Chapter 51

ELLA

Leo refused to leave.

When I first woke up, it was clear I’d had some memory loss because the longer I sat in that hospital bed, the more traumatic images began to flood back in and the more grateful I was to have him right next to me.

“Andrea forced me to watch Alessio be murdered,” I whispered after at least an hour of silence. “And he ordered it because I refused to apologize for being disrespectful to Luciano, and he wanted to teach me a lesson.

“His throat was slit, and I don’t think I’ll ever get that image out of my mind. I close my eyes, and it’s there. And the worst part is it was my fault.

“I couldn’t bring myself to submit, and as a result, there are two kids out there without a dad. Can you imagine the guilt I face for that?”

“You cannot hold yourself accountable,” Leo said firmly. “The only person responsible for Alessio’s death is Andrea Martinez. He wants you to feel guilty to torture you psychologically. Don’t let him get to you.”

I shook my head as I began to cry.

“All he wanted me to do was say one simple sorry to Luciano, and I wouldn’t do it,” I replied. “Why didn’t I do it?”

“There is no point dwelling on it,” Leo said. “Nothing can be changed.”

“Out of all the things he did, that was by far the worst. The pain of all the times he hit, raped, and beat me amounted together doesn’t even come close to it.”

By this point, the tears were streaming.

“Alessio’s family are receiving all the support they need,” I reassured. “And he is respected as a good, loyal soldier willing to sacrifice himself for his luna and his pack. There were hundreds at his funeral.”

“But he’s still dead.”

Leo nodded and squeezed my hand. He clearly didn’t know how else to comfort me.

“Come here,” I said, moving to the side of the bed. “I’m cold, and I miss your cuddles.”

“Are you sure, Ella?” he asked. “I don’t want to cross the line. Not with everything you’ve been through.”

I nodded. “It’s okay.”

He smiled and climbed into the bed next to me. His arm wrapped around me, and I rested my head on his chest.

“You’re freezing,” he said, pulling me in tighter.

“I want to sleep. You’ll stay, won’t you?” I asked.

“Of course,” he replied.

“Promise me I won’t wake up and you’ll be gone,” I added, looking up into his eyes.

“I promise.”

I nodded and laid my head back down.

It was ages before I could actually sleep. With so many thoughts and memories, it was hard for my mind to slip into rest.

The doctor had prescribed me some sleeping pills, but I wasn’t allowed to take them until my strength had improved. So I just lay there until my dreadful thoughts became dreadful nightmares.

I was running through the jungle, the branches and vines slashing my skin, making me bleed all over my body. My hands and clothes were red with blood, but I just kept looking back.

There was nobody there. Nobody behind me, nobody in sight, nobody to be heard. But still, I ran on, fighting through the dense jungle until I reached a clearing.

The sky was blue, and the warm sun seemed to soothe me. For a brief moment, everything seemed okay. So I lay down and let myself breathe as I watched the fluffy clouds pass over.

But then a black shadow leaped out of the trees. It bounded up to me, and I tried to scramble away, but it was too late. It had me and—

“Ella,” I heard Leo’s voice say. “Ella, wake up.”

I opened my eyes and sat sharp upright.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “Your heart rate went crazy for a second.”

His eyes were wide and concerned. I swallowed and nodded.

“I was having a nightmare. They’re relentless, Leo. Every time I try to sleep.”

He brought me into a hug. “It won’t be like this forever. Remember that. What seems relentless won’t be.”

I clutched his shirt in my fingers and nodded again.

The next day, Leo left for an hour or two to do the school run and see our kids, and when he returned, he had an armful of paint cans.

“What color would you like the walls of this fine chamber, my lady?” he asked with a wide smile. “I’ve got forest green, fuchsia, orchid purple, or ocean blue.”

“They all sound equally pretentious, so may I take all four, my lord?” I asked.

“Whatever you wish, you shall have,” he replied with a low bow.

For the entire morning, Leo stood painting all four walls and the ceiling of the hospital room. There were spots, zigzags, flowers, swirls, and stripes.

I smiled in delight at his artistry and also at the amount of paint in his hair and on his face.

“Do you like it?” he asked, stepping back to look at his work.

“I love it,” I replied. “And anybody who uses this room after me will have no choice but to love it too.”

At that point, a doctor walked in.

“Oh wow,” she said, immediately pausing as the color met her eyes. “It’s so…bright.”

She then looked to Leo and then to the paintbrush in his hand.

“I had no idea you were so artistic, Alpha,” she added.

He rolled his eyes.

“I have many hidden talents,” he replied.

“Well, you ought to open a window,” she said sternly. “You don’t want your luna suffocating from paint fumes.”

She was an older woman, and she seemed to be scolding him. That, along with Leo’s quickness to obey, made me laugh.

“You’re chipper this morning, Luna,” she said, turning to me. “Do you mind if I check your vitals?”

I shook my head.

She took my heart rate, blood pressure, lung capacity, and temperature, then scribbled something down on her clipboard. I noticed Leo peering over to see what she’d written.

“You’re still weak and need to stay in that bed,” she said. “But there’s more color in your cheeks and life in your eyes. You’ll be better before you know it.”

“And the sleeping pills?” Leo asked. “When can she have them?”

“Not yet,” she said. “A few more days perhaps. But for now she can have these.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bottle full of pills, which she handed to Leo.

“One in the morning, one at night,” she said. “They’ll keep your mind off it while you’re awake at least, but you might not feel quite yourself. It’s your choice to use them or not, Luna.”

Leo nodded, and she left.

“What are they?” I asked.

“Benzodiazepines,” he replied, reading the bottle. “Reduce feelings of severe distress by inducing emotional numbness. Then there’s a long list of side effects…”

I shook my head.

“No, I didn’t get you to paint the walls so bright and loud just to numb myself with some pills. I need to feel in order to heal,” I replied. “It’ll be painful, but I’ll get through.”

I then nodded confidently and wiped away an escaping tear instantly.

Leo nodded. “I’ll leave them here in case you change your mind, and it gets too much,” he said, putting them on the shelf. “But I think you’ve made the right choice.”

I nodded, staring at the wall. The bottle was in the corner of my eye. Just a few of them and I could escape Andrea just for a few hours.

“Ella?” Leo asked.

I looked up to him and forced a smile. “Yes, I think so too. But shouldn’t you be going?” I asked, looking at the clock on the wall.

“School ends in an hour, and sometimes Silas’s class gets let out early, and Francesca and Marie like to wave to you as you wait, so if you’re not there, they won’t—”

“Okay, okay,” he said. “I’m going.”

I smiled, and after kissing me on the head, he left, leaving me alone in the room with nothing but multicolored walls, some beeping machines, and a bottle of pills on the shelf.