“Sure,” Angel replied, silently enjoying how uncomfortable the middle-aged witch seemed about having a bunch of werewolves in her hospital. “Sounds good.”
“I’ll send them in, but feel free to page the nurses station if you need anything.”
The nurse left the room, and a minute later the door opened again. Caleb entered first, followed by Jonathan, Jesse, and, surprisingly, Matt. Words couldn’t describe her relief at seeing them all in one piece.
“Hey, there,” Caleb said softly. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” Angel repeated, “but otherwise okay. What about you guys?”
“We’re fine,” Jesse told her. “A bit of sleep and some food, and we’re nearly good as new.”
“How long was I out?”
“Most of the day,” Caleb said, “it’s three in the afternoon on Friday.”
“The zombies, and the vampires?” Angel asked.
“Destroyed in the fire,” Jonathan told her. “Or the subsequent building collapse.”
“Thank God,” Angel said, leaning back against her pillows. Caleb grabbed a chair and set it next to the bed, sitting and taking her hand in his. “Thank you,” she told him.
“For what?”
“Trusting me.”
Caleb grinned at her.
“See,” he said, “I can learn. But please, don’t ever do something like that again. You scared the crap out of me.”
Angel gave him a half-smile. “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.” Turning to Jonathan, she asked the question for which she feared the answer. “How many people were killed?”
“Seventeen confirmed so far, but there’s still a number of people missing,” Jonathan replied. “There were a lot more injuries, but thanks to your ward, most people got out of the hotel before the zombies got inside.”
“The zombies didn’t follow anyone outside?”
“It seems not.”
“So they really were after you, then,” Angel observed.
“Makes sense,” Jonathan said. “But that’s not something you need to worry about right now. Right now, you need to rest and get better.”
“We’re going to go grab something to eat,” Jesse said. “What do you feel like?”
“Pizza,” Angel answered quickly, knowing a good meal would go a long way to making her feel better.
“Pizza it is,” Jesse announced. “We’ll be back in about an hour.”
She and Caleb were left alone in the small room, and Angel looked over to see him watching her closely.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” he asked, examining her closely.
“Yes,” Angel said.
“Good,” Caleb said, smiling at her.
They talked for a while, pausing for a few minutes when the doctor stopped by to check in on her. He was pleased with her progress and told her she should be able to leave the next day. Angel smiled, nodded, and thanked the doctor, knowing she would be mostly healed by then, but the rest would be good for her regardless. Jesse and Jonathan returned shortly after the doctor left, carrying several boxes of delicious smelling pizza.
“Gimme,” Angel said, reaching out for one of the boxes, her stomach suddenly making itself heard. “I’m starving.”
“Clearly,” Caleb said, laughing at her. Angel just stuck her tongue out at him and took a big bite of pepperoni pizza.
It wasn’t too much longer before the pizza was gone, and they were all sitting around the room, telling battle stories. Caleb and Angel shared their story about taking out the black witch Jones. Jesse told them about the time he’d been mistaken for a regular wolf by an elderly farmer with poor eyesight and a shotgun. Ten o’clock rolled around, and a new nurse poked her head inside the room, informing them visiting hours were over.
“I can have someone stay with me, right?” Angel asked.
“Yes,” the nurse replied, “but only one.”
“We’ll see you in the morning,” Jonathan said, herding the others out the door. “Sleep well.”
“Goodnight,” Angel said, yawning suddenly.
“You’re tired,” Caleb observed, coming forward and pulling up the scratchy hospital blanket. “You should get some rest.”
“I slept most of the day away,” she replied, her eyes feeling heavy as she struggled to stay awake.
“Sleep,” Caleb told her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Chapter 42
Caleb was tired, but he couldn’t seem to fall asleep. It could be the uncomfortable chair, or the constant magical buzz that tickled his senses, or it could be the little witch that slept in the bed across the room. In such a short amount of time, she’d come to mean so much to him, and last night he’d almost lost her.
The Alpha in him wanted to wrap her up and keep her safe from harm, but he knew she would never stand for that kind of treatment. He also knew one of the reasons he loved her so much was her ability to hold her own in any kind of fight. She wasn’t reckless, or fearless, and she never went looking for trouble, but when it came right down to it, she wasn’t one to back down easily. And yet, for all her strength, there was a softness to her he’d been lucky enough to experience. She’d opened up to him, maybe not completely, but enough for him to see the sweet, kind, loving woman who hid behind her tough outer layer.
It was then, sitting in a tiny little room, inside a witch hospital, that any questions about whether or not Angel was his Mate were answered. She belonged with him, just as much as he belonged with her, and there was no way in hell he was going to let her go again.
Chapter 43
Angel woke early Saturday morning feeling a lot better than she had the night before. Her body ached a lot less, and she wasn’t feeling magically drained anymore. Sitting up and stretching, she saw by the clock on the wall it was just past 9am. Across from her, Caleb was sprawled out, rather uncomfortably, in a chair definitely too small for him. She almost wished she had a camera so she could take a picture. She climbed out of bed and went to use the bathroom; by the time she was finished, Caleb was awake.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Good morning,” he replied, standing and stretching. “How are you feeling?”
