Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers-Chapter 169: Alpha’s Silent Care

Evaline:

I stirred from sleep slowly, almost unwillingly. The warmth of the bed and the steady rhythm of someone’s hand moving through my hair kept me from leaving behind this rare moment of peace. fгeewebnovёl.com

Whoever it was, they had such a gentle touch - so soft, so careful - it made me want to stay in that limbo between sleep and awareness for just a little longer.

But the hand stilled, and that sudden pause pulled me from my comfort. I blinked open my eyes and the hospital room’s dim lighting greeted me first... and then him.

Draven.

I almost didn’t believe it. For a long second, I wondered if I was dreaming again - like I had on the other nights since Friday, where my subconscious conjured him just to break me all over again when I woke up alone. But this wasn’t a dream.

He was here.

He was sitting beside me with that familiar stoic expression, his eyes shadowed with something deeper. Guilt? Regret? Relief? I didn’t know.

We stared at each other while locked in a silence that was pressing like a weight on my chest. I wanted to say something. Stars, I needed to say something. But the words got stuck somewhere between my throat and heart.

What was I supposed to say?

I was glad to see him, but terrified too. My gaze drank him in, finding him as beautiful as I remembered. But unlike Oscar, he didn’t rush to hold me, to kiss my forehead, or tell me everything was going to be alright. No, Draven was not Oscar. I had to stop expecting him to be.

"I heard from Oscar," he finally said, breaking the silence. His voice was quieter than usual, but still rough, slightly scratchy, as if he hadn’t spoken much in days. "He told me what happened. I came to check on you immediately."

I nodded, still unsure whether this was a dream or reality.

"It’s half past nine," he added while glancing toward the window though it was already dark outside. "Oscar has gone to speak with the doctor, and Rowan is in the hallway outside."

"I see..." I said, my voice raspier than I expected. "Thanks for coming."

His brows pinched slightly at that, like he didn’t know how to respond. "How are you feeling?" he asked finally.

I hesitated, then answered, "Better... much better."

He nodded. That was it. We didn’t talk about Friday. We didn’t talk about the cottage or the secrets or the pain that still was lingering between us. We just... sat.

His presence filled the room, grounding me in a way only mates could. But there was still a distance between us, emotional and fragile. I didn’t want to push him, and maybe he didn’t know what to say either.

"Take care of yourself, Eva," he said after a few moments of silence. "Don’t scare people like this again."

His tone was casual, but the weight in it struck deeper. Was he talking about himself? Was he scared to hear about me?

I didn’t dare ask. Maybe it was just my heart hoping for more than I deserved.

The door creaked open then, saving me from answering. Oscar stepped in and his eyes immediately lit up as they landed on me.

"You are awake," he exhaled and crossed the room in three long strides. He then leaned down and kissed my forehead tenderly. "How are you feeling now?"

I smiled softly. "I think I have fully recovered."

He smiled back, the warmth in his eyes comforting in a way that softened some of the ache still inside me.

Rowan followed him in, with his arms crossed and eyes scanning me and then my mates.

"Instructor Oscar’s been trying to convince the nurses to let him stay the night," he informed me. "Unfortunately, hospital policy allows only one person."

Oscar opened his mouth to protest, but I quickly turned to Rowan. "You should go rest," I told him gently. "You have looked after me for the better half of the day."

He raised an eyebrow at me, clearly unimpressed with the suggestion. "And you think he’s going to be any less annoying than me?" he asked, nodding toward Oscar. Then he leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Keep the nightly activities lowkey, okay? You need rest."

My eyes widened and a wave of heat crawled up my neck as his implication registered... and the fact that both Alphas in the room had clearly heard him loud and clear.

"Rowan!" I hissed under my breath.

He chuckled and winked before giving Oscar a mock salute and muttering something like "She’s all yours" before walking out of the room.

Oscar didn’t comment, though the slight flush on my cheeks made his lips twitch. Draven, on the other hand, was looking like he wanted to murder someone.

Oscar turned back to me and his smile faded into a more serious look.

"I talked to the doctor," he began. "They are going to run some tests on you within next ten minutes."

Confused, I asked, "What kind of tests?"

"Prenatal," he said gently. "You are four months along, and I just want to make sure everything’s alright with the baby."

"I was at the clinic last month," I protested weakly. "Everything was fine."

He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear gently as he spoke, "Still, I want you to get checked up here. This is one of the best hospitals around the Academy. And it’s close - just a fifteen-minute drive downhill. Once classes get heavy, you won’t have to worry about traveling too far for checkups."

I frowned, but before I could argue again, he added, "I promised to take care of this baby with you, didn’t I? That means I get to be worried about both of you."

My throat tightened, and I looked away before he could see the tears forming.

This was happening. He meant it.

Draven hadn’t moved from his chair, but I was feeling his presence like a storm cloud behind me - silent, tense, and watching.

"I’m not trying to control anything," Oscar added. "But I want to be involved. I want to be there, from now on. No matter what tests need to be done, what vitamins you need, what late-night cravings you have... I want to do this right, Eva."

My fingers curled around the bedsheet as a strange mix of guilt, gratitude, and affection surged through me.

How did I get so lucky... yet so terrified?

I nodded slowly. "Okay... we’ll do the tests."

He smiled and kissed my forehead again. And out of the corner of my eye, I glanced toward Draven.

He was still quiet. But his eyes... they were no longer blank. They were watching me, watching us, with something far more complicated than just indifference.

And even though he hadn’t said much... I knew he cared.

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