a stitch in time

Amara Eldwood

My head throbbed and my eyes were raw when I managed to screw them open.

“Unghh,” I groaned, trying to ignore the stab of pain in my temples and in the grooves deep inside my eyes.

My throat was parched and tight, as I drew my back up to the metal bedrest, panting.

“M’lady? Are you alright? Nurse!” A blond maid I recognized as Amenie screeched after leaping to my side and I fought the urge to clamp her small pouty lips shut with my hands.

If she didn't look so worried I would have sworn she was trying to give me an aneurysm.

“Water—” I rasped, cradling my throat with a hand and watching the woman dive for the water pitcher, her shaky hands pouring into the glass she handed to me.

I sipped it carefully, before downing the entire glass and meeting her wide, frightened eyes.

My brows knotted in confusion when I saw the way her jaw trembled, taking in the bandaid she had slapped across the top end of her forehead.

Had I hurt her that badly?

Regret mingled with the buzzing headache quickly spreading through my system but the woman beat me to breaking the tense silence.

“Are you alright, miss? The doctor would be here soon,” Amenie gasped, backing up a few feet, like she was scared I would leap at her.

I didn't know where she got off thinking that, I’d been scared when I bumped her, for goodness sake, it wasn't like I was some animal!

“I’m deeply sorry for everything that’s happened, Amenie. I wouldn't want this to come between us—” I started, holding up my hands in surrender and watching a doubtful look flicker across her light hazel eyes.

Her usually pristine uniform was creased with rumpled odd lines that made it look like she’d been sitting in the chair for a few good nights.

Had she been watching over me the entire time? Something softened in my chest and guilt pricked my throat until I feared the tears would roll down my cheeks.

Here I was almost convinced the woman had been trying to set me up when she was concerned for my well-being the entire time.

“How long—” I tried, grateful when she plucked the words right out of my mouth.

“Two nights, Miss Eldwood. The four Alphas have been in and out of your ward the entire time. You’ve caused quite the stir in our fortress I must say.” She added glumly, the corners of her lips turning down into a grimace when I blushed deeply.

The Four were coming to visit? The resentment that had been brewing in my chest ever since my night in the dark dungeons slowly faded to numbness.

I had been so sure I would never forgive either if them for what they did to me, but only a wave of butterflies collided in my belly when I looked at the row of dandelions and purple lilies lined against the wall.

How did they know I liked dandelions? I could tell the sunflowers were from Laziel. 

Something about its slow lazy beauty reminded me of the elite shifter.

Ronan must have gotten the pristine white spider lilies. Of all the four, he was the perfectionist. The most mysterious.

“That has to be from the Alpha. Red bougainvillea. Outlandish, and yet, reserved, just like him,” I chuckled, pointing out the wooden pot on the side of the big window that was overflowing with bougainvillea.

A muscle ticked in the maid’s jaw but it was fine when I turned fully to stare at her unsmiling face, before she forced on a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No! Of course not, M’lady. 

My head buzzed as even more energy hummed through my veins. Like a mix of crack, adrenaline and moondust.

What in earth was happening to me? Was it the maid’s aromatherapy?

“If you would excuse me, Amenie. I think i’m going to lay down for a while, my head feels like its about to explode,” I panted, hating the bitter feeling stuck in the back of my throat.

It felt like my blood vessels were boiling inside my skin, and my teeth chattered feverishly before the maid danced away from me, the scent of minty herbs suddenly filling the room.

“Oh that’s probably the blood His Grace gave you. A warm compress should have you all fixed up and ready to go. Your body isn't used to handling so much power I'm guessing,” 

Her words turned to static in my ears and I hissed at the sudden wave of vertigo that hit me when I whipped my head around to gawk at her.

His Grace? Caius Winters gave me his blood? 

The flash of memory from when i’d seen his handsome face as he stood before me before the world went blank made me groan.

If the elders had thought me to be a gold-digger before, word of his selfless act would make the other elites hate me even more!

“Blood? Th-The blond Alpha gave me HIS blood?” I almost screamed, incredulous and shocked speechless by the generosity of the wolf’s offer.

Sharing even a trickle of his blood with me meant I was automatically bonded to him. I would feel pain when he feels pain, physical and emotional, and he would suffer If I were to die.

I would take a small part of his soul with me.

“Oh my goodness,” I gasped, blood roaring in my ears as I struggled to get sound back into my ears.

I knew the fortress well enough now to know other maidens and princesses even would die to be in my place and be bonded with Caius freaking Winters the way I had just been!

“Yes, M’lady. He quite insisted on it when you started flatlining, apparently, your wolf was too weak to handle the Confessor’s trial,” Amenie offered, wringing a steaming white towel over one of the milky-white herb baths that filled the wide golden bowls on the make-shift table heater.

