Chapter 7

BELLA

I am in the process of drifting off when the door comes open. I become aware of voices, the low octave of Caeser's and the softer more rushed one of another woman.

When I hear my name, I blink my eyes open, making an effort to straighten.

"Oh, is this her?"

Caeser's frantic eyes snap and bounce around the room, finally landing on me. They relax. He'd been looking for me. Those stormy grey eyes are offset by a pale blue sweater, black, tailored slacks hugging long legs. I can tell from the sheer make of his clothes that they're expensive, worth more than anything I can dream of.

"Yes," he replies the woman. "That's Bella from the Blood moon pack. Bella," he calls softly. "Come, lie down and let the doctor examine your wounds."

She's the doctor?

The young woman seems to read the question from my face. She comes to assist me in getting to the bed. When I'm on it, the bright-eyed woman introduces, "I'm Amber. What's your name?"

"I'm Bella... from Blood moon."

"I don't quite think I've heard about Blood moon. Where is that?"

"It's a really small pack," I say quietly, feeling overwhelmed but happy at her bubbly personality.

"Okay, got you. Treywell's a small pack as well. We like to joke that it's going extinct."

I crack a small smile.

She reaches for the tie at my waist. "Um, can I? The Alpha informed me you have bruises... everywhere."

An odd sense of shame settles squarely on my chest. The feeling intensifies when she parts the robe and her breath hitches. She glances up at my face and her expression turns almost vengeful. "Whoever did this deserves to rot in hell."

My eyes stray to Caeser. His gaze is locked on my exposed skin and the growing anger in his eyes tells me he agrees with her.

Her tone turns practical. "I'm going to run a few tests on you now, Bella, determine how strong you and your wolf are. I'll need you to look up. Yes, like that. Don't move your head, just your eyes."

I do as she asks. The next thing I feel is a sharp, cooling sensation on my wrist. I jerk, snapping my eyes to her.

She holds a syringe in one hand absently, her eyes locked on mine with a chilling intensity. Gradually her eyes shift to shock. "Your... Your wolf. She should have risen."

My eyes sting and I look away. I hear Caeser's enraged voice. "What do you mean, Amber? Make her wolf rise!"

My stomach clenches reflexively with fear.

"Alpha, you don't understand. I can't fee--"

"Why then are you a doctor if you ca--"

I interrupt shakily, "There's nothing she can do."

Both their heads snap to me. Amber questions gently, "What do you mean, dear?"

My tongue suddenly feels like lead. "I... My brother locked my wolf. I don't... I don't know what he put in me, but I-I can't feel her anymore."

They listen on in silence. When I steal a look at Caeser's way, my stomach falls to see the look of pure rage on his face.

"When did that happen?" he asks.

"It... happened recently. I-I failed to clean up his men's quarters." My eyes turn downward. "I...I shouldn't have slept off that day."

I feel warm hands slide into mine. I lift my eyes to meet Amber's kind brown ones. "What happened to you was not your fault. You are not your mistakes, neither are you someone's cruelty. Your brother is a monster and together we're going to work toward resuscitating your wolf. Okay?"

I nod, throat tight.

She gives my hand a soothing squeeze. She proceeds to check my injuries, telling me to turn over or lift an arm from time to time. Suddenly Caeser shoots out of his chair and storms out, yelling into the phone.

Amber looks at my near frightened expression and offers a gentle smile. "Think nothing of it. You'd be surprised by the amount of assholes he has to deal with on a daily basis as Alpha. Soon you're going to carry that burden."

My brows furrow. "What?"

"As Luna. When Alpha Caeser mates with you, you're going to share everything with him, including his problems."

"What?" I repeat uselessly. "I don't... I don't think you know what you're talking about. He doesn't... We're not..."

She scoffs. "Please. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you."

My cheeks heat. Amber continues, "Really, he doesn't care for female attention, and goddess knows he receives that to no end. But you... He looks like he could kill for you!"

As she continues her administration, I'm left wondering if Caeser really meant what be said about wanting to mark me. And most importantly...

Would I accept?

The thought of intimacy never fails to leave a hollow feeling in me.

The door opens up again just as she lifts a jar. "I know poultices are going out of fashion in the medical practice," she says, "what with these pills and fancy medications. But--" she shakes the bottle with a grin--"I still think they're really effective, especially with injures. "Please, lie back, I'm going to apply some of this around your woun--"

"I'll take it from here."

Tingles of electricity rush down my spine at that velvet baritone. Caeser comes into my line of vision, settling down beside me. The bed dips with his weight and my side warms from his heat.

"Okay." Amelia hands him the jar. "Just make sure to be careful. It stings a bit."

He retrieves it.

"Goodbye, Bella. I'll stop by tomorrow to check on you, okay?"

"Okay."

Soon after she disappears behind the door, leaving I and Caeser alone.

His entire frame is coiled with tension but he dips a finger in the jar and massages the content into my thigh gently. I tense on instinct. "Relax, Bella," he murmurs, voice husky. His soothing touches gradually melt some of the tension away.

I let my eyes drift close, relishing the feel of those strong hands.

Gentle human contact is unfamiliar grounds to me as I'm more accustomed to kicks and blows. Painful images suddenly flash across my mind and my body shoots tight with alarm, causing Caeser to stop his administrations.

"Bella. Are you alright?"

I drag in a breath, letting it out in measure. "Yes... I'm fine."

He continues even more gently, his touch lulling me into a place of blissful content. I never want this to end.