Chapter Twenty-One

ELLIE

Sleep didn’t come easy that night when I got home.

I had a hunch that Dad was also up, probably thinking I’d try to sneak out again. I wondered if he was sitting by the front door, just like he used to do years ago.

That’s why it surprised me when he didn’t accompany me to the hospital. No one did. I half-expected Seth to show up and walk me there.

Maybe they trusted me not to bolt again, which was more trust than I had in myself.

That being said, I couldn’t stop myself from looking over my shoulder as I walked from the house to the hospital wing of the pack-house.

Call it paranoia, but I half-expected one of Seth’s warriors to be lurking around, making sure I was going where I was supposed to.

Of course, they weren’t, or at least I didn’t see or sense them. If I still had Nix, she would have sensed them, but if I still had her, I wouldn’t have run off in the first place.

When I pushed open the hospital door, Vanessa was already there waiting for me. I figured there wasn’t much need for a doctor, not when all her patients could heal themselves.

Things would change when the war started. Not that the wolves wouldn’t be able to heal, but the chances of more serious injuries needing medical attention would increase.

Vanessa had probably saved my life more times than I could count. Mostly when my wolf was missing. It didn’t mean I wasn’t grateful for her. I was. I just wished it wasn’t necessary.

“So…” she started, “let’s see how you’re healing.”

I sat on one of the hospital beds and lifted my top. The stitches were long gone, and the leftover bruising was almost faded. Only the scar remained.

I was hoping this was just a routine check and that she’d clear me to start training.

Vanessa put on a pair of rubber gloves and began to press and prod around the scar.

“Any discomfort or pain?” she asked.

I shook my head. It wasn’t a lie. I knew they were all being extra cautious. I doubted they had much experience with human healing.

“How’s your sleep?” Vanessa continued.

“Fine,” I muttered.

She looked at me, her eyes narrowing.

“Ellie? How can I help you if you don’t tell me the truth?”

I sighed. How did she know I wasn’t sleeping?

“Okay, I’m not, but what does that have to do with whether I’m healed enough for training?”

Vanessa looked at me and smiled.

“It doesn’t, but I’m your doctor. I…”

Vanessa didn’t get to finish her sentence when the door burst open.

I was just as surprised as she was to see Olivia standing there.

“How could you?” she scolded me, her glare fixed on me.

I stared at her, my mouth hanging open. Before I could even respond, she continued.

“I’m your best friend, and I had to hear about it from my mate. You could have at least told me?” she ranted.

I swallowed nervously. I wondered who had told Murdoch. Only three people knew about my escape attempt. That was Dad, Clayton, and Seth.

I couldn’t imagine any of them would have mentioned it to anyone. Hell, I don’t think they even mentioned it to Vanessa, and she was my doctor.

I hadn’t realized how much everyone cared. How foolish had I been?

“I’m sorry…” I started.

I didn’t get to finish, as Olivia cut me off again. If she hadn’t been so angry, I would have smirked, but knowing Olivia, I knew that would only make things worse.

“You do realize that the shock could have sent me into premature labor?” she scolded.

I looked at her belly. It wouldn’t have been very premature. She was due to give birth to junior any day now.

“I’ve already told Clayton that I’m going to find something for you to wear, so don’t fight me on that. You can’t have a mating ceremony wearing your normal clothes. Do you even own a dress?”

I rolled my eyes. Of course, she wasn’t talking about my failed escape attempt. She was talking about Seth being my chosen mate.

Vanessa cleared her throat.

“If you don’t mind Olivia, I’d like to finish examining my patient.”

Olivia’s face turned a shade of red.

“I’ll see you later, Ellie.”

I nodded and watched as she left the room.

Vanessa sighed.

“Now, where was I…”

Vanessa didn’t get to continue as the door opened once again. She rolled her eyes, but I couldn’t help but smile.

Seth stood in the doorway. He looked extra sharp this morning, I wasn’t sure why. I was just wearing a pair of joggers and a tank top. I was slightly panicked, were we supposed to be going somewhere.

Before I could overthink it, I was distracted by his smooth, velvety voice.

“Have you finished with my mate, Doc?”

Vanessa rolled her eyes, she hated being called Doc, but she wasn’t going to scold her Beta for it. Instead, she just sighed heavily.

