Page 160 of Just One Bite
It’s coming back now. It seemed futile at the time to record. I’d managed to wrestle my phone from my pocket when he was interrupted by one of his pack members.
“Wait, Aster helped you?” I turn to him.
“It’s a long story. I can tell you about it. Are you hungry?”
I am. My stomach is hollow. “Yeah.”
“I’ll get you something,” he says, getting up to move, but I grab his arm. I’m not ready for him to be out of my sight yet.
“We’ll go get it. You both need to eat,” Eva says, leaning toward me. “Parker’s been refusing food.”
“I think the only reason he took water was because the nurse promised you’d wake up,” Emma says.
“I had to be sure I’d be right behind you if you didn’t wake up,” Parker says.
Emma and Eva give an exasperated eye roll.
“Kidding.”
“Not kidding,”he pushes into my mind.
They flutter out of the room, and I reach for Parker’s forearm.
“How long was I out?”
“Two days.” He palms my cheek. “Felt like forever.”
I get lost in his lips. The taste of his tongue on mine and the serene calm from knowing everything is okay now. I lift his shirt to run my fingers over the bandages.
“You were shot?”
“Three times. Cane used enchanted bullets, so healing is a little slower. But I’m okay.”
Tears well in my eyes. It’s relief. Happiness and sadness. This should have never happened. But it’s done. We hold each other until there’s a knock at the door, and we reluctantly separate. Two familiar faces emerge.
My father and Parker’s. My father is slightly shorter and rounder than Parker’s, and when they stand next to each other, I see the stark differences. Even with their similar brown hair. My dad’s features are much softer than Mr. Owens’s.
I wobble to my elbows to sit up.
“No need to sit up, honey. We’ve been in and out. Already met. Did the introductions and such.”
“Oh. Good.” I turn to Parker. “You already met my father?”
“Parker almost took my head off when I tried to come in your room.”
Parker rubs the back of his neck, giving me a sheepish grin. “I was a little on edge while you were asleep.”
“In his defense, Dad tried to barge in during the middle of the night.” Emma skips in, with Eva and Zant in tow. He’s holding the plates of food. He winks at me and gives me a little wave while dodging the vases of flowers.
Parker’s father stands with his hands in his trouser pockets.
“Thanks for coming,” I say, not sure what else to offer.
“You don’t need to worry about anything. I’ve invested in security detail for you and your sisters from now on. Now that you’re bonded, I’ll make ensure nothing like this happens again.”
“And Cane is …”
“Cane will face trial along with his father for the involvement. Octavia too. She was bewitched by Cane, so it’s unclear how much she knew. There’s still an investigation going on.”
