Page 87 of Petals and Strings
“Caspian. Your sister called and asked for you to call this afternoon,” she said when she finished.
“Thanks,” Caspian said but she didn’t stick around for anything more.
It didn’t bode well that even the staff was uncertain with this imposing alpha.
“Okay. I have their version, now give me yours.” He sounded bored now, like he was impatiently waiting and had other places to be.
Maybe he was simply guarded. Trying to remain impartial.
“I’ve been here the shortest time. When I arrived I was given meds, which were necessary. Things seemed okay at first. Then during one of my early therapy sessions, our old therapist forced me to re-live my past, then tried to sedate me when I got stuck in a flashback. After that, it fell apart, one thing after another. Med changes that were widespread, turning the entire place into zombies. When things escalated with Theo, Rydell defended me and was put in isolation.”
“‘Defended,’” he snorted. “I hear he had to have surgery to fix the severe breaks.”
“Good,” I said, not missing a beat. There would be no remorse to find here.
“He deserved more,” Rydell agreed.
Ansel’s hand found mine, giving it a squeeze. He didn’t speak but thankfully, Ledger took over for me.
“He was in isolation for around ten days while the rest of us worried. They decided to break us apart when I told them we were scent matches and he was defending his omega. That didn’t go well and Rydell broke his bracelet and hers. After some… persuasion, we were put back together,” he concluded.
“Oh, and we had a therapist that was utterly useless in between. She was terrified of us,” I tacked on. “Didn’t even last a day.”
“I’m not afraid. Wewillbe facing issues head on and getting to the bottom of all of this,” he said.
There was something that didn’t seem to fit right. He was… invested. What stakes did he have in this place outside of job security?
“We won’t be going back to our rooms,” Rydell said firmly. “We’re a pack. Not one of us has ever been against healing. It’s just impossible to do with therapists who didn’t give a fuck and a facility that punishes us anytime we make the wrong move.”
“Noted,” Ares agreed. “Let’s dive right into some group therapy, then. Get our footing since I’m with you twenty-four-seven now.”
We all moved back to the beds, sitting up and waiting while he dragged a chair out of the corner where we’d shoved it.
“I haven’t read your histories. I don’t want whatever version was in there outside the facts of your intake,” he said. “Cross has given me a bit of a rundown, so I’m not completely blind, but I like to make my own conclusions.”
“What about medication changes? Will you be overseeing them?”
He studied me as he considered my question. “I’m a licensed psychologist and can, in fact, handle meds. I’ll be overseeing them. I’ve approved temporarily what you have but we can assess that again after today depending on how up-front you all are.”
To say I was skeptical would be a fucking understatement. We’d given him a chance, but he had to prove his worth before we divulged even more. We wouldn’t be used again.
“So, you walk in and we’re just supposed to divulge our darkest fears and trauma?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “That’s a tall order.”
“Fine, pick one thing about yourself, just one of you, and see how I handle it,” he offered. The fact he was willing to compromise was a good sign.
I looked from side to side, taking in all of my packmates, seeing if anyone was willing. To our collective surprise, Kane raised a hand.
“I’m Kane. Been here… I don’t know how long,” he admitted with a shrug. “My memory is a mess. After my brain blocked off the trauma it’s like I can’t remember much, even now.”
Ares took a breath and nodded. “From your notes, you were sent here by a former pack.”
He glanced down at the open portfolio in his lap and looked disgusted for a moment, barely hiding it from the beta.
“They paid at first then turned it over to the state not long in.”
“That’s what they tell me,” Kane snorted.
“Not much of a pack, clearly,” Ares muttered. I hated that I was starting to appreciate him. He was absolutely hiding something, but he also seemed genuine. After my time in captivity, I was a good judge of character. Or at least I thought so before Cross did what he did.
