Chapter 23

[Celeste]

"Mom." I grasped her wrist and removed her hand from touching Greyson's soft black pelt, which was soiled by dried patches of blood. It looked like I was seething, the way I barked at her like a possessive brat over a stuffed toy. "He's hurt, I don't think it's a good idea to touch him."

Never in my life had I ever yelled at my mom that way and she was completely taken back. I turned my attention back to Greyson, caressing his head hoping somehow that would give him comfort.

Greyson you prick...

Greyson you fool...

Greyson. Stop being so nice to me, because I think I'm falling for you.

My vision blurred and my throat tightened at my silent confession. Greyson deserved to hear it. I owe him that much for saving my life, but now was not the time. I wasn't going to tell him when pain was obstructing his thoughts. He was going to pull through this and when he does, I'll tell him I like him.

As he lay struggling against life and death, I held him and recalled the way he selflessly shielded me from the bullet that would have killed me instantly. For a brief moment, at the stream, our eyes connected and I saw the fear he felt. My wellbeing was much more important to him than his own. Only my heart could be heard pounding against my ears as the bullet went through him. His wolf was determined to protect me even though he was bleeding out.

And my heart trembled for him, because I felt useless.

Once again someone was suffering to protect me.

First it was my mom and now it is Greyson...

They both loved me beyond belief and would die for me. Mom is my mom; she has a reason for her actions. Greyson, however, he cared for me with some kind of paranormal love, I couldn't comprehend.

Now, there was no denying it or challenging his reasons, because—

My god, the man took a bullet for me!

It was like a part of me was not myself after that.

All I could think about was...Greyson. And all this these feelings transpired after that kiss in the stream. It felt like a part of me had opened up and the bullet was the catalyst that speed up my emotional responses.

Here he was bleeding and possibly dying and no one has yet to freak out, or cry over him. Not his father, not his mother, or his sister. I was increasingly going out of my mind. What was wrong with them? Didn't they care that Greyson was in pain?

If anyone touched him, I was going to attack everyone like a teenage boy guarding his X-box with his life.

Mom's movements were slow, but clutched her hands against her chest. "Shouldn't we take the poor thing to the hospital?" On cue Greyson whimpered.

Bennett shook his head. "Let's not make a spectacle over this and get him properly bandaged up." He motioned away from Greyson's bed. "Celeste, you stay where you are. It helps if you are near him."

My fists clenched. "I wanted to yell at him. Scream at him for being an uncaring father, but I bit my lips to keep my mouth shut.

"Why the hell are you not upset about this? He just got shot! Are you that heartless?"

Mom looked at me with concern. "Honey, I'm sure the poor puppy will be okay."

Laura now appeared distressed over her son, but she didn't hurl herself hysterically at Greyson's condition. Lexie brushed a stray tear that fell from her cheek so that no one noticed. The twins were probably not allowed to see their brother in this situation and someone was keeping them from knowing what was going on in this room.

Bennett turned his head and gave me a stone cold glare that sent a wave of nerves hurdling towards the center of my chest. It took all I had not to step back from the intensity of his gaze. One step. Two steps. And he was hovering over me like an angry bull seeing red. His pupils dilated and almost completely covered his irises. His jaw tensed and I was in front view of his sharp jaws.

"Of course I care for my son! But crying over him is not going to help anything! Only his mate can give him the energy he needs to survive."

"Hey, what the hell do you think you are doing? Yelling at my daughter?" Mom placed herself between Bennett and me and went eyes to eye with the menacing man. She looked straight into his eyes and saw his beast reflecting on his eyes. "Oh my--what the hell are you!" I stumbled backward when she pushed me back. "Celeste, Charlotte, get away from him. He isn't normal!" Her eyes flickered to everyone else in the room. "What the hell are all of you?"

Greyson's wolf snarled when it saw me being pulled further away and he tried to get back on its four paws.

"Hold him down!" Dr. O'Dell snapped.

"Mom, stop!" I yelled. She was pushing me towards the door; I didn't want to leave Greyson.

She raised her hand to Charlotte. "Charlotte, get over here! We have to get out of here!"

Charlotte hesitantly moved past Lexie and Laura. Mom was once again hysteric and using herself as a shield to protect my sister and me from Greyson's family.

"Please, relax. We are not going to harm you!" Laura muttered. "Bennett, cool yourself. Go for a run or something. You are not making this situation any better." She coolly ordered her husband.

Was it standard procedure for werewolves to take a walk when to blow off steam?

"I'm going to remove the bullet wedged inside." Dr. O'Dell pulled out a pair of plastic gloves from her bag and quickly rounded the bed. "But before I proceed, we need to take him to my office for an x-ray. I want to see how far the bullet went and how sever the situation is."

Laura groaned. "Why couldn't we have done that earlier? Isn't moving him going to cause my son more pain?"