“Probably a lot better than you,” she told him. “That chair was definitely not built for werewolves.”
“It’s not the end of the world,” Caleb told her, taking a few steps and pulling her into his arms. “Besides, it was only for one night. We’ve got a hotel room in the city for tonight, and then tomorrow we can head home.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Angel said. “Though, I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to wear in the meantime. All my clothes were in the hotel, and I don’t fancy trying to dig them out of the rubble.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Caleb said, “Jonathan said they would pick up some things for you on their way over this morning.”
“Great.”
Angel grinned up at him and wrapped her arms around his waist; he squeezed her tightly for a moment before taking a step back. He leaned down and kissed her deeply, and the next moment he had lifted her up, carried her across the room, and sat her down on the bed. His hands skimmed up her thighs, underneath the flimsy hospital gown, and reached higher. As much as she was enjoying the attention, she forced herself to pull back and grab his hands in hers.
“I really like where you’re going with this,” she told him, “but it’s gonna have to wait until we’re not in the middle of a hospital where someone can barge in at any moment.”
“Good morning, campers!” Jesse exclaimed as he flung open the door and stepped into the room. Caleb pulled her gown back down and took a step back.
“Speak of the devil,” Angel muttered. Caleb laughed out loud.
“What was that?” Jesse asked as Jonathan stepped into the room, carrying a plastic shopping bag.
“Nothing,” Angel told him, “don’t worry a
bout it.”
“How are you feeling?” Jonathan asked.
“Great,” Angel replied, “ready to get out of here.”
“I spoke to one of the nurses down the hall, and she said they’ll be by with release papers for you shortly,” Jonathan told her. “I also picked up some clothes for you. I hope they fit; we had to guess your sizes.”
“I’m sure they’ll be just fine,” Angel said.
“Caleb,” Jonathan began, turning to the other wolf. “Why don’t you and Jesse grab some breakfast from the cafeteria? I’d like the chance to speak with Angel alone.”
“Alright,” Caleb said, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Play nice, Angel. He is the ranking werewolf on this continent.”
Angel snorted. “I fought zombies for him, he can deal with my attitude.”
“Good luck,” Caleb told Jonathan as he and Jesse left the room.
Jonathan passed her the bag of clothes, and she slipped into the bathroom to change. The bag had a pair of sweatpants, T-shirt, plain cotton panties, and a bra that actually fit pretty decently. It also had some socks and tennis shoes that were a little too large, but they would do for now. She exited the bathroom to find Jonathan standing by the window.
“Thanks for the clothes,” she told him, “pretty good guess with the sizes.”
“It’s the least I could do,” he said.
“So what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I don’t think the attack on the conference is the end,” he said, getting straight to the point. “Whoever organized that attack was targeting me, and since they didn’t manage to kill me, I don’t doubt they’ll try again.”
“Why would they want to kill you anyway?” Angel asked, moving to sit at the foot of the bed. “I mean, yeah, you’re the Master Alpha and all, but wouldn’t someone else step in if you were to die?”
“Yes,” Jonathan replied, “if I were to die, someone, most likely Jesse, would step in and try to take my place. But unfortunately, when a Master Alpha dies, a lot of challengers come forward to try and take on the position themselves. If I were to die, it would be months before all the challenges were properly dealt with, and in the meantime, the werewolves would be without any kind of clear leadership.”
“Making them vulnerable to any potential attacks,” Angel concluded. “So whoever organized this attack is trying to take down the wolves?”
“That seems to be the most obvious explanation,” Jonathan told her, “but what I would like to know is who, and apart from the obvious, why.”
“And you want me to help.”
“I do. You’ve proven yourself more than capable of dealing with wolves, and I’m not too proud to admit we never would have made it out of that hotel without your help. I foresee a lot of battles in the near future, and with you on our side, I imagine we’d suffer far fewer casualties. What do you think? Will you help us?”
Chapter 44
Caleb was pretty sure he knew what Jonathan wanted to talk to Angel about; they all knew the attack on the hotel wasn’t going to be a one-time thing. Getting Angel to help them in the coming fight was a good idea, and he was pretty sure she wouldn’t need much convincing. He wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea, but he knew he would have to come to terms with it quickly, or risk spending more nights on the couch. He and Jesse grabbed a couple breakfast sandwiches from the cafeteria and were headed back to Angel’s room when he heard one of the most terrifying sounds he’d ever heard.
“Where the hell is my daughter!?”
Turning quickly, he saw who he assumed was Angel’s mother storming down the hallway. Though he’d never met the woman, he could see Angel favored her very strongly, with only several small features differing between them. Angel’s eyes were a little different, and she was a bit taller than her mother. They did seem to share the same strength and determination, though, as the elder Myers was heading directly for him, and she was very angry. If it were physically possible, she would have had steam coming from her ears. She stopped just in front of him, somehow managing to make herself seem much taller than she actually was.
