by Lou Grimes
“Kenneth, it’s reached her lungs and her stomach. She’s not going to make it,” Clay stated, watching her body curl up as she hacked. He stood back deliberately as if he had already given up on her. But, his brother yelled some sense at him.
“Do it! Now! Go in through the heart,” Kenneth ordered. Clay followed suit as Kenneth had told him. He snagged an injector and connected the needle. From the way his mouth was set at a thin line, Louvette could tell that he didn’t think it would work. That it would be a waste. She wondered the same, to be honest.
Clay still hesitated, sending Kenneth a knowing look. A look that said they’d had a few people go this far, and no one had come back. The hesitation made Arsen lose total control. His wolf came out with deep gold eyes and glared at this man who was his kin.
“Clay, I’ll break every bone in your body if you don’t do it.” Arsen threatened his uncle who had at least fifty pounds on him and double the amount of years of fighting.
The doctor slammed the needle directly into her heart. The feeling of pain was so intense she didn’t have words to describe it. The closest that she could come to would be getting a dagger slammed through her heart.
“Hold on, baby.” Arsen’s voice caressed her, placing all his care on her. Now that the only thing that they could do was wait. Dying sucks, she thought miserably as her world went black.
Chapter 14
Louvette coughed hard, rousing roughly after her dream. Someone placed a cup of water to her lips and a hand on her back, lifting her up so she wouldn’t choke. The scent of cedarwood was familiar. Louvette choked on the first sip, and then it went down more smoothly.
Her eyes focused in on the person giving her water. She gave Arsen a little smile as she was gently lowered back to the bed. Such a small muscle to move with assistance, but it drained her, nevertheless.
Arsen was still in the same clothes as he was the last time she had seen him. There were rust red blood stains on his clothes and skin that he had missed cleaning.
“I didn’t think you’d survive. Uncle said you wouldn’t when the wolfsbane hit your lungs and you were puking it up. We’d never seen anyone come back from that,” he whispered hoarsely, gazing at her. The anxiety in his eyes was clear. Racoon eyes indicated his lack of rest while she was out of it. Her heart lifted a little at that thought. His fingers lightly traced tiny circles on the inside of her wrist.
“I had to come back to kick your ass for old times’ sake,” Louvette teased softly. Her throat was no longer made up of tissue, but now it consisted of sandpaper. She was becoming more painfully aware that she had all of her limbs. They were screaming in protest to the point that she almost wished she didn’t have them.
“That’s my girl,” Arsen praised, relieved as he leaned over her bed to smooth her frizzy hair. Louvette knew it was a million times worse than usual because her whole body was sweaty as if she had broken a fever in the night.
“How long have I been out?” Louvette asked, looked around the room for a clock.
“You’ve been asleep for three days,” Arsen said. She blinked hard at the words as they sank in.
“Three days? My mother is going to kill me,” Louvette shouted, starting to get up, which was a terrible mistake in the state that she was in. He put his hands out to ease her back onto her cot.
“Calm down. We used Cara as a cover. She’s expecting you home tonight,” Arsen appeased her. She relaxed back into bed.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t woken up in time?” Louvette wondered out loud at that thought. She could already hear her mother now as Sarah was told that Louvette was going to be gone for four days. They would have had to tell her that she was a wolf because she would have demanded Louvette come home.
“We would have crossed that bridge when we got to it.” Arsen alluded to very little of their plans. She prayed they wouldn’t give her mom the furry talk without consulting her. Their relationship was doing well, but not well enough to drop that atomic bomb in her lap.
Louvette moved wrong and flinched. Arsen noticed the pain she was in and stood up.
“I’m going to go get my uncle. Try to stay awake,” Arsen said to her, running out the door. An unfamiliar door at that. Louvette took in her surroundings for the first time. She was in a room that had several beds lined up against the walls. The setup reminded her of the old war movies she’d seen where the soldiers lay dying in an infirmary. Louvette had never seen it in real life so this new age infirmary threw her off.
The door opened. Arsen and two men marched in. Louvette realized one was Arsen’s father, and from the similarities, the other was Arsen’s uncle. Louvette pulled herself up as they neared.
Arsen’s uncle was well kept and was in a doctor’s gown thrown carelessly over a casual pair of jeans and a maroon long sleeved shirt. From the messy setup, she could tell that her waking up had caught them off guard, to say the least.
“How are you feeling, Ms. Blackwood? We haven’t been properly introduced and I feel like we should if I’m stabbing you in the heart every day. I’m Clay. I’m the pack’s doctor.” The man in a white coat introduced himself, showing every ounce of charm it seemed all Whitecreek men possessed. He pulled out a stethoscope from a pocket in his white coat. Clay placed it over her heart for a couple of seconds. He did the same thing to her back.
“I’ve been better,” Louvette said with as much hilarity as she could muster.
The whole time he was examining her, Arsen and his father watched in equal concern. Arsen’s arms were across his chest and one arm supporting his chin while he observed. Mr. Whitecreek was propped up against the windowsill.
“I don’t see any lasting damaged that you shouldn’t heal from,” Arsen’s uncle announced to the room. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, including Louvette, and she slid back against the pillows that Arsen had rearranged. She sent him a thankful smile.