That caught Bennett attention immediately. He lifted Greyson without effort, but as predicted the pain was unbearable. Greyson cried out and his jaws almost ran through his father's throat. With Greyson's abnormally large size, it was like Bennett was holding a gigantic bear.

I pushed aside my mother to side next to Bennett as he steadily sped to Dr. O'Dell's office. Dr. O'Dell was matching our pace.

Greyson wasn't happy that his father was carrying him and growled his protest.

"Now's not the time to be complaining" Bennett muttered.

Placing my hand on the soft coat on Greyson's back, I tried to grasp his attention. If Bennett wasn't lying and I had the ability to somehow help Greyson in this situation, it was the least I could do for saving my life.

"Celeste, get back here!" Mom yelled. "We don't know these people!"

"I know them mom." I said sharply. "And they won't harm me. Or any of us."

"How would you know?" She said crossly.

She was having a hard time keeping pace with our footsteps. I was practically jogging to keep up with Bennett and to my surprise Dr. O'Dell wasn't even out of breath.

"Just trust me okay? Greyson saved me and I want to make sure he gets through this." And I wanted to make sure I was there when he got better to tell him I liked him.

"That dog has the same name as that boy?" Mom said disapprovingly.

"No mom. He is Greyson."

It looks like I've officially joined this insane town. My own mother is looking at me like I've got nuts too. She stopped following and stood shocked.

I was lagging behind and didn't notice until Bennett said, "Hurry, we need to treat him as soon as possible." He was already meters ahead of me. I couldn't lose sight of them. This house is so big, I haven't yet gotten used to its large size.

"Celeste!" Mom yelled from where she stood.

When we got to Dr. O'Dell's office, Greyson was quickly placed on an examining table. We had to leave the room so that the x-ray could be properly conducted.

Dr. O'Dell looked at the prints. "It's a miracle. The bullet has punctured between his ribs and was angled to hit his heart, but it barely touched it. Whoever shot him, knew how to aim that gun. The risk of surgery is fatal, but at least he has a good chance of living through this."

That shoot was aimed at me. Someone tried to kill me! The thought had me shivering all over. But who would want to kill me? If Greyson hadn't saved me, I would be in his place right now but dead.

Bennett sighs in relief of what Dr. O'Dell just announced. "Will you perform the surgery right now?"

"I have no choice, sir." She immediately began prepping for surgery, coving Greyson's body with a surgical cloth.

"Do you need help?" I had no medical knowledge, but I assist her somehow.

Dr. O'Dell smiled at me kindheartedly. "I would really need it. Wash your hands in that sink over there, put on some gloves, a mask and quickly put on the sterile surgical gown. I need you to hand me tools when I need it. "

"I'll make sure no one enters this room. Dr. O'Dell, do what it takes to keep my son alive." Bennett was about to close the door on his way out, but someone persisted to get inside the room.

"What the F-

The intruder saw Bennett and coughed before he could finish the curse word. Awkwardly he welcomed himself inside and stood next to Greyson. "Shit man, what happened to you? You look like a dead beat dog."

"Leo, get small ass out of the room. Now is not the time for your silly antics. At least tell me you able to catch the intruder?" Bennett growled.

Leo's eyes down casted in apprehension. "Sorry Alpha, but the rogue effectively used our territory to its advantage. He was able to escape. It was like it's been in our land before and has memorized the landscape for his advantage."

Bennett's brows pull together and he grinds his teeth. "I've never heard of a rogue being this tactful before. Did his scent come off as familiar to you?"

Leo shook his head. "No sir."

Bennett growled. "I don't care if it takes all the wolves in our pack to do it. Scan the area again and make sure that rogues scent is not on a single square inch of my land! What is going on in this place?" He muttered the last part to himself.

"Guys, can you please leave?" I muttered between my teeth.

Dr. O'Dell skillfully ignored the white noise and proceeded with her work. She cut the fur around the area Greyson was shot so that it would be easier for her to mend. I looked away when she injected anesthesia for the pain and cut about an inch so that she could wedge her tool and grab the bullet.

Bennett and Leo ended up staying in the room to help restrain Greyson, because drugs has little affect on an alpha, so general anesthesia only numbed Greyson, but didn't but him to sleep. Bennett held Greyson's muzzle down when he attempted to snap his sharp jaws. Leo held down Greyson's hind legs. As for me, I stood across Dr. O'Dell and kept my palms on the side of Greyson's belly and handed Dr. O'Dell tools when she asked. Not once did I look at Greyson's open wound, afraid of fainting.

What was only 45min of surgery, felt like an eternity; by the time Dr. O'Dell was finished with the final stitch, everyone sighed in relief.

Greyson struggled so much he eventually tired himself out and fell asleep. He remained in his wolf form.

