Page 25 of Branches of the Willow

“Why the hell didn’t you tell us this a week ago? We could have had her out of there before any damage was done to her. Jesus, she can’t even speak right anymore.”

“She will heal.” Serena said simply.

“Serena couldn’t tell. She’s been under a spell since Aislynn came into her white wolf powers. She literally cannot speak of her past involving the white wolf line.”

“So, how do you know then?”

“Sophia told me. Serena was able to confirm after I already knew.”

“What a fucking circus.” Mikael huffed as he pushed his hair back off his face. “If we had known…”

“Don’t dwell in the past, your mate is here, and she will be fine after a little rest, food, and pampering.”

“She’ll get that in spades.” He told her, then he leaned down and kissed my head. “I’m so sorry, love. If we’d listened to Serena, she could have gotten to you sooner. I didn’t know. I thought it was just another trick.” The pain in his voice as he spoke, told me exactly how hard this week without me had been. We both had our own stories to tell about the week, but I wasn’t sure how much of my story I wanted to share. Instead, I scrunched myself down further, and put my head on the pillow. When my eyes were closed again, I knew I’d sleep for hours before I could pry them back open.

I woke up to what sounded like an argument. Hushed voices were locked in a back-and-forth battle of wills trying to out whisper-shout the other.

“She needs her rest!” Mikael was saying, but then two women’s voices started in on him at once.

“I just want to see that she’s okay.” It was my mother.

“She would want us to wake her up. Jesus, you can’t keep her all to yourself, Mikael.” Ashley was livid. That meant she was also back from her trip. I wonder if they cut their time there short because of me or if she would have been home anyway. Either way, I was happy to have her back, but unsure if I would be able to handle visitors and all the questions that they would inevitably ask me.

I heard Mikael growl. “I’m telling you now, Ashley, back off. We don’t even know what all she went through while she was held by Sophia. I can tell you she looks like hell. Her weight dropped, and she was so dehydrated even her damn skin was cracked everywhere. According to Serena this is the first sleep she’s gotten that hasn’t been drug induced since she was taken, and I’m not about to have you wake her up.” His voice was much louder than a whisper now.

“Ashley, he’s not wrong.” Asi added in that peacekeeper way of his.

“Oh, no! You don’t get to pick the wrong side!” Ashley spit back at him. “She is my best friend. My sister. I’ve been worried sick, and I want to see for myself that she’s okay.”

“And you will,” Asi agreed, but then added, “when she wakes up.” I heard Ashley’s frustrated growl before her tiny little feet stomped off down the hallway.

“Thanks, man.” Mikael offered weakly.

“Don’t thank me. You just made an enemy there.” I heard Asi’s footfalls as he most likely went in search of Ashley.

“I understand all this, but really, Mikael, you will let me at least see that she’s there.” My mother pleaded with him. Her voice was so strained and desperate that I wished I could get up and go to her on my own. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel well enough to do that.

“Fine.” I heard the door crack open. My eyes were still shut, and I was still half asleep, and not sure I had the strength to even crack my lids, let alone let them know I was good enough for visitors. As much as I missed my parents and Ashley, I was too tired to care about seeing them right now. My body needed rest, and not just for my own sake anymore. I had a baby to think about now too. At least, I hoped that I’d have a baby to think about. I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, to learn that she had endured too much, and couldn’t withstand it. My heart ached with the thought.

I tried to swallow, and that sent my body into a dry-coughing fit that signaled to them that I was awake. That was all the invitation my mom needed to push past Mikael. “Oh, my baby girl,” My mom cooed before she turned to Mikael, “She needs a drink.”

“I’ll be right back.” Mikael took off running, I suppose to get something from the kitchen.

“Oh baby, look at you.” I watched my mom, now that my coughing had subsided, I could see the worry etched in the lines of her face. I wasn’t sure when my mom started to age, maybe it had something to do with people trying to kill her daughter every few months. I wanted to say something to reassure her that I was okay, but I worried that it would start up another coughing fit, and that just hurt like hell, so I didn’t want to chance it.

My mom reached up and smoothed my hair back from my face. Tears were shining in her eyes, but they were stubbornly refusing to fall free. “I worried. Oh, how I worried. I’m so glad you’re back.” I tried for a smile to reassure her, but I’m not certain how successful I was. Her face seemed more pained from my attempt.

“You’re awake!” An overly excited Ashley came bouncing into the room and slipped into bed on the other side of me. My mother seemed slightly annoyed, but she knew better than to get into it with Ashley. “What’s the matter, hon? Cat got your tongue?” She was still trying to be the same old bubbly Ashley, and I loved her for it, but if any of them heard me speak it would make things far worse. I just shook my head no. “Well, did you sleep well?” Ashley was discouraged by my lack of comment, but she continued to ask questions. I continued to shake my head ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

“Here you go, love.” Mikael came in with a glass of brew Serena must have left. Bless her heart, that is exactly what I needed. I looked up at him, hoping my eyes conveyed my thanks for me. He smiled down at me, as he moved in close enough to help me hold the glass. I’m glad he did, I wasn’t sure if I could muster the strength yet. My mom had politely slid back out of the way, but she hadn’t missed a thing. Understanding dawned on her face, as she realized Mikael hadn’t been exaggerating my condition.

“I guess those are the perks of kidnappings. You get your ass pampered afterward.” Ashley lilted out in her perpetually bubbly voice. My eyes darted over to her, and the smile died from her face. Ashley was a smart girl, and it just took a minute or two longer for reality to set in. “Shit. This isn’t pampering.” She looked between me and Mikael then, and settled her rage-filled eyes on him. “What the fuck did they do to her?”

“Ashley,” my mom called out, and stood up to walk around the bed to help my best friend out of my bedroom.

“What did they do?” I could hear the terror in her voice, and I wished I could comfort her then, and let her know that I would be okay soon, but I honestly wasn’t sure anymore. I didn’t feel this run down after I was shot and doused with wolves’ bane. Ashley didn’t even try to hide the fact that she was crying in my mom’s arms as they left. “What did they do to her?” She was asking my mom between hiccups.

“I don’t know. We just need to wait and let her tell us when she’s ready, sweetheart. Jess is strong, she’ll bounce back soon.

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