“Perfectly,” Matthew didn’t even hesitate. “I’ve cleared it with everyone. That doesn’t mean nobody is curious about you.”

“I don’t want anyone taking my blood.”

Matthew brandished the cream. “I’m not drawing any blood.”

“At the hospital you tried to.”

“Your blood turned silver.” Matthew pointed out. “Anyone would want to draw blood after seeing that, whether they were dealing with an animal, a human, or a werewolf. Don’t go making that face at me. I just told you, you’re safe here. That also means your safe from any experimentation. Of course, if you volunteer for any demonstrations or exams, that would be different entirely. But it’s not necessary.”

Eli digested that. His anger at waking up to Matthew leaning over him had dulled. He glanced at the food on the bedside table, telling him that Matthew had been in here to wake him up, like he said. And even if he wanted to be in a huff about it, it felt like a pointless battle at this point. His stomach was growling, and for what felt like first time since he started sleeping all hours of the day away, he was hungry.

“Fine.” Eli agreed. This seemed to be the lesser of two evils. He certainly didn’t want to end up in a clinic, like Matthew said. Still, he reminded himself, this didn’t mean he was letting Matthew’s behaviour toward him at the hospital be forgotten. The man was an asshole.

He pulled the shirt off, something Matthew watched with a curious look in his eye.

“What?” Eli did his best not to snap it.

“You almost had your shoulder crushed by a seatbelt. That didn’t hurt you at all?” Matthew questioned him.

Eli blinked. “I… no. It feels fine.” He rolled both his shoulders, but again, found nothing wrong at all.

“Mhm.” Matthew hummed, gaze making its way up and down Eli’s bare torso. “Our bodies heal when we sleep. Perhaps sixteen hours is enough for you to walk off a car crash?”

The only bruise that remained on Eli’s body was on his chest, where the rogue had kicked him. He tried to wait as Matthew applied the cream, but his stomach was begging him to do otherwise. He plucked up the turkey sandwich, devouring the whole thing in a mere few bites.

“Don’t forget to breathe,” Matthew remarked, amused.

“Have you found any sign of the rogue?”

“Not as of yet.”

Eli picked up the fruit bowl, balancing it on his lap. “You don’t sound too concerned about that.”

Matthew raised an eyebrow at Eli. “Because I’m not. We’ve been dealing with these rogues for over a year now, and one thing we’ve learned? They’re not exactly too concerned with hiding themselves. The number of witnesses we’ve had to convince were hallucinating because one of those wolves simply wondered out in front of them is ridiculous.”

Yeah. Eli could see that. Why would they care about hiding when they’re not even from this world? It’s not like they’d face any consequences if people knew that werewolves existed.

“At this rate,” Matthew said, as he screwed the cap back onto the cream, “That bruise will be gone by the end of the day.”

Eli reached for his shirt, and Matthew caught his hand. “Let the cream dry.” It wasn’t as if he just held Eli’s hand loosely, but rather pinned it to Eli’s thigh, so he didn’t even have the option of ignoring Matthew. Eli’s nerves switched back on, and he tugged, letting Matthew know that he wanted that hand back, and Matthew didn’t make an indication that he’d even felt it. Eli tugged again.

“Eli,” Matthew warned.

“What?”

“Lower that voice,” Matthew said.

Eli’s hackles bristled. Because why the hell did Matthew keeping talking to him like that? “I told you I wasn’t raised like a werewolf—I’m not going to show my fucking throat just because you bark an order at me.”

Matthew’s eyes darkened, and his lips thinned as he pressed them together. The grip on his hand slid to his wrist, and it became tight enough to hurt him. “I am not expecting you to submit Eli, I’m expecting manners.”

“You’re hurting me.”

“I haven’t had any issues whatsoever dealing with Noah, who, as you may know, also wasn’t raised like a werewolf, trained to show his throat when given an order.” Even if Matthew spoke in a calm voice, Eli could feel the anger and warning hiding just under the surface. He flinched at the curse, forgetting all about his wrist, because that look in Matthew’s eyes was sending off warning bells all over him.

“I bet you also didn’t grab his—” Eli cut off in a sharp breath, as the pain in his wrist suddenly increased, making tears burn the back of his eyes. He couldn’t help it.

“Being a werewolf isn’t the problem. You refuse to listen.”

“You’re the one—” he yelped. It was being crushed, completely, and, god he could see that Matthew had muscles, but why was he this strong?

“Me? I came in here to treat you, and what’s the first thing you do? You yell and curse. Tell me how that’s my fault?”

Eli’s whole body trembled, and he bit the inside of his cheek hard, not saying a word. Only doing his best to breathe, because that was all he could manage.

“That’s right.” Matthew took his silence as Eli’s agreement. “It’s not my fault. That was you, acting like a little shit, because you’ve gotten away with behaving that way your whole life.”

Eli drew his knees up, his body unconsciously drawing in as a reaction to the aching travelling up his arm. He bent over, breaking eye-contact with Matthew, staring at the fruit bowl in his lap. He was gripping it hard and had to fight his instincts roaring at him to try pry Matthew’s hand off him.

He blinked back tears.

“Eli.”

The pressure on his wrist—it felt as if even the bones were being crushed together.

“You can speak now,” Matthew said.

Fuck you, fuck you— “I get it.”

Matthew’s grip loosened enough that Eli was able to drag in a breath. “You get what?”

Eli glared at Matthew’s hand, kicking himself for giving in. The problem was that Eli didn’t have something to fight for like he had when he stood up against Jackson, that made it worth the pain. He could be stubborn. But it hurt, and it there was nothing to win here at the end of the pain, was there?

“I’ll behave,” Eli said. Despite his own internal reasoning, it burned him inside to give in to Matthew.

The pressure on his wrist vanished, bringing with it sharp relief. Matthew rubbed the sore spot, returning circulation to the area. He had a bracelet of red. Matthew took the fruit bowl, moving it aside, as he guided Eli’s hand onto his lap, and then began rubbing the Arnica into the mark.

“I’m keeping your family safe, Eli. All you have to do is as you’re told.” Matthew said, speaking in a steady and soothing manner now. “You would do well to keep in mind that many of the agents, and the students, are in this line of business because they have had bad experiences with werewolves in the past. Unless you want to drag Noah into trouble with you, you’ll treat the men and women here with respect.”

Eli swallowed. Matthew pressed on his wrist, and Eli nodded. “I understand.”

“Do you need lessons in manners.”

“No,” Eli answered immediately, and quickly.

Matthew let out a breath of amusement. “No, I agree. I can see you’re more than capable of speaking respectfully when you want to. Look at me.”

Don’t glare. He wiped his eyes with his palm before lifting his head. The angry, stern set to Matthew’s lips had gone. And if Eli I had to guess, from the almost smile to his relaxed body, he would say that Matthew was in a good mood. Eli was sure he’d just lost years off his life.

“I’d like this to be the last time we need to have this conversation.” Matthew said.

Eli nodded his agreement.

Matthew wrapped a fresh bandage around Eli’s eyes, and gathered up his medical kit as he stood.

Eli had to gather himself up to brave speaking. “Have you heard from the hospital?”

“Jenny and your dad are doing well,” Matthew answered. “Not awake yet, but that was expected, it hasn’t even been a day. For the short-term the man I sent to your house has taken the puppies to a babysitter to be minded until you’re all back at home.”

Matthew paused by the door. “Anything else?”

Eli shook his head.

It shut behind Matthew, and Eli listened to his footsteps tracking down the hall until they were out of earshot. He let out a shaky breath, sinking back down onto the bed, as his energy deserted him all at once.