“I asked you a question! Where is she?”
“Just down the hall, room one twenty-five,” he replied meekly, not wanting to upset her further.
She had every right to be angry; she’d been lied to, and her only daughter had been injured in what was supposed to be a simple security job. Elizabeth Myers stormed past him. Caleb attempted to follow, intending to provide Angel with a little moral support, but the older witch whirled on him, jabbing her finger into his chest.
“You will stay here, away from my daughter,” she demanded.
He complied, but only because this was neither the time nor the place to press the issue. Elizabeth turned sharply and continued down the hallway towards Angel’s room.
“Who the hell was that?” Jesse asked.
“Angel’s mother,” Caleb replied.
“Oh. Shit.”
Chapter 45
Angel knew, despite her desire never to see another vampire or zombie ever again, she had to help Jonathan. Even if her involvement made no difference whatsoever, there was no way she could let them face this threat alone. If the vampires were able to take down the wolves, what would stop them from going after the witches next? She opened her mouth to say “Yes,” but before she had a chance to speak, her mother barged into the room. And boy, was she pissed. Angel was pretty sure she was about to get quite the earful. As expected, Elizabeth Myers took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and paled the instant she caught sight of Jonathan. Even more surprising was the fact that she just stood there, gaping like a fish out of water, for a good minute until Angel recovered enough to speak up.
“Mom,” she began, “I already know what you’re going to say, and you’re right, I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
“Mom?” Jonathan repeated, repeatedly looking between the two of them. “Angel is your daughter?”
“Mind your own damn business!” Elizabeth replied rudely.
“Uh, Jonathan, this is my mother, Elizabeth. Mom, this is Jonathan, the Master Alpha of North America.”
“We already know each other,” Jonathan replied softly.
“What?! What do you mean, you already know each other? Mom?” Angel looked between Elizabeth and Jonathan, waiting for one of them to answer.
“We dated for a while when we were younger,” Jonathan explained.
“You ‘dated for a while?’” Angel exclaimed, shocked at the revelation about her mother’s past.
“At least until he dumped me for some woman he just met!” her mother spat.
“I already explained this to you, Liz,” Jonathan said, “she was my Mate.”
“And I still think it’s a load of crap. And don’t call me that!”
“Okay,” Angel said, standing and moving to get between Jonathan and her mother. “Why doesn’t everyone just calm down.”
“I’ll calm down as soon as he leaves,” her mother replied, crossing her arms across her chest.
“And I’ll leave as soon as you answer one question,” Jonathan said, taking an equally defiant stance.
“Uh, sure,” Angel replied, not entirely sure where this was going but immensely interested after seeing her mother’s reaction to him.
“How old are you, Angel?”
Elizabeth visibly stiffened, though Angel had no idea why.
“Uh, twenty-eight in March. Why?”
A variety of emotions crossed Jonathan’s face: anger, sadness, and even a little joy, but after a moment he pulled himself together, and his face became like a mask, giving nothing away. He turned to her mother, his voice tight.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Liz?”
Angel was momentarily confused. She looked to her mother, saw the guilt plastered on her face, and suddenly everything fell into place. Jonathan wasn’t just some guy her mother had dated.
“You lied to me,” she said to her mother.
“I
didn’t–” Elizabeth began, but Angel cut her off.
“You lied to me! You told me you didn’t know who my father was! You told me you were attacked!”
“I did it to protect you.”
“Protect me from what? My own father?”
“She’s my daughter,” Jonathan interjected. “I would have welcomed her into my pack, into my family.”
“He left me,” Elizabeth explained, ignoring Jonathan completely. “He didn’t want anything to do with me. How was I supposed to know how he would react to you?”
“You tell him!” Angel exclaimed. “Or you wait until I’m old enough and tell me, and let me make the decision. Anything but lie to everyone!”
“Please, Angel,” her mother implored, reaching out to take her hand.
“Don’t touch me!” Angel snapped, stepping out of her reach.
“Angel–”
“No, Mom. Just, no.” Angel held up her hands, warding away her mother.
She turned and paced the small room for a few moments, trying to wrap her head around this whole mess. Her mother had lied to her. Jonathan was her father. She had a father. Hell, she had a whole family! A sudden realization slammed into her, freezing any potential excitement she had about her new family situation. If it came out she was Jonathan’s daughter, everything would change. People would treat her differently, she would probably lose her job, and most importantly, it would be a lot harder to keep her hybrid nature a secret. And all the while, vampires and zombies would need to be hunted down and dealt with before they hurt innocent people. It was all just too much. She needed time to figure things out; time to process everything. She need time alone, and she wasn’t going to get it here.
“Get out,” she said numbly, looking first to her mother, then Jonathan. “Please, just leave. I need to be alone.”
“Alright,” Jonathan said. “But if you need anything, I’m here.”
“Thank you,” Angel told him. He nodded, gave her mother one last indecipherable look, and left the room.
“Angel,” her mother practically whispered. “I did it to protect you. Please try to understand.”
Burned: Wild Magic Book 2 Page 18
