ELARA
The conversation with William lasted forever. I had to calm him down, reassure him, and explain everything again and again. We ended up talking almost until morning. Dr. T didn't come back. I finally hung up around five a.m.
I fell asleep almost instantly, only to be woken up at eight by a nurse. She was talking softly to my uncle while bringing him breakfast.
"Morning, Uncle," I said as the nurse left.
"Morning", he replied.
"You should've woken me up."
"I didn't want to trouble you."
"You don't trouble me. I stayed in case you needed help."
I was so sleepy I could barely keep my eyes open. After thirty minutes, the nurse returned to collect the plates. I stayed with my uncle. We talked, laughed, and even played cards. Dr. T came around ten for his check-up. He greeted us and began speaking to my uncle while administering his medication.
My necklace was warm. Because I was exhausted, it hit harder this time. A wave of dizziness rolled through me.
"Are you okay?" Dr. T asked.
"Yeah. Just tired."
He didn't look convinced. His gaze stayed on me. Then suddenly he stepped closer and placed his hand on my forehead.
"What are you doing?" I asked — but even to my own surprise, I didn't pull away. For a second, the dizziness worsened. A headache bloomed sharply. Then just as quickly— It disappeared.
I was still tired, but the dizziness was gone.
"You're pale," he said calmly. "I wanted to check."
Right then, my parents and William walked in. The moment they saw his hand on my forehead, they froze.
"Are you okay?" my mom asked immediately.
"Baby, are you okay?" William added, stepping beside me and gripping my shoulders.
"She's fine. Just tired," Dr. T replied coldly, looking directly at William. His eyes darkened. "I suppose someone kept her awake last night."
I quickly grabbed Dr. T's hand and moved it away from my forehead. "I chose to stay awake," I said firmly.
The look he gave me surprised me. Like he hadn't expected that.
"Really?" he asked quietly.
The word 'yes' sat at the tip of my tongue. But it didn't come out. Instead, I squeezed his hand and subtly glanced toward my mom. I needed him to stop. The last thing I wanted was a lecture. He understood.
"Elara is fine. She just needs sleep", he said.
I stood up. Without realising it, I was still holding his hand. I shifted our joined hands behind my back so no one could see them. Even William didn't notice when he wrapped his arm around mine.
"I'll take you home so you can rest, baby," William said.
At the word baby, Dr. T tightened his grip on my hand. I looked at him sharply.
What the hell?
He gave me only a side glance.
"Can we go?" William asked.
"We can," I said, trying to free my hand. But Dr. T was holding it firmly.
"I'll go home and rest," I told him. "I'll come back around eight."
"You'll stay overnight?" Dr. T asked.
"Yes."
"Then make sure you rest."
He still didn't let go. William stepped forward, but his phone rang.
"I need to take this," he said, stepping outside.
The moment he left, I whispered, "Let go of my hand."
"Are you going home with him?" Dr. T asked.
"I'm too tired to drive. Plus, I don't get into a taxi since I have him here. And why does it matter to you?"
"Is he living with you?"
"What if he does?"
His jaw clenched even harder, making it obvious he was angry. For a long moment, we just stared at each other.
"Let go", I repeated.
This time, he released me.
At home, I showered quickly and went straight to bed. William was already there. I rested my head on his arm and hugged him.
"I'm sorry for how I acted," he said gently. "And for keeping you up."
"I just hope you won't be this jealous in the future," I murmured, my eyes closing slowly.
He kissed me slowly. Then darkness.
When I opened my eyes, William was awake, watching me.
"You're up already?" I asked.
"Yeah."
He leaned down and kissed me again, moving on top of me.
"Sleeping in just a T-shirt?" he teased.
"What's wrong with that?" I smiled faintly.
He kissed me again, moving down to my neck. A sharp sting followed.
"Did you just leave a hickey?"
"People need to know you belong to me," he said proudly.
Why does that sound wrong?
Why does belonging to him feel wrong?
Suddenly, Dr. T's face flashed in my mind.
What the hell?
"What time is it?" I asked quickly.
"Time for you to love me a little," William said playfully.
I laughed. "You little devil."
He pulled the blanket over us and kissed me again, going down slowly towards my neck, then to my collarbone, his hands wandering beneath my shirt. I can't say I wasn't turned on. But something inside me was telling me to stop. Still, I didn't. I forced myself not to.
Afterward, when we were done, I slipped into the bathroom. I looked at my reflection.
The hickey on my neck felt wrong. What would Dr. T say?
Wait.
Why do I care?
The mark began fading almost instantly. Every bruise, every cut — they heal quickly on me. By the time I finished showering, my skin was smooth again. I had to redraw the mark with makeup so William wouldn't notice. He already thinks my fast healing is strange enough.
We arrived at the hospital at exactly eight. The moment I stepped inside, every supernatural being and spirit turned to look at me.
"Why are so many people staring at you?" William asked.
To him, they looked human. But actually they were vampires. Werewolves. Goblins. Nine-tailed foxes.
Stop staring, I thought. And they did. They actually stopped. That scared me a little. How did they hear my thoughts?
Before we entered the room, my necklace warmed again. He's inside.
The moment I stepped in, Dr. T looked directly at me. In a millisecond, his eyes found the hickey on my neck. I couldn't meet his gaze. I don't even know why.
"We were waiting for you," my mom said.
"We thought you wouldn't come," my dad added.
"I said I would."
William and I stood by my uncle's bed. From the corner of my eye, I could see Dr. T watching me. His gaze didn't move.
I cleared my throat and finally looked at him.
"Hi."
"Hi," he replied coldly.
His eyes darkened. His jaw tightened.
He gripped the papers in his hands so hard they crumpled.
"Hello, doctor," William said cheerfully.
Of course he was cheerful. He had marked me. Showing that I was his. And here I was, wishing the ground would open and swallow me whole. Before Dr. T, I never cared about hickeys.
Now I question everything connected to William.
Why?