Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Tatiana looked at him with big puppy eyes. “You want to let me go?”
Maddox’s brows came together. What’s with that choice of words?
“Be good, Tanya. This is the hospital, and Doctor is here to make sure you are well.” Seeing that her face fell, Maddox quickly added, “I won’t leave your side.”
Tatiana gave him a small nod and he lowered her in the wheelchair.
The moment Maddox straightened his posture, he realized that Tatiana was exposed. “Do you have some clothes?” She was only in a bikini, and he saw those warriors gaping at her! And he didn’t trust the Doctor either.
The nurse swiftly got a hospital gown and Maddox nodded in approval when he saw that Tatiana was covered up.
It was Tatiana’s turn to frown. “Can you get one for him also?”, she asked Travis while gesturing toward Maddox.
Maddox couldn’t believe this. Why would he wear a hospital gown? Surely, Tatiana was not bothered that those nurses stole glances at him, right? Or was she repulsed to see his body?
No one ever complained about his body, but no one slapped him before either. There were many first with Tatiana.
No matter what Tatiana’s reasons were, Maddox was an Alpha, and his torso was frequently exposed. She should get used to it!
“I’m not a patient.”, Maddox said stiffly and grabbed the wheelchair to push it. Before Tatiana could complain, he asked Travis, “Which way?”
Tatiana wanted to say how that was injustice, why should she cover up while he lets all those women to gape at him? But she swallowed those words back. After all, Maddox agreed to accompany her, and he didn’t seem thrilled about it, so she should take this slowly.
Talia said that it goes both ways and Tatiana already decided to give them a chance, so here it is. Compromise. It’s the most she did so far for any relationship.
The tests didn’t take long, and other than for x-rays, Maddox was by Tatiana’s side all the time.
Nurses helped Tatiana settle in one of the VIP rooms before making themselves scarce.
“The results should be ready soon. In half an hour…”, Travis paused as his eyes lost focus. It was Jaeden.
Travis cleared his throat. “At least an hour. Probably longer. Until then, try to rest. Let us know if you need anything.” He turned to Maddox. “Alpha Maddox, when mates are close, our healing rate increases.” With that, Travis left the room.
“I have pack-related things to handle.”, Jaeden mumbled a universal excuse and followed after Travis.
Maddox stilled when he realized that it was only him and Tatiana in the room. She was lying on the hospital bed, and he was standing in the middle of the room that was filled with the impossibly addictive scent of strawberries.
This will be difficult. Should he also leave? But he promised to stay by her side.
Tatiana focused mightily to look Maddox in the eyes, but it was difficult because he was wearing only swim trunks and his glorious body was on full display.
Why was he standing in the middle of the room without saying anything? He was looking left and right, like those medical machines and the view outside the window were more interesting than she was.
He was her mate, damnit! Shouldn’t he be all over her?
Was he ignoring her on purpose?
To make things worse, the whole room smelled of delicious coffee and she really wanted some.
Tatiana knew that those were the urges fueled by her wolf side.
Tatiana lived among humans, and she learned to suppress her animalistic urges in order to blend it. It came in handy to appear human in order to deal with customers and models without snapping someone’s neck, but this was different.
Such a way of living nearly cost her a mate. A real soulmate. Like in the movies where a man and a woman fall in love and live happily ever after.
Will everything be perfect just because they were mates? Of course, not. Every relationship requires hard work and dedication.
However, the fact that they were fated mates meant they will accept each other unconditionally. Maddox will be the most outstanding man in her eyes, and he will see her in a similar light. If any of them thinks of cheating, the other one will know.
Maddox was not human, and neither was she.
Human rules don’t apply to them, and it took her near-drowning experience to realize that.
Tatiana decided to give her wolf side a chance and see how things go.
“Max?”, Tatiana called.
“Yes?”, Maddox responded.
“Why don’t you come here?”, Tatiana asked.
“I am here.”
‘Bastard!’, Tatiana cursed internally. She was not sure if he was set on getting back at her or if he was really so dense. But she was determined to make this work, so she persisted, “Closer.”
Maddox puffed his cheeks and moved to the side.
“No, no…”, Tatiana said quickly when she saw that he grabbed a chair. “Come here.”
Maddox stared at her hand that was patting the mattress next to Tatiana.
“You want me on the bed, with you?”, he asked in disbelief.
Does that mean what he thinks it means?
Maddox quickly shook those thoughts away. Nothing with Tatiana was ever easy. She was probably playing some game again.
“Didn’t you hear what the Doctor said? I will heal faster if you are close.”, Tatiana responded.
She didn’t understand, why was he hesitating? He was so eager to get frisky so far, yet now that she was calling him to share the bed, he is looking at her like she spoke a foreign language.
Maddox narrowed his eyes. Did she want him close only so that she can heal, and after that, she will discard him?
Maddox really wanted to jump on that bed next to Tatiana and to cuddle forever (and do much more than cuddling), but his lifelong experiences taught him not to trust a person who harmed him.
They met that morning, and instead of embracing this whole mate thing, Tatiana pushed him away more than once on the same day! He would be a fool to just trust her again, but every fiber of his body screamed for her proximity.
Rejecting this request for closeness would be foolish, even though it might be a trap. But what if it’s a trap that will only make him sink deeper?