Chapter 37 THIRTY-SEVEN
"What happened to you?!" Janice exclaimed as she rushed into the hospital room. Her eyes widened in concern as she saw Brienne sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, trying to steady her breathing.
"Bree, talk to me. What happened?" Janice asked gently, sitting beside her and holding her hand in reassurance. Her tone was soft, laced with worry.
"Are you human?" Brienne suddenly asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Janice frowned, confusion crossing her face.
"What are you talking about, Bree? Of course, I am. What’s going on?" she said.
Brienne bit her lip, her emotions spilling over. Without another word, she wrapped her arms tightly around her friend.
"Nice," she sobbed into Janice’s shoulder, her voice trembling with fear and relief. Janice held her close, her worry deepening as she realized how shaken Brienne truly was.
"What is it?" Janice asked as she caressed Brienne's back. "Did Raven do something to you?" she added, her voice raising, but Brienne shook her head.
"Take me with you, please," she said. "Get me out of here," she added as tears streamed down her eyes.
"Bree, look at me," Janice said and held her shoulders. "What happened to you?" she added. This time, she was serious.
"J-Just get me out of here," Brienne pleaded, her voice shaky and weak. Janice could see the fear in her friend's eyes. Brienne couldn’t explain what was going on, and Janice didn’t press her for answers. Instead, she nodded quietly, pulling her into a gentle hug to offer what little comfort she could.
Janice and Raven worked together to process Brienne's discharge from the hospital. The tension between them was palpable, the silence heavy and uncomfortable. Neither spoke as they moved through the steps, but it was Raven who finally broke the quiet.
"Nice... I..." Raven's voice trembled as he attempted to explain himself.
"Raven, I don’t know what you two fought about, but Brienne wants to leave this town," Janice interrupted, her tone firm but tinged with concern.
"S-She wants to leave?" Raven stammered, his eyes widening as the weight of her words sank in. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white as a surge of guilt and desperation washed over him.
"Yes, and I’m going to do what she wants. I’ll bring her back to my apartment," Janice replied, turning to face him with a heavy sigh. Her expression was a mix of frustration and concern. "Listen, Raven, I like you for my friend; I really do. But what did you do?" she asked, her voice firm but not unkind.
Raven’s shoulders slumped as he took a shaky breath. His voice was soft, almost trembling. "I... I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I thought I was protecting her by keeping my secret from her," he admitted, guilt evident in his eyes.
Janice studied him for a moment before speaking. "You know where we’ll be staying, Raven. You need to fix this. She deserves better," she said, her tone softer now. Despite her worry for Brienne, she couldn’t ignore how much Raven seemed to care for her friend. A flicker of hope lit up Raven’s face.
"Thank you, Nice. I will," he promised, his voice filled with determination.
Janice watched him closely, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She had witnessed how much the two cared for each other, and deep down, she hoped he could make things right.
Janice parked the car in front of Raven's house, following Brienne’s directions. Stepping out, she opened the door and helped Brienne. From a distance, Raven lingered, watching them quietly in his car, his expression unreadable.
"Do you want me to go in with you?" Janice asked gently. Brienne shook her head, offering a small, tight smile.
"No need, Nice. Just wait for me here. I won’t take long," she replied before heading to the house.
As she entered, Lily, Raven’s housekeeper, greeted her at the door with a warm smile.
"Miss Brie," Lily said, clasping her hands together, relief and nervousness in her voice. Brienne froze, staring at her.
"L-Lily," she stammered, her throat dry. A thought struck her, one she didn’t want to believe. "A-Are you… Are you a w-werewolf too?" she asked hesitantly, her voice trembling. Lily’s smile faltered, and tears filled her eyes. Slowly, she nodded her head.
"I’m sorry, Miss Brie," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She had grown fond of Brienne during her time working in Raven's house, and it broke her heart to keep the truth from her. Brienne gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as her heart pounded.
"N-No... I can’t..." she whispered, unable to finish her sentence. The room felt like it was spinning. Overwhelmed, she turned and fled up the stairs, leaving Lily by herself.
As Brienne reached the bedroom, her hands trembling, she grabbed her suitcase. She frantically began throwing her belongings inside, tears blurring her vision. Every moment she had spent in this house now felt like a lie, and she couldn’t stay here any longer.
Brienne dragged her suitcase down the stairs, her movements hurried yet heavy with emotion. At the bottom, she saw Lily standing there, her eyes filled with sorrow and regret. Brienne paused for a brief moment, then turned away, unable to face her. Without saying a word, she walked past Lily and headed out the door.
Outside, she spotted Janice leaning against the car, arms crossed as she waited patiently.
"I’m sorry, Nice. I took so long," Brienne said, her voice soft and apologetic.
Janice shook her head, offering a small smile. "It’s alright, Bree. Is this everything?" she asked, motioning toward the suitcase. Brienne nodded.
"Yes, this is all," she replied quietly.
"Okay. Let’s go," Janice said, taking the suitcase and placing it in the car.
Before getting in, Brienne turned back to look at the house one last time. Memories came rushing in—laughter, conversations, and moments she had once cherished. But now, all of it felt tainted by Raven’s deception. Her chest tightened as a wave of pain and betrayal washed over her.
A single tear slid down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away, straightening her back as if to push the feelings aside. Taking a deep breath, she opened the car door and slipped inside.
"Let’s go," she said firmly, her voice steadier now. Janice glanced at her friend, sensing the heartbreak Brienne was trying to conceal, and started the engine, driving them away from the house and the memories it held.