I smile at his rapid-fire questions. “Water and medicine,” I say, still groggy.
He helps me sit up then reaches over to the table to grab my water. “They brought in more pills earlier, but I didn’t want them to wake you. Thought you needed the sleep.”
Apparently, he was right since I slept through the night, even though I had already been asleep for five days. “Thank you,” I mutter before downing the water and pills, only a slight tremor in my hands.
“How are you feeling?” he asks as we lay back down.
Blinking, I evaluate myself. I’m not in as much pain as I was yesterday. My head seems clearer, and some of the aches are gone. But I’m definitely not one hundred percent yet. “I’m doing okay. I slept better than I have in a long time, despite the tight fit.”
His arm around me tightens. “The tight fit was the best part.” His voice is rough. “Thank you for letting me sleep with you,” he says.
I tilt my head up to gaze at his face. “Thank you for joining me.” I reach up to touch his scruff—the hair on his face is surprisingly soft. He closes his eyes and hums.
“That feels good,” he says.
I smile. “I’m glad.”
I continue to explore the stubble on his face but examine his other features closer. The curve of his lips, the straightness of his nose, his hair against his light-brown skin, his long ebony eyelashes. I feather over his lips and he groans. He parts his lips and his tongue peeks out, licking the tips of my fingers.
My breath hitches as I jerk my hand back and a giggle bubbles up.
He smirks, his eyes still closed.
“You did that when I fed you candy, too.”
He chuckles. “I did, didn’t I?” He opens his eyes to peer down at me. “Sorry.”
I shake my head with a smile. “Why?”
He shrugs, slightly jostling me. “I’m not sure. My bad attempt at flirting?”
In the middle of his sentence, there's a short knock on the door, and Dr. Kathy walks in.
A tint of red underlines Ash’s light-brown skin.
I try to hide my grin by covering it with my hand, but he tugs my hand away and matches my smile. He helps me up, but leans close, saying softly in my ear, “Do you take pleasure in my discomfort?”
I shiver as his warm breath caresses over my skin. Even in the morning he smells good. How is that possible? “Maybe a little.”
“Good morning,” Dr. Kathy says, pulling on a set of gloves as she stands beside the bed. “May I?” She gestures to my back and I nod. I lean into Ash as she parts my gown to reveal my back. She gently removes the bandages before her fingers lightly probe my skin. “Does this hurt?” she asks.
“Not a lot, just a bit uncomfortable. But Ash just gave me some more pain meds.”
She’s silent for a moment as she continues to examine my back. “Huh.”
“What?” I peer over my shoulder at my back then at her.
She glances at me as she grabs new bandages. She puts some kind of ointment on my wounds before covering my back. “You’re just healing faster than I expected.”
“That's good though, right?” I ask.
“Oh yes, of course. Just surprising.” She ties my gown back up and lightly pats my shoulder. “I’m done now.” I move over until I’m sitting beside Ash on the bed.
“So, how is she?” Ash asks.
“Everything is looking good. Better than she should, if I’m being honest.”
Better than I should? Ash takes my hand and squeezes it.
I lean forward. “Does that mean I can leave sooner?”
She hesitates, looking between the two of us. “I’m not sure yet. Let me keep an eye on your injuries for a few more days before giving you a definite answer.”
“Okay,” I say. I really don’t want to stay here longer than I have to. I don’t like being confined.
“Ash, could I speak to you for a moment?”
“Sure.”
Dr. Kathy shifts her weight when he doesn’t move. She gestures with her head to the door. “Out in the hall, please.”
His eyes narrow, but nods after a moment. He squeezes my hand before following Dr. Kathy into the hall. I lay down as a headache forms. Isn’t that supposed to be covered with the medicine? Maybe I should ask for more once Ash comes back in.
“I wanted to talk to you about Ellie’s injuries,” I hear Dr. Kathy’s muffled voice. Did they accidentally leave the door cracked?
