The Pack's Doctor

Chapter 23: Apology.

Warren.

I watch as Yara walks out of the hospital. I take another step to follow her but a wall of warriors steps in my way.

I snarl, ready to fight my way to her.

"Alpha, give her some space. If you push her now, you could lose her forever," Savannah says. "The warriors will watch over her.

We've all obviously learned to love our Luna in a very short amount of time."

That's the understatement of the fucking millennium. I can't believe my pack just basically turned on me to protect Yara. Shit, if she was so inclined, they'd probably take her as their fucking Alpha. Although, it didn't escape me that she told them that she'd be disappointed in them if they tried to fight me in my current state. Disappointed, not angry. A true Luna.

"Come on, Alpha. Let's get you stitched up. It looks like our Luna got your bones all reset, but I'll take a look.'

When we get back to the room, I look at her. "Savannah, I need a phone."

"I'll find one after I finish this."

"No, I need it now. If I'm going to fix things with my mate, I need to do it before it can't be undone." "Yes, Alpha," she says, going to get me a phone.

Yara's words ring in my ears. 'He's a terrible mate.' FUCK! She's right. While my intentions had been purely to protect Yara, erasing her from the school would cause a lot of problems that I'm not sure even I could fix.

As soon as she's back, I call the warrior that Charlie sent to the university.

"Alpha, is everything alright? I heard we were attacked again last night. Do you need me to come back?" "Archie, where are you at with erasing Yara's presence from the school?"

"T've cleaned out her dorm room, Alpha. I'm just about to wipe her records from the educational system." "Don't. Leave them."

"Are you sure, Alpha?"

"Yes, but make a copy. She may need to transfer to a werewolf university," I say.

"Yes, Alpha," he says and we hang up.

'He's a terrible mate.' Her words keep playing in my mind. I've wanted nothing more than her my entire adult life and now, I find out I'm terrible at being a mate. I probably am. I don't know the first thing about being compassionate or loving. I know about fighting and war. But I'm willing to learn, for her. I can become whatever she needs me to be, she just needs to give me a chance.

"How is Beta Charlie?" I ask Savannah as she finishes closing up my leg.

"He's stable, Alpha," Savannah says. "If that changes, I'll let Luna know."

"Thank you for this," I tell her, pulling my leg off the bed.

"Alpha, you should stay the night, let Alpha Arric heal your bones."

"Savannah, I need to go make amends to my mate. I need to apologize, and I need her to understand that

I wasn't trying to take her life or her title away from her."

I stand and she hands me the crutch. "Anna has food for both of you. Our Luna never ate today."

"Thank you, Savannah."

"She really is special, Alpha. It says a lot that the Moon Goddess gave you such a mate. Don't blow it," she says, but it's not unkind.

"I'm going to do my very best not to," I tell her.

I walk out of the room and see Haynes still sitting outside Charlie's room. "Switch out with someone,

Haynes. You're still recovering. You wouldn't want to disappoint your Luna."

"No, Alpha, I wouldn't."

When I walk to the waiting room, I see most of my warriors are still there.

"What are you going to do, Alpha?" they ask.

"I'm going to go make things right with Yara. Charlie is down, do I need to make a patrol schedule?" I ask. "We'll rotate out, Alpha. Get some sleep. We don't know when we'll be attacked again, but most of us are already healing and getting stronger. We can manage the patrols until you wake up.

Just...just make things right with our Luna," one of my warriors says.

"Yeah, she's the best thing that's happened to this pack in our most of our lifetimes," another warrior says. "We don't want to lose her, so figure it out, Alpha. We're already stronger because of her and she hasn't even been here two days yet. Imagine what she'll do to strengthen this pack over time."

"I intend to do whatever it takes to keep Yara here, with us," I tell him.

That seems to calm them for the moment. Now, I just need to make it happen.

