IV. The Aftereffects

Rhea's POV

I wake up in a strange bed; my head feels like it's throbbing, and I wince from the brightness of the lights. I let out a groan and a warm hand links its fingers into mine. I try to make out the person's face, but my eyesight is so blurry that I can't see, and for some reason, I can't smell. My hearing is muffled, and I close my eyes, trying to ignore the intense pain of having them open.

It helps, and my hearing gradually returns to me. I make out the sound of my mother shouting. She is calling for my father, and I know her mind is in a state of panic, because she could have just linked him. She did not have to alert the whole… I pause, because I don't know where I am, but I am not in my room, and I am not in any part of the packhouse that I recognize.

"Where-" I start to cough. My throat is so dry that my voice feels like needles as it makes its way out. A small whimper escapes my lips just as my father comes barging into the room like a mad man.

I look at him, and I am almost afraid of the anger displayed on his face, but I know he is not mad at me. I search my memory, trying to recall what happened and where I am, but for a long time I draw blank. It's Sylvia who nudges my memory. We share a body, but we are two different consciousnesses. My human mind was trying to block out the memory, but her wolf mind did not want me to forget.

The pack doctor comes in to look at me, he is asking me questions, but all I want to do is drink something. I feel like the questions he is asking are ridiculous, but I am in too much pain to say it out loud. Yes, my head still hurts, No I do not know the time, and if I had to guess, I am likely going to be wrong about the date, because thirst this intense does not come from a few hours.

"W-water…" My parents understand what I am asking for, and they look to the doctor who gestures for a nurse to bring me something. It looks like water, so I drink it, but the density of it confuses me. "What?" I croak.

"It's a glucose supplement. I know it doesn't taste good, but you haven't eaten in a full day, and your brain needs it."

"It doesn't taste like anything," I say. I only noticed it was not water because it did not give me the same thirst-quenching sensation that a glass of water would, but something is obviously wrong with my answer because the doctor looks at me like I am crazy. He holds something in front of my face, and I go cross eyed trying to look at it, then feel my head throb again.

"Did you smell that?"

"I did not," I admit. "I do not smell anything." My mother whimpers, and my father just grunts.

"I want to run some tests on her," the doctor says, looking up at my parent's. I do not enjoy being talked around, especially when it's about my health, but he is a doctor, so I trust him.

A few days have passed, and I am still in the hospital. My family members have been pestering me about telling them who hurt me, but I claim not to remember. My wolf and I know it isn't wise to start a fight right now. My brother will be taking over as alpha soon, and I do not want him to have the burden of war with a neighbor on his shoulders.

My will to keep it a secret almost waivers when my family and I receive news that nearly sucks the life out of me. My olfactory nerve is damaged. I could risk having corrective surgery before my full wolf regenerative trait kicks in, or live without a sense of smell until after my first shift, and even then, there is a good chance my nose may never be fully functional again.

Sylvia is howling in my head, and I can't understand why she is so heartbroken, so I try to calm her. She forces me to agree to warrior training at least three times a week, and while I am not thrilled about physical contact, the way my wolf is behaving has me worried. She is usually quiet, only scolding me when I do something stupid, but I know she is fiercely protective over me.

After I agree, I ask her why she is so worked up, and she tells me that we will not be able to avoid Colton in the future. That thought knocks the wind right out of my lungs, and my parents, who are still staring at me, react at once.

"It will be okay my little scientist. We are going to transfer you to a wolf free school." My brows furrow when I consider my mother's words. It's no wonder they are Alpha and Luna, they must have realized that I would be unable to properly survey my environment long before Sylvia and I.

Colton's POV

It has been more than two months since Brain has been released from the hospital. I haven't seen her, but from what I've heard from those who have, other than a tiny scar, she is fine. When I had gotten that news, it took a lot of tension off of me. The entire week that she was hospitalized, my father tripled my training, and the torture nearly broke me.

I found myself becoming angry with the little snot again. If she was fine, why did she stay in the hospital for so long? Did she want me to stew in pity or was she expecting me to reveal myself like an idiot by showing up to threaten her?

I stare at myself in the mirror and can see the signs of stress all around my eyes. Meanwhile, Brain is off taking tests to get into some super prestigious private school and apparently, Raven is going with her. That leaves me with just one girl to work my charms on, and I'm sure my father will have me make every effort to impress her; flowers and candy bought with my own money and everything.

I don't even like Robin, despite her gentle name, she is hard like a boy and I am pretty sure she has been with as many girls as I have. Yet here I am getting all dressed up to go to her birthday party.

When we pull up to the Packhouse, I immediately notice the twins tense, but neither of them says anything, which does not go unnoticed by my father. They used to run and hug me, or at least approach me with a smile, but things have obviously changed, and I wonder if Brain opened her r*tarded little mouth.

I throw back my shoulders and approach the twins, handing them each a gift box that they smile stiffly at as they accept. They open it, and I can't tell if they are pleased by it or not, so I do the most assholish thing I have ever done; I lie.

"You know, I may not be the kindest person, but I want you both to know that when I find out who hurt Brain, I will not let them slide; especially if they are in my pack." Raven whimpers and pulls me into a hug, but Robin just nods before pretending that she is giving her sister and I privacy. This too does not escape the watchful eye of my old man.

As soon as I am alone, he pulls me to the furthest and darkest corner of the Claw packhouse and without warning, he punches me in the stomach. I hold in my sounds because that is how a real man takes a punch. He isn't satisfied so he gives me another jab to the chest, and I swear I hear a rib crack. 'Tonight is going to be fun,' I think sarcastically.

Both my father and I are startled by a small whisper of a sound, and I cannot believe my eyes when I see who it is. I nearly fly into a rage because my mind and my wolf are telling me that Brain is about to rat me out; she is about to tell my father that I am the one who put her in the hospital, but that is not what she does at all. The freak smiles at my father and awkwardly waves.

"Alpha Stone, my sister is looking for Colton." That little sentence puts a smile on my father's face, and he links me to hurry up and fix my mistake. I look back in Brain's direction, but she is gone. I didn't even hear her leave.