Chapter 25 HOSPITAL VISIT
Sianna's POV
Nothing much was said to Wendy after I visited the basement, instead, I oversaw her thirty lashes. She fainted after the first eight were applied. Three other omegas were in the room as they used water to revive her, splashing it on her face, and they continued. With another four strikes of the whip, she lost consciousness again.
I didn't think that she would survive, but when she looked up at me with that ominous sneer on her face, I made the choice not to intervene. I merely emphasized to Madeline the importance of properly grooming the omegas and the potential effects this could have on her.
Vance had been busy, busy, busy. At first, he didn't plan on going on the mission and then he changed his mind. When Duke came to his office yesterday I left before I heard the detrimental issues that the pack encountered. Later, Vance shared them with me and I didn't realize how much our Alpha did for the packs until being this close to him, I should have sat through the meeting to understand the consequences of what was happening.
My perspective of my mate changed, and all I wanted to do was help him significantly. I am not a warrior so I cannot fight as well. In most battles, only males fight on the front lines, women rarely participate and it's the Luna's job to keep them and the children safe. I am considering being trained by Blayne to be strong enough to stand proudly at his side. Vance was amazing and it's time that I acknowledged him and the wonderful things that he has done for the werewolf communities.
A fiery desire burned inside to have Vance acknowledge me as his equal and well deserving of the Luna title. Starting today, I will be more supportive of him and be actively involved in pack affairs. Time for me to balance my personal life, school, and the pack. Moving in with him was the priority. Vance would be deeply engaged in battle strategies with his Gamma, in addition, to providing pack operation instructions to Duke.
Therefore, I decided to use this time to see how Curtis was doing, while my mate was vastly preoccupied. I parked in the subterranean parking lot at the hospital and took the elevator up to the first floor. I walked to the reception area and got the floor and room that he was in.
My gaze scanned the environment. A few nurses cast glances in my direction as I strut down the hallway. I noticed the overt stares and whispers. Garnering their attention was expected since Vance had declared that I was his Luna at the pack house. The omegas in the pack were the biggest rumor mill.
Smiling with them, a nod was my only greeting. Engrossed in that, I hadn't noticed when I felt a thud on my right foot. Halting in my steps, I gasped in shock to find a little boy who had fallen directly over my feet. To assist him in getting to his feet, I knelt and checked for bruised or scratches. When I found none, I brushed his clothing to make it look presentable. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay, dear?"
Worry could be heard in my voice as I held his gaze, his mouth pouted like he wanted to cry. I hugged him, massaging his back and speaking in a consoling tone. A nurse and woman ran towards us but I gestured for them to halt.
"What's your name, little man?" I locked eyes with him and asked with a smile.
He hesitantly murmured, "Z-Zachary," trying to contain his tears.
"Are you hurt anywhere, Zachary? Do you feel pain?" still smiling and stroking his cheeks. I tugged my stray black strand behind my ear.
He nodded, "I'm fine pretty lady."
"You are so strong and handsome, Zachary. You managed that fall well." I complimented him while handing him to the nurse and woman.
"Thanks, lady." He smiled as his mother hugged him and seated him on the chair. He waved goodbye to me as I walked on and duplicated the same action.
Mom was at work but I didn't need to see her. She was one of those women who buried herself in work once she was on the job, so I could not arrive unannounced if I needed to see her. She would scold me and tell me that it can be handled when she got home.
I took the elevator and enjoyed the short ride two floors up. I exited and walked another hallway to the room. I knocked and turned the knob to enter in. The bed was empty and the spread made. I saw an overnight bag on the chair to the left side of the room by the window.
I walked in and wondered where he was. Maybe I should have called but I wanted to stop phone communication between myself and Curtis. Hoping that he'd be back quickly so that I could see how he was doing, I tried to formulate the right arrangement of words to say what I had to.
The sight of the bag made me conclude that he must have gone to the restroom and will be back to collect his things. So I waited. My eyes landed on the phone on top of the small table next to the chair. I went over and picked it up, and just then a message came in.
Mate: I wish you didn't have to go on the mission. It's cruel that they are ordering you to go with your injury. Don't die. I need you.
This message shouldn't bother me but I felt upset. I wanted to cry. They seemed pretty close to me. I put down the phone because I didn't want to read anything more. The photo of him kissing her was enough and my mind made up. It still hurt because I envisioned us together forever. I inhaled deeply and released it a few times. This was a practicing exercise my mother taught me to eliminate my anxiety.
"Sianna?"
I turned to see him behind me. I didn't hear when he entered the room due to being lost in my breathing exercises. He ran over to me, hesitated, and then took me into a tight hug. I didn't push him away. I let him enjoy the embrace but my arms stayed at my side while he encircled me.
"Baby, I missed you." He whispered softly in my ear. He tried to kiss me and I shifted my head to the side so that his lips contacted my cheek. "Why would you reject my kiss?"
