Page 97 of Awakened

It shimmers and thrums, linking my soul to the soul of my Mate. I can feel her, a barrage of emotions cycling one after the other until I can't discern which are hers and which are mine.

I peel my eyes open, but instead of the bright sky over the grasslands, my blurry vision sharpens on a white ceiling and buzzing fluorescent lights so bright they make me wince.

The sterile scent of the med bay hits my senses, saline coating my throat with each breath. The feel of hands appears on my chest. Soft. Clinical.

Wrong.

I glance down, and Lenora’s face and familiar severe expression appear, making me flinch.

What the fuck is happening?

I use my elbows to try to push myself up, but Lenora stops me.

“Stop that,” the Beta admonishes. “Lie back down before you put yourself back into another coma.”

I sag, falling back with a groan. “How… long?”

My voice cracks, and I can barely force out the words. But I have to know. Have to know how long I’ve been out. Have to know how long my Mate’s been alone with the males I once called brothers—the males I trusted to protect and care for her when I couldn’t.

The males who betrayed me by betraying her.

“Two weeks,” she answers. “Take a deep breath.” Her stethoscope slides across my chest, and I do as she says.

Fates, but my head fucking hurts.

I close my eyes, forcing myself to let Lenora do her thing while I focus on Idril. It takes less than a breath to locate our Bond, and even less time than that to tell that something’s wrong.

She’s terrified, exhausted, and in pain. But even more concerning is the heavy blanket of nothingness that seems to be smothering her feelings. Like she’s protecting herself… trying to cut herself off from her emotions.

My internal alarms are screaming. There will be no polite easing into this. Not after I’ve spent the last two weeks imagining all the ways she’s suffered while I was unable to protect her.

“M-m-ma⁠—”

“Shhh,” Lenora waves me off dismissively and repositions her stethoscope with a glare.

Scowling, I reach out and wrap my fist around the damn thing, yanking it out of her ears and tossing it across the room.

Lenora glares at me.

“Was that necessary?” She sighs, but before she can stand to retrieve it, my hand shoots out and wraps around her arm. I might be weak as fuck right now, but I’m still her boss.

“My—” A dry cough makes me groan in pain, and I glare at her harder.

She rolls her eyes. “You want me to get someone?”

I nod frantically.

“Get… m-my…” I release her, and my hands curl into frustrated fists at my sides.

“Yes, yes,” she grouses. “Your Pack. I’ll go get them right now, alright?”

No, damnit. Fuck my Pack! Get my Mate!

I watch helplessly, a growl rumbling through my chest, as she rushes from the room. Presumably to find my fucking Pack—who are the last assholes I want to lay eyes on right now.

“Fuuuuck,” I groan, slamming my head back against the pillow.

There’s not shit I can do now, and that pisses me the fuck off. I don’t want to wait; it’s all I’ve done for weeks. I want my Mate, and I want some Fatesdamned answers.