Chapter 13
958 Words
Seeing Luke standing in there brought on a cacophony of emotions. Confusion, anger, and also happiness. Why would he do this after telling me to go home? How could he take this choice away from me? I thought he cared about me. But also I felt the slight happiness that he chose me after all. The flooding of emotions was causing me so much inner turmoil.
"I'll leave you alone to talk." Anaya gave me a quick hug and then headed out of the room.
Luke walks over and sits down on the bed next to me. I stare down at my hands unsure what I was supposed to say. I could yell, I could ask why, I could cry but all I wanted was for him to wrap his arms around me.
"I'm sorry." Luke broke the silence.
"Why?" I could only squeak out the one word before tears flooded my eyes again.
He wrapped his arms around me and I sank into him sobbing uncontrollably. I hated how his arms made me feel so safe when I was having such conflicting thoughts and emotions.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." Alec, Josie's god, boyfriend, fiancé?, was standing at the door in a white lab coat. I remember Josie explaining that he is the god of modern medicine so I guess that makes sense. "I just need to check her out before she's ready to head home."
Luke nods and stands up. Alec comes over and checks me out with a stethoscope and checks my eyes. "You seem fine. How's the pain?"
"It only hurts when I touch it." I answer, noticing Luke cringe when he saw that it hurt. Good. I'm glad that he feels bad that he hurt me.
"Well, you are good to go then. Josie is bringing some clothes for you to change in to."Alec wraps his stethoscopearound his neck. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Larissa." With that he turned and headed out the door, shooting Luke a wicked glare as he left.
Luke had clearly lost any respect he used to have from Alec, which seemed to confirm my suspicions that what he did was unacceptable. Before Luke could say anything, Josie came running into my room carrying some clothes.
"Get dressed then I will take you home." Luke said before leaving the room. His tone was cold and distant. I couldn't tell if that was because of guilt or indifference.
Josie handed me the clothes and I took them into the bathroom and changed. Simple sweatpants and T-shirt. I was happy the shirt was baggy so it didn't rub against my mark. Josie was sat on the bed when I came out. I sat down beside her and again silence. It seemed everyone had a hard time figuring out what to say to me.
"I'm sorry, but I'm glad you're staying." Josie pipes up. I laugh which causes her to laugh too. I wrap my arms around her and give a squeeze.
"I'm happy I'm staying too. I just have so many questions."
"Well, he needs to answer them. Don't let him off the hook. He did something unforgivable." Josie says as if knowing he was standing at the door already.
"Ready to go?" Luke asks from the door. I nod and stand up. Josie and I hug again. I slip on the shoes she brought me and head to the door. Luke holds out a hand for me to take but I ignore it, walking past him. I make my way out of the hospital a few steps in front of him as a form of protest.
"Do you want to walk or shall I fly us home?" He asks from behind me as we emerge onto the street.
"Walk, then you can explain yourself." I put my hands on my hips like I'm scolding a toddler.
"Fair. This way." He points down a street to the right of us. I turn and start heading that way, this time with him beside me and not behind.
We walk in silence for a few minutes before he finally breaks the silence.
"I'm sorry." That's all he says. So I prod.
"Why? You told me to leave. You told me to go home." I could feel myself getting angry, as I poke him in the chest.
"I thought it was the safest option." Luke explains. He puts his hands on my arms rubbing them soothingly. "I never wanted you to leave though. I wanted to do this the right way."
Luke rubs his hands down his face with a sigh. "I am just trying to protect you. I promise."
"I'm gunna need more than that. Protect me how?" I retort.
"If I didn't mark you, Set would have." He answers with a twinge of anger.
"How do you know that?"
"I heard it from a friend. A very reliable source." Luke pauses shuffling his feet. "I couldn't stand back and watch you be forced to marry him. I didn't want you to be with anyone but me."
I didn't answer. All I could think about was the mixed feelings of betrayal and longing. I knew I wanted him to say those words but somehow I had some hesitation.
"Larissa" Luke looked up to face me straight on. "You're safe with me. I never wanted to do anything to hurt you."
I can't help myself. I throw myself into his arms. He embraces me tightly, almost as if he'll never let me go.
Holding hands we walk in comfortable silence until we reach a big iron gate.
"This is me. Well us now." Luke says pointing through the gate, up a cobblestone driveway, to a gorgeous Gothic castle sitting up on a small hill.
- Writer
