The Rogue And His Human Mate

Chapter Four

~Faith~

"Hey, Faith, how are you doing sweetheart?" A voice wakes me from my sleep, and I snap up. It's not like me to fall asleep in the hospital. I've never liked the place, especially after my parents and sister's death. Now being here just reminds me of losing them.

"I'm sorry I did not mean to startle you," the lady speaks as I focus on a nurse. "I've come to check your hand if that's okay," she says, and I nod, still waking up.

"That's surprising," she mutters as I look at my hand to see what she's talking about. Typically, I have bruises around cuts and they're red, as if infected. But this one looks like it's healing on its own.

"I will get the doctor, but based on how you are healing, I'm sure he will let you go home," she says with a small smile, clearly just as confused as I am. "You can wake up your friend and tell him you can leave soon," she says to me.

I turn around to see Aiden asleep in a chair next to the bed. He really did stay the entire time with me. My phone buzzes next to me as I move in the bed to look at it. I have over twenty missed calls and several messages from Josh. I had forgotten to check in with him. Looking at the time, I realize it's 9 am. That means I missed my first shift at my new job.

Clicking on a message to Josh, I let him know that I'm okay and that Aiden stayed with me. Then, I start to search for the cafe's number to call and apologize for being a no-show.

"Awake finally," Aiden mutters as he opens his eyes. "You really didn't have to stay with me this whole time, but thank you," I say to him. Although he's a stranger, I think he's the reason I oddly felt comfortable enough to sleep. I don't know why, but I seem calm around him and comfortable despite not knowing anything about him.

“I called the cafe for you and Joe, they both say to get rest. Cafe will put you on the schedule next week and Joe covered your shifts for the next three days,” Aiden informs me.

“You did all that for me?” I say, surprised.

“Joe told me to take you here and watch after you,” Aiden says. I mutter, realizing that he's only staying because Joe told him to. Maybe Joe offered to pay him or something. I'll have to make it up to him.

“I have off today as well, so when you leave, I will take care of you for the day so you can rest,” Aiden explains, catching me off guard. “You really don’t have to go to so much trouble. It looks like I am actually healing a lot faster than normal, and it's just a small cut,” I respond.

“Seems like it was a lot more serious than that. The doctor came in several times while you were sleeping. I would take their advice and get the rest,” he responds.

“Not going to be easy to rest when I see the hospital bill,” I mutter. “Is that why you work so much, to pay these bills?” he asks, seeming upset about it. “Yes,” I respond. It's odd, but I feel like I need to be open and honest with him.

“Don’t they have programs to help cover bills?” he asks me. “Yes, I get assistance, but since I am here often, it adds up way past the assistance,” I admit to him, as the doctor comes in and puts a fresh bandage on my hand. “Although this cut seems to be healing unlike previous ones, I still need you to take it easy, Faith. Josh also told me he had to talk you into taking your medication. I say this as a doctor and your friend Faith, we are all worried about you. Has Josh explained that you are welcome to move into our house? You can focus on going to school and working less,” Doctor Morris offers. The doctor is also Josh’s father.

“Thank you for the offer, but for now, I am doing okay,” I say as I wait for the discharge paperwork. It's kind of them to keep asking, but that would mean I move by my old house. New people have already moved in, yet it will just be a reminder of the hell life has dealt me. Once I have the paperwork, I thank Doctor Morris one last time, and Aiden follows me out. He doesn't say much, and I appreciate that as he drives us home. When we get to the building, we both go into our apartment. After a few moments, I hear knocking on my door.

I am almost sure it will be Josh when I swing it open, but instead it is Aiden with a book in his hand. "I told you I will watch over you so you can rest," he says as he notices my confused look. "I did not think you meant staying at my place," I admit as he walks in like he lives here and sits on my couch. "I do not mind," he says as if it is not odd for him to stay with me when in honesty we know very little about each other. Part of me wants to tell him to get out, but then again he stayed with me at the hospital as well, so I do not want to be rude.

"So, um, I am about to take a shower. I do not have much, but help yourself to any of the food in the fridge. I do not have cable, but I have Netflix if you want to watch something. The remote is by the TV," I explain to him. "Okay," he says as I rummage through my drawer for clean clothing and then go into my bathroom. I lock the door and turn on the shower. I cannot get how odd Aiden is off my mind. Maybe he really needs this job at the bar or something, so he is taking Joe's request seriously.

