Chapter 24: Hope

Carter I stared at my mate lying prostrate on her hospital bed. Her body was more bruised than when I had found her in that mansion earlier this week. That wasn't so much of a surprise considering that she had attacked her own father earlier that day. I was still trying to process the fact that she had attacked Ecstan. I reached my hand out wanting so badly to touch her to help her to remember who I was and that I wouldn't hurt her. Instead of skin, my hand met glass, the one-way glass allowed me to see her but keep her from freaking out because of my presence. The doctors weren't allowing anyone that seemed to cause her stress into her room. Her body wasn't strong enough to handle much strain at the moment and she needed to focus on getting better physically right now. My parents were supposed to be coming to see if they would be able to talk to Elinn or is they to were some of the people that she believed would hurt her. I had no idea who Aurelio had decided to use against her and at this point, we were playing a very dangerous game of Guess Who. We had to be careful or Elinn would try and attack someone again but this time they might not be able to defend themselves against her. Technically she was a wolf even if her abilities seemed to come and go depending on her emotions. So I sat outside her hospital room waiting for my parents to show up so that we could learn more about what had been done to Elinn. Dad had found a machine in what seemed to be Aurelio's torture chamber that he believed had something to do with all of this. He was good with electronics and given that he was also a doctor he would be able to hopefully tell what the machine was designed to do. Zayden and Ecstan had both also been helping with the project trying to help find out what was wrong with their daughter. I felt something tug on my pant leg and I looked down to find Annelise staring up at me with her sad big blue eyes. She had been doing better ever since Sam and Katen had shown up and I knew that they were the main reason she had been improving. But she had been just as worried as I was about what was happening to my mate, especially since she was all Annelise had left. Elinn had become like a big sister to Anne, with everything that had happened the loss of Elinn had caused the little girl to retreat further. I reached down and pulled her into my arms so that she could see Elinn. I knew that she looked horrible with all the bruises and bandages but at least Annelise could see that she was alive. She would see that even though she had lost her blood family there was always another family waiting for her. "Is Elinn going to be okay? She looks hurt," Annelise's words were quiet but they were solid and real. For the first time since she had learned of her father and brothers deaths, she said something. I felt a tear escape my eye, even in the midst of all this chaos I could still find tiny miracles all around me. "Elinn was taken by a lot of very bad people and they hurt her. They did somethings to Elinn that made her brain get all scrambled up and she's forgotten who the good guys are. Right now we are trying to help her fix all the injuries on the outside and on the inside but it's going to take some time." I told her drawing her closer to my chest. Annelise reminded me of my mate in a lot of ways and I found comfort in having her here with me. "Can I go in and see her?" Annelise sounded so desperate, she needed to know that my mate, her sister was real and here. I didn't know what to say, I didn't want her getting hurt if they had done something to Elinn to make her forget about Annelise. But I also couldn't deny this little girl the one thing that could comfort her after all of this. "Anne, where are you? Annelise? You can't run away like that we aren't playing hide and seek. Annelise? Anne come out!" Sam and Katen came running around the corner worry evident on their faces as they searched for their little mate. When they finally spotted her in my arms they rushed over and attempted to pull her out of my hands. "Anne, you have to tell us when you're going somewhere! You scared us, we couldn't find you!" Sam exclaimed pulling on her leg trying to get me to put her down, but I didn't want to and I wasn't going to until she asked me to let her go. Katen's hands flew is signs moving so quickly I couldn't distinguish one movement from another, but Sam translated for us. "Katen wants you to know that he needs you to tell us why you ran off. Why are you in the hospital are you okay?" At this Annelise finally acquiesced and lowered her eyes to acknowledge them. "I had to see my sister, she was missing but Alpha Carter found her and brought her home. I need to see her, she is my only family," The boys seemed shocked that she was finally willing to speak. I could tell that it wasn't something they had been expecting to happen, Katen moved his and to his throat and then made a sign with his hands around his face. "You think my voice is beautiful?" Annelise asked confused and this time I was the one who was in shock. When had she started learning sign language? "Yes, that's what he said, that was good Anne!" Sam praised as I set her back on her feet in front of the boys. They immediately grabbed one of her hands and tugged her through the door to Elinn's hospital room. I tried to grab them before they disappear but I was still slow due to the surprise of what was happening. "NO WAIT," But it was too late they had already disappeared through the door. "Who's there?" Elinn's soft voice echoed through the hall and I knew that I couldn't go in there now. If I went in she would definitely freak out, but we didn't yet know what her reaction to Annelise was going to be. I scurried back to the glass and watched carefully if she made any type of aggressive move towards the kids I would intervene without hesitation. "Elinn….is it…." Annelise couldn't seem to get the words out, but Elinn sat up straight at the sounded of her voice and I readied myself to run in. "Annelise, is that you?" My mate's voice was soft and filled with so much emotion I was taken aback. "Yes, it's me….are you staying this time?" Anne sounded so broken and Elinn pushed herself out of bed and knelt before the little girl. "I'll stay, I'll stay as long as you promise you'll stay too." With that, the little girl burst into tears clutching Elinn tightly while Elinn gripped her tightly. Sam and Katen smiled at each other and joined in the hug too. The sight gave me hope, maybe I could really get my mate back, maybe we would be able to fix what had been done. Maybe, just maybe we could have at least and ever after if not a happy one