Shifting Boundaries

Chapter Six

Felix

The hospital door opened and Magnus poked his head in. "Can Mel and I come back yet?"

His head jerked back and he yelped. I heard him say "I'm just asking!" and Mel's voice responding "Well, quit it!"

Magnus popped back into the doorway, looking a little disheveled. "So? Can we come back now?"

I glanced nervously at Everett, who looked annoyingly attractive as he chuckled at my brother. He had agreed to try being friends, but I had no idea what that entailed in his mind. Would he still go back to his pack? I needed to know, and these were not answers I would get with my siblings present. "Not yet, Magnus."

"Sorry!" Magnus said, disappearing. The door shut behind him, leaving an uncomfortably silent room.

"They love you a lot," Everett said, still chuckling a bit.

I glanced at him, surprised. He smiled a little and told me about how they had gone out looking for my mate, knowing that I needed the enhanced healing my mate would provide. "I wondered how you ended up here," I said. "It all seemed too easy."

Everett snorted. "Felix, nothing about this is going to be easy."

I wanted to laugh with him, I really did, but nothing was funny about the reminder that my mate didn't want to be with me. I looked down at my hands since it was easier than meeting his amused eyes.

"Felix?" he asked after a long moment, sounding unsure.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

I shook my head. I wasn't looking for an apology; I was looking for a connection.

Everett shifted closer to me and wrapped one of his hands around mine. "Really. I'm grateful you're willing to compromise with me and I'm sorry to have put you in this position. Sometimes I make inappropriate jokes because I'm nervous or uncomfortable. I didn't mean to hurt you."

My heart fluttered. How stupid was it that I found his apology attractive? Apologies were too easy to fling around, but I was sure Everett was being perfectly sincere. I squeezed his hand and finally looked up, meeting those warm amber eyes and feeling myself melt a little in response. Fuck, he was handsome. "It's okay," I assured him.

Everett smiled a little and shifted so we weren't sitting quite so close. He let me keep hold of his hand, though, so I didn't mind. "So," he said pensively, "friends."

"Yeah." I hesitated, then forced myself to ask, "How long can you stay in Lakota?"

He studied me. "My alpha gave me two weeks," he finally responded, sounding hesitant. "I've only been here for a day."

My pulse skipped. Even answering my question implied he might be willing to stay, and I could work with two weeks. "I have a guest room," I said. It was hard to maintain eye contact, but I needed to see his reaction so I would know how hard to push him.

Everett lifted a brow and prodded, "Oh?"

Another good sign. "Would you stay with me until you have to go back?" When he didn't answer right away, I reminded him, "You set the boundaries."

Still Everett didn't respond. I was starting to get really anxious when he finally nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll stay with you."

I had never heard more beautiful words.

Paula entered the room soon after, my siblings hot on her heels. Paula passed me a clipboard and pointed out where I was supposed to sign and initial. Meanwhile, Meleri pulled a bag I recognized as my own from the hospital's closet and Magnus disappeared into the bathroom, returning a minute later with a little toiletry bag.