The Alpha's Weakness

Chapter 7

---Zayla

I woke up after surgery, I was in a different type of room.  I looked over toward the door and saw Owen sitting in a chair beside the door, he was wearing a pair of scrubs.  "Owen?"  I said softly.  He looked up and gave a small smile.

"Hi."  he said standing up.

"Why are you wearing scrubs?"

"You're in the ICU.  You're appendix ruptured.  You're being monitored because of the baby.  They don't know how far any possible infection has gotten."  he said.

After recovering in the hospital from surgery and losing the baby because of the infection I received from the appendicitis.  I was sitting outside on the porch to the ranch house with a cup of hot chocolate.  Owen was tending to the horses and cleaning the barn, giving me space because while it wasn't his fault, I just wanted to be left alone.

"How are you feeling?"  Owen asked walking up to the house as he tossed his gloves on the workbench.

"As fine as I can be."  I said.

"Are you hungry?  I was going to go make some lunch."  he said.

"Sure."  I said.

"Okay."  he kissed my cheek before going inside.  I grabbed my blanket and followed him inside.

"Owen?"  I said.

"Yes?"  he said washing his hands.

"I don't want you to get mad."  I said.

"About what?"  he asked.

"Do you want to be with me for the rest of our lives?"

"Yes."  he said.

"Can we wait until marriage to...?"

"Awe, no touchy, touchy?"

"I just..."

"I know.  It's fine, but I bet you'll be the first one to crack."  he said.  I laughed.

"You say that, but you should be more focused on savoring your last time which was a few weeks ago."  I said.  He smiled and started making sandwiches.

I returned to work about a week later, I was walking by Owen's office and I saw a woman.  She was talking to him and laughing.  I stopped and watched the interaction among the two.  She slid her hand over his and he saw me standing there pulling his hand back.  "Time for the meeting."  Owen's mom said walking by.  I followed her to the conference room and sat down.  Owen came in and sat in the chair across from me.

"Zayla..."  he said.

"Meeting."  I said tapping my pen on my notebook.

"What's going on?"  his mom asked.

"Nothing."  I said.  "I just don't think the boss's son should be flirting with potential clients or interns."  I said.  "It didn't bother me until the hand holding started."

"Z, you are overreacting."  Owen said.

"Really?  Tell me this, if I was sitting in my office talking to some guy and no other contact would have to be made, you'd be screaming at me right now wouldn't you?"  I asked.

"I..."

"Exactly."  I said.

That night, I was washing dishes while Owen was gone.  He was staying out late because he was pissed at me for being pissed.  I didn't wait up, I just laid on the couch and cried myself to sleep.

---Owen

I walked inside the house and saw that Zayla was sleeping on the couch.  I saw her tear stained face and knew I caused it.  I touched her side with my good hand.  "Hey."  I said softly.  "Zayla?"  She woke up and saw me.

"Leave me alone."  she said with a sob.

"No.  Baby, I was going to call you, but my phone died."

"Call and tell me to leave."  she said.

"No!"  I said.  "I was in a car accident."  she turned her head and saw my hurt hand.  "I went to the hospital and got checked out.  I asked them to call you, but I guess they didn't."  I said.  "I'm not cheating on you.  I'm not."  I said.  "Okay?  I love you.  I want and need you."  I helped her up and she let me hug her.  "I don't want anyone else.  I just want you."

****Small jump****

A month later, I was packing for my trip to Washington where my mom currently was.  I felt Owen behind me and accepted his warm hug and I smiled as he placed soft kisses along my neck.  "I wish I could come with you."  he said.

"I know, but I'll only be gone for a couple of weeks."  I said.

"A couple of weeks is a lifetime for me.  I need to see you every day."  he said.

"Yeah, but you'll survive."  I said.

"No I won't."  he said turning me around to face him and lifting me off my feet before laying me on the bed.  He kissed me softly before kissing my neck and along my shoulder.  He slid his fingertips down my arm and over my back before sliding them over my stomach, pushing my t-shirt up slightly.

"Owen, we aren't..."

"I know."  he said.  I knew how much he wanted to, I could feel it in his lower half which was pressed against mine.  I closed my eyes enjoying the feeling of his closeness, his face in my neck.  He flipped us over.  "I love you."  he said.

"I love you too.  I have to keep packing.  My flight leaves in 4 hours."  he groaned letting me up.  "You get to take me to the airport."

"That doesn't make it any better.  You're going to be gone for a couple of weeks.  I need things.  Like make out dates and cuddle time."  he said making me laugh.  "You have made me such a softie."  he said sitting up and pulling me close to him.

"What would you do without me?"  I asked.

"I'd probably be in jail by now."  he said.

"Why?"  I asked.

"Before I met you, my PTSD was very bad and then when I hurt you..."  he shook his head at the memory.  "You have helped me more than my therapist has.  When you left and avoided me for that month and a half, I got more help, but it did no good.  Then when you came back.  I thought you never wanted to see me again, but you did."

"The damsel in distress caused you to come to my rescue and then you were rewarded  for your heroic efforts."  he laughed.