“You said that she’s healing well,” Ash says, also muffled.
I turn my head and squint at the door.
“And she is. It’s odd how fast she’s healing, but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Then what did you want to talk to me about?” Ash asks.
“I wanted to speak to you about her back,” she says. “Because of the amount of built up scar tissue, it reduced the amount of damage she received internally. I’m pretty sure it saved her life.”
“And why did you need to discuss that with me without her? It sounds like a good thing.”
I sit up and stare at the closed door. How am I hearing this conversation?
“Yes and no. Yes, because she would’ve died without that scar tissue. No, because it made me wonder what caused her to have so much. And I wanted to discuss this without her because of what I think it might mean.”
“I see.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as my heart pounds.
“Ash, I think she’s been tortured.” She pauses. “And not just once, but for an extended amount of time. Probably from the very person that recently did this to her. The wounds are similar.”
I lay back down deep in thought. Is that what Marcus did? I know it was considered abuse, but torture? It makes it seem what he did was worse than I thought, if that’s even possible.
The door flies open, and Ash strides in, a scowl etched onto his face. His eyes are blazing, promising pain, but when they connect with mine, they soften. I audibly swallow as he makes determined steps toward me.
I didn’t imagine their conversation.
Ash stops right next to the bed, his entire body tense. “Who hurt you?”
“…Marcus.”
“No, I mean before this.” He gestures to me, still laying in bed. “Marcus made you run, but was he also the one who hurt you?”
I give a small nod as I clutch the thin hospital blanket to me.
He curses and lays a fist on my table, cracking it in half. He lets more choice words slip at the damage.
My chin wobbles as I try to hold back tears.
Uncontrollable shakes rack through my body as I realize just how close to death I really got. Marcus almost killed me. He found me. No matter how far I run, he will find me. He says he cares about my blood, but obviously not enough to keep me alive.
Ash levels with my face, completely different than he was a moment ago. His eyes are full of devotion, and his body is no longer taut with anger. He lightly nudges me to move over before joining me, his touches gentle and loving. He caresses my arms, my face, my neck. He cups the back of my head to pull me closer to him.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry,” he says into my hair, his voice rough with sorrow and self-loathing.
I press on his chest to lean away and look at him. “I’m not afraid of you,” I say softly.
“I won’t let him hurt you ever again. I’ll protect you.”
I sniffle. “I believe you.”
He pulls me close once more. “Sleep. I’ll hold and watch over you.”
It’s the sound of Alice entering with my lunch that wakes me this time. She’s as quiet as a mouse, but I’m still able to hear her quiet shuffling of the trays before she leaves. I also feel the light touches from Ash, as he—almost absentmindedly—massages my scalp. He seems to do that a lot, not that I mind.
A buzzing sound goes off, and it sounds like it’s coming from the bed.
Ash shifts his body while keeping me steady. He digs into his pocke
t and pulls out his phone. The screen lights his face as he reads whatever popped up. He stuffs it back in his pocket. His eyes connect with mine. “I have an errand I need to run.” My body tenses. He must notice because he adds, “But you’ll be safe here.”
“Hospitals have visiting hours, right? What if Marcus gets in? What if—”
“Ellie, he won’t be able to.”
My chest is tight as my mind swirls with questions and possibilities. “How do you know? You won’t be here, and he could pose as a visitor and—”
He pushes a finger against my lips. “And he still won't be able to. This is a pack hospital. Even though he’s a lycan, he won’t be able to come in.”
“But what if Zac lets him in?”
He nods. “Zac may be alpha, but he isn’t the head of the hospital. He has no say.”
“Alpha? Who’s the head?”
Ash grins. “Kathy. She doesn’t normally let humans stay, but considering who attacked you and her love of my parents, she allowed it.”
I gnaw on my lip. “So, this hospital has lycans who won't let him through?”
