Page 42 of Stalked By the Alphas
I take a shaky breath and gently extricate myself from his arms, wiping my tears. “Thank you, Carter. I’m sorry for falling apart like that.”
He smiles softly. “You have nothing to apologise for. Now, let’s get you to the doctor’s office. Maybe they can sneak you in a bit early.”
I nod, grateful for the distraction. As I gather my things, Carter’s eyes never leave me. I can feel the weight of his gaze on my back.
After locking up and cursing myself for another day of no business, we walk to the doctor’s office in silence, Carter’s hand resting lightly on my lower back. The familiar touch comforts and unsettles me.
At the office, Carter talks to the receptionist while I slump into a seat, staring at the wall opposite me. Moments later, he takes a seat next to me and says, “They’re getting you in next.”
I nod slowly, not sure what to make of that, but moments later, my name is called, and I head into the exam room. I glance back to see him watching me intently. The doctor listens patiently as I describe my symptoms, carefully mentioning the masked magicians in case he thinks I’m completely certifiable.
“It sounds like you’re dealing with some severe anxiety, possibly even PTSD,” the doctor says gently. “Is there anything that you think might be triggering this response?”
“Possibly,” I say slowly. “But it was so long ago, and I’ve never had a reaction like this before.”
The doctor nods thoughtfully, clearly seeing that I don’t want to talk about it. “Sometimes trauma can resurface unexpectedly, even years later. I’d like to refer you to a therapist who specialises in anxiety and PTSD. In the meantime, I’m going to prescribe you a mild anti-anxiety medication to help take the edge off.”
Panic flares up. “I am on some herbal tablets from the naturopath on the high street, but I think they might be making it worse somehow, even though she said they are safe. Would this medication have side effects?”
“The medication I’m prescribing may cause some drowsiness at first, but that usually subsides after a few days. It’s important to take it regularly and not stop abruptly. Also, you need to stop taking the herbal supplements. There is no data to suggest how the two would interact.”
I nod, knowing that makes sense. “Okay, thank you.”
He hands me the prescription. “I want to see you again in two weeks to check how you’re doing. In the meantime, if your symptoms worsen or you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to come back sooner.”
I leave the exam room feeling slightly dazed. Carterstands as soon as he sees me, his eyes searching my face.
“How did it go?” he asks softly.
I shrug, suddenly feeling exhausted. “He thinks it’s anxiety and PTSD. Prescribed some medication and wants me to see a therapist.”
Carter nods, placing a gentle hand on my lower back as he guides me out of the office, but I can see he wants to ask about the PTSD aspect of this. However, all he says is, “That’s a good start. We’ll get your prescription filled right away.”
As we walk to the pharmacy, I get the feeling that something isn’t quite right. Carter’s presence here at this exact time when I’m going through this shit is unsettling. I glance at him, studying his profile. He looks older, harder than I remember. What happened to him in the years we’ve been apart? At one time, I wouldn’t have hesitated to ask, but now, we just aren’t there anymore. And that makes me feel sad and guilty.
27
ZACH
I ignorethe text from Noah as I haul some second-hand furniture into the house all on my fucking own while Carter is going off the plan with Hazel and has forbidden me to tell Noah. It’s easy for him to say that; he’s not the one shoving and lugging beds and sofas all over the place on his own.
“Arsehole,” I growl as I struggle with the double mattress up the steep stairs. “Absolute arsehole.”
Sweat drips down my back as I finally manoeuvre the mattress into place. Panting, I slump against the wall, glaring at my phone as it buzzes with another text from Noah. I know I need to respond soon, or he’ll get suspicious, but right now, I’m too pissed off and exhausted.
Carter’s sudden change of plans has thrown everything into chaos. I understand his reasoning, though. Seeing Hazel in person clearly affected him more than he anticipated, and I get that. He knows I get that, andthat’s why he singled me out as the weakest link. Noah will not be happy about this. So now we’re scrambling to set up this house as if Carter’s been living here, all while keeping Noah in the dark. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.
I head back downstairs, grimacing at the ache in my muscles. The living room is starting to look somewhat lived in, with mismatched furniture and a few hastily purchased knick-knacks scattered about. It’s not great, but it’ll have to do. The built-in fridge in the fairly modern kitchen has been switched on and has a few essentials in it. Bread. Tins. Plates, cups, cutlery... I’ve spent a fortune. Carter owes me big.
My phone buzzes again, and I finally give in, opening Noah’s messages.
Where the hell are you?
Carter’s not answering either. What’s going on?
Zach, I swear to god, if you don’t answer me in the next 5 minutes...
“Fuck,” I mutter, quickly typing out a response.
