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I sniffled and then laughed at the picture we must make.
“I see why she wanted this pack. Not only do they smell amazing, but she’s got them whipped already,” Ava whispered none too quietly to Kimber. “I approve.” She shot me a wink before shooing the men away. “Demi’s almost done and then you can pamper her to your heart’s content. She just needs to meet with our physician and get some blood work drawn while we finalize your paperwork. You’ll be out of here in an hour.”
And not a minute too soon.
* * *
ELI
It was easy enough to charm my way into Demi’s doctor’s appointment, and now that I was here, I was grateful I’d had the foresight to be pushy. As a fellow doctor, I tried to be respectful of other physicians’ domains. No one liked a meddling mate, but the moment the older gentleman sauntered into the room and began Demi’s physical exam, she tensed tight enough to break.
The doctor and I exchanged a look, and he quickened his pace, going through the routine of checking her heart and lungs, followed by her eyes, nose, and throat. Sitting on a stool, he rolled over and positioned himself in front of her. Demi crossed her legs tightly and her face drained of color. Fiddling with the fabric gown she wore, she wouldn’t make eye contact.
“Do you have to do one ofthoseexams?” she practically whispered.
Fury and anguish tangled in my chest as I realized her reaction most likely stemmed from negative exams she’d endured in the past. Bloodyhell. What had Anton and Pack Silver put her through?Those fucking bastards.
“Given the circumstances and your history, if you’d feel more comfortable securing your own gynecologist, I will make a note that you’ll be setting up your own routine care once you’re settled with your pack. As long as that’s not a make or break for your Alphas, of course.” He sent me a questioning glance, and I shook my head.
“It’s not a problem for us. I’d be happy to help Demi find someone she’s comfortable with for her OB-GYN care. Maybe someone female?” I took a chance and glided my hand down her back, hating the feel of the sterile cotton covering her soft skin. The gowns, while a necessity, really were scratchy and starched.
“Yes, please,” she answered, far too formally for my liking.
I pulled her into my side and kissed the top of her head while the doctor removed his medical gloves with a rubber snap, then discarded them in the bin.
“All that’s left is the blood work. I’ll send in our best phlebotomist, Penny.”
“Excellent. Thank you.” I nodded my thanks, glad when he took his leave.
“Are you alright, Love?” It was the most benign question I could come up with when what I really wanted to do was demand who’d examined her in the past and what, exactly, they’d done. The more I learned about Demi’s history and all she’d survived, the more I agreed with Hades.
I wanted her shitty old pack buried six feet under. And they weren’t the only ones. Whatever doctor broke the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm deserved a spot right alongside them.
“I’m ready to go home,” she said woodenly.
“We’re almost done. I promise.” I would have scooped her up and carried her out of this blasted office myself if it wouldn’t forfeit the matching process. Waiting and finishing her medical appointment meant we’d officially have the courting documents saying she was ours.
She hadn’t suffered through all the questions and scent binders, only to give up in the home stretch.
Luckily, Penny walked in a moment later, rolling a cart with her. The woman was an Omega herself. Middle-aged and motherly, she helped Demi relax with small talk while she checked her arms for a viable vein and went to work drawing her blood.
I held her hand the entire time, a soft smile curving my lips when she squeezed tightly as the needle popped beneath her skin. Thank fuck she was an easy stick, and within minutes, all her vials were full of vibrant, red blood.
Releasing the tourniquet, Penny praised her and even gave her a hug on her way out the door, promising they’d send the results to our home address since they were keeping her name out of the computer system as a safety precaution. As old school as snail mail felt, the less chance there was of Anton finding Demi, the better.
With my arm around her shoulders, I led her from the room and back down the winding corridors, hoping I’d find my way back to the waiting room without issue. This place was enormous, and a fucking maze.
I pulled Demi closer as we squeezed against the wall, allowing some other Omegas to pass by.
“Thank you,” she breathed the further we got from the office.
“You never have to apologize for needing support, Love. That’s what we’re here for.”
“I didn’t realize it would bother me so much,” she admitted.
My jaw jumped, but I forced myself to relax for her sake. Often, Demi misread our anger as being directed toward her—another conditioned response from her past—and I couldn’t bear for her to think I was cross with her for her reaction. “Triggers can manifest in unknown places. Now that we know doctor appointments are a source of stress for you, we can better prepare for them in the future. Was it the doctor himself or the entire exam that made you uncomfortable?”
“He did nothing wrong, but I think it was the doctor himself.”
