Chapter 370: 1-3

“Whoa! Slow down there,” he goaded me playfully. “How’s your head?” “So – uch – hember” I mumble trying to say ‘so much better.’ “And this,” he chin points to Kieran, shrugging I don’t look up or say anything until I’ve cleaned my plate. It was a lot, I had been in the hospital here once but this was different – to me. Back in Middleburg I was once where Kieran was, but now I was in Dad’s spot. I was the one sitting next to the bed, waiting for someone I cared about to wake up. That uneasiness that grows as the waiting gets longer. So now I was worried about Kieran, but inside, “How could Dad just let me go with you Uncle Grant? He just gave up…” I whispered. Kieran wasn’t my child and he was just my friend but I had already decided that I wouldn’t give up on him. I expected him to push me away, but I had my mind set, that I would be there in anyway I can… “Oak-” “Is he awake yet?” Mrs. Ryan came into the room with a swoop her husband at her side. Three large steps and she was reaching for his hand, “Stop!” I jumped to my feet her hands stayed hovering Kieran’s. “What do you think you’re doing?” her eyes hardened. “He’s our son Oakley, we are well within our rights to touch-” “Within your rights? If you touch him before that hand makes it to his, you’ll be against that wall in the same position I had Connor,” what was wrong with them? Just because he was unconscious they were going to touch him? When he didn’t like that? I didn’t even touch him while he was like this because – well because I didn’t think he would like it. “You’re going to take advantage of him like this? He didn’t want you touching him when he was awake, why would you even think it was remotely okay to hold his hand now?” “Oakley-” Uncle Grant stood next to me but my eyes were focused on the Ryans, shaking I watched as she went to place her hand on his and before that could happen, one hand clenched to my side. The other went straight out, the hum of electricity flowing around me, as Mrs. Ryan shrieked in agony and Gabriel, Marlon and Leland all rushed inside the room. After no more than twenty seconds I let her fall to the ground fully, Mr. Ryan going to her immediately while my vision blurred and body shook uncontrollably. “What the hell just happened?” Gabriel asked his eyes darting from me to them, but his voice sounded softer than the slight ring in my ears. My teeth clenched tightly but I couldn’t stop the slight clattering, “He’s my boy… she – she used her gift on me – it’s been so long since he so much as touched us – I’m his mother-” “He wouldn’t want them touching him Gabriel! Not without his permission!” I cried, “Why can’t you just think about him?” I turned to them now, “You want to touch him because you haven’t in so long? What about him? Why are you being so selfish? Why can’t you just – why can’t you just for once do what is right for me!” I shouted, crying. “Oh… Oakley…” uncle Grant said pulling me against him, “No,” I pulled away a bit not done with them. Wiping my face I focus, “Its not like you’re doctors and you’re fixing him and need to touch him… You’re just doing it behind his back. He didn’t give you permission, you’re going against what he wants, it won’t mean a thing if you touch him, because it’s not what he wanted, you’re just as bad as those people that hurt him!” I said angrily. “Did you see all those tubes he had around him? Chelsea was trying to keep him safe, you couldn’t even control Connor, and he hurt Kieran for no reason other than his mate is stupid! I’d never in my whole life do what Connor did to my brother but now I know that Connor isn’t the one to blame it’s you-” “Oakley!” Gabriel snapped shutting me up, “calm down, go splash some water on your face,” I was going to object, “I won’t let them touch Kieran,” he assured me. Nodding slowly, I went into the bathroom, tears still coming angrily, my chest was aching and a shiver took over my whole body as I sank to the ground, I didn’t even know why I was crying now, or why I was so angry. It’s okay Oakley, you’re okay, my wolf whined in my mind. The air around me hummed, a low crackle in my ears, I tried to calm, inhaling deeply and exhaling, as I listened to the conversation outside the door. “Look… I get you’re his parents, I do. I know you want to touch him, but really, Oakley has a point, why would you want to do something that in your heart you know would only make him pull further away from you. You’re parents for fuck’s sake, act like it. You’ve already pushed him past the idea that he was even wanted by your family. For months he hasn’t had anyone touching him, and you’re thinking about how you feel? What about him?” Gabriel whispered and then I was shocked to hear uncle Grant. “Can you guys even come to comprehend that for months, he hasn’t touched a single person? He hasn’t initiated that contact with anyone?” I don’t hear a response, but I do hear the door click after a few moments, “Oakley, you okay?” Gabriel said his voice much closer now, and looking down to my right I can see his shadow a bit. “I’m okay,” I mumbled scrambling to my feet, then over to the sink, splashing water on my face before opening the door to reveal Gabriel and Kieran, everyone else gone. Sitting on the opposite side of the bed, I lower to my seat, “I’m not sorry,” I say with a bit too much attitude even to my own ears, my eyes widen. “Sorry,” I apologize quickly, “It’s just that,” I don’t even know what to say, “I just felt like – in my heart,” I lifted my hand up to my heart, “he wouldn’t have liked that,” I sigh. “You care about him a lot, don’t you?” He asked and under his gaze, my face heated, but I nodded, “Yeah, I feel… at ease, like I don’t have to be anything, like happy or sad, or even pretend or hold my feelings inside. Like I can say anything and he never looks at me funny or says what I say is stupid,” and surprisingly Gabriel nods. “I feel like that with Chelsea too, I know that she protects me and no matter what I can go to her with anything… I don’t have to pretend, I can be sad and let her know I’m hurting instead of keeping my feelings inside.” My head bobbed, I understood him and he did me. My eyes left Gabriel and I looked at Kieran, his hair and even the shaved parts where he once had a bolt and tubes and blood, and now, not even much time had gone by and he was starting to look like himself again. He still had bruises, and the only tube was a bag of Chelsea’s blood that would help him heal faster completely. I went down to his neck, all the way until my eyes stopped on his hand on top of the covers. “You didn’t touch him?” Gabriel broke the silence, not that I had forgotten he was here, but I shook my head, pursing my lips. He could read my mind, I smiled, coolest gift ever. “Why not?” I exhaled heavily, “it’s stupid but… it wouldn’t mean as much I guess. He let me hold his hand last time; I don’t think it’ll feel the same trying to be sneaky about it. I wouldn’t even – I mean maybe he hates it now… I know it’s not normal you know to never let anyone touch you, not even hold your hand or give you a hug, but they – his parents – wanted to do it against what he would probably want. I don’t think he’s only supposed to hold my hand and never touch anyone else, I mean I touch other people all the time… Kieran should too, so he knows nothing bad will happen…” I rambled, rubbing my head because I was sure I wasn’t making much sense right now. But Gabriel shook his head, “No it makes sense, doing something against his will wouldn’t feel good, as knowing you had permission and he wanted it,” he said without meeting my eyes. He’s waking up, my eyes darted back over to Kieran, my stomach in knots, churning uncomfortably… please remember me… Oakley? Gabriel called me and it took all my effort to meet his gaze when he didn’t continue, when I finally did they were very serious, he wasn’t even smiling, you be there for Kieran, like I know Chelsea is there for me, I nodded with wide eyes. After looking at me for a bit, he left his chair and exited the room leaving it just Kieran and I, the way I liked it.