“So, I can go home tonight?” Louvette asked, looking at Clay hopefully. Not that the barracks style hospital wasn’t cool and all, but she missed the comfort of her own bed.
“As long as you take it easy. You’re lucky to be alive. Remember that. No long runs for a while,” Clay instructed her.
“Thank you, Clay. I don’t have to tell you to keep this to yourself in your reports to the investigators office,” Mr. Whitecreek pointed out.
“Definitely not necessary, brother,” Clay reassured them. The two men shook hands and Clay left.
Arsen’s father turned to him, his eyebrow arched incredulously.
“How long have you known?” Mr. Whitecreek asked.
“I’ve known for a couple of weeks,” Arsen admitted shrugging sheepishly. He looked away from his father and Louvette felt bad for him having to be her secret keeper. From Arsen’s father’s reaction, his son didn’t usually lie or omit things from him.
“A couple of weeks and you didn’t tell me,” Mr. Whitecreek said exasperatedly.
“I didn’t want her to be thrown into it like that. I didn’t have any idea what kind of life she’d have,” Arsen explained.
“So, we aren’t telling them about me still?” Louvette asked if the potential repercussions she was facing were to her gender.
“Many people saw you come. The stain of wolfsbane was all over your veins. People talk, so it’s best to try to contain it within the Northline Pack. We are going to assemble the immediate members of the pack and tell them to keep you a secret. That way they can prepare themselves and their families for questions if something comes sniffing around us,” Mr. Whitecreek decided.
“When are we going to do that?” Louvette asked while her belly knotted from dread.
“Next week. You’ll be healed enough for a small hunt. We have a pack hunting trip planned already,” Mr. Whitecreek pointed out.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Arsen asked his father. The look on Mr. Whitecreek’s face spoke volumes, indicating that he’d rather not say his next words, but was obligated too.
&n
bsp; “No, but it’s all I’ve got unless you have a better course of action. She killed several of the investigator operatives, they might send more if they don’t believe the report that I’m personally sending in,” Arsen’s father said.
“No, sir. What’s in the report?” Arsen asked.
“I changed everything she did to you. If they do come, they will find your blood and it will match the report. It might make you a target, but it gets it off of her. Just be cautious,” Mr. Whitecreek said.
“Louvette, would that be okay? We could try to hide it longer, but I don’t know for how long. Telling them the truth could potentially be lifesaving to you in the future. They will be less likely to be caught off guard,” Arsen’s father said to Louvette.
“I’m tired of hiding,” she answered back. She was tired of it and at least the Northline Pack would be her haven for the time being. Louvette could be like all the other wolves and go hunting all the time. Images of deer, hares, and mountain goats falling before flitted through her head. Her wolf was pleased at those words.
“Good. You’ll escort her there and keep watch over her while we go for a run. I hope you taught her the right way,” Mr. Whitecreek told his son.
“Yes, sir. I did learn from the best. No shortcuts,” Arsen confirmed.
“Ms. Louvette, try to not get shot anymore, please. You’re going to give me and Arsen a heart attack,” Mr. Whitecreek warned her. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought.
“I’ll try my best not to. I wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience for me, either,” Louvette promised.
Mr. Whitecreek left on that final note. Arsen and Louvette watched him leave.
“I got you a change of clothes. They’re mine so they will be a bit baggy,” Arsen warned, handing over the bag of clothes.
“Thank you, they will be fine,” Louvette promised. She couldn’t wait to be in clean clothes. The paper hospital gown was killing her. Every time she moved, it made a terrible crinkling sound.
“Do you need help getting up? I promise I won’t tease you,” Arsen offered like a gentleman
“No, I can do it,” Louvette declared with an offended huff. Though she was not very sure she could as she got out of bed unhurriedly.
Arsen’s arm darted out in an effort to stabilize her, but one look from Louvette had him drawing back his arm.
“Sorry, it was a reflex. Chill,” he mumbled like a kicked dog.
She went to the bathroom. Turning the water on, the first few drops of water was heaven. Louvette took an extremely long shower. She washed the extra blood off her though she was surprisingly clean. Louvette wondered if Arsen had cleaned her up while she slept.
Once she was done, she put on a large pair of grey sweats and a large blue shirt.
Louvette came into the room to find Arsen lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He was in a daze, but her crawling next to him woke him up.
“Hush. Let me have my moment. Just for a second,” Louvette said while curling into his side. Arsen cuddled her back. They lay there for hours, Louvette and Arsen both falling in and out of a peaceful sleep. It was highly needed for both of them, pretty much doctor’s orders.
An alarm jarred them both awake.
“It’s not time for school is it?” Louvette said, disoriented. Arsen laughed.
“No, it’s time for you to go home before your mother has a cow,” Arsen reminded her.
“I wish I didn’t have to go,” Louvette admitted.
“I wish you didn’t have to go, either, but your mother will be worried sick if you don’t come home,” Arsen said.
“Okay, take me home, then,” Louvette told him.
They gathered her belongings and headed to her house in silence, their hands clasped the whole ride over. He gave her a quick kiss, perceiving that her mother was probably watching. Louvette gave him a smile, understanding why he just pecked her.
