Chapter 78

Chapter 78
Talia PoV

I don’t remember passing out, but I wake up in a hospital bed alone, my wrist is a cast that goes halfway up my arm. I’m a wolf, shouldn’t I have healed by now? I know I haven’t because it still hurts, a lot.

I remember a time when my bones healed within a few hours, but maybe they’ve been broken too much.

The last thing I remember I was with Zade, watching my mates fight the last of the enemy warriors. What happened after that?

I press the small buzzer beside the bed and hope someone will come quickly, I want to speak to Silas or Tristan. They must know what happened.

Why can’t I remember?

The door opens and my entire body tenses, my mind is telling my body that everything is ok, but my body doesn’t want to listen. Maybe I’m too used to being attacked by people.

I need a fucking vacation or something.

Zade walks in, a tray of food in his hand, “I was on my way back when you pressed the buzzer.” He said softly, placing the tray on my lap.

I don’t look at the food.

“Where am I?” I ask, “I don’t recognise the room I’m in.”

It’s too white. Too sterile. It definitely isn’t the pack house.

“You are in the pack hospital, Talia.” He says, sitting in a plastic chair beside the bed, “we were worried about you.”

I frown, worried about what?

Nothing makes any sense.

“What happened?” I ask, my voice high and full of frustration. “The last thing I remember is the battle nearly being over.”

“You were stabbed from behind Talia.” He says slowly, pointing to the right side of my body, “the blade had wolfsbane on it, you’ve been out for three days.”

Three days, I’ve been unconscious for three days?

“That can’t be right.” I whisper, my eyes wide. “Is that why my wrist hasn’t healed? Because of the wolfsbane?”

He nods, taking my hand, “we’ve all been so worried, especially aria.”

“Where is she?” I ask, suddenly panicked. “Was she hurt?”

He shakes his head, “she wasn’t hurt and she’s with Silas right now, he’s taken her for ice cream.”

I laugh, unable to stop myself. That sounds absurd. Silas is not the type of person to hang out with a kid who isn’t his.

“It’s true.” Zade says, a smirk on his lips. “They’ve gotten pretty close over the last couple of days. We’ve all been taking it in turns to look after her.”

“Had she asked about me?” I ask, self conscious for reasons I can’t explain.

“She has.” He says, looking at me with soft eyes. “Almost every hour for three days.”

“Does she know I’m hurt?” I ask, praying they haven’t told her.

She doesn’t handle stress well. She never has.

He shakes his head, “we haven’t told her, we just said you needed some medicine to feel better.” He says in a careful voice. “Eat something.”

He points at the plate, and I want to refuse but the softness of his eyes makes me pause. He cares about me, really cares, and that’s rare to come by.

I look down at the food for the first time, it was potatoes and steak, and a lot of it. There’s no way I could ever eat all of it, but I’ll try for my brother. But only because he made an effort.

“Ok, I’ll eat, but can you do me a favour?” I ask, my voice small.

He stares at me, indicating for me to continue with his hands.

“Call Silas and Tristan and tell them to come here.” I say, trying to sound stronger than I feel. “I need to see them.”

“Do you want them to bring Aria?” He pushes the plate closer to me again. “Eat. You need it.”

I nod, “yeah, don’t leave her out of their sight.”

“We’ve captured Alpha winters.” He says with a confidence I wish I had. “You don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

I remember him saying something like that during the battle but I almost don’t believe it.

My father would never have allowed himself to get captured, he’s too stubborn and hotheaded for that.

“Did you destroy all of his warriors?” I ask, nervous to know the answer.

Zade frowns, shaking his head. “A lot of them got away.”

“Then you need to prepare for the worst because they will come back for their Alpha.” I say, my voice thick with worry. “They won’t stop just because they are outnumbered, my father has a lot of allied packs. You’ve put a target on all of our heads by taking him hostage and not killing him when you had the chance.”

Zade stares at me for several seconds, as though he was seeing me for the first time again, “I didn’t think of it that way.” He says carefully, his voice neutral. “What do you suggest?”

“Kill him and throw his body into rogue territory.” I say, my voice cold, no emotion whatsoever in my tone.

He died a long time ago in my eyes, I have no father.

He stopped being my father when he whipped Aria bloody.

“We can’t do that.” He says, “not yet.”

I growl, my wolf stirring in my mind. “Then you are making a big mistake.”

He just stares at me and doesn’t say a word.

“Call my mates.” I say, an edge to my voice I haven’t heard before.

He slowly stands and walks out of the room, leaving me alone.

Men are stupid. I’m going to have to take care of this myself.