Chapter 26


    Chapter 26


    Winter POV


    I manage to force my eyes open and I frown taking in the white sterile walls and hearing a familiar


    shout. “She’s awake” as Alpha Johnathon’s facees into focus. I blink, realizing he’s holding my


    hand but it’s the searing pain


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    in my chest that concerns me most and as I open my mouth to shout, nothinges out. Not even a


    whisper. Now I’m panicking. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I talk? The pain in my chest gets worse


    and I hear an annoying beeping sound.


    “Let go of her hand” a voice says and I see a doctor examining me, blinking as bright light floods into


    my eyelids, a needle piercing my skin and making me rxed, the pain beginning to fade.


    “Winter can you hear me?” the man in the white coat says and I give a small nod, seeing Damien in the


    corner of my eye, standing out of the way, his eyes wide open in what looks like shock.


    “Alright well I need you to calm down alright. That beeping noise is because your heart rate picked right


    up. Take


    a few deep breaths for me” he instructs and I do, breathing in and out, until the beeping noise steadies


    out.


    “Good” the doctor looks pleased. “Now do you know where you are.”


    I nod. “Do you remember what happened?” he asks and I shudder, my body beginning to tremble in


    fear. I’ll never forget what happened, its etched firmly in my mind.


    I ce a hand against my throat and the doctor looks at me with sympathy in his eyes. “During the


    attack your vocal chords were damaged” he exins “I’m afraid theres no telling if they will heal or not.”


    I say nothing, my eyes welling with tears. The moon goddess could have warned me about this before I


    chose.


    How does someone manage without their voice? I can’t yell or scream for help and I begin to feel


    vulnerable.


    “Your brother and your mate are here, do you think that you’ll be alright while I go and fetch some


    medicine for


    you?”


    Thesitate. But the moon goddess had said that they hadn’t left my side and so I give a small nod,


    watching as


    the doctor leaves. Damienes to my side and tries to reach for my hand and I instinctively flinch. He


    looks hurt but


    I can’t help it.


    “I guess I deserve that” he mutters “I’m so sorry Winter, I swear I had no idea that father would be so


    evil and cruel. I know I should have stayed back instead of leaving you alone.”


    I look at him. Part of me hates him for doing that but part of me wants to forgive him as well. Afterall it’s


    not like he could have known what father was going to do but the part that really rankles is that it was


    his friend Thomas


    who bought me and tried to rape me.


    “I’ll make this up to you, I swear” Damien tells me and I give a small nod, deciding that I’ll believe it


    when I see it. Until then I’m reserving my judgement. I nced over at Alpha Johnathon, wondering


    why the hell he was here. He’d rejected me so why did he give a damn what happened to me? I feel


    bitterness towards him.


    “Winter 1” he exhales as I sit there still as a statue “I don’t know what to say” he admits “on one hand


    I’ve rejected you and yet part of me still cares about you. I never wanted to hurt you as much as I have


    and it wasn’t my intention.”


    That’s all he had to say? I feel a spurt of anger and re at him. I don’t need this right now. If he felt


    bad, then


    that was his problem, not mine. I epted his rejection so why was he still having feelings for me?


    Cause I sure as


    He sees how angry I am from the expression on my face. “I think it’s best tave my leave he whispers


    and I nos, feeling bad but not wanting to face him right now. I’m grateful that he’s helped me but that’s


    as far as it care shakes hands with my brother Damien who ps him on the shoulder.


    “Thankyou for everything man, I don’t know if I would have found her without you” he tells Damien who


    just


    grunts and then walks out the door. Before he leaves he shoots me onest look that I can’t decipher


    and then he’s gone, his footsteps sounding down the corridor.


    I watch warily as Damien sits on a chair beside me. He looks exhausted, dark circles under his eyes


    and pale. How


    long have I been out? I can’t even ask. It’s frustrating.


    “Winter” Damien begins and Ic**k my head and listen “you don’t have to worry about going back home.


    Father’s


    gone for good this time, you’ll never have to be scared of him again.”


    That’s one good piece of news for me at least. My skin crawls just thinking of the man who sold me


    without a qualm. Some father he was. I actually hope he’s dead. That’s how much I hate him.


    “When we get back home I’ll take care of you. No more bullying or forcing you to do my homework. We


    can even


    live in the pack house if you want” he offers.


    I think about that. I had wanted to live in the pack house when I was younger but now I wasn’t so sure.


    Damien


    reckoned I wouldn’t be bullied still but how would pack members react to having a mute shifter in the


    house? Would it be safer there? I highly doubted it. If dad was gone then it would be safer, at least for


    me to stay in ourouse away from the pack where I wouldn’t be made fun of or worse. I give a firm


    shake of my head and watch the light dim from


    my brother’s eyes. If he wanted to live in the pack house then he could, I sure as hell wasn’t stopping


    him. But he


    shrugs at me instead.


    “No problem we’ll stay home then” he says just like that and for the first time I smile at him.


    “How are you doing?” a voice asks and I watch the doctore back in the room, clutching a bunch of


    pill bottles. He lines them up next to me on the little food table thing. “These are for pain” he tells me


    and I see Damien listening closely “one a day. These are antibiotics” he points to another one “three


    times a day. And this” he points to a third one “is for when the pain is so excruciating you can’t take it


    any more and need instant relief. Only when


    needed” he warns and I nod.


    “Does that mean I can take her home?” Damien asks and the doctor looks at me.


    “That’s up to her. Winter would you like to go home today or stay overnight?” he asks. How am I


    supposed to


    answer.


    I point to Damien. “Go home?” Damien checks and I nod. I’d rather sleep in my own bed then a hospital


    one that’s ufortable. I’m already freezing.


    “Take the pills and theres a prescription for repeats if she needs it” the doctor informs him as Damien


    hastily


    ces it all in his pocket. I go to swing my leg out and gasp at the pain.


    “Crutches” the doctor exims and fetches two that I hadn’t noticed leaning against the wall, he hands


    them to me and I get on my legs experimentally. It takes almost no time to learn how to use them and


    Damien supports me all the way to the car.


    “Best of luck” the doctor says warmly “we’ll have a check up in six weeks time and see how your vocal


    chords are


    looking then” he adds and I nod, crossing my fingers. With any luck I’ll be speaking again in a few


    weeks, all I have to


    do is be patient.