Warm light streaming across my face woke me. Determined to slip back to my dreams, I started to roll onto my side, pulling the blanket over my head with the movement when pain froze my movement. I lay flat on my back, trying to breathe past the pain. I thought I smelled flowers. Glancing beside the bed, I saw a vase with wildflowers with a card beside them on the nightstand. The card had a cartoon puppy with a bandage wrapped around its head and a cast on a leg. Inside, it said, "Hope you get the wag back soon!" and was signed by Daniel. I groaned at the card but couldn't help but smile. It was awfully endearing. I relaxed into the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. I couldn't really move and there was nothing to do, but it was a better predicament than I had found myself lately. I stretched my arms out and relished that the bed was all mine. I almost felt a pang of loss that Donovan wasn't keeping me company and scolded myself for it. This was all his fault, after all. I couldn't let myself slip up and think of him as a friend. He was the cause of all my recent problems. If I got soft, that was the end of it.
I yelled for help. I was pretty sure there would be a guard outside and hoped that he'd be good enough to get someone; maybe Joe, Daniel, or Elder Samuel. I wished for my mom and hated them for making it impossible for me to see her. She'd been there through the divorce, telling me that it was alright, that I didn't need a man and I was still young. They took my life from me, given me only pain, and I couldn't contact my family when I so desperately wanted them. If I could reach something, I'm sure I would have thrown it at Elder Samuel as he came in.
"I'm glad to see you are awake. How are you feeling? We were worried yesterday morning when Donovan came back with you injured. He only gave a brief description before locking himself in his room. Tension is high in the pack right now and we are not getting any answers from Donovan to ease or confirm our worries. We don't want to hound you while you're still injured. Is there anything I can get you? Daniel's mother has offered to attend you while you recover. I told her you were awake and she went to get you breakfast." Elder Samuel had walked halfway into the room and looked expectantly at me. His stance was slightly wary, which confused me. He'd normally stood with confidence. I sat up, wincing as I did but spurred by new found anger.
"What's the deal? Feeling guilty or something," I snapped. Glaring at him, I knew I would throw something at him right now if I could. The elders and him were about as much to blame as Donovan. I felt a little satisfaction when he flinched. Guilt tried to wiggle itself into my mind but I pushed it away. Elder Samuel may have been kind, but he could have helped me escape or something. He had been so determined to follow the laws of their stupid pack he would have let Donovan get me.
Elder Samuel just bowed his head and walked out of the room. I grabbed the vase of flowers and threw it at the door. It skidded across the floor, water soaking into the carpet, flowers flying across the room. I growled after him, digging my fingers into the mattress. I paused and looked down at my nails. They had started to darken and elongate. I screamed and started to kick the covers off. It felt like my skin was prickling. Bones started aching and I screamed. Elder Samuel rushed back in towards me. A streak flashed by him and was hugging me tight. A warm voice was whispering to calm down. To breathe slowly and to focus on my breath. Elder Samuel looked furious and was shouting for him to get away from me, but I clung to him. He smelled good, and his voice was soothing. I clung to him, though a part of me was whispering that I was clinging to the devil incarnate, seeking comfort from the one responsible for this. I breathed in like he told me and took in a deep breath of Donovan's scent.
"Slowly. Breathe slowly and feel the air filling your lungs. Hold the breath for a second and let it out slowly. Nothing else matters. Just breathe. Count as you breathe. Count to five as you breathe in and count to five as you breathe out." The pain started to fade away and I sagged in his arms, entirely relieved.
"What the hell, was that," I growled. I shoved Donovan away and he didn't fight to cling to me. Without him hugging me tight, I felt suddenly cold, but I could deal with that. I looked towards Elder Samuel, who stood there frowning.
"You were starting to change into a wolf, but that shouldn't have happened for many more months. We don't exactly have doctors so I can't say for sure. Perhaps -"
"Stress," Donovan said flatly. I glanced at him and he looked moody. He didn't look me in the eye. "You were in a dangerous situation with the Nightwalkers so your mind was ready to do whatever to defend yourself at any notice. Injured and angry, your body started to change. If you hadn't calmed down, you could have hurt yourself by changing before you should."
"Gee, like turning from a primate to a canine is something any human should be doing!" Elder Samuel snapped at me to not yell. Donovan snapped at Elder Samuel that I had every right to be angry. They were about to go at each others throats when a woman came in with a tray of food and banged it loudly on the coffee table. The two jumped and spun towards her.
"I don't care that you two outrank me. Get out of here. She doesn't need this so just get out of here and leave her in peace." She stared the two of them down. Donovan was the first to go. He started to turn back towards me, but stopped himself and dashed from the room. Elder Samuel looked like he was going to argue but thought better of it. Looking at the woman with her hands on her hips wearing the hardest face I'd ever seen, I understood how he could be ordered around by her. It was comforting to know that the hierarchy of the pack wasn't inflexible.
The woman huffed at the door and started arranging furniture to make it easier to eat in the sitting area. She pushed some of her hair behind her ear and smiled at me. "Let's get some food into you, shall we?" She came over and helped me up before I could protest. She practically carried me to the chair, but she at least let me have the dignity to hobble along. I sunk into the chair and tried to find a position that suited the aches and pains. I glanced around and saw the woman straightening my bed.
"No, please. You don't have to do that. I'm probably going to go back to bed in a little bit." I moved to get up but my body protested. The woman just shushed me and finished straightening the bed. She came over and handed me a cup of tea.
"You are not going to bed. I think you slept long enough. We are going to go for a light walk around the house, maybe in the garden. Fresh air would be good for you. Besides, my son will not give me any peace until he's gotten to see you again."
"Your son?"
