Chapter 6 - Welcome Back

Zelena.

My eyes flew open and the first thing I see is a sea of burry white. I blinked a few times to focus my eyes, where am I? I blinked rapidly, thinking for some reason that would help my memory. I can remember seeing two glowing silver orbs shining down on me, then nothing. I took a deep breath, and the most deliciously intoxicating scent filled my nostrils. Warm sunshine on a summer's day. I know that smell. I turned my head slightly and my gaze fell upon the most welcome of all sights. Gunner. I involuntarily groaned as I drunk in the sight of him. I felt my heart begin to race, Goddess how I love what he does to my body. He stood up slowly and raked his eyes over my body. He looks thin and pale. His hair is longer, and he was sporting some kind of short scruffy beard. What happened to my young and beastly Mate? Where are the rippling muscles and sharp strong jaw line, what has caused him such pain?

His eyes landed on mine, those same blue enchanting eyes that I had come to love. But they felt different now, they held so much sadness. Surrounded by dark purple circles and pale pasty skin, they looked almost dull. He stared at me blankly before rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

“Hey handsome” I chirped, my voice sounding so terribly coarse and husky.

Gunner fell to the ground on his knees, pressing his hands to his face and slumping forward. His body jolted with ragged breaths as his chest shuddered up and down. Small weeping sounds escaped through his hands and my heart shattered inside me at the sound.

“Gunner” I choked, trying to lift myself. My head felt light and dizzy, and my body felt weak, but I had to get over to him. I had to hold him. I pulled myself forward as I tried to lift off the bed but was pulled back by a sharp pinch on my arm. I looked at it and saw a cord attached to my skin. I followed the cord over to an IV bag hanging from a silver pole. I was in the hospital. Why was I in the hospital? I tore the needle from my arm and tried to swing my legs off the bed, only to be pulled back again by more cords and wires poking out from all over my hospital gown.

“What the fuck” I growled. I pulled and yanked at the cords, ripping them off my body. Rapid beeping and alarms started to sound around the room. My attention was caught by two arms grasping my shoulders. I looked up to see Gunner staring down at me. His face was wet from tears and his nose was red. But his eyes now shining a bright blue with a twinkle deep inside them, those eyes were now staring deep into mine.

“You’re real” he said like he was convincing himself.

“You’re here, you’re awake?” his eyes roamed over my body and he rubbed his hands up and down my arms.

“Of course I'm real” I said in a ‘duh’ kind of tone. Why would I not be real? What the flipping heck was going on here. He pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around my back, holding me tightly as if at any minute I might float away.

“Gunner, what’s going on?” I mumbled into his chest. He didn’t answer. I could feel his chest vibrating under my cheek. His heartbeat was erratic, and his breaths sounded unsteady. I just let him hold me as I nuzzled my face harder into his chest, feeling perfectly content with this. For now. A loud gasp brought us both back to the room and we turned our heads simultaneously to the source of the sound. There in the doorway, stood a blonde woman in light purple scrubs with her hand over her mouth. Rushing in behind her came a tall man in a white doctor's coat, followed by Roe and Lupus.

“Oh, sweet heavenly Goddess” Roe gasped as she clung to Lupus for support.

“Miss Baxter, welcome back. I’m Doctor Tenner” the doctor said stepping forward. Gunner gently unwrapped his arms and moved to the side, keeping one hand firmly entwined with mine.

“Back?” I questioned looking at the man,

“I didn’t know I left”.

The doctor stood in front of me and pulled out a little flashlight that he held up to my face. Holding up one finger in front of my face he moved the flashlight slowly across my eyes.

“Pupil response good” he said, I think to the nurse who was scribbling on a clipboard.

“Squeeze my hands for me please” he held out his hands and I took them in mine squeezing hard. He hissed and pulled his hands away with a slight grimace on his face.

“Muscle response good. I need to listen to your chest please, Miss Baxter” he said holding the stethoscope out. I nodded my head and lifted my chin. His placed the end of it down my shirt to my chest. I flinched at the coldness of the metal. I half expected Gunner to growl or hit the doctor, he has never let someone touch me like this before. I looked up to his face, taking a deep breath in and out. His was watching the doctor closely but showed no aggression, he smiled with his lips pressed together and squeezed my hand tighter.

“Lungs and heart sound good” Doctor Tenner said snapping my gaze back to him.

“How do you feel Miss Baxter?” he asked placing his hands on his hips.

