Chapter 290

My body still felt weighted and I tried moving a limb, wiggling a toe, twitching a finger but nothing, “I love running, going fast, the – one the sides when I’m running, I really love how things just blend together, I really like the speed,” Ben said and his answer pushed me more. The harder I fought the more things I found I could feel but I soon realized that I did not like the feeling. Pain – a dull ache – took my breath away, my mouth opening before my eyes. “Oak?” “Bee?” Julia and Ben spoke simultaneously, “Are you awake?” I groaned, trying my hardest to open my eyes, blinking first, my head lolling to the side. Sighing, I saw blurry images of Ben with his head a foot away from mine, blinking; I tried to bring focus to his eyes, seeing utter relief in his eyes. Swinging my gaze up lazily I saw aunt Julia, her eyes red, tears brimmed to the lid, falling over, but there was no sadness there. I furrowed my brow, confusion in the pattern in my head and for a short moment, panic seized my heart, “It – I – it wasn’t real?” I moaned the load of disappointment turned my stomach. Surprise on their faces, Ben glanced up at aunt Julia, confused, “but – but you – wolf – no,” I cried my own tears, the jerking only hurting me more, but I didn’t care. “Bee? What’s wrong? Does it hurt real bad?” Ben asked me but I couldn’t answer, I shook my head forcing my hands to move, to feel my wrist. “Oh sweetheart,” aunt Julia whispered her voice thick and low, “You’re on the island Oakley, you aren’t back in Middleburg,” she said the words that helped me, calmed me, I panted, the air burning my chest but I could handle that, being back in Middleburg just the thought was painful to me. “I – ugh” I coughed, my throat dry, sticking my tongue out to wet my lips, I found my mouth just as dry, unable to speak, “here – here” aunt Julia fretted about pouring me a cup of water, bringing it to my lips, two sips, burned going down my throat. Nodding I pulled my lips away signaling her, “What were you thinking Oakley?” Ben asked as she drew the cup from me. I blinked, “You went off alone, why’d you lie and not go to Chelsea’s?” closing my eyes, I concentrated, on the images coming back to me, memories, the scents – sandalwood and some fruity citrusy scent that had been teasing me, seizing my attention, the need to follow it. “Why’d you go climbing that mountain Oakley?” aunt Julia asked, stopping to give me a moment just as Uncle Grant came into the room, relief in his eyes as well, a small smile on his lips. “How are you feeling?” he asked eyeing my body unlike aunt Julia and Ben, his action forcing my eyes to follow his. With wide eyes I took in my foot, the contraption on it, pins in my leg, locked in place, I winced, but I still felt the dull ache, “What happened?” I asked a loud in a daze. “What do you remember?” Uncle Grant countered as he sat, Ben and aunt Julia following him, I closed my eyes again thinking, the beach – Tera and Kiley talking about Kieran – the scent in the wind, Ben playing volleyball with the other kids, leaving the beach, I started following the scent. When I opened my eyes I found myself playing with the sheet draped over my torso and left leg while the right was pinned. “Oakley… this” uncle Grant waved his arm around, “coming here and staying here won’t work if you’re still hiding things, I know that your aunt and I won’t be able to completely relate since you’re werewolves-” My head swung to meet Bens eyes, “you’re a wolf?” I said sniffing and sure enough his scent had changed some. “When?” my mind was foggy, Ben’s face reddened, he shrugged, “I was angry, you weren’t with Chelsea like you said and it was raining real badly and – and Chels” he called her and I glanced down at my leg, how long was I here? But Ben continued, “She couldn’t hear you at all, and then I got angrier and then my bones begun breaking…” he stopped but I could tell there was more. I nodded, “did it hurt?” Ben wasn’t a liar, he nodded his head quickly, “A lot,” he clarified, “for hours!” he exclaimed. My eyes widened, “I’ve been like this for hours?” I asked in shock. He shook his head slowly, “it’s been two weeks…” my head whipped to uncle Grant but he just nodded in agreement. “You were hurt – badly injured I mean, when we finally got to see you it was horrible much less how Chelsea actually found you up on that mountain, which you still haven’t said why you were up there Oakley,” Grant chided softly. “Well…” I huffed, “there was a scent, it was smelled so good,” I avoided all their eyes, “I couldn’t concentrate on anything else-” I shook my head, “Wait I was hurt on the mountain, is Kieran okay?” I turned to uncle Grant, his smile small he nodded. “He uhm… he comes to see if you’re okay…” “In human form?” I asked surprised remembering what Tera and Kiley had said. “No, as a wolf,” he answered. I sighed resting back, I couldn’t explain but it felt nice knowing that he was coming to check on me, also that I was right and it was Kieran and not some other wolf on the island.