Hi! Fair warning there are some elements of non-consent in this, so if that's not your cup of tea I would skip. Happy reading....
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When Helena came to she was pressed against a broad chest. The pain in her ankle was dwarfed by the undeniable pain in her stomach.
"I...need something to eat," she said.
"Shhh," he said. "We will get you all taken care of. Rest."
Helena shut her eyes as she was carried through the woods. It was the only way she could block out the confusion.
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Brooks tried to move as fast as possible without causing her further trauma. He was so wrapped up in claiming her as his mate he didn't even think about meeting her basic needs. Of course she would be starving after sleeping for five days.
They made it back to the lodge and Brooks took her straight to the clinic. He passed an Omega on his way and put in a request for food to be brought there. Brooks hoped they hurried. He did catch a break when the attending doctor was Melanie.
Brooks didn't want to have to worry about other males near her at the moment.
"What happened?" Melanie asked.
Brooks walked her over to one of the examination tables and gently set her down. She was a mess. There was dirt, sticks, and grass stuck in her hair, her shirt and pants were both ripped, showing scratches, and her feet were bloodied and bruised. Those injuries didn't even include her swollen ankle.
"I let her down," Brooks said.
The door to the clinic swung open. Rebecca walked inside. Brooks felt his ire rise as he put himself in between his mate and her sister.
"I care about her too," Rebecca said.
"I specifically forbade you from showing yourself to her," Brooks said. "And you defied my orders."
"She is my sister."
"She is my mate and I am your Alpha," Brooks said.
Rebecca bowed her head.
"When will I be able to speak to her?"
"Once she decides she is ready," Brooks said. "I would have liked to broach the subject with her in a delicate manner, but instead you appear in front of her in the middle of the woods and cause her to pass out. Now leave here before you do any more damage."
Rebecca didn't say a word when she left the clinic. The door shut and immediately his mate spoke.
"My sister is really here?" She asked. "I didn't hallucinate that?"
Brooks went back to Helena. Melanie was examining her ankle.
"This is not the way I wanted you to find out," Brooks said. "But yes, she is here."
"Did you kidnap her too?"
"Love nobody kidnapped anyone," Brooks said.
"Then why won't you let me leave?" Helena asked.
"Why do you want to leave so bad?"
"He told me I was in danger," Helena said.
"Why told you?"
"Victor."
Brooks knew the names of everyone in his pack. There was no Victor living on the lodge grounds. The Omega came in with a plate of food. He stayed near the door, too scared to approach his Alpha and his new mate. Brooks was grateful for him keeping his distance. He went to meet him. There was some soup and a sandwich.
"You didn't specify what you wanted," he said.
"This is perfect," Brooks said.
"Anything else I can get for you?"
"Guard the door," Brooks said. "I don't want any other visitors."
The Omega nodded and went to stand his post. Brooks took the tray over to his mate. He took a spoonful of soup and put it to her lips.
"I can feed myself," she said.
"We both know that's not true," he said. "You're very weak at the moment."
She acquiesced and lifted her head to take a sip. Brooks was quick to give her more.
"I was fine yesterday," she said. "I feel like I haven't ate in a week."
"Five days," Brooks said.
"What?"
"You were asleep for five days," Brooks said. "Not quite a week. I should have made sure you had food the moment you woke up. Your condition is my fault."
"I am going to have to clean the area," Melanie said. "I want you to wrap the ankle after you've cleaned up. The bruises and scratches will clear up on their own. I will give you some antiseptic to put on them before you go to sleep tonight. I want you to take a long hot bath, then come back in the morning and I will put a stronger cast on."
Melanie left them to get her supplies.
She ate some more soup, and was feeling up to the sandwich. She lifted her hand and Brooks' placed it in her palm.
"What is your name?"
"Brooks," he said. "And yours?"
"If you know Rebecca then you already know it."
"I want to hear you say it," Brooks said.
"Helena."
Brooks smiled.
"That is the most beautiful name I have ever heard."
"Why did you call me your mate?"
"Because you are," Brooks said.
With just the small amount of food in her system Helena was already starting to look worlds better. She propped herself up on her elbows and slid back.
"I promise you are in no danger here," Brooks said. "In fact the exact opposite. I want nothing but to protect you."
"I don't need protection," Helena said. "I am capable of taking care of myself."
"Just because you've had to take care of yourself in the past doesn't mean that you have to now," Brooks said. "Why do you want to leave so bad?"
"This situation is nuts," Helena said. "I don't know you. I don't know any of you. Why would I want to stay? You have my sister here, who I thought was dead the past five years and apparently a lot of well-trained wolves in some sort of mansion compound. Nothing about that seems normal."
Brooks knew he was on unstable ground. She was just starting to talk to him and apparently her knowledge on vampires did not extend to other supernatural species. Her eyes darted back and forth between his. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to the punch.
"Are you a bunch of werewolves?"
Brooks studied her face trying to gauge her response.
"You have got to be kidding me? First a vampire, now a werewolf? I am just the luckiest girl in the world."
She let out a sigh and let her head drop back down to the pillow for a moment, before sitting up all the way.
"Is my sister?"
Brooks nodded.
"For how long?"
"She joined our pack five years ago," Brooks said.
"Is that why she left me?"
"She told us of your existence a few days before we found you," Brooks said.
"That's not what I asked," Helena said.
"You should have this conversation with her," Brooks said. "I would like to focus on us."
"There is no us," Helena said. "I don't know you."
Brooks expected some change in her, the longer they spent together the more intense the desire to mate should become for both of them.
"You don't feel anything towards me?" Brooks asked.
"I think you're a little weird," Helena said.
She turned her head away from him.
"I'm not used to people looking at me," she said. "I'm not really used to people at all."
She brought her arms up and wrapped them around herself. Brooks picked up on her shift instantly, she was starting to feel vulnerable. He reached out and put his hand on her back. He felt her stiffen under his touch, but she didn't tell him to stop.
Melanie came back with the wrap and antisecptic.
"Stay off your foot until tomorrow," she said. "It is just a sprain right now, but if you put weight on it you might break it. Take a bath, wrap it with this and then get some sleep."
"Do you have any crutches I can use?" Helena asked.