CHAPTER 5 - EXPLANATIONS

-RAINA'S POV-

I was confused about Valen’s actions.

Vaheed returned to the examination room with a beige t-shirt dress for me. As I took the clothes from him, a dizzy wave spilled from the headache. My legs went weak, my knees buckled and I fell into something hard.

He swiftly appeared in front of me with hands wrapped around my waist to steady my balance. Resting my head on his pectoral for ten seconds allowed the dizziness to pass. When I gently pushed against his chest, his grip remained and he looked down on me with concern. He was also wearing a different top and blue jeans.

“Raina, I can help you.” He uttered serenely, “I know that you are covering how deep in pain you are.”

“The dizziness comes and goes.” Stubbornly, I brushed him off with my hands. Taking a few staggered steps back, I firmly demanded. “I’m fine, but you need to tell me why you ran away from your birthday party and why you were fighting him.”

Obviously hiding the underlying factor of their grapple, he grimaced and shrugged, “Valen pissed me off.”

With that, he stayed outside as I slowly changed in the room, using the bed as support. When the door burst open, it was Venus that rushed in. The three of us were best friends along with Azara. I would not have been surprised if she suddenly ran through the door.

It was her hug that engulfed me, "Oh my God! Raina, I told you not to go." Venus held me by my shoulders, looking like she was about to cry. "Vaheed told us that you were hurt."

Quietly, he re-entered and leaned on the wall with one leg bent and hands across his chest. His disheveled, medium-length black hair was pushed out of his face and he had that rugged appearance but was always cute due to his alpha genes.

I played it off. "One of us had to find Vaheed. He was a mess. You know that he's no good without us."

Venus bounced her mop of mid-back length, wavy black hair to glance at her twin brother at the side, then swung her troubled harlequin green eyes back to me. She saw the bruise on my shoulder and then took my hands in hers, examining my wound with a sigh.

“Why did you allow her to get hurt?” Venus retorted at Vaheed, who evaded the question by turning his head to look at the starry sky through the glass window. Then said to me, “Didn’t you meet up with Valen? He could have healed you right away.”

Because Valen had announced that he would go to find Vaheed, naturally, we ought to have crossed paths, and we did, but disclosing further information would invite additional inquiries, which I preferred to avoid.

“Since you won’t answer, the least you could have done was to stay safe.” Venus checked my temperature with a hand on my forehead. “You have a high fever.” Again she glowered at her brother, “And you stand there doing nothing!”

Afterwards, she guided me to the bed and I sat down. At the same time, my parents and Dr. Stone scampered inside. Damn. If only I could hide under the floor tiles. I'd rather that than confront my Mom. Venus and Vaheed retreated into the background.

With Mom's blond hair in an unkempt bun as opposed to Dad's military-cut black hair, which required no grooming, they undoubtedly arrived as soon as they learned that I was injured. Dad stood bare-chested and in sweatpants.

"Raina, you've got some explaining to do." Mom chastised. Then her Nordic blue eyes were softened with regard to my scalding rashes. Her porcelain white hands lifted my chin to check me. “Goddess! Raina, what were you thinking to sneak out like that?”

Vaheed wasted no time in using the mental link to rouse them from their slumber. He was making a valiant effort to publicize the blame on Valen for everything.

I looked at Dad immediately for help to placate my Mom. His chestnut eyes dulled but then rounded in alarm at the obvious bruises that Mom’s inspection revealed, intently scanning the painful rashes on every area of my body. With my werewolf genes, they should have healed by now. However, they remained.

"Where the hell did you go?" Dad joined Mom’s castigation. He raised my arm to examine me. I choked down a whimper to mask the magnitude of pain that I was really enduring.

"Um…..I-I was….."

Dr. Stone interrupted and moved closer to request that my parents allow her the chance to check on me. "Raj, Hailey, I'll need some space with the patient."

They stepped back and Dr. Stone took over. When she was finished, she made notes on her clipboard.

"Werewolves don't get rashes unless it's poison. Why isn't my daughter healing?" Dad asked the doctor.

"I'll do some blood work to check if anything is in her system." Dr. Stone placed her clipboard on the desk and took up a syringe to draw my blood.

"Raina, what happened to you?" Mom reiterated with overwhelming concern lacing her eyes.

The needle hurt as it bore into my blotched skin. I clenched my teeth and groaned. Mom bent over and soothed me by massaging my head top. About ten new frowning lines formed on Dad's caramel face.

"I'll have the blood work ready in an hour. I suggest that you should rest here for observance." The doctor looked at my parents for approval after putting away the blood sample.

"Fine." Dad agreed after eyeing Mom but scolded me right after. "Raina, this discussion is far from over."

Mom put out an index finger. "You'll stay for one night."

Perfect. I thought it was good for them to be out of my hair.

"Okay." I said flatly to conceal my satisfaction.

"Vaheed and Venus," Mom drew their undivided attention. "Raina is not well. Therefore, she does not leave this room."

Knowingly, the three of us eyed each other. The fact was that we were sneakier than a mouse. Dad harshly cleared his throat to cut our silent conversation. It broke the bubbling mischief.

"Doctor Stone," Dad sat on my right side on the bed. He spoke sadly as he further confirmed that I resembled a woman with chicken pox. “Perhaps Valen can heal her."

"NO!!!" Vaheed and I shouted simultaneously.

Everyone froze, surprised at our sharp outburst. Their confused gazes swayed from me to Vaheed.

Our silence irked Mom. "That's it, young lady! Spill it, now!"

I hadn't come up with a believable explanation. Panicking, my electric blue sought Vaheed's harlequin eyes. Without blinking, he sternly held my gaze, offering no help.

For one, he wanted me to tell them the truth to have Alpha King Vance reprimand his brother. Conversely, I elected to avert the disarray such information would create. After all, the pain won't be forever and I've already forgiven Valen.

Cardamom and amber suddenly enveloped my world. Valen's scent reached me before I could see him. My heart hitched as I watched the door. When it opened, he strolled inside with emerald eyes of tornado, turbulent and messy. He did not glance at anyone else but me. My armor chipped. My anticipation leaped off the edge.

"Everybody out, now!" He roared with such vibrating volume that the furnishings and equipment shifted out of orientation.

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