Stuck with the enemy

Chapter 18: A Bit of A Crush

As I sat beside him in silence, I could feel him relax, even if only slightly. The waiting room was dim, with just enough light to cast shadows on the walls. We both stared at the door, waiting for it to open, hoping the doctor would come out with news that the surgery had been a success. I hated seeing Derek like this—vulnerable, anxious. His shoulders, usually proud and straight, were hunched. I saw his jaw clench, then relax, only to clench again in a rhythm that betrayed his worry. And even though I tried to deny it, the mate bond was too strong, and I despised that I couldn’t just walk away.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed down the corridor, hurried and uneven. Instinctively, I stood up, preparing myself to leave, and that’s when I saw her. Julia was approaching, her expression a mix of exhaustion and anxiety. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her eyes were rimmed red from crying.

I shouldn't be here. We had agreed to keep the mate bond between us, hidden from the pack. No one should know. Well, no one but Alya.

“Any news?” Julia’s voice broke through the silence, her tone trembling slightly as she neared us.

Derek shook his head, glancing between me and my stance, ready to slip away. “Not yet,” he said softly.

Julia’s gaze landed on me, and a flash of confusion crossed her face. It seemed she hadn’t noticed me before now. “And you are?” she asked, her voice gentle, though still thick from emotion.

I took a steadying breath, extending my hand. “Deniz,” I replied, trying to keep my voice neutral. “I’m Deniz. I was just passing by.”

Julia took my hand delicately, giving it a light shake. “Are you here with Tommy?” she asked, her expression softening at his name.

“Yes,” I nodded, glancing at the door to Tommy’s room. “He’s my brother. How… how do you know Tommy?” I asked, feeling a surge of surprise. It seemed unlikely that she’d know him.

Julia’s face softened further. “Oh, I don’t know him yet… But I’d like to,” she said with a hint of a sad smile. “The paramedics told me about him. They said he was injured while trying to save my father.”

I caught Derek’s brow furrowing at her words, and I knew his confusion mirrored my own. I glanced at him, and for a split second, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face before he looked back toward the closed door. It was as though he, too, was weighing the weight of Julia’s words and what they might mean.

“Tommy’s going to be okay. He’s out of surgery and resting in his room,” I said, glancing toward the door down the hall. “I was actually just going to check on him.” Then I hesitated, feeling a strange twist in my chest as I looked back at Derek. “I wish your father a quick recovery.”

Julia’s eyes glistened with fresh tears. She gave a small nod. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Could I… would you mind if I came with you?”

I hesitated, glancing back at Derek one last time. His gaze was fixed on us, his eyes filled with a sadness that he struggled to hide. There was so much I wanted to say to him, so many words that hung unspoken between us. But now wasn’t the time. “Sure,” I replied quietly.

Julia fell into step beside me, and together, we walked toward Tommy’s room. As we neared the door, muffled voices and laughter drifted into the hallway. I recognized the voices of Aras and Jacob, and my heart lifted slightly—Tommy was awake. Smiling, I knocked on the door in our familiar rhythm: two short taps, then three quick ones. It was a little code we’d made up that summer, our way of saying it was safe, it was us.

The door swung open, and Tommy’s face lit up when he saw me. “Deniz!” he called out, relief and excitement mingling in his voice.

I rushed to his bedside, feeling a rush of emotions that I tried to keep in check. “My darling!” I cried, wrapping my arms around him in a gentle hug. “You’re awake! Oh, Tommy, you had us so worried… you scared us so much.” I pressed a kiss to his forehead and hugged him a little tighter, forgetting, for a moment, that he was still healing.

“Ouci…” he winced softly, a barely audible sound, but I felt it.

“Oh, no! I’m so sorry!” I pulled back quickly, feeling a wave of guilt. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s okay,” he replied, smiling despite his pain. “I’m just glad to see you.”

Julia had been standing in the doorway, visibly touched by the scene. It was then I remembered her presence. “Tommy,” I said softly, “there’s someone here who would really like to meet you.”

Julia stepped forward, and all eyes turned toward her.

“Hi, Tommy. My name is Julia Garcia,” she said, her voice soft but clear. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

Tommy looked at her, his face lighting up with recognition. “I know who you are,” he said, breaking the brief silence. “You’re the Alpha’s daughter.”

Julia nodded slowly. “Yes, the one whose life you tried to save.”

At her words, I saw Aras’s expression darken. His mouth tightened, and I could tell he was bothered by the idea that Tommy had risked his life for the Alpha. Truth be told, it bothered me, too.

“Thank you for what you did,” Julia continued, her voice filled with quiet gratitude.

Tommy shifted slightly, clearly a little uncomfortable with the attention. “How… how is the Alpha?” he asked, his concern evident. “Is he alright?”

“The surgery’s still ongoing, but don’t worry. He’s going to pull through,” Julia reassured him. “We’re grateful to the Moon that he’s still with us. And we’re grateful to you, Tommy. I heard you were the one who gave him first aid.”

That caught me off guard. Tommy’s dream had always been to become a doctor, but I hadn’t expected his first patient to be the Alpha himself.

Tommy nodded humbly, his expression clouded with worry. “I just… I did what I could,” he mumbled, looking down.

Aras and Jacob exchanged glances, both of them clearly surprised. Neither of them had expected Tommy to show such bravery. Honestly, neither had I.

“Miss Garcia,” Aras said, breaking the silence with his steady, respectful tone, “thank you for stopping by. I think… it might be best if you returned to your father’s side now.”

Julia looked at Aras, then at Jacob, who had an equally serious expression. She nodded, understanding. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small slip of paper and held it out.

“This is my number,” she said, placing it on the small table beside Tommy’s bed. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.” She turned back to Tommy. “Take care, Tommy—I hope you have a smooth recovery.”

With a final, soft smile, Julia left the room, her footsteps fading down the corridor. The room fell into a hushed silence, everyone deep in their own thoughts, the weight of the evening settling over us.

Aras and Jacob exchanged a look, and Jacob was the first to break the silence. “So,” he said with a smirk, “our hero here saved the Alpha and caught the attention of his daughter. Quite the day, huh?”

Tommy’s cheeks turned red, and he gave an embarrassed shrug, trying to play it off cool. “I mean… she was nice,” he mumbled, his gaze drifting toward the door where Julia had exited, unable to hide a tiny, dreamy smile.

I raised an eyebrow, stifling a laugh. "Admit it, you have a bit of a crush."

Tommy’s face reddened even more as he protested. “What? No! It’s not like that!” But he couldn’t help the sheepish grin that crept onto his face. “I just… I dunno, she seems… nice.”

Aras chuckled, ruffling Tommy’s hair. “Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that, Romeo.”

Tommy groaned, covering his face with his hands, but I could see him smiling behind them. It was good to see a bit of his usual spirit shining through, even after everything.

“Get some rest, hero,” I said softly, squeezing his hand.

As his eyes began to close, that little grin lingered on his face, and I couldn’t help but feel a warmth in my chest, grateful for a bit of lightheartedness after all the chaos.