"How is the injury?" I asked.
"It's slowly healing, your mom has been taking care of me." He smiled, his voice tender and nothing like the angry man that he was a few nights ago.
"I heard that you will be on the mission. It's very dangerous and you should take care of yourself." I noticed that he was pale, and his eyes dull.
I pulled out of his arms and went to the window with my back to him. "Curtis, there is something that I have to say and I need you to listen."
He nodded but was perturbed.
"I know that you went to the mating ceremony and that you found your mate." I abruptly faced him.
His face went white and expressionless. He came closer in an apologetic manner, "I was going to tell you when I came back but you were avoiding my calls. If I wasn't so angry with you because of that, you would have known already."
"You told me that your dad was sending you to take care of something. You kept this away from me!" I blasted.
"He was the one that forced me to go. He was against us being chosen mates instead of fated mates. He wanted me to find my mate but I planned to reject her." He justified.
"Did you reject her?" The most important question was now aired.
"I wanted to talk to you first, Sianna." The guilt was written on his face. "I told her about you."
"Right," I slowly nodded my head mockingly, with a cold chuckle. "Did you fuck her?"
"No." He seemed genuine. "I swear I didn't." He moved two steps closer to me to touch my cheek and I hit his hand away. "This is not like you, Sianna!"
"I know that you made out with her. She has your kissing photo on her profile and I saw it. Did you put your lips anywhere else?" He stood motionless. Guilt, guilt, gulit, my wolf resounded.
"Sianna, there's a lot to talk about." He says with desperation.
"How many other girls have you been fooling around with?" I hit him with another question that I need to be answered. "Baby, it was always just you." His eyes showed concern.
"Impossible!" I yelled. "Not when you kissed your fucking mate. You should check your phone. Your mate texted you.'
"Fuck." He whisper yelled. "Sianna, I love you. I always will and I want to be with you." He emotionally appealed. "She threatened to kill herself if I rejected her. She stood on top of the hotel building and attempted to jump. I had to catch her. She was so emotionally distraught that I could not complete the rejection. That is why I was calling you because I needed you. I didn't know how to handle the situation and I guess it's all fucked up now."
"So you decided to hurt me instead?" I could understand the logic behind his decision but I was the one being hurt by their actions. He hasn't been able to see my mark yet because I was still wearing blouses that concealed it. That minx played her cards well. She trapped him intending to drive us apart. She probably used Hailey too, to get me to see them kissing. I wanted to fuck her up. I should fuck her up.
I shook my head to come back to the reality of Curtis in front of me. I brush strands of my black hair behind my ear. I never thought that he would have a justifiable reason for his behavior. At the end of the day, I messed up too. "You have told me about your dad's ultimatum and that you were going to the mating ceremony."
He pursed his lips and I gave him a look of frustration. I folded my arms over my chest. With a deep breath in and out, he spoke " I didn't expect to find her. I thought that it was a waste of time so nothing would ever come out of me going there."
"If you leave her and she hurts herself it would make you guilty for the rest of your life. Then you wouldn't love me the same. It would be because of our selfishness. This situation is complicated." I said sympathetically.
"We can make it work as long as we understand each other and with time." He held my hand. "In time she will see that I am never going to leave you."
A tear emerged and rolled its way to the base of my chin. "So you won't reject her?" In my rage, I hit his chest.
"Ouch!" Despite his injury, he earned that slap. "I will." His speech came out slurred. "She's fragile....... and..... breaking her heart could make her hurt herself which means I'd be summoned by her Alpha."
"There are other options Curtis!" I was aghast that he hadn't considered them, "Report her to the social services division and they will help her overcome the rejection. You might even reach out to her father and complete the task." @
"They won't interfere with a rejection, Sianna."
"Why should they interfere when they are not the ones mated to either party?" I insisted "So what you do is bring it to their attention after the rejection is done, not before." He was averse to doing it. He was procrastinating because he wanted her. I recoiled from him but he pulled me to stay in place. I gave him a petulant glare.
"Alright," His eyes were wet and glossy but they stayed on me. "I'll do it after the mission."
I had to fight too hard for him to figure out who was more important and to seriously make a choice. The absurdity of his actions made me recognize that he was not mine to claim.
"Curtis," I gazed him deep in the eye. Caressing both his cheeks as I felt something coming out of me through my fingers. His eyes flickered to amber and then back to his regular blue eyes in an instant. "We are over. Go and be with your mate."
I ran out of the room and he ran after me. I felt lightheaded but I kept going. He called my name until I disappeared from his view. I needed air.
'Mate is better. He wants us. He is ours.' My wolf comforted me. 'Let's live with mate.'
In the car, with my head on the steering wheel, it took a minute before the dizzy spell dissipated. I ignited the engine and headed home to do my packing.