He nods. “You’ll be safe. They won’t even let Zac in if he tries. But neither have tried in the week you’ve been here.”
“Okay, and this is a pack hospital.”
“Yes,” he says, and his smile grows. “And pack means the same as what you’d read from your fantasy novels.”
“A group of wolf-shifters living together and there’s some order to it?”
He laughs. “Yep, that about sums it up.”
“And Zac is the alpha. What does that mean? Same as the books, too?”
“Yeah, but it’s a bit different.” His hand tangles into my hair and he begins to massage my scalp lightly. “Alpha or alpha couple are the head of the pack. They have two betas—a right- and left-hand man or woman—and a delta right under them that help run the pack. The delta is in charge of choosing a head warrior, head healer, and head hunter. All of them together make up the council of the pack.”
“Alpha couple? Warrior, healer, hunter?”
“Right, sorry.” He trails his other hand down my arm. “Alpha couple is what it sounds like. For example, Zac is the alpha, but say he mated—him and his mate would be the alpha couple together. Warriors, healers, and hunters are after the delta. They are all ranked the same, but the delta—with the help of the alphas and betas—chooses one from each group to be the head, usually the most skilled and trustworthy, and so on.”
“And how do you know a warrior from a hunter? How do those three work?”
“The size of your wolf helps determine where you're placed. It’s a good indicator of how much magic is in you. But it’s also determined by skills, and what comes more naturally to you. Warriors are physical. Healers are spiritual. Hunters, or trackers as some call them, are the brains.”
“Okay…and you are?”
A slow grin takes form on his face. “I’m smart and athletic, so it was close between warrior and hunter, but hunter won in the end.”
I smile, smoothing my hand over his shirt. I can’t see him being fully one or the other, so knowing it was tied seems right. It fits him.
“When do they determine where you're placed?” I ask.
“Usually sometime in your late twenties.”
“And this is a pack hospital?” I repeat.
“Yes, Kathy is the head healer and runs the hospital, but it’s for more than just our pack. Surrounding packs use this hospital as well.”
“Do all healers work here?” I ask. “I can’t really see Dr. Kathy being spiritual.”
A rumble runs through me at his chuckle. “She’s not, in the religious sense. It more relates to the spiritual aspects of healing your soul and body, whether that be through science or religion. Kathy is probably a bit of a hunter, too, now that I’m thinking about it.” He lightly tugs one of my curls. “Anyway, not all healers work here. Some are therapists, while some work in spas or treatment centers. Usually anywhere that can be used for healing, whether that be emotionally, mentally, spiritually, magically, or physically.”
“Magically? Like if something is wrong with the magic in your body?”
“Yep.”
“Will you explain to me about magic now?” I ask, peering up at him.
“Nope,” he says, popping the ‘p’ while bopping my nose. “That’s a much longer explanation that I’ll tell you at a different time. Right now, I need to head out.” He helps me sit up before getting out of the bed. Grabbing his keys and a wallet off the table, he tips his head toward my lunch. “Eat. I'll be back tonight.” He kisses me on the forehead then walks out the door.
Night has fallen, but I’m back earlier than I expected. I’m almost to Ellie’s room with a book and a bag in hand when Alice stops me. She wrings her hands together, keeping her blue eyes downcast. “Can I talk to you for a moment, Ash?”
“Of course. What’s wrong?”
“I just came from Ellie’s room,” she says softly with a shaky voice. “And at first, I thought it was because she needed sleep, but now…”
“But now?” I say, trying to keep my voice as non-threatening as possible.
Her throat slightly bobs as she swallows. “But now, after today, I believe something is wrong.”
“What do you mean? What happened?” I ask, panic beginning to rise.
Alice wraps her arms around herself. “She’s barely touched any of the meals I’ve brought her. I thought maybe she didn’t like the food, but when I asked, she said it was fine.” Alice’s spine straightens, despite her gaze leveled to my chest. “She barely eats, and I thought it best to speak to you about my concerns.”