As I walk back to the packhouse, I think about what I can do to make Yara happy. The respect and honesty that she wants are easy, those I've already given her. The love part is easy in concept. I already love Yara, but how do I show her that? My parents made it look easy, but I'm sure there was more to it that I never saw, just like there will be things between us that the pack and our future children will never see.

The kindness and compassion that she wants will be the hardest.

Kindness and compassion in times of war don't come easy. And I've lived with war my entire life.

As I'm walking back to the packhouse, I see some wildflowers growing beside the cobblestone drive. I stop, picking several of them, wondering what her favorite color might be. Rather than dwell on the fact that I have no clue what her favorite color is, I decide to pick as many colors as I can, making the bouquet bright and cheerful looking. At least I hope she'll think it is.

When I walk into the packhouse, everyone goes quiet. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, but at the moment, I don't care.

I'm exhausted and I'm sick at the idea that Yara may try to leave me because she doesn't find me worthy of being her mate.

I go to the kitchen and find a glass, filling it with water. I'm pretty confident that we don't have any vases in the packhouse, but I can get some if Yara likes the flowers.

Then I carefully make my way up the stairs, following her scent.

I'm happy that she at least went back to our room, but that happiness wanes when I get to the top of the stairs and see that she's not in our bedroom.

"Alpha, the others said you're here to make amends with our Luna," one of my warriors says.

"That's correct.'

"See that you do. I don't like hearing my Luna cry herself to sleep," he says and they step away from the door to allow me entry. I don't like knowing that she did either.

When I step inside the room, I see that she's on top of the bed, clutching a pillow to her body. I set the flowers down on the nightstand and quietly move around the bed before sliding onto the bed beside her and wrapping myself around her.

I feel her shift and I know the moment that she realizes that I'm behind her because her body goes rigid in my arms.

"Please don't leave," I say, pressing my lips to her shoulder. "I'm sorry. You were right. I didn't think through the decision and the impact it would have on you. I didn't do it to hurt you. I did it to keep you safe. But I understand that it was the wrong move to make and I've fixed it," I tell her. She scoffs. "How did you fix it?"

"My warrior hadn't wiped you from the education system yet, so I told him to leave your information. However, he's cleaned out your dorm room and is bringing your things here. It's not safe for you to be there, you must know that. But you're right. Seven years of hard work shouldn't be erased. You're too good of a doctor to have to start all over. Please forgive me for my oversight. I know it was a big one, but I truly am sorry, and I've fixed it so you can maintain your title and continue your studies,"

I say quietly, hoping my words are enough.

She's quiet for a long time and I feel cold fear, unlike anything I've ever felt sliding through veins, as I wait for her verdict.

"What are those?" she asks, pointing to the flowers.

"I picked those on the way over here. I didn't know if you liked flowers and we don't have any vases for them since I can't remember ever having flowers around the packhouse, and I'm not really good at knowing how to show you that I love you, but.. I wanted to try. I know you said you wanted respect and honesty, and those things are easy for me to give you. I love you, already. I love you with everything in me, but I don't know how to show you love in a way that lets you know that I mean it. I don't know how to show the kindness and compassion like you want. I think...I think that's why the Moon Goddess paired you with me, Yara.

You are the other half of my soul. You are the softness and gentleness that I need in my life. I am willing to give you anything and everything that you desire in this world, but I need your help. I don't know how to be all of the things that you want, not yet anyway. But I will. If you can be patient and help teach me, I will."

I kiss her shoulder again, waiting a really long time again while she thinks.

"You make it really hard to deny you," she finally murmurs.

I have no idea if she meant for me to hear it or not, and I don't care. Something inside me relaxes and I

wrap my arm more tightly around her.

"How's your leg?" she asks.

"Better thanks to my amazing doctor, Luna, and mate."

I close my eyes and I'm nearly asleep when I hear her again.

"I like flowers."

I smile, knowing my mate will be getting flowers from me everyday for the rest of her life.