Page 35 of Hollyhocks

“If you need anything else, you know where to find me. You’re free to go. I’ll have the nurse out front give you the referral for bloodwork.”

“I appreciate it. Thanks for your help.” I scrub my face with my hands, suddenly exhausted from all the mental gymnastics I’ve done since I rolled out of bed this morning.

“I promise, Fitz. It isn’t anything to concern yourself about. I feel good about that decision. If I feel good about it, let it bring you some peace.”

I nod, inhaling and exhaling as deep as I can. “You’re right. Thanks for your help. I’m sorry for all my rambling or if I sounded like an ass.”

“I understand. Showing any part of yourself physically to someone is odd and unsettling. Your discomfort is natural. Also, the image of your genitals is not in my head and has already been forgotten.” She closes her chart. “Once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.”

We both laugh, easing the tension that is one hundred percent coming from me.

“Have a good day. I’ll call you when I get your bloodwork results in. Okay?”

“Okay. Yeah, thanks.” I hop off the table as soon as the doctor leaves the room.

A low growl sounds from the back corner. I spin around, staring from one end of the wall to the other.

I’m at a doctor’s office. It’s probably the sound of a machine. I walk out of the room, down the hall, and through the waiting room. I give a small wave to the guy managing the desk and he gives a very happy grin in return.

I stop in front of the doors, learning my lesson from the first time, and the doors open. At least I saved myself from another sore cheek.

When I step outside, I inhale the fresh air, letting it settle in my lungs, and release the pent-up breath.

I feel very different today than I did yesterday. I’m protective of the dream Holly I’ve imagined. Possessive, if I want to be honest. I could have told the doctor the whole truth but that would mean losing the girl of my dreams.

I’m not ready for that. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be ready for it.

“What the fuck?” I glance around to see if anyone else is in the parking lot. It’s empty.

In the condensation on my driver’s window, two words are written:

Doe Eyes.

“Funny. Hilarious.” I wipe the words away with my hand and open the door. I’ve always been told I had feminine eyes. I get compliments all the time about them but some days, like today, it’s more like a curse than a blessing.

Usually, I’ll bat the hell out of my lashes and ask for a fucking drink to play along with the joke.

Not today.

Too much has happened, and too many questions are left unanswered for me to have a happy bone in my body.

And that’s just wild because I love being happy.

Today, happiness is taking a backseat. Something is going on with me, and I intend to find out.

My poor Fitz. He’s so confused. So lost. He’s trying so hard to look for answers to all of his questions. Because of his curiosity, he had to see a doctor about the beautiful mark spreading from his cock.

By the time I’m done marking him, he will have a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind claim that only he will have. No one else will have that branding. It will be unique to him alone.

But my silly, panicked, sweet mate ran to urgent care and his doctor was a woman.

Another woman has seen his cock.

I can’t have that. From here on out, he is mine. I am the only one allowed to see him bare like that. She’s probably thinking about him now, wishing he was hers. She’s probably dreaming about him, thinking of all the ways she could fuck him.

I’m not going to be able to let that go.

It took every ounce of self-control I had not to reveal myself in the patient room. There was nothing I wanted more than to wrap my tail around her throat, squeeze until her face turned purple, crush her windpipe, and watch her die.

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