“Yes, I suppose so. Just light training though, and I’ll give you something to help you sleep,” she huffed.

Seth looked at me and frowned. I jumped off the bed, eager to leave the hospital before Vanessa asked me any more uncomfortable questions. I wasn’t even sure if she knew I had tried to run away last night.

Seth wrapped his arm around me and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.

“Don’t worry about the medication, Doc, in a couple of days she’ll be sleeping like a baby,” he smirked.

I felt my face turn red. After the mating ceremony, I would be moving in with him. I’d never seen his place, but from what I could gather, it was just a room.

Living in a single room would be a change, considering I’d always had a whole house to myself. Since moving here, I’d either stayed in Clayton’s apartment or my dad’s place. Most of the pack members who lived in the pack-house only had a room to themselves.

Maybe I was just used to more.

“Ellie, I’ve got a surprise for you,” Seth said, a playful smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

“What is it?” I asked as he led me away from the hospital.

Seth just laughed. “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”

I rolled my eyes and sighed, which only made him laugh more. I didn’t really mind. Even though he was laughing at my expense, it felt comfortable, like it was supposed to be this way.

Arm in arm, we left the pack-house.

Seth guided me past the training area and some of the other houses that were close to the pack-house. This included my own house and Murdoch and Olivia’s.

I couldn’t help but smile, thinking back to Livvie’s recent outburst.

“Did you tell Murdoch about us being mates?” I asked, a bit hesitantly.

Seth frowned and shook his head.

“The only ones who know are you, me, Clayton, and your dad.”

I hummed in response.

“Well, Murdoch knows now, and he told Olivia. She was mad that she heard it from Murdoch and not me.”

Seth chuckled. “She’s always mad about something.”

I playfully punched his arm. Seth made a face as he rubbed the spot.

“Don’t be mean, she’s my friend. Plus, she’s going to help me find something to wear for the ceremony.”

Seth held his hands up in a pretend surrender.

“Alright, just don’t beat me up,” he smirked, “save your fists for the training ground.”

I smiled. It was the first time in weeks I’d felt like smiling.

I leaned into Seth. He was the reason for my happiness.

That’s when I noticed we’d stopped walking. Seth placed his hands on my shoulders and gently turned me to face a different direction.

Before me stood a large house. It was beautiful, even if it needed a bit of fixing up. There was a big wrap-around porch, complete with a swing.

“What do you think?” Seth asked, his lips brushing against my ear. “Do you like it?”

I gasped and spun around to face him.

“Is this ours?” I asked, my voice filled with excitement.

Seth smiled.

“It needs some work. It was my parents’ house. If you like it, it can be ours.”

I grabbed Seth’s hand and pulled him toward the house.

“Come on,” I half-shrieked. “I want to see inside.”

Seth laughed and let me pull him up the front steps.

He took a large brass key from his pocket and handed it to me.

“Go ahead, you can do the honors,” he said.

I took the key, put it in the lock, and turned it. The lock clicked loudly.

I pushed the door open. The house smelled a bit musty, but I didn’t care.

The entryway was huge, with a grand staircase leading upstairs. There were doors on either side. I looked at each one, unsure of where to go first.

I turned back to Seth. This was his old house, maybe he should give me the tour.

I was surprised to see his eyes were glazed over and black. He was mind-linking with someone.

When his eyes returned to their normal brown color, he let out a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry, Ellie, I have to go. There’s trouble at the border.”

I frowned. “Is it starting? Are they attacking already? I thought we had more time?”

Seth shook his head. “It’s just one wolf, asking to speak with our Alpha. I need to find out what he wants.”

I grabbed Seth’s hand. “Let me go with you…Please.”

Seth looked at me, and I could tell he was going to say no.

“Please, Seth, you said you’d let me be my own person. I want to do this. I need to do this.”

Seth let out another heavy sigh, but he nodded.

“Alright, but you have to do exactly as I say,” he warned.

I nodded.

It was a shame I didn’t get to see the rest of the house, but there would be time for that later.

“Who is it? Where are they from?”

Seth took a deep breath, as if he was preparing himself for the answer he was about to give.

“I think you might know him, Ellie. His name is Jason, from the Crescent Moon pack.”