Stupor

Cassandra looked up to Veltar's eyes as hers opened slowly. She didn't expect to see such a handsome face as she returned to consciousness, but she was pleased nonetheless. His eyes were like two solar eclipses, and she could feel her heart race already.

Had he saved her? Was this the start of a new beginning already?

"Ah, you're finally awake" Veltar spoke gently and looked over to her from his 'desk' (Metas had given him full use of it, as he had become the residential healer, and the cave his office and place of rest for those who were sick or injured.

"I...I'm alive?" Cassandra asked as though she were in a daze. Her body felt heavy, and her eyes were aching. It seemed to be night out, and the only thing that lit the cave were some crystals and a few old-school candles.

"Yes, thanks to Lara and I. She saved your life by bringing you here - and I've been working very hard to save the rest of it. I...am sorry to say, but... I was not able to save your-" he was cut off by Cassandra's soft, sweet voice.

"Don't - please. I know what you're going to say. Thank you for trying," Cassandra's voice petered off and trailed into a gravel-like sound. She had only just gotten used to being with child, but honestly it was a little bit of a relief as well. That wasn't why she came here, though...

"I need to speak to Alpha Metas... I have some news for him," she followed up suddenly as reason returned to her mind.

"Yes, I am to send for him when you've awoken. I believe he is with his Luna, however. You shouldn't be ready to walk yet. I was able to find some poppy seeds and made you a draught form it. Based on the dosage I gave you, your head should still be swimming. Are you seeing anything?" Veltar asked as a physician would - but Cassandra's ears grew hot as to her it sounded like he cared for her.

"Just a handsome wolf..." she replied with red cheeks.

"Ah. You're definitely under the influence of the opium, still. Let's get you something to eat and some water. That should help you wake up better," Veltar said with as much professionalism as he could muster.

"What's your name?" Cassandra asked as though she hadn't heard his tone shift.

"I am Veltar." The healer replied with a lack of emotion in his words in hopes it would help calm the female who was clearly staring at with with glassy eyes and a goofy smile filled with attraction.

"Veltar...I like that name. I'm Cassandra, and you're really, really handsome" she replied with more sweetness to her words than his ears wanted to hear.

All Veltar knew of Cassandra was that she was Silas' mate, and had broken the bond between him and Syrana back in the castle. Since that was all he knew, it was all he could judge her by - and he didn't like her at all currently.

"I have a wife," he lied and immediately regretted it. He was pretty sure Jessie was not ready to marry him, or he to marry her yet, either. They were still getting to know each other, and now he felt bad for throwing her into his lie without her permission.

"Oh..." Cassandra said with clear disappointment. "Ah, all the good ones are taken, anyway" she said openly, as her senses were indeed muddled.

"Aren't you Silas' mate?" Veltar asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uck. No. He chose my father's love over mine. Harbinger is my father - tada! I'm his best kept secret," she revealed and gave a bit of a manic laugh. "I loved him, and in return....he loved my father..."

Cassandra was wavering back and forth in a daze even as she sat up on the floor. It was a good thing she was doped up, though - otherwise the extent of her injuries would be exceedingly painful.

"Okay...why don't you lay back down then, Lady Cassandra" he was concerned by her swaying and what he suspected was about to be a mental breakdown.

"No, I have- I have to tell Alpha Metas about the human weapons. They have human weapons" Cassandra reached out to Veltar as he came to gently push her back down to the pillows he had set up for her.

"We know about that already. Metas was shot by one months back," Veltar replied and shook his head with a little bit of annoyance. He had taken a lot of time to save her, and used a lot of resources - and this is all she had for intel?

"No-no...You don't get it. They were able to get into a human vault - it's so old - but everything in there was preserved in perfection. Th-the metallic objects were huge and they..some of them still work...silver - lots of silver," Cassandra urged and put her hands on his shoulders as though to push him back, but lacked any sort of strength to do so.

"When did this happen?" Veltar asked with concern.

"How long have I been in sleep time?" Cassandra asked as the word for 'unconscious' wasn't coming to her mind through the fog in her brain.

"A week and a half," he answered gingerly as he finally got her to lay back down flat again. "You need to lay down. You have incisions that will break open. Not all of them closed well, I am sorry to say," Veltar informed her and even lifted up the blanket covering her to make sure none of his stitches had burst open again from her thrashing.

To his relief, they were all in tact - and to keep her warm, he pulled the clean cottons up to her shoulders and put the back of his hand to her forehead. "You're running cool. I'll tell Metas what you've told me. You need to sleep. You're safe here, Lady Cassandra" he finished with the same care any doctor would for their patients.

"I'll never be safe if Silas is alive...or my father..." Cassandra uttered with dread as her lips trembled.

"Well, it's a damn good thing we're going to kill them, then. Close your eyes before the pain starts to ramp up. I'll return shortly to give you another dose of poppy tea in a bit. You need to keep still and let your wounds heal." Veltar tried to explain to her as gently as possible.

He waited at her side until she did as he instructed, and finally closed her heavy eyes. Veltar didn't turn his back until he was sure her breath was even and slow with slumber.