Chapter 43: Chapter 15

NATALIE

~“Natalie!”~ Damon’s frantic voice wakes me from my sleep.

~“Damon?”~ I gasp in a breath and sit up in the dark room.

~“I’m sorry to wake you, but we had another attack. I’ll meet you at my jeep.”~

I slip on my shoes, glad I fell asleep in my clothes. I pull on my jacket and rush to the jeep. Damon pulls out right away. I think he’s going to the hospital; instead, he pulls up to the greenhouse.

I feel the energy in the air as soon as I step out of the jeep. The guard is in the same area I usually feel the energy. My palms glow yellow and I pull the energy from the air, then kneel beside the guard. I feel the sinister energy and pull it into my body.

I look around me and change the energy into a cozy fire. The small bush beside us ignites and I try to catch my breath. I swallow and look up to Damon, who’s putting out the fire. “Why does this keep happening?”

He pulls the guard up and over his shoulder in a fireman carry. “I don’t know. Have you ever heard the name Realta?”

I knit my brows because I do know that name. “I have, I don’t know where though.”

Damon lays the guard in the back of his jeep and I get buckled into the front. “I asked Dec, but he’s never heard the name. Are you all right?”

I play with my fingers and look over my palms. “It’s getting easier, I’m not nearly as tired as last time.”

“Last time there were two. Tomorrow we’ll work on your gifts together. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to today.”

We pull up to the hospital and a different doctor is waiting for us. “This is Dr. Turner. Dr. Turner, this is Natalie. Geoff is just sleeping off his ordeal.”

Dr. Turner helps get the guard into a gurney then takes him inside.

“He’ll be all right,” I reassure Damon.

He nods with his hands in his pockets. “I know he will because you were there to save him. He’s one of my best, strongest guards. Natalie, I wonder if you would humor me for a minute while I listen to the rantings of a crazy man.” I knit my brows but nod. He leads me inside to one of the rooms.

I recognize this room as the guy I wasn’t allowed to heal. He’s facing the window. “She’s going to kill us all.” His voice is familiar and chills go down my spine.

Damon steps closer to the bed. “She’s only killed one person, but you’re right, she’s still coming around. Now, who is she?”

The man turns to face Damon and my mouth drops open then tears spring to my eyes. I take a few steps forward and slap him across the face. “I hoped you were dead.” I rush out of the room and away from the hospital. My body is shaking and it’s not from the cold. My palms light up blue and I let it out on a nearby tree with an agonizing scream.

“Natalie!” Damon grabs me around my waist and pulls me from my third tree. I let the blue light fade and I can no longer stand. I’m sapped of energy, but worse, I’m heartbroken. I never in a million years thought I would find him here of all places. “I’m here, Natalie.”

Damon holds me as I sob into his chest. He pats my back and runs his fingers through my hair. “Talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

I pull back from his chest. He wipes my face with his thumbs and looks into my eyes. “That’s my father.”

Damon’s mouth drops open and his face is confused. “What? What do you mean that’s your father?”

“I didn’t exactly stutter, Damon.”

He rubs his hand up my back. “I’m sorry. I meant how is that your father? He only had a son.”

I cock my brow and give him an exhausted look. “Right. You had a brother.”

I nod. “He kept me locked away, but my mom was worse.” I get nervous and look around me. “Where is she, is she here too?”

Damon shakes his head. “No. She was killed years ago.”

I let out a breath. “It’s cold out here and your pants are soaked through. How about you take a hot shower and I’ll make you some cocoa.” Damon grabs my attention with my two favorite things. I nod and he pulls me to my feet. He looks at the trees. “I guess you got that one down.”

The fallen trees look so gloomy in the snow and darkness. “No, I don’t. That’s the one that scares me the most.” I look at my palms and pull forth my power. My healing light shines and I let it fade away. “I have no control of it at all.”

Damon opens my door and helps me into his jeep.

The hot water calms my nerves and my muscles begin to relax. I dress in my pajamas and some warm socks and meet Damon downstairs. He helps me up onto the counter then adds whipped cream to the mugs. “I had no idea that he had a daughter.”

I sip my cocoa. “Apparently. What happened to my mom?”

He licks his bottom lip. I reach out and touch his hand. “Stop thinking about what you want to tell and just tell me everything.” He looks in my eyes for any sign of doubt. I guarantee there is none.

“It was pretty bad.” Damon gives me a warning. I cock my brow before taking a drink. He nods and continues. “She was driving in a thunderstorm. Her car got struck by lightning in the middle of the road. She was getting out of her car and a truck didn’t see her. The truck ran into her car. It took off one of her legs and she slid down a cliff. The car rolled on top of her, crushing her. She laid there for two days under the car before she finally died. Your dad tried to get to her, but he was too late. I only know that story because my dad helped get her body out of the ravine.”

I’m gripping the edge of the counter with my head down as I try to figure out how to feel. “Lightning? More like the Moon Goddess got tired of her shit.”

