Keeping promises

Chapter 2:Aftermath

“Your fear controls everything, never lets you turn the page….”

(Stay Alive- Andy Black, Matt Skiba)

I felt my body convulse as I tried to vomit again, the memory of the forest replayed in my head over and over and over again. I tried screaming and fighting back, I even tried biting off my tongue. I just wanted it to be over. I tried thrashing again and connected with a person, I opened my eyes and saw my father looking at me very worriedly. He was in his pajamas, his graying hair was a mess, and his amber eyes were as wide as they could get. I backed away from him and sobbed as I pulled myself into a ball.

“It’s alright honey.” He cooed gently, I shook my head as more tears fell. He tried to walk closer and I tried to scream, but a strange gurgling sound came out instead. My mom came rushing in with Tanner on her heels. She looked at my dad's arm, which was bleeding lightly and looked back at me, her eyes wide with horror.

“Finn, baby what happened?” She tried to step closer and I slammed myself into the headboard of my bed and actually managed to scream. She froze quickly and took a step back. “Get Paige here now.” My mother said without taking her eyes from me. My dad's eyes clouded over as her mind-linked my mom's sister and the pack psych Paige. I stayed huddled up in the corner and began rocking myself while my parents tried to talk. Every time they took a step closer I would slam myself back into the headboard and cry harder. They eventually stopped trying to advance and just spoke from where they were. After some time, the front door opened and rushed feet climbed the stairs. I heard Paige talk to my parents, but I didn’t listen to what they were saying. I was so zoned out I didn't even notice as my aunt approached me. The sudden contact of her hand on my shoulder sent me into a panic. I flung myself into the headboard so hard it snapped off of the bed and smashed into the wall. I managed to get myself up, and I dashed to the window and tried to open it.

When I felt my dad's hand on my arm, I panicked and screamed while turning and slamming into him. I felt my free hand connect with his skin and I felt the way his body recoiled. The worst is that I saw his blood on my fingertips. I used all of the strength I had to push past my mother and sister in the doorway before running through the house and out of the back door.

I could hear them howling behind me as I dashed through the woods, going nowhere in particular. I ran as far as my legs could take me, and then I collapsed on the hard ground and curled into myself as I struggled to catch my breath. I was curled up in that same spot when the downpour began. I prayed that the rain would drown me.

………..Tanner POV………….

My day started off just like any other, I woke up and got dressed then had dad drive me to school because I semi-overslept. I saw Finn already there, she was talking to Christian and Brooke. I was so confused because I knew she and Christian had been a thing for over a year. He seemed nice enough on paper, but I didn’t have a good feeling about him in my gut, something was just off.

I went through the motions and finished my classes, then took the bus home. I looked for Finn, only to see her through the window as she walked into the woods. I sighed and took my seat. She usually walked because she didn't like how loud the bus got. I drifted off listening to the staticy radio until we reached my stop. I wasn’t surprised to find I was the first home. After seeing Christian with Brooke I was sure that Finn needed to blow off some steam. So I went to the bathroom and took a shower before going into my bedroom and doing my homework.

By the time both of my parents got home, Finn was still out. My Dad seemed more concerned than my mom, but he had always been more protective.

“I think she and Christian broke up.” I told them as mom started making dinner. “He was all over Brooke at school today.” My dad was fuming, but my mom calmed him down with the warning that Christian was the future alpha and that he couldn’t do anything. He sighed and nodded before he began helping her with cooking. We all heard the office window open just as we were setting the table for dinner. Mom gave dad a look when he tried to go talk to her. Finn’s feet rushed up the stairs and the shower turned on almost immediately. My dad kept whimpering lightly as we ate, and my mom looked like she wanted to cry.

“Why do you both look so sad?” I remember asking them as I set my fork down, the depressed atmosphere making it too hard to eat.

“I can hear her crying in the shower.” My dad whimpered with his head in his hands. “I can’t believe Christian could be so heartless.” My mom put her hand on his arm as he seemed to struggle with not going to comfort my sister.

