He Signed My Freedom Now He Wants Me Back Chapter 23
“Thank you.” I took the tea. “If I need help, I’ll ask.”
That night, I checked the ingredients one by one against the list, making sure there was nothing that could affect my wolf before I took the first sip. In the past, I had never doubted anything Lucian handed me, and in the end, I was force-fed poison by his command. Now, even when kindness was genuine, I still needed to make sure the choice remained in my hands.
When Elias came by the next day to pick up the empty pot, I told him that plainly.
“You don’t need to apologize,” he said. “You should always get to see what’s in a remedy. Whether you drink it or not is your decision.”
Then he gave me a list of Tidewatch’s commonly used medicinal herbs, with every ingredient that might cause wolf sluggishness marked in red. It wasn’t some airy “trust me.” It was real judgment, returned to my own hands.
Later, I learned that every time he brought Chloe to the bookstore, he reminded her not to suddenly hug my right leg. On the day of the fair, he had also requested a route with rest stops along the way. He never took credit for any of those quiet considerations, so I had barely even noticed.
This kind of thoughtfulness was different from the care I used to give. It didn’t demand that the person being cared for owe affection in return, and it didn’t treat silent obedience as love’s reward.
Elias started coming more often.
Sometimes with Chloe. Sometimes alone.