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“Better is good,” Jude said, his tone and smile warm.
“How are you?” I asked, taking a step forward.
“Scans look good. Doctors are saying I can go home tomorrow,” he replied.
“That’s actually what we were discussing,” Crew added. “I’ve spoken with your doctors as well, and they’ve cleared you to leave the hospital provided you come back to repeat blood work for the next few days.”
My breath caught. “I can leave?”
Kellan tilted his head. “You’re not a prisoner here, sweetheart.”
I pressed my lips together and nodded. “I mean, I know, but… Okay. Wow. I guess I need to figure out where to go next.”
All four men exchanged a look, but it was Crew, ever the pack leader, who spoke up. “That’s something we need to talk about. Care to join us?”
My stomach did a weird swoopy thing, but I still walked forward. I hesitated between the couches, unsure where to sit.
“Here,” Jude offered, shifting closer to Rhett and offering me a whole cushion to myself.
I flashed him a grateful smile and tucked myself into the corner, pulling my knees up to my chest as I braced my back against the arm of the couch as I faced them.
“I see you found the robe,” Kellan spoke up, smiling at me.
I paused, wrapping the ends of the sleeves over my fists. “Uh, yeah. Is it okay that I’m wearing it?”
“We bought it for you, sweetheart,” he replied.
“For me?” I squeaked, eyes wide.
An amused smirk flitted across his lips. “Of course.”
“Oh.” The word came out as a barely audible whisper as my gaze dropped to the robe. The fabric was buttery soft and warm, like if silk and sherpa had a cuddly baby. Even the color was my favorite shade of emerald, vibrant and rich. My gaze shot up questioningly to Crew, but his face gave nothing away.
“Thank you.” It took a moment for my manners to kick in, and I flashed each of them a grateful smile as I hugged the fabric a bit tighter. How long had it been since I’d been given an actual gift? One free of strings and implications?
No. Bad Hazel, I mentally reprimanded myself. I wasn’t ruining this feeling by thinking about the APA or Donovan now.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” Crew offered, moving as if to stand.
I shook my head.
Kellan scowled. “You’re too skinny.”
Once upon a time, I would’ve grinned at that. Taken it as a compliment that a shallow teenager would’ve been proud of.
But now, I sucked in a sharp breath and recoiled, horrified that an alpha would find me lacking. That this alpha didn’t like what he saw when he looked at me.
“Fucking idiot,” Crew snarled, cuffing him on the back of the head. His expression softened as he looked at me. “Ignore him.”
“We all do,” Jude chimed in, nudging me with his foot.
Still feeling a little unsteady, I gave them a small nod.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Kellan told me, bracing his forearms on his knees and leaning forward to catch my eye. “I didn’t mean to insult you. I fucking love the way you look. I can only imagine the hell you’ve been through these last few years, and the doctor already told us you’re underweight and have a few vitamin deficiencies.”
I bristled. “You spoke to my doctor?”
Kellan shot Crew an uneasy look.