“Come help me put dinner away, Tan.” I nodded as we loaded up some tupperware with what was left of the food. We finally heard the shower turn off and Finn’s bedroom door close, and I think we all breathed a small sigh of relief. Once the kitchen was cleaned up and the dishes were done, the three of us went into the living room and watched a movie before heading to bed. I was finally in a state of peaceful slumber when Finn’s screaming woke me up. I shot out of bed as I heard her door get busted in. I shuffled to her room only to see her backed against the wall, her face a mask of pure terror. My mom had my dad reach out to aunt Paige through their mind-link seeing as she just kept screaming and slamming herself into the bed frame any time either of them approached. Her eyes went glassy as aunt Paige entered, silent tears still flowed down her cheeks.

I felt as scared as Finn looked when she flung herself into the headboard so hard that it snapped off of her bed. She attempted to escape only to be hindered by dad. She thrashed around so violently I thought I heard a snap. I saw her look at her hand before she sped past mom and I, then I heard her bolt out of the house, the back door slamming as she darted off. Mom ran after her as I turned to look at my dad. His cheek had four small scratches from where Finn had just hit him in her attempt to get away. My aunt Paige looked pale as she walked over to the bed and looked down at the sheets. Her eyes clouded over, as did my dad's, he fell to his knees and put his face in his hands as he began sobbing.

“Aunt Paige, is she okay?” I heard myself ask her as tears began falling from my eyes too.

“No.” She said, looking at me, not willing to lie even for my comfort. “Stay here with your father for now.” I nodded as she went downstairs. I went over to my dad and held him as he sobbed loudly.

“My baby.” He kept repeating. After a while, I heard the front door and my dad shot to his feet and hurried down the stairs. I followed him quickly only to find Alpha Jacob in our doorway. He looked toward my father and I as he saw us coming down. I heard my father growl, his shoulders were tensed and his eyes were focused on Alpha Jacob. Alpha Jacob snarled back, but my dad didn’t submit.

“YOU BETTER FIND OUT WHO r***d MY DAUGHTER AND KILL THEM.” My dad boomed at him. Alpha Jacob hissed as he took a deep breath. His eyes went black as his wolf struggled to accept the command that his delta had just given him. My breathing hitched as I understood the full weight of my father’s words. My sister, who was fourteen, not even an adult, had been assaulted. I felt the room spin and I had to sit. I began sobbing as all the puzzle pieces began aligning.

“I understand that you’re upset Fay, but you cannot speak to me that way. I will find out what happened to Finn, however it may take some time.” I looked over at my aunt Paige as she walked in from the kitchen.

“I just got Finn accepted into an experiment program about an hour from here. It has been designed for people who have suffered from abuse and assault. She will stay there until it has been decided she has gotten a handle on her trauma response.” Her voice was calm and assertive as she spoke to my dad.

“YOU WANT TO SEND HER AWAY?” He bellowed at her, she snarled at him in response.

“No I don’t, however she is only a few days away from turning 15, if the assailant is still unidentified, then she and her wolf will likely kill him. Then she would be the one getting punished.”

“He deserves to die.” My father snarled back. I tried to breathe, but I found it was getting harder and harder to do so.

“Tanner, you need to calm down.” I heard my aunt Paige say as the house started to spin. I felt the world getting darker as the backdoor opened.

……………..Fay POV………..

(FIND AND KILL) The only phrase my wolf seemed to know as he thundered around in my skull. My poor baby, she had been r***d, the screaming, the thrashing, the crying. All because some bastard couldn’t keep his hands off of a child.

I looked at my mate as she walked into the house from the backdoor. She was fully nude as she strode into the living room. Paige ran behind me as I went over to her and began crying when she didn't have my baby.

“I couldn’t find her.” She whispered as she pulled her arms over her chest. I took off my shirt and pulled it over her body so she wasn’t completely bare. “My apologies for my mate, Alpha.” She said, looking at Jacob as I walked around her, looking out into the woods behind our house hoping my daughter would come walking out.

“I understand why he is reacting that way, Donna.” I heard him respond. “Did Paige fill you in about the program?”

