Page 123 of Fight

Stepping inside, I nod to the nurse who is also working the front desk.

“Hello, Miss Quinn, I’m so glad you were able to come in to see your sweet mama,” she coos with derision.

I don’t care what she thinks as I sign myself in. I did what I was told was best for my mother. Unfortunately, it took me longer than I’d like to admit after the last time. Mama hit me and told me I ruined her life and that they’d come for me next.

My heart starts to pound a little harder as I put down the pen and glance up at the nurse.

“Can you take me to her?” I ask. I’m not here to win any congeniality awards. It’s freezing in here, and the pens thrown on the desk are bothering me. Blinking at the nurse as I force my eyes to stay on hers, I wait for her to respond.

“She’s outside, enjoying the weather,” she says, getting up to take me. The walls are a bright white, while the tile flooring is a sickly green and beige. They remodeled, because this place was very different three years ago. The colors were softer, and it had a more natural vibe.

“How long have you worked here?” I ask, because I don’t remember her.

“Just over two years now,” she says cheerfully as we walk. Nodding, I notice how overmedicated some of the patients look, and I decide to begin looking elsewhere immediately for my mother’s care.

How could I have been so stupid?

I’m still berating myself even as I’m taking everything in, and most importantly, watching my surroundings for anyone who may want to hurt me. Walking outside, I see my mom sitting under a tree, looking out at the pretty lake.

It’s about one in the afternoon now, so the sun is high in the sky, reflecting over the water.

Wondering why there aren’t more people out here, I finally see the orderly who is standing close to the building, attempting to blend in. Well guess what, motherfucker, I see you. The nurse tells me to let the orderly know when we’re ready to go back in and leaves me to walk the rest of the way alone.

Standing awkwardly, I shake out my hands as I take a deep breath. It’s beautiful out here, and it helps to be outside instead of inside of what feels like a prison.

“Hi, Mama,” I say softly, taking another step toward her. It feels weird standing while she sits on the ground, but I’m wary of being hit by her again.

“I’m not your mama,” she says softly, shaking her head. “My baby has been gone for a long time.”

Swallowing hard, I look for signs that she may be over medicated, but it’s hard to tell, since it’s been so long since I’ve seen her.

“No, Mama. It’s Cerenity. I’m here,” I try again.

“No, she’s supposed to be gone, where it’s safe,” Mama snaps, her hands fisting.

“Okay,” I say, licking my lips as I think. “What are you protecting her from?”

“Them. Those alphas who keep whispering through the bond that they want me to come home,” she rasps. “I would rather stay in this hell hole forever than let them touch me.”

Whispering… oh, Mama.

Dropping to my knees next to her, I ask the question I’ve been thinking about all day.

“Did they bite you?” I whisper, my fingers tightly curled into fists. My breaths are coming shorter despite trying to keep a cool demeanor, and my heart is pounding. If they’re bonded, it means they’d be hounding her every time they got close, causing her to run over and over again in panic.

Fuck.

“Her fathers?” Mama asks absently, pushing her thick brown hair away from her face. She’s so calm, she has to be on some kind of medication. I want to get her reevaluated, because I’m no longer sure if she’s actually schizophrenic or if her bond has been breaking her down.

“Yes,” I whisper. I want to shake her, get her to answer my questions, but I won’t.

“They bit me often,” she says, looking out at the calm water of the pond. “First, it was to hurt me, because it was fun for them, but then I ran the first time when I found out I was pregnant. Something told me it was a girl, and I couldn’t let them hurt her. They’d sell her or kill her.”

“How did they find you?” I ask. I need to know when they bit her to bond with her. There’s this driving need to know if my instincts are right.

“The first time I ran was just dumb luck on their part,” she rasps. “They had their cop friends help find me, and the pack was there waiting for me at the station when I disembarked. They beat me, raped me, and bit me for months after they found me, trying to force the bond. It wouldn’t take for some reason. Finally, they just beat me down so much they broke me and the bonds snapped into place, even if I refused to solidify them. I waited till they were all asleep, proud of their work, and then disappeared.”

“That’s when you called the woman who you met in the grocery store,” I mutter, remembering what she told me when I was younger. Her eyes snap over to gaze at me, realizing she never mentioned that.

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