“Garrett!” I can’t believe he’s doing this. Or that he’s saying he loves me. It’s almost too much to handle all at once.
“She says she needs to find herself,” he continues. “I’m not sure what that means, but I thought I’d bring it up because you were in a similar position once, weren’t you, Doc?”
She laughs. “Garrett, sometimes you remind me of alighthearted, less serious Damien. Leaving nothing to chance, and adding in just enough charm to get the job done.”
“No need to insult me, Doc. A shifter doesn’t pick his relatives.” With a smile, Garrett nods, then turns and kisses me long and hard on the lips. “I love you, Angel Ulfson, and my wolf and I are finally seeing eye to eye because of you. In fact, I’m seeing a lot of things clearer because of you. One of which is that while I won’t break my promise to you… meaning I still intend to take you wherever you want to go. But I’m not gonna lie, Angel. I’m gonna do anything I can to convince you to stay here, to accept that this pack belongs to you as much as I do.”
I honestly don’t know what to say or do, so I do what I always do. I freeze up.
“She’s all yours, Doc. Oh, and she goes by Angelina or Lina to her friends, so I can’t say which she’d prefer with you. I’m the only one who calls her Angel, and we’re gonna keep it that way.”
Dr. Evans shakes her head while holding in a laugh. “Garrett, you’re really not that much different from Damien, are you?”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, even though I suspect that’s not how it was intended.”
“You’d be right. Get going, shifter. You’re keeping me from treating my patient.”
Garrett grips my face in his hands. “You’re in charge, Angel. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”
“Including you?” I ask.
“Especially me. I’m the fool wolf who can’t live without you. And until the day you send me away, I’ll be here for you.” Garrett shifts, and races off.
“He makes it hard to leave, doesn’t he?” Dr. Evans asks.
“He’s what’s kept me here this long. He makes me smile, Doctor.”
“Call me Mila. And smiling is the best medicine.”
“Sure is, but I’m hoping you can figure out what’s wrong with me.”
She invites me in, and closes the door behind. “My office is down the hill behind Damien and Tess’s house, but I’m avoiding hills right now,” she says as she pats her belly.
“First baby?”
“Yes, and my little pup is very active. Why don’t you remove your sweater and get comfortable while I get my bag. I’ll take a look at those road burns and see what I can do to help.”
“My wolf’s healing the road burns. It’s my nose that’s an issue. Scenting, specifically. I used to be able to scent as well as anyone, but I’ve been having trouble with even the most basic scenting lately. Unless I’m up close with my nose practically buried in a shifter or, well, anything… I can’t pick up scents, or separate them like I used to.”
“Let’s do a thorough exam, then, okay? And I’ll help your wolf tend to those road burns in time for you to meet Garrett for dinner.”
“I’d like that, but I’m not sure if I should?”
“Meet Garrett? Sure you should. I’ve never seen that shifter so full of life. But he is right, it’s your choice. No one’s going to make you do anything you don’t want to do in this pack. It took me a while to learn that.”
“I know, it’s just…”
“Oh. Garrett’s the issue. Do you want him?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation.
“Instead of telling you to go after him, I’ll tell you what I went through in this pack, and with Hayden for that matter. Maybe then, you’ll see there’s a place for you here, even if you don’t know what it is yet.”
“And if I don’t see it?”
“You will.”
“How can you be so sure?”