I get into the shower and stand under the warm water, removing my bandage and tossing it out of the shower and into the trash. I look at the cut as the water flows on it. It is strange how fast it is healing. I close my eyes, trying to recall everything that happened at the hospital. I finally remember grabbing Aiden's hand when I was upset, but then everything is a blur. All I know is once my hand held his, I felt calm and a strange warmth, and then I fell asleep. I am crazy to even think it, but it is almost like Aiden's touch has some sort of healing effect on me. I shake the idea out of my mind fast and then finish up in the shower and get out and turn off the water. I quickly dry off and get dressed and brush my hair, leaving it to air dry, and walk out of the bathroom. Aiden is standing by my kitchen counter, and of course, he is focused on the plethora of pill bottles I have lined up. I should be upset for him snooping around, but anyone who sees that many would probably snoop.

"You take all these," he says as he looks at me. His eyes seem to have that weird amber hue again. It must be the light hitting them perfectly. "Unfortunately," I respond. He shakes his head. "It looks like they just load you up on s**t in hopes it will make you better," he says, causing me to laugh.

"You may be the first person that thinks like me," I say back to him. "To be honest, they really have no clue what is wrong with me. Like I said in the hospital, I don't fit any of the typical cases or diseases. I am like a mix of many things. Now I am sure if I had the proper money to go to some fancy diagnostic doctor, I may have an answer. But the doctors here just flood me with pills and possible treatments. Basically, I get cut and it takes forever to clot, and most of the time I get really bad infections that then turn into me getting sick," I explain to him.

"Half of the meds there are also to help with anxiety, pain, and well, just about everything. The problem is when I take them all, I feel like the walking dead, so I often don't. I know you will probably say the same thing as Josh. I need to take better care of myself. But what is the point of living if I am just drugged up all the time?" I admit to him. And as I finish, I feel crazy again. I have no idea why I keep opening up to him.

"You are not crazy. I would not take all this s**t, nor would I suggest anyone did. This is way too much. If anything, I would say you are smart for making your own choices," he says. I walk over to my window to open it up, and as I look outside, I notice the three men from the bar again standing outside of the building. I had never seen them before until that one shift, so it is odd that they are hanging out here. Aiden comes over to the window fast and looks out. Another growl-like sound that I heard before from him escapes him.

"Have you met those guys before at the bar?" he asks me.

"No," I respond.

"They are bad news, so do me a favor for the time being. Don't leave this apartment alone or come home alone. I mean it when I say they are not safe," he explains in a very serious tone.

"OK, I won't," I respond.

"Where is your phone? Program my number. If that friend of yours, Josh, is busy, call me and I'll take you to your jobs from now on or wherever you need to go," he explains. I grab my phone and hand it to him to program his number.

"Thanks for the offer, but why are you when we don't really know each other?" I ask him. He pauses for a moment, his eyes searching mine like I should already know the meaning. His eyes are so intense, yet they draw me in. It's hypnotizing.

"You seem like someone who could use the help and another friend. Look, I don't have many friends, none here, so I'm not good at this," he says.

"So you want to be friends? I get it, trust me. I don't have many others besides Josh, or at least anymore. They kind of all scattered away like I was some sort of disease. Since you're insisting on me staying home and relaxing and staying with me, let's watch a movie.” I offer.

“Pick a movie and I will order us food. What do you like, Pizza, Chinese, or something else?" he asks me. "Pizza works, just let me know how much so I can get you the money," I respond. "Let me treat since you helped show me around," he says. "Ok, but I'll pay for the next one," I respond as I click on the TV. "What sort of movies do you like?" I ask him. "Anything," he responds. "That's a dangerous response," I laugh as I find an action flick and relax on my couch, leaving room for Aiden. He sits down once he's done ordering the food. But before I can click play, my phone rings again, causing me to sigh. "Sorry, just give me one minute," I say as I look at Aiden and answer.

"Why are you ignoring my calls, Faith? Is something wrong? I should come over," Josh says over the phone. "Nothing is wrong, so don't come over. I'm doing as requested, I'm resting," I say to him over the phone, knowing he won't be happy with me hanging out with Aiden. "Did you take your meds?" he asks me over the phone. "Yes," I respond, hearing him sigh. "I don't believe you. Send me a video of you taking them, or I'm coming over," he instructs. "Stop," I snap at him over the phone. "I'm not a child, nor am I someone you can boss around. Believe me or don't, but you are going overboard. Come over right now, and my door will be locked. You are my best friend, but the way you've been acting as of late is overboard," I say to him over the phone. "Sorry, I just worry about you," he admits over the phone. "I understand, but please tone it down. I'll call you later," I say to him and hang up. Then, I sit down with Aiden.

"You seem upset," he says, pointing out the obvious. "Josh, he can be bossy. It's annoying at times. He wanted me to send him a video of myself taking my meds," I mutter. "Why the hell would someone make you do that?" Aiden snaps, catching me off guard. "Don't worry about it. Let's just watch the movie," I say, not wanting to think about it anymore. Luckily, he agrees as I click it back on and relax.