“Why would he risk himself for me like that? What if I hadn't made it?” I sputtered, confused by the lackadaisical way she carried on about the entire thing.

“I wouldn't think about it too much if I were you, Miss. I’m sure it means nothing and he was just looking out for the royal guest to vanquish his guilt.” The maid offered, blinking sparse blond lashes at me.

Was that it then? Was there nothing more to Caius’ sacrifice than an act of charity?

The twinge of jealousy in woman’s voice had been unmistakable.

My lips formed a firm line when she pressed the napkin over my forehead, its steam immediately releasing the weight I hadn't realized i’d been holding in my chest.

“Why do you think it is that the nightshade didn't work on you? I mean, the doctor wouldn't say anything when I asked—” Amenie asked so suddenly that the moisture dried from my lips and for a moment I simply stared at her staring back at me.

How had she known it was nightshade? Did the Four already release the details?

Heck, I’d been out so long that everything seemed to be moving too fast now that I was awake.

Outside, a distant rumble of thunder made me glance out to the dark blanket of sky and the small stars twinkling through it.

It would be morning soon, and when it was, I could begin my preparations to leave.

I knew exactly why the poison to kill wolves hadn't worked on a wolfless human, but even I wasn't stupid enough to go about announcing my secret.

A halfling was an aberrant in the wolf world. It was better to have them dead than alive. 

I had always hoped I would get my wolf someday.

Until then Confessor had sifted through my memories, ripping something so powerful from my body that I could still feel the yawning space where it used to be.

“I have no idea…I guess I just got lucky taking only a small sip,” I managed to say, flashing the maid a quick smile and feeling my heart skip a beat when her own smile delayed by several seconds, her face moving as mechanically as humanly possible.

Like she was forcing herself to smile. Was the stress already getting to her?

“I think you need to take some time to yourself when all this is over, Amenie, you look quite worn out—”

“Actually, if its alright with you, i’d like to be taking that break now,” She interrupted, cutting me off so abruptly that my brows arched and I watched her silently carting away supplies.

Her fingers moved swiftly, with none of the trembling they had earlier as she stacked syringes and bloodied bandages into her tray before stretching to her full height.

“Oh?”

Amenie’s stormy eyes were unreadable for a moment before she smiled down at me, backing away to brush her heat-reddened hands over her uniform.

“Well then, Miss. There must be some hold-up with the doctor, if you want, I can get him for you—” She breathed, and for a second, I got the distinct feeling that i’d said something wrong and she wanted to leave because of it.

“Thank you.” I sighed, allowing my eyes to drift shut after she’d closed the door behind her.

#

By the time the doctor showed up with the new Beta, I was feeling much stronger, even sitting up on the bed to paint on the small canvass one of the nurses had gifted me.

Everyone was so nice now that it made me feel guilty about my decision to escape the fortress as soon as I could.

If something like the trials happened to me again…ai wasn't sure I could handle it. Heck, I wasn't sure I WANTED to handle it.

Mates and family, I had long since accepted I would never enjoy any of these in my life.

And with the four? 

Our bond must have been some sort of freakish mistake!

I was a fool to hope, but my time in the dark dungeons had made the decision I knew I must make clearer than ever.

I must leave Infinity Fortress by nightfall. Before any if the Alphas had the chance to throw me out themselves.

I would not be chased from yet another place I had begun to love.

Not like I was in Shadow Pack.

If I had to go into that terrifying darkness again, then it would be on my own terms.

“Miss Eldwood, I can see you're on your way to making a full recovery!” the bony doctor exclaimed, his lips widening into a satisfied smile that made the skin around his small pointy cheekbones tight.

Small brown eyes squinted at me from behind his glasses and the hollow face surrounding it.

I tried hard not to stare at the towering frame of the elite soldier behind him, but it was almost impossible to ignore Ronan.

Heck, even the dead couldn't ignore the greek god with his silvery white hair and the short spaise beard dotting his upper lip.

He looked refined in a way most of the elite warriors of the fortress could only dream of being

Thick, sculpted muscles bulged from the dark compression tee he was wearing with a pair of camo cargo pants, giving him a tougher look.

“Are you well, Mara?” 

My name rolled off his tongue like a slow depressing lullaby and I resisted the urge to smile wide at him, digging my fingers into my easel instead and blurring the painting of a sunset that I’d been working on.

“I’m alright, thanks to Sir Winters, I guess,” I rapped glumly, catching an emotion in his eyes that made me certain he would rather the old Beta kept his blood to himself.

Something like possessiveness.

Maybe I WAS going crazy.