Chapter 126

Aurora’s POV

“You’re awake. That’s great,” he says. “Sit down and eat.”

He pulls my chair out and sets a plate loaded with food in front of me, and I gawk at it.

“Thorne, I can’t eat all this,” I tell him, eyeing the three waffles, mountain of eggs, bacon, and fruit. Is he insane? And why is he watching me like that?

Apparently, I don’t move fast enough because a moment later, Thorne grabs my fork and stabs at the cut-up waffle pieces. He lifts the fork to my mouth, and I really become confused.

“What are you doing? Thorne,” I grab the fork from him and scowl. “I can feed myself.” Instead of conceding to me, he takes the fork back and holds it up to my mouth.

“Humor me,” he says softly, and I do. I eat the waffle pieces he feeds me, wondering what in the world is going on. He’s been extra close lately, since we completed the mating bond, but it hasn’t been this bad.

Does he think that I’m still upset from yesterday?

When he lifts a piece of bacon for me to eat, I take it in my fingers and bite into it. He watches me, like there’s nothing else around that needs his attention, and again, I find it odd. He watches me chew, studying everything I do.

I take another bite of eggs, and his eyes follow the fork from my plate to my mouth.

It’s a bit unnerving.

“Okay, are you going to tell me what’s going on, or are you just going to stare at me like a weirdo?” I ask, slapping my fork down on the table.

He jumps, snatches the fork from my hand, and then turns my hand over. He checks it before saying, “You shouldn’t do that. It could hurt you.”

“Thorne!” I hiss. “What’s gotten into you? I know that message freaked me out, but I’m okay. I know you’re doing everything you can to protect me—”

“That’s not it,” Thorne says, standing. I watch as he walks from his seat to mine. He pulls my chair back again and helps me up, like I’m an invalid, and nudges me toward the bedroom. “Get dressed. We have somewhere to go.”

I glance at the clock. “It’s not even nine yet. Where are we going?” I ask, confused. It’s Saturday, so we’re not working. I didn’t think he had anything planned, but maybe he did? I stare at my mate, noting the antsy way he shifts from foot to foot.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so nervous-looking before.

“You’ll see,” he says, then he points at the stairs. “Now, go get dressed. I’ll clean up and wait for you by the door.”

Without another word, we part ways. Confused and slightly curious, I get dressed in comfortable clothes. I’m tying my shoes when he calls me from downstairs.

“You almost ready?”

“Hold your horses!” I shout, shaking my head. What is so important that he doesn’t even give me ten minutes to get dressed?

I expect to find him at the bottom of the stairs, but when I exit our bedroom, he’s at the end of the hall waiting at the top of the stairs. I can feel his nerves through our bond now, seeping in like tar and sticking to everything in me. It’s starting to make me feel nervous, and when I reach for the railing on the stairs, my hand shakes.

Thorne is there, scooping me into his arms, before I can even take one step down the stairs. I gasp and hold onto him, staring at his determined face.

“I can walk.”

“The stairs aren’t safe.”

“Since when?”

Thorne grunts, “Since now.”

I would laugh at his strange behavior, but I’m too confused to. “Did you have an aneurism while I was asleep?”

As he lowers me into the front seat of his car, he gives me a funny look. His face scrunches up as he asks, “What are you talking about? Of course not.”

“Don’t look at me like I’m the crazy one here,” I growl, shaking my finger at him. “You’re the one acting strange.”

Sighing and shaking his head, Thorne closes my door and jogs around to his side of the car. He doesn’t say anything else as he starts it up and pulls out of the driveway.

I watch the trees blur as we drive. I try not to let Thorne’s nerves affect me, but they’re so loud and powerful that I find myself gripping his forearm. He doesn’t comment, thankfully, but I’m sure he’ll have fingernail marks by the time we get to wherever we’re going.

The silence between us grows heavier until the hospital comes into view.

My breath catches, and my mind spins in the worst direction.

“Wh-What happened? Is it my sister?” I panic, tearing at my seatbelt and readying myself to run to my sister.

“No.” His eyes cut to me as he parks, his voice steady as he says, “Sophie is fine.”

Relief slams me back into my seat, and I breathe a bit easier. “Then why…”

“I want you to get a checkup.”

Those nerves tighten like a fist around my throat again, and I stare at him. “A checkup?”

“Yes,” he murmurs, his hand taking mine. “You’ve been through so much lately, and yesterday you felt like you had a fever. I just want to make sure everything is alright.”

I think back over the past few days and weeks. The truth of his words makes my mouth dry. I have been feeling sick and tired lately, but I attributed that to the nightmares. I’ve been eating, but I find myself not having as much of an appetite as I did before the kidnapping.

I didn’t admit it to Thorne, but clearly, he picked up on things.

“Do I really need a checkup? I’m feeling better,” I lie.

The nausea comes back the moment we step into the hospital, and my pulse spikes. My breath falters, getting caught in my throat as the white walls surround me. The hum of machines and the sharp, chemical smell hit my senses.

My steps slow, and my body grows heavy.

“I—” My throat closes up. “I can’t—”

I blink, Thorne is in front of me, cupping my face in his warm hands. “Look at me,” he says softly. “Anders is here. His sister is the doctor. Female. You’ll be safe.”

His words echo in my mind, anchoring me to the present and pulling me back from the edge of panic.

“I promise that you’re safe here,” he whispers.

I nod once.

I trust Thorne.