Chapter 5

Ayla“Finish your meal sweetie or you and your sister will be spending your free time weeding the courtyard instead of sneaking off the grounds without security, thinking you will never get caught.” Mom states matter of fact, her attempt at getting us to eat more failing when the realization we’ve been caught sinks in. “Mom, we didn’t attempt to leave them, they just couldn’t keep up.” I counter hopeful I will talk her out of being angry. “You two snuck off the grounds by hiding on the roof. You literally ran across houses, across roofs, Ayla, how were they supposed to keep up with you two hmm? When they didn’t see you leave in the first place?” mother asks. Oh yeah, she’s angry. I look over at my sister Ada who is two years younger than me. At 12&14 we can create our very fair, share of trouble. “Don’t forget the fences. We climbed over those too.” she pipes up sealing our fate. “Yes, how could I forget. Scaling fences, endangering yourselves by leaving, let alone leaving without your security.”I am dreaming. Or reliving a childhood memory for that matter. I can’t remember the last time I had a good dream. They’re always filled with the abuse and torture I sustain or the words of the men that haunt me. My eyes are heavy and I am so tired. I start to fade back into unconsciousness when I am hit with that comforting smell again. That forest floor. That comforting pine. He’s here. The man that was comforting me before everything went black. “She’s been out four days Eric, is there something more we can do to speed her healing up?” “I’ve got her on nutrition and she’s put on a few pounds. Her blood work showed an extremely high amount of wolfsbane. She should be dead with the amount that was in her body. Not to mention she was in renal failure. Her vitals are stable now and she’s been showing signs of arousal to stimulus cognitively. I think the wolfsbane was used to keep her wolf suppressed. I don’t think her wolf abandoned her. Her brain scans support that theory. However, I wouldn’t know if she’s ever shifted before or how long it will take to get all of the poison out of her system, but I think when it’s out, we may be able to help her reach her wolf, Thane.”I can hear a conversation happening around me, but I can’t get my eyes to open. Aramana didn’t leave. She didn’t abandon me! I knew by the bitter taste of the shitty porridge they were drugging me. I just didn’t know with what. I want to open my eyes. I want to ask questions, but I am so afraid. These are men. This is an alpha. He may smell amazing and comforting, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t dangerous, but why would he rescue me and take care of me if he was dangerous? I am so confused, and I’m not sure what I should do, but I know that I can’t make any decision without waking up first. My eyes hurt and are heavy, but I can feel myself rolling them around under my eyelids. It’s hard, but it’s progress.“Her heart rate is elevating and I can see her eyes moving, I think she can hear us, Thane.” “Little wolf? Can you hear us in there? Can you open your eyes for us? I’m sure you have a lot of questions as do we, but we need you awake first. You are in the clinic here in my pack. Eric our healer and been taking care of you, but it’s time for you to wake up for us.” I slowly try to lift my lids. I manage to get them half way up, but everything is blurry. “That’s it. Keep going, keep blinking for us. You’re doing it. Good girl.” Those words of praise I can clearly see coming for the most gorgeous shifter I have ever seen in my life. He is leaning over my bed, my tiny hand resting inside his giant, calloused one. He has short black hair that is longer on top and styled messy, olive toned skin, a short-trimmed beard from a few days of missed shaving, strong jaw line, straight nose, long eye lashes, high cheek bones, and the starkest green eyes that make me feel like he can see right into my soul. They remind me of the forest he smells like. He slowly smiles when my eyes are fully open and he has dimples to go with his boyish smile. It should be illegal how gorgeous this alpha is.“Hello there little wolf. I am Thane Knight, of the Midnight Pack of La Plata and this over here is Eric, one of our healers.” I slowly turn my head to the left and see a man standing next to my bed. He has beautiful blue eyes and messy blonde hair and muscles all over. He too is gorgeous. Is everyone in this pack beautiful? “You gave me quite the scare when you came in here. Your labs were terrible, you are full of poison and severely dehydrated and malnourished. I’m glad you are awake. You have been out four days.” he states to me. “What is your name?” Thane asks and I quickly get nervous, my mind racing a million miles an hour with thoughts. Do I tell them? I can’t trust them; I don’t know them. Does it even matter if they know? If I start talking again, are they going to hurt me just so they can hear me? If I don’t will, they hurt me because I won’t?  “It’s okay little wolf, you don’t have to tell us right now, but it would make things easier for us.” Thane encourages me, but I stare blankly at him. I just can’t bring myself to do it. “Can you speak?” I slowly nod my head “no.” Not an outright lie, but partial truth. “Can you write?” I stare at him in his deep green eyes. They have flecks of deep brown through them. A color I have never seen before. I have a moment of bravery. A sliver, but it’s there and I decide to go for it. I slowly sit up, and push myself back in the bed, drawing my knees up and hugging myself for comfort. The loss of his touch when I move my hand has me feeling conflicted, which is confusing itself. I slowly nod my head “yes.” “Be right back.” Eric states and he quickly leaves the room, leaving me alone with the alpha. I look back over at him and he is staring at me. A neutral, slightly inquisitive expression on his face. Almost like he’s trying piece information together or figure out a puzzle.  He quietly studies me; I do the same to him.Eric returns to my bedside with a pad of paper and a pencil. Handing it to me, I widen my eyes in shock. This is actually happening. Thane can apparently sense my apprehension, because he scoots closer and places his hand on my knee as I stretch my legs out slowly, preparing to answer their questions and mentally talking myself into it. It’s a light touch, but it comforts. “Take your time, I know that you’ve been through a lot and you are afraid, but we really do want to help you and we also need you to help us.” His statement confuses me slightly. What help could that possibly want from me? I take a deep breath, grab the pencil and write “My name is Ayla Frost.” “Ayla.” He quietly whispers like it’s a relief to hear it. He smiles those dimples at me and I feel myself blushing. There is no way I can hide that, which I see he notices, because he smiles bigger. “Ayla, I want to ask you some difficult questions, only a few right now if you think you are up for it. We can stop at any time. There is no right or wrong answers and I will not be upset in any way if you quit answering. Are we clear?” I nod my head yes and with that, Eric steps out of the room.