Liam has been staring at me for the last fifteen minutes while he has assisted me; Liam Avery is something of a friend to me in the ER—having been a big help during my first few months here. I’d been a mess of nerves, having been right out of my residency and in a new place, and he’d always been there to help me get the swing of things. We’ve always sort of clicked since then. It helps that he’s one of the most competent RNs I work with.
“You seem weird,” he says finally as he hands me a bit of gauze.
I try to look aloof, but even the feel of the expression on my face feels pained. “I do?”
“Yeah.” He adjusts the overhead light so I can see better. “Ever since you came back from lunch.”
“Probably just ate something weird,” I mutter as I avert my eyes. “Felt a little off.”
“Oh.”
He’s quiet for a moment, and when I peek back up at him, I notice his dark brow is wrinkled in thought, like he’s wrestling with something.
I tie off the suture, sighing. “Just spit it out, Li. I can tell you want to say something.”
“It’s just . . .” He looks sheepish now, running a hand through his dark blond hair. “You came back smelling like Noah.”
This takes me by surprise. “What?”
“I mean, I assume that’s who it is. I don’t actually see Noah enough to know for sure—but it’s definitely strong enough to be an alpha.”
“Oh, I—” It hadn’t even occurred to me how others might be affected by my and Noah’s increasingly frequent nuzzlefests. Is it that strong for all the other shifters too? “Yeah, I saw him before I came back from lunch.”
“I just worried maybe you had a fight.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugs aimlessly. “I mean, we’ve all heard the stories about Dr. Taylor. It was kind of a shock to find out you two were, you know . . . mated.”
I can’t pinpoint why, but the obvious incredulity on Liam’s face pricks something inside me. It’s not full-on annoyance, but it’s something incredibly close to it. “We didn’t fight,” I say tersely. “Pretty much the opposite of that, actually.”
I notice Liam’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh. Shit. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be a dick. I just . . .” He scratches at the back of his neck. “It’s still weird. Getting used to it.”
I guess that’s fair. As far as my friends here are concerned, the story is that I lied to them for a year. I guess it’s reasonable to think they would be having a hard time coming to terms with that. Although, Priya hasn’t been too weird about it. Then again, I do talk to Liam nearly every day, so maybe that’s why he’s seemed off this week. Maybe he’s feeling awkward that I kept it from him for so long.
“Yeah, about that . . .” I stop what I’m doing, crossing my arms. “I’m sorry I never said anything. I know it’s gotta be super weird finding out like everyone did.”
“I get it,” he offers. “I guess it’s just . . . It’s hard to picture you with Noah.”
I cock my head. “It is?”
“He’s just so . . . serious.”
Noah’s barely-there smile and his quiet laugh crop up then, and despite everything, I find my lips curling slightly. “He’s actually not as serious as he likes to pretend. People just aren’t his forte.”
“So, you’re, like, really mated?”
I laugh at that. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know.” He throws up his hands. “Jessica from Radiology was telling us in the break room the other day that you might be in some sort of hostage situation.”
Fucking Jessica.
I roll my eyes. “I am not in a hostage situation. It’s all perfectly consensual, I promise.”
I can’t be sure, but something about the expression on Liam’s face looks almost wistful. Is he truly that worried about me?
“I promise,” I add, wanting to assure him. “I’m really okay. Great, even. Living the dream, and all that, you know.”
“Right,” he says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Well, I’m glad to hear that, at least.”
“Seriously, don’t worry about me,” I say, playfully shoving his arm. “I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah.” He nods at me, looking a little more himself now. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry. Just worried, you know.”