Page 24 of Second Chance Mates

He reaches up to his desk and grabs a box of tissues before pressing them to my skin. It soaks up a few droplets, but most of it has dried or dripped onto the floor. “We’ll get these cleaned up in a moment, hmm?”

“I’m sorry, I-I smashed y-your picture,” I whimper pathetically. “It was an accident, I promise.”

Jaxon’s hands slip under my fingers again, holding the tissue to them. A surge of warmth spreads up my arms, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. It makes me cry harder because my head spins. “It doesn’t matter, Ava. It's just a frame. It can be replaced.”

I lower my head and attempt to control my breathing once more. I don’t want to feel out of control. I despise that feeling. “You don’t need to cry, Ava. I promise I’m not mad. No one is mad.”

“I shouldn’t have been in here.” My lip quivers.

Jaxon frowns softly. “You can go wherever you want in the house. You are free to do whatever you want. No one is going to stop you.”

“D-did I wake you?”

“I don’t care about me.”

My hands clench in Jaxon’s hold, and I grit my teeth at the tiny pieces of glass still lodged between my cuts. I wince as he pulls the tissue away.

“Will you let me take you down to the infirmary? I can have Gemma pull out the glass and heal your hands,” he suggests, angling his head so our eyes meet again.

I nod because the pain is beginning to throb. As soon as we reach the infirmary wing, I find comfort in being faced with Gemma. I recognise her. I trust her. She’s helped me in more ways than one.

“Hi, Ava.” She offers me a smile. “Let’s go sit over here, and I can sort out your hands.”

My gaze returns to Jaxon as he gives me an encouraging nod. “I’ll wait out here for you,” he says as he takes a seat in the hallway.

I follow Gemma to the room, where she disinfects my wound, removes the glass, and patches me up until my skin is repaired. My eyes feel swollen as I inspect her handy work.

“I’ll never get used to that,” I whisper.

Gemma smiles. “It is strange. But it’s very practical for our lifestyle. Even though we heal faster than humans, we need to be able to patch ourselves up quickly. How are you feeling, Ava?”

“Tired,” I admit far too easily.

“Are you sleeping well?”

“No.”

“Are you having nightmares?”

“Yes.”

Gemma gives me a supportive smile. “Ava, have you thought about talking to someone?”

“Talking?”

“I know you haven’t been here long, and I can’t imagine how overwhelming all of this has been. But have you considered talking with a therapist?”

My expression twists. “I-I–” I pause for a moment. “No. I don’t know if I’m strong enough for it.”

She nods in what I believe is understanding. “Of course. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be digging up the past; it can help with coping mechanisms, positive affirmations, and healing today. Not talking about details you’re not comfortable with.”

“They have people for that…here?”

Gemma nods once. “Yes. We have lots of different therapists. All sessions are confidential, of course. We can’t even report back to Alpha Jaxon as we believe in patient-doctor confidentiality. You’d be surprised how many people go to therapy.”

“D-do you think I need it?”

“I’m not going to tell you what you need; that’s up to you to decide. But talking about certain things, even if they seem small, can help more than you know. It might be worth considering.” Gemma’s eyes are peaceful. “You don’t have to make any decisions right now. I thought I’d put the offer out there. This is a safe space. We want the best for everyone.”

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