Chapter 5

My eyes flutter open and I see that I’m back in the hospital room. Hearing a soft snore, I turn to my left and I smile when I see Elvis sleeping in the chair beside me. As I take in his appearance, I felt ashamed. It was my fault my alpha and my friend looked like he hadn’t slept in a month. “Elvis.” I call softly and he stirs a little. “Gregory, wake up please.” I raise my voice just a bit and that was enough to wake him.

He looks around the room confused for a minute until his eyes land on me. Jumping to his feet, he rushes over to the bed. “Tami, you’re awake. Oh, thank the goddess.”

“It’s good to see you to Elvis. But, I have a quick question. How in the world did I get here? The last thing I remember was slipping into my sleeping bag.” Elvis looks away and rubs his neck. He stands up and starts pacing in front of me. “Doc said that you received the wounds the day Charles came. We didn’t find the bodies of the rouges until the day he left, and it took us almost two weeks to find you.

“You were in that cave for three weeks. By the time we found you, you were almost dead. And for a while, it was touch and go. There were many times I feared we would lose you. When you didn’t come home after I sent a link to you telling you that they were gone, I just thought that you were off having fun or something. It took me three days before I knew something was wrong.” He stopped speaking and looked at me.

“I’m sorry we didn’t find you sooner Tami.” I shake my head at him slowly. “Don’t. Don’t blame yourself Elvis. I should have showed you or one of the pack members where I planned on staying until they were gone. What happened to me was my fault.”

“It’s Doc belief that one of the rouges you fought managed to poison you somehow with wolfsbane. One of the elders remembered the cave that had the hidden room and I sent four of the warriors to check it out while the rest of us double checked everywhere else. When they told me that they had found you, but you were almost dead, I felt like I could have lost it.” I give him a soft smile. “It wasn’t my time to go just yet. How much longer do I have to stay in the hospital?”

Elvis shrugs slowly. “You’ll stay as long as Doc says you have too. Not only are you my best fighter, you’re my best friend and I don’t want to see you die.” Laughing softly, I lay my head back on the pillow. “I’ll stay in this bed however long Doc says I have to if you go eat something and go to sleep. I don’t mean to sound rude or anything, but Elvis you look like crap.” He laughs and sticks his tongue at me. “It’s a deal.”

“Good. Now go.” I say pointing to the door. He holds his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m going, I’m going.” I keep a smile on my face until he leaves the room. Turning to face the wall, I feel a tear slip down my cheek as the all too familiar burn in my chest raged on. And at that moment, I hated Charles. But that hate, I knew, would go away the instant I saw him again.

The doctor made me stay in that bed for two weeks. Elvis would come and see me when his duties weren’t to pressing, but that wasn’t often. By the time I was given a clean bill of health, I felt like I was going to go stir crazy if I had to stay one more day. Making my way to my room, I tried to ignore the faded, yet tantalizing scent that still lingered in the house. As I walked into my room, I realized that his scent was everywhere in my room. Sitting on my bed, I link with Elvis.

So, where you going to tell me that you gave him my room?

I was, I promise Tami. But it just slipped my mind. I’m sorry.

Don’t worry Elvis. Just send someone to me with some of that scent eliminating spray. Even though it’s faint, it’s hurting both Jess and me.

They’re on their way. How about the two of us go for some ice cream while they descent your room?

That sounds like a plan to me Elvis. I’ll meet you at the car. We cut the link and I race down the stairs. I hear him running behind me but I just laugh. We spent the entire afternoon in town. I knew he was trying to get my mind off of Charles, and it worked until we got back to the pack house and I was alone.

Sitting on my bed, I let my thoughts wonder back to my old pack. Luna Brook was like a second mother to me, but she was the only one I missed from there. I longed to see her again, but that would involve seeing Alpha Brook as well. After all these years, I no longer held a grudge against him, but I wasn’t ready to face him just yet. Sighing softly, I grab a pair of pjs and made my way to my bathroom. I strip and look at my body. My wounds had healed, but I could tell I would have scars for the rest of my life. Stepping into the shower, I let out a sigh as the hot water started to relax me. Drying off, I slip into a pair of shorts and a tank top. Stepping out of my room, I hurry to the game room. Locking the door behind me, I turn on the Xbox and the screen. Flipping through the games, I pull out COD and put it in. For the next few hours, I buried myself in the game.