Vows of Silence

10

"How are you feeling?'' He was standing at the foot of the bed.

''I feel tired but better after the chicken.'' I want to wash my hands.

''The doctor said you had a bad fall and had multiple injuries. Even some that had been around before the fall. '' His voice was soft. I was getting tired of everyone using soft voices. I miss the mean girl. At least she doesn't treat me like I'm crazy.

"Yeah, I have a lot of injuries,'' I said. Alpha Damian gripped the bed railing at edge. He was squeezing with all his strength. Was it something I said? Did I sound like I was complaining?

''I'm not mad about them. It's okay—it's fine.'' I needed to calm him down before he hits me.

''When did they happen?'' His voice was different. I didn't know what was wrong with him.

''Just normal stuff.'' I did my best to explain.

''What 'normal stuff' would warrant injuries like these?'' His voice was calm but like the kind of calm that comes before thunder rolls and lighting strikes a tree and shakes the house and the rest of the forest.

''You know. I was late or in somebody's way or I didn't pick up something fast enough. Just normal stuff.'' I don't know how to explain it! People hit me when they feel like it! I was just dusting the fireplace when someone hit me on the head and the group they were with walked away laughing. Alpha Damian was just standing there, watching me. I hope he doesn't throw me out. I'm not upset about the injuries. Though, now that I think about it, I do want to know what that word internal means.

"What time is it?" I was surprised that my own voice had found a way to ask him a question. He froze for a second. His eyes blinked fast before he looked at me. Stupid question. He has to be thinking the same thing. He looked down at his phone and tapped the screen.

"It's 9:45," he finally spoke. It was that late already! Well, i was asleep for a long time.

"It's already that late?" I was shocked. I had never been in bed that long. That was like a whole day! Well, I've never been in a bed before either. But I have never laid down for this many hours.

"No, it's morning. This chicken is from last night. I came by, but you were still asleep." He was back to looking nervous. I don't know what's worse; nervous alpha Damian or angry alpha Damian. He finally let the bed rail go and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What do you think he's thinking about?'' I asked my wolf as he stood still in front of the bed with his hand still stuck in his hair. His eyes were wide as he stared at the floor. She shook her head at me, but her eyes were somewhere else. I followed her stare until I saw another wolf hanging out just by the doors of our mind. It was blurry, like he was behind a wall, but I could tell he was tall. He was almost the same size as my wolf except that she was crouching down as if she was ready to jump if she needed to. The crouching also made her look shorter. The other wolf was dark, maybe black or brown. It looked like he was sniffing the floor. Wasn't everyone's mind like this? Were some people's minds just open? I didn't know it was possible for wolves to look at other people's minds. That's weird. My wolf was tense. No one's ever invaded my head before like this. The other wolf sniffed a few more times and then turned away.

"Why do we have a wall in our heads? Do other wolves have that?" I felt like I was in my own head for the first time. Have other people approached me and I've never seen them before? Is this because my wolf is here now? I had so many questions, but I didn't want to annoy her.

"We created a wall to keep everyone out. This space is ours. No one can take that.'' I nodded my head at her response. Can the wolf see us? Can other people see us like how we see them? I was going to ask another question when movement caught my eye. The door to the room opened and Rebecca and Beta Micheal walked in. They jumped back when they saw the Alpha standing in the room.

''Good that you're here Alpha, this one has been slacking off for an entire day! I've had to do everything in the pack house! What punishment do you deem appropriate? I say twenty lashes! Rebecca was fuming. It's true, I've been gone for a long time. Beta Micheal nodded along to what she said.

''What are you two doing here?'' Alpha Damian spoke to both of them. Their backs straightened as they answered him.

''Isn't it obvious? We're here to drag her back to work!" Rebecca almost yelled at him.

''Where are we?'' Alpha Damian asked. Both Rebecca and Beta Micheal were left stuttering. They blinked a few times as if closing their eyes would help them think.

''We're at the doctor's office. I don't understand what that has to do with anything.'' Rebecca was fast to respond.

"We shouldn't be wasting resources on vermin any more than we already have,'' Beta Micheal said. Vermin. That's what I was to them. I'd heard that word before. They used it when they talked about rats. The same rats they killed when they came across them. I sat up in bed.

''I'm sorry for taking so long. I'll get up now. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and gently placed my feet on the floor. I was a little wonky when I walked, but I would have to be fine. I felt my wolf try and stop me in my head. I have to get up or it'll be worse for everyone. I grabbed the pole with the bag and tubes that connected to my hand and walked to the bathroom.

"Wait," Beta Micheal called out. I stopped at the foot of the bed. That's how far I had made it. He walked over and yanked my arm up by the wrist. Beta Micheal grabbed the tube sticking out of my hand and pulled it out. The needle went flying and blood started pouring out.

''Watch it!'' Alpha Damian grabbed my hand and pressed his finger to the spot where the needle was. My hand burned in his. It felt like I was holding something spiky in my hand. I wanted to pull it back, but he was too strong. He looked down at me. His eyes were going crazy. They were going back and forth all over my face. His breathing was heavy now and faster. Is my blood poison to him?

''Let me go!'' I didn't want to hurt him. Not when he's been kind to me. I pulled my hand back a few more times, and he finally budged. The bleeding had stopped and now there was a dark red dot in the middle of my hand. My blood was still on his fingers.

''How dare you speak to the Alpha that way! Who do you think you are?" Beta Micheal raised his hand and struck my face. I was still holding onto the pole, so when I stumbled back it rolled with me and I slipped into the small puddle of water that had dripped out onto the floor. My hip hurt as I crashed to the floor. I hadn't realized it, but the back of my blue shirt had been opened, and I felt the chill from the floor on my butt.

"What is going on in here!'' The man from earlier, the doctor, walked into the room. "Excuse me, but my patient needs rest to recover.'' He spoke while looking at the beta.

''Your patient has recovered enough.'' Beta Micheal pulled me up and off the floor. My arm hurt when he grabbed it. I saw my clothes at the foot of my bed.

''Wait, please, I have to get dressed.'' Beta Micheal looked at me like I was disgusting and flung me away from him. I almost slipped but I caught myself this time. Alpha Damian was extra mad as he stared at us. His face was red and there was a line on his forehead forming. His fists were clenched, and I think I could smell blood, but it's most likely just mine. I grabbed my clothes that were near him and rushed into the bathroom. I heard the door slam as Alpha Damian rushed out of the bathroom. Maybe he was mad that he had my blood on his hands. I hurried up and got dressed and folded the blue dress that I had been put in. My clothes smelled clean, but they smelled different than the soap we use in the house. I opened the door and Rebecca grabbed me by the hair. The doctor looked like he wanted to say something, but I know the beta command had silenced him. He looked sad as he watched me get dragged out of the room. If only he knew that he had been the best person I had ever met. For at least one night, I slept well, I wasn't hungry, and I was given food. I also have the alpha to thank for that. I remembered the chicken he had brought me. I don't know when the next time I'll eat is, but I'll always remember the taste of the chicken soup and the chicken. I saw the girl from earlier behind the desk and watched as she smirked as they dragged me outside. She probably told them where I was. B*tch.