“What a gentleman you are.” Louvette poked fun at him.
“Get out of here already before I decide to take it back,” Arsen teased back.
“Bye, Arsen,” she said gently.
“Bye, Winter,” he replied.
Louvette could feel him eyeing her for the duration of her trek up into her home. Only when the door closed did she hear his truck pull away.
“How was your weekend? Why did Arsen bring you home if you stayed at Cara’s?” her mother grilled as soon as she stepped through the door, but Louvette had expected it.
“We went on a double date with this guy Cara likes. They are going over to Garrett’s house so Arsen brought me home so I wouldn’t be late,” Louvette lied.
“Well, next time you see him, tell him thank you for bringing you home. It wouldn’t hurt if he came inside every once in a while too,” Sarah stated now that mama bear had been calmed down.
“I will. How was your weekend, Mom?” Louvette asked.
Her mother blushed on cue like a thirteen-year-old girl who was just asked if she was crushing on someone. In Sarah’s case, she was crushing on some Hollows. Cara and her mother might have more in common than what Louvette had initially perceived.
“Thomas and I went on a date yesterday,” she said, updated her daughter.
“Did it go well?” Louvette asked.
“It was something,” her mother responded back.
“Good, I’m glad,” Louvette said to her.
“We are thinking about doing our own Thanksgiving meal on the day after Thanksgiving. Then everyone can come. You can invite Arsen and Cara too. I invited Thomas. I think it will be a fun time,” her mother informed her.
“It does sound like fun. Hey, I’m kind of tired. I think I’m going to go to bed.” Louvette was only half listening because she was shutting down already. The tiny walk, the steps, and standing to talk to her mother had done her in for the rest of the night.
She felt horrible for fibbing about the whole situation, but she was exhausted. However, she was not ready to tell her mother yet. She wanted to enjoy being a real wolf for a bit. As soon as her mother found out, she would lay down a dozen ground rules about her hunting, seeing Arsen, and curfews.
“Sounds good to me, sweetie. Sleep tight. I love you,” her mother said, pulling her into a tight hug. Louvette squeezed back as hard as she could. Tears began to wet her eyes. She expertly hid them from her mother. Louvette was caught up on the fact that she had almost lost the warm embraces of her mother. She’d almost lost her life. That tended to hit a person the hardest when they thought about the people they’d leave behind.
Louvette retired to her room and cried her eyes out silently. The full weight of the events of the last two days hit her like a brick. It was hard to breathe. She tried to steady her breathing. It was going to the extreme of hyperventilating.
She clumsily fumbled for her phone and called Arsen. It rang.
“Hey,” Louvette managed out in a broken voice.
“It’s going to be okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Arsen promised, expertly reading her across the phone.
Her breathing slowed. Her heartbeat calmed down at the soothing tone of his voice.
“Thank you,” she whispered when she could finally speak again.
“No problem. I’m here if you ever need anything,” Arsen assured her.
“Goodnight, Arsen,” she said again, but with more confidence this time that it might actually be a good night’s sleep.
“Goodnight, Louvette,” he said.
Louvette hung up the phone. Her heart’s distress had fled her. She crawled into bed and her eyes closed like a shifter octopus had wrapped its tendrils around her to pull her under into the deepest part of the ocean.
***
A week came and went faster than Louvette ever dreamed it would. She had told her mother the partial truth about the camping trip. The only bit of fiction was that Cara was supposed to be there. Her mother agreed to let her go.
When school was over on Friday, Louvette went back to her house to p
ack a bag. She settled for casual and comfy clothes. Louvette avoided the materialistic preppy girl look. On top of telling the pack, she and Arsen were going to be sharing a room.
***
Louvette’s stomach growled as they parked in a parking lot that was almost full. It looked out of place in such wild country. The place looked like a mountain resort.
“Are there always this many people?” Louvette asked as she observed the packed parking lot, astounded.
“There might be a few extra ones that don’t come every time. I think Dad pulled them in off assignment,” Arsen said.
“Why would he do that?” Louvette questioned.
“To protect you,” Arsen said as if it were obvious.
Louvette said nothing. She was tired of being protected. She needed to protect herself, but she didn’t wish to come off as ungrateful, especially since this was basically all for her. Louvette wanted to be safe.
She stepped out of the car and her stomach growled even more. Someone was grilling food. The smokey smell permeated the air.
They went inside to drop their bags off in their room. The inside of the lodge was beautiful, and it had tons of rooms, decked out all manner of animals that someone had hunted. It smelled of cedar and pine trees. The whole place was perfect.
Once done, they went out on the back patio where the party was really happening.
Kids laughed and ran around. There were a handful of women here. But the men vastly outnumbered them almost ten to one.
“All these women and girls know because of their families, right?” Louvette asked.
“Yes, it’s a personal choice made their parents, husbands, and grandparents,” Arsen explained, and Cara was on both of their minds with that statement as they shared a look.
“I don’t think I can keep this a secret from her any longer,” she announced.
“It’s hard since you two are so close. Wait before you tell her, ask her parents’ permission. Surely, they will see the light,” Arsen said.
