Chapter #15

A/N: Muahahaha, this is actually a long chapter. I think, anyways. This one took a while, but I think you guys will like it. 10 more votes and 3 comments? Thank yoouu

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*Astrid's POV*

"She'll be okay. She just needs to be fed small amounts every two hours, and she won't be able to strain her body by walking or any strenuous physical activity for a while. You'll need to be with her 24/7 for the next week or so. She's okay, other than that, though," A feminine voice reassured, and I frowned internally. What? Who's she talking to? Who's she talking about?

"Then why isn't my baby waking up?" A deep voice growled, and I immediately recognized it as Asher's.

"I don't know, Asher. Just give her time. Here, go get something to eat and take a shower. You haven't moved for three days."

Three days?!

"No, Nancy. This is my mate. I'm not leaving her. She might wake up when I'm gone and get scared,"

I heard a scoff before the feminine voice replied, "Alpha, with all due respect, she hasn't moved in three days. She won't wake up when you're gone,"

Before Ash could reply, I decided to try and open my eyes. I couldn't, of course.

"A-Ash?" I croaked, my voice small and hoarse from not using it for a while.

I suddenly felt my body being wrapped up in strong arms, my mate's face burrowing itself in my neck.

"Leave, Nancy," He snarled, inhaling my scent to calm down. After hearing the door close, I tried opening my eyes, and I was successful.

Wincing once I saw the bright lights, I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Sorry, Kitten," He murmured, turning them off. I knew because I heard the little clicking noise when he pulled the chord for the bright LED lights above my hospital bed.

I knew I wasn't in a regular hospital, either. I knew I was in the hospital room at the pack house. He'd told me about it before, and why would a doctor call him Alpha at a regular hospital? Exactly.

Slowly opening my eyes, the first thing I saw was a mop of shaggy black hair. I quickly realized it was because Asher's face was laying on my breasts, his arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.

Tears formed in my eyes as I remembered every single thing that went on in that awful cabin, and I carefully brought my hands up, running my fingers through Ash's black strands.

"I was so scared," He whispered, his voice cracking at the end. "It was so hard, knowing that you were out there with some pshyco, getting hurt, and there was nothing I could do to help you until I found you. I was so messed up, I even punched Andy in the face when he said to calm down," He admit, giving a humourless chuckle.

"As-Ash," I whimpered, lightly tugging at his hair so he'd look up at me.

"What is it, babe? Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Baby, you have to tell me if anything hurts. I can make it go away, and-"

"Asher," I interrupted, my voice still small and weak.

His eyes were wide when they met mine, and he nodded for me to continue.

"W-Water, please?" His wide eyes widened even more, and he bolted off of the bed and ran to the tap in the room, grabbing a paper cup on the way. Quickly filling it, he brought it back to me and held it to my lips, waiting for me to take a sip.

Drinking the whole cup, I sat back against the pillows, closing my eyes.

"Kitten, please stay with me, don't leave me again," Ash choked, rushing over to my side and gripping my hands in his much bigger ones.

Reopening them, I looked deep into his eyes, giving him a weak smile.

"Sorry, love, it just... I can't..." My eyelids drooped, and I looked down at my body.

I was bandaged around my ribs, and there was gauze and band-aids on my wrists. There was a temporary cast on my left ankle, and other than that I had bandages and gauze practically everywhere on my body.

Looking up to my side, I saw an I.V. hooked up into my arm, and I frowned, staring at it before slipping one of my hands from Asher's and tugging at the chord.

"Baby, no. You need that in you to help you, sweetheart," Ash soothed, gently prying my hand away from the long clear tube connected to my arm.

"But it makes me feel... loopy..." I mumbled, glaring at it.

A small chuckle came from my mate, and I looked up and pouted at him.

"Sweetheart, this will, in fact, make you 'loopy'. It's going to make you feel weird and drowsy, and it may make you have sudden mood swings, but you need this until we go home, okay?"

Tears formed, and I started to cry. "But I j-just want to go h-home, Asher. I wan-t to go h-hom-e," I hiccuped, reaching my arms out to him as a small child would when wanting to be held.

Giving me a sad smile, he crouched down so he was at my eye level. "We'll go home soon, baby girl. But right now we need to stay here for a bit so you can get better, right?" He asked gently, kissing my nose.

Sniffling, I nodded. "I just miss Asher, and I want to go home," I mumbled, my eyes slowly closing.

"Baby, I'm right here. Ash is right here," He whispered, stroking my cheek until I finally fell asleep.

*Asher's POV*

About an hour later, I felt a small hand tug at the strands of hair on the nape of my neck. Raising my gaze, I saw that Astrid's eyes were closed, but she was frowning.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" I asked quietly, sitting up and taking her hands in mine, kissing the knuckles.

"Shh, I have to tell you a secret," She whispered groggily, her eyes opening a tiny bit. Smirking, I knew she was just talking in her sleep. She did it a fair amount, always telling me secrets and stories that I didn't understand, but she told me to not tell anyone, even Astrid, even though she was Astrid.

It was fucking cute.

"Okay, baby. What's the secret?" I asked, watching as she frowned and looked up at me with hooded eyes.

"I want to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone," She said urgently in a hushed tone, closing her eyes again.