“I feel fine, I could eat, and my throat is a little sore, but otherwise I feel normal” I answered his question looking around at each of the faces watching me intently. They were staring at me like I was an animal in a zoo. The doctor hummed rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger.

“You are a medical mystery young lady” he huffed with a smile.

“What?” I asked confused.

“Zee, you’ve been unconscious for three months” Gunner blurted out.

“No. No I haven’t. That's not funny” I stammered, starting to feel my panic rise. My eyes were bulging out of my head and my breaths were quickening.

“Thank you, doctor, we’ll call if we need you” Gunner said not taking his eyes off my mine.

“I think I should...” the doctor started,

“I said we will call if we need you” Gunner snapped. The doctor lowered his head and rushed out of the room, pushing the nurse along with him. Gunner gently placed his hands on either side of my face and turned my head to look at him.

“It’s okay little wolf, calm down” he said soothingly.

“Three months” I snapped, feeling a sharp heat run up my arms. The windows began to rattle and the equipment and chairs around the bed started to shake and bend. Gunner pulled me into his chest, again holding me tightly against his body.

“Shh, please, it’s alright Zee take a deep breath for me okay” he said softly, rubbing his hand up and down my back. The contact made me feel safe, my skin prickled at his touch and his scent slowly calmed my breathing.

“I’m sorry” I squeaked.

“You don’t need to be sorry, my love” he soothed me.

“W-what happened?” I stuttered trying to control my breathing.

“We thought it was all over, that they were all dead. Everyone said it was clear. They were wrong, I was wrong, one of the fuckers shot you”

“I was shot?”

“Yes. In the back. It ruptured your spleen and broke some ribs and just missed your kidney. They took the bullet out and fixed everything up, but you had to have a splenectomy”

“What’s that?”

“It means they took out your spleen”

“Is that bad? Can I still, like, live, okay?”

“You’ll be fine, you’re a bad ass werewolf goddess remember” Gunner chuckled.

Holy shit, this is a lot to take in. I lifted my hospital gown and looked down at my stomach. A small faint scar was sitting just below my ribcage. I gently traced my finger over the pale pink mark, it was completely healed. But why did it scar, all my old scars disappeared. Why hasn’t this one? Gunner grabbed the hem of my gown and gently pulled it back down. I eyed him curiously and he smiled softly at me.

“We’ll let you two chat” Roe’s voice startled me. I looked over at her. I had completely forgot that she and Lupus were here too.

“Roe” I called, reaching my hand out to her. Gunner let me go and she stepped over in front of me, cupping my cheek with her soft hand.

“Hi baby girl” she croaked, as a tear ran down her face. I smiled at her and she pulled me into a warm hug.

“I’m so glad you’re okay” she sobbed quietly. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and hugged her back. Roe is my surrogate mother, the mother I always wished that I had. She pressed her lips to my cheek and left them there for a second. I felt her tears drip onto my skin. She let me go with a sniffle and stepped back. Without hesitation Lupus lunged forward, wrapping me in his giant warm arms and rocking me side to side.

“Hi Lupus” I choked out under the pressure of his embrace.

“Dad you’re crushing her” Gunner said pulling his father's arms back a bit.

“Oop, sorry” he chuckled. He let me go and stood back before grabbing my face in his hands.

“Thank the Goddess you’re back” he said with a smile. I noticed for the first time, the new scar across the side of his face. A deep dark pink jagged line that ran from the corner of his lip, up over his cheek, and ended above his ear into his hair line. The battle. I forgot, he was hurt. My heart sunk and I felt nauseous and overwhelming sadness. He noticed my staring and pulled my face forward, pressing his lips to my forehead before letting me go.

“Lupus, I’m so sorry” I said softly dropping my head.

“Hey now, what do you have to be sorry for?” he cooed, lifting my chin with his giant hand.

“Your face, it’s all my fault” I muttered,

“I think it makes me look even sexier, if that was at all possible” he smirked running his hand through his hair. I giggled and Roe smiled pressing herself into his side.

“Ugh Dad, really?” Gunner snorted, full of embarrassment.

“We’ll be at the cafeteria, and I'll bring you back a little something” Roe winked at me. Not even having to ask anymore. Since changing, my appetite has skyrocketed. I used to eat nothing but table scraps and the occasional school lunch, but once I moved to Gunner’s pack, there were never ending meals. I've become accustomed to Roe’s cooking, well I had, three months ago I suppose.