Why isn’t she eating? Foolish little human. Don’t you know how fragile you are?
“Thank you, Alice. I agree. I’m glad you brought it to my attention.”
Her eyes widen as they lift to my chin, but her gaze doesn’t pass any further. She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ears. She gives me a small nod. “Thank you for listening.”
“Alice, you know I will always listen. Foster and Russell would too,” I add for good measure.
Her mouth parts. “I know. Do you…” She bites her lip. “Do you think Ellie will be okay?”
“Yes, she’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”
Her shoulders slump in relief. “Good. Good.” She glances behind her while biting her lower lip. “I need to get back. Thank you again,” she says before racing off.
Sighing, I watch her retreating back. Alice has been picked on since she was little, even before she could shift, because her mom was human. Foster, Russell, and I have always tried to make her feel wanted in our pack, but there’s only so much we can do. And after my parents were killed and Foster left the pack, she grew even further apart from Russell and me.
I glance at the book in my hand as I turn to Ellie’s door.
Walking in, my heart lifts at Ellie’s smile, her eyes shine as she watches me stride toward her.
My phone buzzes, and I hold back a sigh as I pull it out. I see Ellie eyeing the book in my hand, but I’ve already decided she can’t have it until she eats. Looking at my screen, I curse under my breath as I see a text message from Russell.
Expect a call from Foster. I told him about your “little challenge”.
Just as I finish reading, Foster’s name pops up as an incoming call. I quickly decline. I can sense Ellie’s curious gaze. Despite her not connecting me and my wolf, she’s smart. She’s quick to notice things, sometimes what others wouldn’t.
A text message pops up, this time from Foster.
If you don’t answer, I’ll contact Kathy.
Another message pops up underneath it.
Yes, I know where you are.
I swear again and hold back a smile when Ellie giggles.
“What’s making you have such a foul mouth?” Ellie asks.
A smirk tugs my lips on one side. “If you knew, you’d be swearing too.”
She laugh
s, and it’s a balm to my aching soul. Ever since I failed to protect her, I haven’t been able to rest well unless she’s in sight.
“I doubt it,” she says.
The phone rings again. Foster’s name pops up, but this time I answer instead of declining. I sit down in my designated chair beside Ellie’s bed, placing the bag on the ground.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Don’t ‘hey’ me.” My smile grows at the angry British accent on the other line.
“What exactly did Russell tell you?” I ask.
“Did you really challenge Zac?”
I sigh, so everything. “Yes, I did.”
“And the human is okay,” he says.
One of my brows rises in surprise. “That wasn’t a question.”
“Alice told me.”
“You two still talk?” I ask. “She’s always been more open with you.”
“Because you and Russell are too intimidating, but we don’t chat as much as I’d like,” he says.
I scowl. “I’m not intimidating.”
Ellie smiles and mouths, you are.
She chuckles as I let out a mock growl. “I’m not as intimidating as Russell.”
“You’re with her right now, aren’t you?” he asks.
“I am.”
“Put me on speaker, mate.”
“No.” There’s no way I’m letting charming Foster talk to her. “You’ll meet her, eventually.”
“So, you’re serious about her then.”
I gaze at Ellie, taking in her, lounging in the uncomfortable bed as she channel surfs. Her hair is messy from sleep, and she’s still wearing the horribly ugly hospital gown that still seems to entice me. Her eyes aren’t on me now, but whenever she blesses me with her gaze, her vibrant green-brown eyes radiate with kindness and strength. “I am.”
“I’m glad you found her. Does she know about you?”
I let out a small laugh. “I guess you didn’t get the full story from Russell. She’s known for about two weeks now.”
“And she’s okay with it?” he asks.
Ellie tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as takes a sip of her water.
“I have no idea,” I say.
“Do you think she’ll stay with you?”
Saving Ellie (Lycans Book 1) Page 12