"He can't change back until that wound his fully healed. "Dr. O'Dell said, wiping her cleaned soaked hands on a hand towel. "Make sure he doesn't get up and strain himself."

I caressed Greyson's fur and covered his body with a warm blanket.

Leo left again with orders from Bennett to manage the search party and not rest until that rogue wolf is found.

I didn't notice when Bennett hovered over me. "Thanks for being with him."

"Uh...no problem." I said awkwardly.

"Your mother is frantic, looking for you. She punched two of my men for keeping her locked in one of our rooms with your sister."

I snorted. "Where do you think I got my stubbornness from?"

He smirked, then his expression turned completely serious. "I made an assumption before. That your grandparents, from your mom's side, do not carry the werewolf recessive gene, however, I'm starting to speculate that your father does. Have you ever noticed anything strange with him?"

It was a crazy notion, but anything was possible at this point. "He never turned into a werewolf, if that's what you mean by strange. He died when I was pretty young."

"Are you sure he's dead?"

I frowned. "I didn't see his body because it was closed casket. Mom said he was totally messed up after the car accident that she couldn't even recognize him."

Bennett thought for a moment. "Come with me."

"I'm not leaving Greyson." I said flatly.

"I understand," He nodded with a small hint of a smile on his face. "I had someone escort your mother and sister here. We can talk from outside this room. You won't be far from him for long, I promise. I need to talk to your mother but I'm sure she will be compliant, that's why I need you with me."

"Fine." I said.

Before following him out the door, I quietly told Greyson that I'd be back, though I doubt he was conscious to pay notice. His heart rate did go one beat higher, but that was just false hope on my part.

"Mom," I greeted her from outside the door. Charlotte was standing right next to her.

"Celest--"

I cut through her voice and shushed her. "Greyson's sleeping, don't wake him up." I said in a whisper.

Mom looked at me like I was some sort of alien. "What's wrong with you? You're not acting like my smart daughter! You're acting more like your—

"Grandmother?"

Gran stood behind her with her arms crossed and annoyed.

"Yes!" Mom screamed.

"Mom, keep your voice down."

"I don't give a shit about that dog!"

Not only did her words anger me, but Bennett didn't like it as well.

"You are talking about my son, Miss."

"It's just a dog! You're acting like it's a human being..." Her eyes looked between Bennett and me and tears started forming over her tear ducts. "Just like Nike used to with his dog." Then full out tears streamed down her face like a faucet.

"Oh, mom..." I came forward and wrapped my hands around her.

"Now I'm losing you and I can't get in contact with your brother. I haven't heard from him since the other night! I don't know where he is or if he's looking for us. He could be alone back at the house and hungry! He can't even cook for himself!"

Charlotte looked at me. Tell her.

"Your son is safe." Bennett sighed. "He's in this house."

Mom gasped. "You kidnapped my son too!"

"No...he snuck in my territory and attacked my son."

"Which son are you talking about? The boy or the dog?" mom mocked to piss Bennett off.

"My eldest son, who is the same boy you meet earlier and the one behind this door." He pointed to Dr. O'Dell's office.

"You're out of your mind. Where is Trent? Where did you keep him!" Mom grabbed my hand. "Tell me where my son is and my family and I are leaving back to our home." She glanced at Gran. "Not your house, but our home back in the west coast."

I snatched my hand back. "I'm not leaving mom. I am starting to warm up to this town."

Gran jumped and punched the air. "Yes, I knew I liked you! By far, greatest grandchild ever; no offence sweetie."

Charlotte shrugged. "It's okay. My sister is hard not to like."

"Until now." Mom fumed. "Celeste, you are not yourself right now. They brainwashed you. I can feel it. When we get back, I know this great psychologist who can—

"Mom, no...I'm staying and I don't need a psychologist. I'm fine!"

"They all say that dear."

"You are extremely annoying!" Bennett groaned. "I brought you here because I just wanted to know if your husband had shown any abnormal behaviors when he was alive. Did he?"

Mom glared at him. "You're a—

"Just answer the damn question."

"No, my Nicolas never acted strange. He was a perfect gentleman unlike you!"

"Did he have any family?"

"Why are you so interested about my husband's background?"

"Because your son is a werewolf—just like me, just like the rest of the males in this house!" Bennett all but yelled it in her face.

NOTE: Dec 24, 2016

HAPPY HOLIDAYS YOU FREAKISHLY AMAZING PEOPLE!!! I'M BACK!!! I've graduated and I'm ready to write again after a year of constant chaos. I have edited this book again so you will find some changes to the style of writing. This book has been closed off from the public but I have made it visible once more. SO YOU BETTER BE GRATEFUL, you marshmallows! Let's make one thing clear though IF YOU COPY MY BOOK...I WILL FIND YOU.

BE WARNED. xo