Cupping her cheek, I nodded. "I won't, princess," I assured her.

"I have a crush on someone," She told me, leaning into my hand.

Even though she was asleep, I didn't like her saying that. How could she have a crush? Damn it.

My wolf growled, already wanting to tear the throat out of said 'crush'.

"Who is it?" I asked, trying to keep my calm.

"Promise you won't tell?"

Sighing, I stroked her cheek bone with my thumb. "Yeah, babe. I won't tell,"

"It's Asher," She whispered, nuzzling my palm.

All of my anger quickly drained, and a small smile formed on my face at her words. "Oh, do you? And why's that?"

"He's so pretty..." She trailed off, smiling in her sleep. "And he always makes me feel safe... and he's really nice to me, and he saved me..." With that being said, she drifted back into a deep sleep once more, her hands gripping my wrist so I couldn't move my hand from her cheek.

Grinning wildly, I kissed her nose.

'Alpha, you need to come to your office right now. It's urgent,' My beta, Andy, told me through the pack link.

'I'm with my mate, Andy. She needs me,' I growled, not pleased with the idea of leaving her.

'Alpha, we need you more right now, and-'

I growled loudly at him through the link, my hands shaking slightly.

Astrid whimpered in her sleep, tightening her hold on my wrist, calming me a tad more.

'Andy, do you not seem to remember that my mate was once again with her abusive guardian, being beaten and malnourished? Did you forget that she also had a panic attack while unconcious just three days ago on our way home? Do you not remember how she was practically bleeding out and chained to a bed?' I snapped.

'No, sir, I did not forget. It's just that we need you because some rogues have entered our territory and we need your help,' He informed me.

Snarling at him, I reluctantly pulled my hand away from Astrid.

"Ash," She mumbled, her chin trembling. Frowning, I kissed her forehead, caressing her cheek.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll be back in a few minutes. I love you," I murmured, stroking her cheek once more before turning and leaving the room.

'I'll be there in a second, but I want Mike to come guard my baby's door. I don't want anyone besides Nancy and I in there. Understood?'

'Yes, Alpha,'

'Good,'

Quickly walking through the halls, I made my way down to my office.

"Well, come on, then. I want to get this over with," With that, I walked out of the door in my office and started for the woods. Andy and Tony were hot on my tail, following my every move.

Stripping out of my clothes, I shifted into my large black wolf, taking my clothes in my jaw and hiding them behind a tree.

'I can smell him from here. He's close. Let's  move,'

'Yes, Alpha,' The two chorused, already shifted and taking after me as I sprinted into a large field.

My eyes locked on a naked human form, standing there in the middle of the tall grass with an arrogant smirk on his face.

Shifting back into my human form, I moved to stand 20 paces away from him, narrowing my eyes.

"Leave my territory, rogue." I growled, using my Alpha tone.

He simply laughed, stepping forward. "Sorry, I was just coming to ask you about your dear mate, Astrid. Oh, she's a beauty. Be a shame if she was to be hurt while you were out, eh? She's still in the hospital, isn't she? Poor thing. Must've been awful getting the shit beat outta her, don't you think?"

My body shook with rage, before Tony and Andy could stop me, I lunged forward, shifting in midair and sinking my sharp canines into his shoulder, growling loudly.

I dug into his chest with my claws, furious that he said such things about my baby girl.

Before I could kill him, I dropped his body, turning away.

'Take him to the cell. I'll question him tomorrow. I want the bastard on 24/7 security watch.'

With that being said, I turned and sprinted towards the pack house, only stopping when I came to the large oak tree holding my clothes.

Shifting, I swiftly yanked the joggers up my legs, disregarding the tee-shirt and boxers, only focusing on the need for my mate.

Running inside, I pushed past everyone in my way, quickly turning the corner and walking down the hall to the door to the hospital room.

"What the hell, Mike?!" I snapped, snatching the iPhone from his hands. His eyes snapped up to mine from where he sat casually on the tiled floor, his eyes widening. "You're supposed to be listening for any danger and guarding my mate, not playing on your fucking phone!"

Dropping the phone onto the chair sitting against the wall, I shoved Mike out of the way and threw open the door.

My angel sat on the bed, curled up in a ball as tears ran down her beautiful face. Her teary gaze snapped up to mine, and she looked relieved.

Slamming the door, I rushed to her side, scooping her up into my arms as I sat down on the plain white hospital bed, careful to avoid bandaged areas or IVs.

"W-Where were you?" She sniffed, her body clinging to mine as she shook.

"I'm so sorry, baby," I whispered, stroking her soft blond hair. "I was dealing with a rogue, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,"

"I thought you le-left. I'm sorry I'm so clingy, it's just that I'm scared and I ne-need y-you," She sobbed, and I held her closer, shaking my head.

"No, baby, no, no, no. You're not being clingy. You're scared and that's okay. I will never ever leave you, okay?" I murmured, kissing the top of her head as she sniffled, nodding and burying her face into my chest. "Shh, baby, shh. It's okay, I'm here now. I won't leave you. I love you. Shh, shh," I soothed, watching as she drifted into unconsciousness, curled up against my body.

It literally hurt to see her like this. It hurt like hell.