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Alina wished with all her heart that he was telling the truth.That Eddie was finally ready to accept her love for what it was.She needed him.The fact she had marked him, and he had not returned the claiming bite, weighed heavily on her soul.Her Tigress was forlorn, thinking her mate did not want her.
But he came for us, she reminded the Cat.
He did not give up.Now we must wait for him to decide.Even if that means we must part.
“I want to go home,” she said, closing her eyes as she came to that hard decision.
Giving him the space he needed was going to be difficult, she knew.Alina’s heart constricted, and she bit back tears.She loved him.That said everything, didn’t it?But in loving him, she would have to set him free.Even if it killed her.
“Alright.Let me get the nurse,” Eddie said, kissing her forehead.
She pasted a polite smile on her face when he returned.Already dressed and packed with the few belongings she had, he shook his head as he walked in the room.
“Why didn’t you wait?I would have helped you,” he told her, taking her bag as the nurse followed him inside with a wheelchair.
“I don’t need that,” Alina grumbled, but she sat down anyway.
“It’s procedure,” the nurse said, wheeling her out.
“I have the car waiting for us in front,” Eddie told her as she signed the release forms.
She made to stand, but he was already there, lifting her up in his big, strong arms.Fuck.He was making it so difficult.Her Tigress growled mournfully, the beast not wanting to let him go.But what choice did she have?
“Are you hungry?”he asked, but Alina shook her head.
A few more attempts at small talk later, and she simply closed her eyes, feigning sleep.There was no way she could get through this if he kept being so nice to her.But Eddie was kind.
Sure, he could be gruff and blustery, but the big Grizzly was the most caring man she had ever met.In Russia, she had mostly been around the males of her ballet company.Felines and Ursids were fundamentally different creatures.
As Shifters, those differences leaked over into basic personality traits and behaviors, such as how they treated their females.Eddie was far more courteous and had better manners towards women than any male feline she had ever seen.
But his kindness was not reserved just for her.Sure, Alina liked that he was so good to Yasmin, Mama, and the other females at the Club.But a small part of her wished there was something special just for her.
Eddie wanted her physically, sure.He had proved that when they had made love together.But most men liked sex.She’d bitten him.Claimed him.And he had remained unmoved to return the bite.Maybe the Fates had it wrong, she wondered, feeling her heart breaking.
“We’re here,” Eddie whispered, concern lacing his voice.
He had pulled into the driveway, and Alina frowned as she noted her brother’s car was missing.Where was her family?She had been counting on them to act as a buffer.
Dammit.Before Eddie could move around the car to get her door, she opened it.There was no way she could handle him touching her.Not now, when her heart felt as fragile as spun glass.
“Alina!”he called her name, and she took off.
Running as fast as she could while injured, with tears blurring her vision, Alina gasped at the pain lancing through her.She did not even make it to the door before he caught her.
“What happened?What’s wrong?Alina, talk to me,” he begged, wrapping her in his arms and pulling her tight to his body.
“Please, it hurts,” she whispered, sobbing openly now.
“What hurts?Do you need to go back to the hospital?”he asked, panic lacing his voice.
“No,” she shook her head, pushing against his chest.
Eddie stopped walking, letting her slide down his body, but he did not release his hold on her waist.
“Alina, please.Tell me what is wrong?”
“First, um, thank you for rescuing me.It seems you are always doing that,” she said, with no small amount of self-deprecation.
