some pretty good painkillers.”

I chuckled half-heartedly.

“I’m going to leave you two alone,” Dr. Amato said. “Remember, Ms. Blanchard, don’t wear him out.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Noah laughed at this, cringing in pain. Dr. Amato rolled her eyes with a smile and left us to our own devices.

I sat in the visitor’s chair placed by the bed and held Noah’s hand, stroking his hair.

“So, how long are you going to have to stay here?” I asked.

Noah shrugged.

“At the rate that my werewolf genes are healing me, just a couple days. Then I’ll have about a week of bedrest to ensure that my internal injuries heal properly.”

I grinned, but it did not quite reach my eyes.

“I guess you’re going to have to get used to me waiting on you hand and foot, then.”

Noah chuckled and winced.

“Don’t tempt me. I just might.”

An uncomfortable silence fell between us. This was not like the silences that I often had with Andrew. I looked around the room, trying to find something to fill the void, and even fidgeted slightly as I could not settle down.

“What’s on your mind?” Noah asked.

“Me?” I said, a little surprised. “Nothing.”

“Are you sure? Are you sure that you aren’t thinking about…him?”

My eyes fell to my lap. Heat spread across my cheeks.

Of course, I was thinking about Andrew. How could I not? He was the reason that Noah was in the hospital…

No, I was the reason that Noah was in the hospital. I had made Andrew mad. I had broken Andrew’s heart.

I had broken both of our hearts.

However, I knew that it would be best for everyone in the long run. I just had to remember that and resist the urge to run back to him. No matter how much it hurt to be without him.

Noah’s hand stretched up and brushed across my cheek, removing a tear that I had not even known was there. He then set it on top of our entwined hands and squeezed.

“Crystal, you don’t have to worry about him anymore,” he said. “I’m here. I will protect you.”

I almost laughed, but I stopped myself. Of course, after everything that he saw, he thought that I was worried that Andrew would come back angry. If only I could tell him that I was worried he would not come back at all.

“I love you,” he continued. “I love with all my heart. I will never leave you, not like he did.”

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles.

“Your heart is safe with me.”

My heart fluttered, ever so briefly.

He’s such a good man, I told myself.

“He’s not our mate,” Susan asserted.