04

#####04

« You can go in and see her now. »

I didn’t bother responding, I just walked into the room, my eyes immediately falling on the girl in the bed with all kinds of wires and tubes coming out of her. My heart hurt seeing her in this state. I looked over to the doctor and winced at the amount of blood covering her clothes.

« How’s she doing doc ? »

She looked at me sadly. « For now she’s stable but the next 24 hours are crucial. I put her in to a medically induced coma, it’s best for her so her body can focus on healing itself. »

I growled in annoyance, she wasn’t telling me the whole truth.

« What are you not telling me ? If you’re as smart as I think you are, you should know better than to lie to me, doctor. »

She gulped audibly.

« Well alpha, she has minimal chances of survival right now, looking at the bruising, scars and her x-rays I can tell that this isn’t the first time she’s been beaten within an inch of her life. »

I growled loudly at her statement but she continued.

« Alpha, these is one other thing that I think you should know. »

« What is it ? » I all but growled out.

« Well, she shows signs of extreme sexual abuse. »

I felt nothing but rage consume me, that animalistic feeling came back and I quickly left the room, then the hospital, shifting before I was completely out the doors. I was in a blind rage and I knocked down everything in my path.

I ran for hours before I was calm enough to go back to the hospital. When I made it back, Michael was there, a change of clothes in his hands. He handed them to me and I dressed there on the spot.

« Wanna tell me what got you so angry, is the Luna okay ? »

I didn’t have it in me to be angry anymore, it was replaced with guilt. I kept quiet until we were outside of her room. I quietly opened the door and walked in, Michael following. I sat in the chair next to her bed and took in her appearance. She was absolutely beautiful. Her long, curly dark brown hair cascaded over the white pillows, although she looked lifeless, her wheat colored skin was almost glowing, her long lashes brushed her bruised cheeks, she was skinny, too skinny, she was skin and bones, like she hadn’t been fed in a long time. I wanted nothing more than to see what color her eyes were, I imagined they were a deep chocolate brown, which was the color I always imagined for my mate.

« I don’t think she’s gonna make it Mike, the doctor say she doesn’t think her body can handle it. »

I could feel my voice shaking with emotion.

« Do you know what they did to her ? They raped her Mike, they raped her and I wasn’t there to do anything to help her. She’s gonna die and it’s all my fault. »

I felt Michael walk up behind me and he placed his hand on my shoulder.

« Titus I’m saying this as your best friend, not your beta. You need to have more fucking faith in her because she’s gonna wake up and when she does, she’s going to need someone to help her heal and to erase all the bad memories that she has. So man the fuck up and have some faith in my Luna, she needs you. »

I knew he was right, I needed to have more faith in her, she was my mate and I know she’s strong, she has to be to still be alive after that type of treatment for who knows how long. She was going to need someone to lean on and that someone was me.

• Two months later*

Two months, it’s been two fucking months and my mate is still unconscious, and to make matters worse I still haven’t found that son of a bitch Tony. I could feel my anger building up inside me but I wasn’t in the mood to run today, so I decided to go to my alternative, seeing my personal sleeping beauty.

Even though I knew she probably wouldn’t hear me, I still moved as quietly as I could when I walked into the room. I looked down at her still sleeping form and placed a light kiss on her forehead like I did everyday and sat next to her. She looked a lot better than she did when I first brought her here. Her cuts had almost fully healed and I could see the scars were still raised but were now a light pink. Her bruises had healed and she was being fed through a tube, so she had gained a little weight.

I didn’t like the silence, so I had picked up a habit of talking to her even though I knew she wouldn’t answer me. I would always gently grab her hand and tell her about my day, so that’s what I did.

« It’s been stressful today sweetheart, the elders are doubting my power to be king because I haven’t found my mate yet, if only they knew how wrong they were. Do you know what the elders said ? They told my father that he should let my cousin take over the throne because he has a mate already, and a family. They told my father, they didn’t even have the balls to say it to my face, but that has to count for something, right ? »

Even though I knew she wouldn’t respond, I still let out a sigh of defeat when my question was met with silence, but I continued.

« You know that Jack, my cousin, wants nothing to do with being king, he says it’s too much responsibility for any sane person to handle. »

Before I could say anything else, Michael walked through the door.

« How’s she doing ? »

I sighed. « The same as yesterday and the day before that. »

« She’s going to wake up soon man, I can feel it. »

I didn’t like talking about her or thinking of the possibility of her never waking up, so I decided to change the subject.

« I know you didn’t come here just to ask about the wellbeing of my mate, so what is the real reason that you’re here ? »

Even though I wasn’t looking at him I knew he had probably rolled his eyes at me, but I didn’t comment on it.

« You know the annual Crescent Ball is next week. »

« So what, I’m not going. »

« You’re the king, you kind of have to go man. »

I growled in annoyance. « I said I’m not going. »

This time I was answered by a different voice.

« Titus Ezra Lockwood, you will be attending this ball because I said so. »

I let out an exasperated sigh. Great my mother is involved, I should have known better.

« Mom I’m not going, a date is required and as you can see mine is a bit preoccupied trying to stay alive. »

« That’s why you will be taking Tatiana, I’ve already told her she will be attending with you, wear a red tie. »

I growled in annoyance.

« Don’t you dare growl at me Titus. Don’t make me call your father. Now you are the king you need to start acting like it, You’re taking Tatiana whether you like it or not. Now I want to talk to you about something very important. »

I didn’t even bother to respond, I knew she would talk no matter what I said so I just stayed turned staring at my mate.

« Now Titus, you’re the king now and as you know every king is required to have a queen to rule alongside him mate or not. »

Still turned away from her I answered. « I’m aware of the rules mom, I have a mate so I have nothing to worry about and neither do you. »

« Well she can’t be of any help if she’s in a coma. I want you to make Tatiana your queen. »

This time I turned around while letting out an angry growl.

« What did you say ? »