Page 43 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
The doctor told us that since the EMTs got there so quickly, the damage was minimal for the clot of its size. They had stopped the bleeding, and Miss Eloise was breathing normally without the help of a respirator, but the extent of it all wouldn’t be known until she woke up. Then they would do cognitive tests and schedule rehabilitation, but he believed that she could make a full recovery. She would likely be in the hospital for at least a week, but could go home as long as someone was with her to help take care of her.
The relief I felt at hearing Miss Eloise would make a full recovery was blindsided by that last bit. She wouldn’t be home for Christmas, and I wouldn’t be there to help take care of her when she did leave the hospital. I hated it. She needed me now more than ever.
Once the doctor and nurse left, and texts were sent to let everyone know what was going on, I turned to Lyla. “I’m going to postpone my move to California. I need to be there when Miss Eloise gets home.”
Lyla whirled to face me and grabbed me by my shoulders. Her blue eyes shone with a bright intensity. “Don’t you dare! Your dream job is waiting for you. Miss Eloise would be the first person to tell you to go. Go live your bestest life.”
She was right. Miss Eloise would put her foot down and tell me to go. But how could I leave them? It would break my heart. “I don’t think I can.”
“Honey,” Lyla sighed and hugged me. “Yeah, it’s scary and heavy and it feels like the world is falling apart. Right now. But it’s going to get better. Miss Eloise is going to fully recover, and I want a trip to California next summer!”
“But…” I wiped at the few fat tears which had slipped out from the corners of my eyes. “She has always been there when I needed her. I need to be there for her.”
Lyla kept her voice soft and smiled. “She will always be there for us, and we love her for it. I love you, and she loves you too. What will make her the happiest is if you go work your dream job and save the world. She wants you to have the life you deserve, the life you’ve always dreamed about.”
“What if my bestest life is here, living at Primrose House?” It had been my world for over five years. While I’d been planning my move for months, I suddenly couldn’t see any life outside of Primrose House.
“Well, it is awesome.” Lyla nodded and gave my hand a squeeze. “Don’t make any decisions right now. Wait until after Christmas. You’ll feel differently when you’re past your heat and Miss Eloise is back to her normal amazing self.”
It was excellent advice, but everything in me was screaming to cancel my move and stay. Thankfully Balthazar showed up at that moment with food. He knocked quietly on the door and we went into the hall to eat.
We relayed to him what the doctor told us, and I didn’t even realize it until I’d done so, but I ate two whole burgers plusa large box of fries. Usually I get full before I even finish one of the burgers, but my stomach was still gnawing at me like I could eat more. Good thing Balthazar did get a dozen burgers, because I ate another and Lyla had two herself.
The second I felt full, a different ache pushed to the front. I squeezed my thighs together and silently yelled at my yearning for more Alpha dick. I’d just had sex like an hour ago!
We sat with Miss Eloise for another two hours, answering all the texts asking how she was doing. Balthazar came and went, bringing us drinks and snacks, and holding my hand when he was in the room. He was quiet, but the rock I needed at the moment.
Yet I kept squirming in the chair, and once, I rubbed my cheek against his hand and almost took one of his fingers into my mouth. The last thing I needed to do was start begging him to fuck me here.
At eight, when visitor hours were over, Balthazar asked if he could drive us home. “Lucian took Mom home, but Jasper is waiting outside warming up my truck.”
“I’m staying the night here.” Lyla shook her head, not rising from the chair.
“Me too.” I immediately seconded it. I wasn’t there when the stroke happened, but I wanted to be there when Miss Eloise woke up.
“Mari, honey, only one of us can stay, and even then, I think the nurse was bending the rules of the emergency ward letting me stay.” Lyla gave me a soft smile. “You need to go home and take care of Artemis. She’s going to be worried. I had to put her up in your suite when the EMTs came.”
Artemis. Dammit. She was right. My poor girl was likely going crazy when no one came to let her out after all that excitement.
“And,” Lyla leaned in to whisper to me. “Girl, you’re about to climb that mountain of an Alpha right here in front of me. Your heat is ramping up, and I don’t want you to suffer through the night. Go home and let him take care of you.”
My face grew hot and I sighed. I’d been trying so hard to hide it. I just wanted it to go away so I could be with Lyla and Miss Eloise. Just as moving to California felt like I was abandoning them, leaving now was also a jab to the heart.
“I want to stay.” I whined, but I couldn’t help it.
“I know, but I’ll keep you updated on everything. Then you can come right back in the morning and bring me breakfast.” Lyla scootched closer and gave me a hug. “I like having Mrs. Claus as my personal gopher.”
“Shut up.” I giggled and tightened my arms around her. If I didn’t have to go take care of Artemis, I would have pushed through my heat. “Anything you want or need, let me know. I’ll bring you a change of clothes and stuff to freshen up with along with your breakfast. I should pack a bag of stuff Miss Eloise will need when she wakes too.”
“Perfect.” Lyla kissed my cheek and stood, folding her arms as she turned to Balthazar. “As Mariska’s stand-in chaperon, I’m going to let you drive her home and take care of her. I trust you to be on your best behavior. If you do anything she doesn’t like, Artemis will rip off your balls.”
“Lyla!” I covered my face with my hands, red as a beet.
Balthazar quietly laughed and nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Only the best for Mrs. Claus. I’ll make sure her every need is met and have her back to you in the morning.”
The way he said sent a hungry surge through me and made my heat pains jump a notch. Maybe if I took him into that linen closet across the hall…
I swallowed a moan. It was time to go before I really lost myself to my heat. I hugged Lyla again. “Okay. I’ll be texting youall night. Try to get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning. I love you.”
