13.
1376 Words
CHAPTER 13
RINI – POV
I didn’t turn around, couldn’t bear to face the voice behind me.
“Do you think if you can’t see me, I can’t see you?” he asked wryly.
If only the world were that kind to me.
“Are you going to stand there all night?” he prompted. “You’re aware you’re only in a towel right? One little tug and you won’t even be in that.”
I froze, very aware suddenly of how little space…and clothing were between us.
I really REALLY didn’t want to turn around but what was the alternative? Stand here and antagonize him into forcing me to acknowledge him? I knew he loved a challenge, knew he wouldn’t back down from one and obviously wasn’t a stranger to the naked female form so ripping the towel from me would be nothing to him…. Complete humiliation for me.
Fuck it.
I turned suddenly which was a massive mistake as I lost my tight grip on my towel so it slipped a little, exposing one breast, but just managing to still hide the n****e.
I didn’t have time to cover myself back up again when hard warmth pressed against me, a woodsy yet spicy scent filling my nostrils.
“What the f**k are you doing?” Lyall demanded.
“I- I just want to get dressed.”
“Cover the f**k up when a male is around.”
“It’s not like I’m changing in front of guys on the regular!” I snapped, unable to push him away because I had to focus on the towel.
“You better not be f*****g changing in front of ANY guys,” he snarled, rage emanating off him.
“That wouldn’t be your business,” I told him softly.
“Guess a-f*****g-gain.”
Jesus Christ this was getting out of hand.
“Step away Lyall.”
He didn’t move, I wasn’t sure he could move.
Not my damn problem.
“Move away from me,” I repeated and weirdly my voice was deeper, almost echoing.
Lyall stared at me in surprise as he moved back stiltedly, almost like his body acted ahead of his mind.
“How did you-“
I cut him off by raising my hand, my head ache pounding its way into my attention again.
“I’m going to get changed.”
He nodded and made no move to leave.
“This is a small room,” I said slowly. “I have no where to change that you can’t see. So you need to leave.”
“I’ll close my eyes.” He returned immediately.
“No. I want to be alone.”
“That won’t be happening.”
Excuse me now?
“Lyall, let me be very clear, you do not own me, you have no rights to me, you are not my master and you do not get a say in my life or my choices.”
His rough palms cupped my cheek and he smiled at me, his face softening slightly.
“Perhaps you’ll own me,” he mused. “Would you like that, little Rabbit?”
I ignored the heat rising in my body and scowled. “I would like you to leave.”
He shook his head, still smiling. “I’m going to get Doc and then I’ll be back. You’ve got about 9 minutes to cover yourself before he gets here, I will not be pleased if he sees you like this.”
He turned away so swiftly I instantly felt cold without his body heat. The barrier against the door took less than a second to remove and I was reminded yet again how weak I was in comparison.
“Tick tock,” he called back before shutting the door.
I cursed him every second of those 9 minutes… but I dressed in sweats that used to be his a few years ago and Rafe’s old hoodie, telling myself I was covering up because it was comfortable, not because he had told me to.
*
9 minutes on the dot the door opened - no knock - and Lyall strode in like he had every right to, the doctor on his heels.
“Rabbit, Doc is going to check you out, it’s happening so let’s skip the part where you argue and fight against it only to ultimately give in.”
I glared at Lyall before turning to the pack Doctor. Miles ‘Doc’ Swift was an unassuming male with dark greying hair, kind brown eyes, a tanned face and soft wrinkles creasing the corner of his eyes and forehead. He looked to be about 45 but with the healing properties and slow ageing of shifters, he could be as old as 200.
Though the Alpha and Luna of the pack were typically wolves, they didn’t care for a pack that housed only wolves. There were other shifter breeds of equal strength and agility within the pack, most of them jackal or coyote shifters with a few mountain lions. Doc though, Doc was the only owl shifter and doubled as doctor and spy master.
I realised in my musings that he had been speaking to me.
“Sorry, what was that?” I asked, embarrassment colouring my cheeks.
He smiled at me kindly. “I asked if you would be comfortable if I examined you on your bed? Typically I would have you come to the clinic but Alpha Lyall here has told me that’s not an option and that you have no previous medical records for me to look at.”
I flushed again, feeling bad that I was causing him any inconvenience with my stubbornness.
“I’m sorry you had to come all the way here and I’ve never seen a doctor before so that’s why I don’t have any records.”
“You’ve never seen a physician?” He asks a little sharply.
“Um I guess there’s never been a need to.”
I don’t tell him that the Alpha and Luna had never allowed me to be checked out and if I was ever sick they had just left me to fight it off myself. I really didn’t want to get into that though so instead I moved to my bed, sitting on the edge.
“Is this ok?”
“Whatever is comfortable for you. I’m told you had quite a fall and the impact resulted in a head wound?”
“Yeah I uh… I got dizzy and fainted. I feel fine now and really I don’t think there’s any thing to worry about.”
“How about I be the judge of that?” He said but his tone was kind.
He explained what he would be doing before he touched me and the way he treated me with compassion and care strangely made me want to cry. God, was I so starved for affection and kindness that a goddamn doctor doing their job was going to make me cry?
“There’s quite an egg on your head and a laceration at the back that really could use some stitches. I can’t rule out a concussion without further testing but you’re lucid and awake so I don’t have any issue with you going to sleep, rest is likely the best thing for you at this stage anyway. May I also check your feet?”
I nodded and lay down to get more comfortable and provide better access.
His brief inhale of breath told me it wasn’t good.
“This is just from this morning?” He asked.
“Yeah, I stepped in glass,” I replied.
“And then she’s walked at least 5 miles on them too with shoes that don’t fit.” Lyall added, the snitch.
Doc tsked at me in distaste. “Your cuts are in the early stages of infection, I’ll need to get you on some strong antibiotics and you’ll need to redress them with fresh ointment twice a day. If you can avoid being on them, that would also be preferable, absolutely no walking long distances if you insist on being on your feet though.”
Shit. That was going to make going to school, and avoiding the terror trio near impossible.
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