Damon places his hand to my cheek. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you.”

I shake my head and look up to his eyes. “No, I’m glad you told me everything. Thank you. I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier.” I drink more cocoa and let it help calm me back down.

His half smile flashes for a second. “I understand. So what do you want to do now? About your dad, I mean.”

I fill my chest with air and sit up straight, confident. “He lost the right to that title a long time ago. My dad is Dr. Kyle Mason. My mom is Chelsea. I have a brother named Chase, and a sister named Kya. I don’t want anything to do with the man at the hospital. He’s nothing to me.” My voice cracks at the last part and my resolve shatters.

Damon holds me as I cry on his shoulder.

I feel a gentle kiss to my temple and I pull back. I look into his warm eyes as he looks back at me with concern. His hand cups my cheek and my heart splinters into a thousand pieces. I love him. I love him so much, but he has a mate. I jump down from the counter and rush up the stairs. I cry into my pillows until there’s nothing left and I’m lost in dreams.

A knock on my door wakes me up. “Come on, sleepy head. Training.”

I grunt and throw a pillow at Finn. He catches it with ease. “I will dump water on you.”

I grunt again. “I’ll set your ass on fire.”

He chuckles and tosses himself on the other side of my bed. “Nat. What’s going on with you? Are you okay?”

“I’m all right, I just don’t know what I am, what this strange energy is, or where it came from. I can’t read that huge ass book because my reading isn’t that good…it’s just a lot.”

“You got the fire thing and the yellow glowing thing down. The rest will come. Listen to Damon, he’s a good guy, plus he’s smart and he cares about you.”

I sit up against the plush headboard. “He is a good guy, but why should he care about me? I mean, I’m grateful for everything he’s done to make me feel included, but I don’t belong here. I’m only here for a little while.”

“I think you belong, even if it’s only for a little longer.” He musses my hair. “Besides, I like having you around again. Now, get up, we have training to do.” With that, he leaves my room.

I leave the comfort of my warm, soft, gigantic bed. I’m not about to doubt his threat of water for one second. He’s standing by his truck on the phone by the time I’m changed and ready to go. He sees me then hangs up. “Ready?”

“I hate you,” I tell him as I climb up into his truck. He just laughs. “Where is Damon?” I don’t know why it matters, I’m scared to death to see him after last night.

“Dealing with alpha stuff. Don’t worry, he’ll be there to train you.” At least I have a warning so I can prepare myself. We pull up to the training center. Damon is talking to a she-wolf I haven’t met and I’m illogically jealous.

He gives me a half smile and I tuck a stray hair over my ear and look at my shoes. “Come on. It’s cold out here.” Finn opens the door for me and I find a place to put my bag.

Finn calls everyone to attention and he and his dad, Dirk, tell us what we’re doing. I’m teamed up with Finn’s sister Kenna who happens to be my age. I remember her from the Redd pack. She’s pretty fast and I’m afraid to hurt her so I end up getting my butt whooped.

“Natalie, stop holding back,” Damon says from the side. I didn’t even know he came in.

“I can’t help it,” I tell him from the ground. Kenna lets me up and I get to my feet.

Damon pulls me to the side and I can’t look him in the eyes. “Natalie. I know Dec has mentioned how important it is for you to train. You have to be able to put your healing nature aside. Your life could depend on it. I’ve seen both Kya and Doc fight because they had to.”

I close my eyes, tired of the same spiel every time. “I’m not them. He’s a doctor and she’s a luna, they have to. I’m just me, nothing special. I heal people after the fact. I’ve never been in a fight, not even when I was on my own.”

Damon looks at me pointedly. ~“That’s not true.”~

My jaw quivers and I look up as tears pool in my eyes.

“I’m sorry, Natalie. I know you told me that in confidence. I’m not trying to use it against you, I’m just saying you never know what can happen. I don’t want you hurt because you can’t, no, won’t defend yourself.”

~“And you are special.”~

I wipe my eyes and let out a breath. I finally make myself look at him. His eyes are soft and so sincere. I give him a nod.

“Look. I’ll work with you. You can’t hurt me and if somehow you manage to, you can just heal me. No big deal.”

Damon and I step into the circle on the mat. He hasn’t even bothered to change out of his jeans and maroon thermal. Goddess, he’s gorgeous…and he belongs to someone else.

“Natalie. Let’s go. Show me what you got.”

I let out a breath then focus on what I’m supposed to do. Damon is an alpha, even my strongest punch wouldn’t hurt him. I get into my fighting stance, ready for an attack, but it doesn’t come.

“I said to SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT.”

Damn him and his alpha command. I start swinging and kicking at him, but he blocks everything, as expected. Finn comments on my fighting and I make the corrections. After a while, I begin to relax and just keep going.

I still have yet to land anything but Damon is sweating. Finn calls the end to training and I stand up breathless for the first time.

“Good work. I’ll meet you outside when you’re ready.”

I grab a drink then shower off.