Chapter 21: Chapter 21

~ NYSSA

To my surprise, Henry stepped back, but he turned to me.

“Tell them you’re not going,” he told me. “They’re lycans. They’re big on consent. If you say no-”

“Why would I?” I cut him off. “You left me out there to die. You ran for your life while the rogues were attacking. What kind of Alpha are you?”

His cheeks tinged pink as he looked around, noting the crowd that had gathered in front of the hospital doors. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course I don’t,” I chuckled humorlessly. “I’m hooked up on drugs. I’m leaving. I’ll see you in two weeks.”

At that, the guards lifted me into the car.

Aria stepped in after me and I stared straight at Henry until the door slammed shut, cutting him off from my view.

The ride was surprisingly smooth but the awkward tension threatened to smother me.

I was alone in a car with five lycans… four of whom were trained guards that could snuff me out with one move.

“Did he really leave you out there?” she asked and I nodded. “The fucking bastard. He’s always been a coward.”

“I wouldn’t throw stones if I were you. Your brother didn’t keep to his end of the bargain. Some would call that cowardly as well.”

I expected her to leap to him defense and tear me a new one for going for her brother, but to my shock, she just sighed and leaned back into her seat.

Her blond hair fell over her face but she didn’t make a move to brush it away. She’d cut it since the last time I saw her. It was almost the same length as Rowan’s now, but she had layers that looked edgy.

“Rowan does things the way he wants. I don’t always agree with it but here we are. What I can assure you is that my brother is nothing like Henry.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “It doesn’t look that way from where I’m standing.”

She opened her mouth to speak but closed it at the last minute with a sigh. “Fair enough. We’ll be at the airport soon.”

“Airport? Why the hell would we need to go there? We can drive.”

“We can, but you must be stupid if you think I’m going to drive back to the palace while you have a gaping knife wound in your back. A plane will be faster. We’ll be there within the hour.”

The plane was gorgeous.

It was sleek and white and the inside looked like something out of a movie with leather chairs, champagne bottles and even a large bed at the back.

Of course I was immediately ushered to the bed by the guards. I tried to assure them that I was fine sitting down but no one paid me any heed. I was all but strapped to the bed while they hooked me back up to multiple IV’s.

It wasn’t until take off that I realized that they’d given me something. My eyes began to droop and my body felt heavy, but not in a way that was uncomfortable.

“Did you drug me?” I asked the guard nearest to me but he said nothing. I reached out for him, grabbing his shirt. “Answer me, you ass.”

“You shouldn’t fight the sleep. It’s futile.” He carefully removed my hand from his shirt and dropped it by my side.

Ignoring his words, I still tried to fight it. I did everything I knew possible to keep my eyes awake but it only worked for about a minute or two. Before I knew it, my eyelids were topo heavy to lift and the sleep had claimed me.

“Why the fuck wouldn’t you get her file?” an angry voice asked.

“We were on a time sensitive schedule,” an exasperated female voice responded.

“It’s fucking common sense, Aria.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t have time to sit down and start asking the doctors for her files,” Aria snapped. “We were trying to get her back without a hitch! You’re welcome by the way. I didn’t have to go.”

A low rumble went through the room. It sent shivers down my spine but Aria didn’t seem to mind because she spoke.

“Stop acting like an ass, Rowan. She’s fine, the doctors are taking care of her.”

Rowan?

His scent hit me immediately… earthy and masculine, with a hint of chocolate and the outdoor. Even in my half-conscious state, I recognized him.

My mate.

A small groan left my lips as I tried to force my eyes open.

Whatever the guards gave me on the plane was strong because as I opened my eyes, I realized I was in a bedroom. They’d carried me from the airport all the way into the palace without me waking up.

An IV stood by the four poster bed, and there was a cart where the bedside dresser should have been. The whole room had been made to resemble a hospital room, and right in the middle of the room stood Aria… Rowan was nowhere to be found.

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Aria drawled. “I hope you don’t mind but we had a doctor check you over. Your bandages were changed and we had to put you in a new gown, your ass was falling out of the last one.”

I didn’t care about that right now. What I cared about was the man who’d left the room as soon as he realized I was rousing.

“Where did he go?” I asked.

She was silent for a moment, as if debating whether to respond. “He had some work.”

“Right as I was waking up?”

She shrugged.

I couldn’t tell if it was out of helplessness or resignation.

I scoffed. “So why am I here? If he doesn’t even want me to see him then why bring me? I was fine at home. I know it wasn’t your idea. No offense, but I know you don’t give a shit about me.”

“I give at least one shit,” she countered and against my better judgment, I felt my lips pull up at the sides. “Rowan is complicated. The earlier you understand that… the better. You should rest. Someone will come by soon with your food.”

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