“Yes, but she can’t go.” I turned to my wife. I knew she would want her to stay at home with us, to heal with her family.

“It’ll be better for her there.” I heard Paige tell her, and I felt my wolf snarl at her as he took control for a moment.

“I agree.” I looked at my mate, who looked at me, her face a mask of sorrow. “But she can’t go unless she is found.” I shook my head at Donna in disbelief. “Fay, she cannot be here, what do you think she would do if the assailant lives near us, and she sees him every day?”

“She needs us.” I heard myself whine.

“She needs to heal, she’ll come home when she is ready.”

“No.” I said as I turned and stomped out the door. I knew logically that what they were saying made sense, but I couldn’t protect her if she was far away.

(We already failed once, it wont happen again.) My wolf chimed in, and we wouldn’t. My little girl would stay at home safe and sound with us protecting her.

……………Finn POV……………

As the rain continued its assault on my body I felt a new tingling sensation in my head. It had been hammering itself for the past three days, begging for food and water, neither of which I gave.

(Survive) a weak voice called out to me. I knew I should live and prevent something like that from happening again. However, I didn’t want to keep drowning in that horrible memory every time I closed my eyes.

(Please survive. I want to live) I felt my body begin to shiver and my eyes opened slightly.

(I’m sorry) I thought to myself.

“FINN” I heard feet sloshing on the wet ground, then my head was turned by a warm hand. I looked at the blurry shape and tried shaking my head. Tears automatically began slipping down my face as those hands wrapped themselves around me. I tried to scream, and I begged my body to move so I could get away, but I was too weak. “It’s okay sweetheart.” My father’s voice cooed as he lifted me off the ground.

“No…please…die..” I heard my voice rasp. I heard his whimper of agony as I kept crying, I felt his body heat and I began to feel nauseous. I began dry heaving as he hurriedly carried me through the woods. “Please…..” I heard myself beg. I felt eyes all over me as we made it into the clearing of my family’s backyard. I began outright sobbing as more people came close. I used all my strength to scream and attempt to get away. My dad held me firmly against his chest and I heard him snarl. The cries that came out of my throat sounded foreign to even me as the fear of Chrisitian being there and watching this unfold, appeared in my thoughts. I felt the world spin as my muscles went slack and the rest of my strength vanished.

……………Fay POV……..

It had taken three days but I finally found my baby, she was outside of the pack border laying on a mossy knoll in the forest. I feared she was gone when I reached her, but her eyes filled with tears when I moved her face so I could see her. Her amber eyes were glossy yet so hollow and terrified as I lifted her still body from the ground. I couldn’t help but whimper as she begged for death. She began dry heaving as my body began to warm her. It was as if I was disgusting her.

(It’s not us…..I think she needs more help than we can give.) I hated to admit it, but my wolf was right. I had felt her try and break free of my arms and heard her try to scream, but she was too weak.

(I found Finn….Paige, please get the car ready, she needs help now)

(Donna is packing a bag for her) I heard her respond almost instantly. I was thankful that Paige had the connections she did. Without her my poor baby would likely try and eliminate herself from our world.

When we finally got into the backyard I noticed there were a few warriors and Alpha Jacob waiting for us. Finn seemed to have felt them too as she started screaming and crying as they tried coming closer. She was struggling to move herself in another attempt to break free. Alpha Jacob’s face seemed to pale when he realized how dire the situation actually was. I felt myself pull her closer and my wolf snarled as a way of telling them to back off. As if I wasn’t already scared enough, Finn’s cries stopped and her body went limp in my arms. I looked down at her, fearing the worst. I saw her eyes flicked behind their lids and her nose flare slightly as she breathed.

“Fay!” I looked over at Paige as she rushed out of the house. Tanner was hot on her heels. I looked at my second daughter and my heart shattered, she looked so scared and broken. I knew that I had been ignoring her as I tried looking for Finn, but she never once complained or asked for anything.

“I’m sorry, honey.” I said to Tanner as I let Paige look over Finn while she was still in my arms. “I’ll make this time up to you, I swear.” Her eyes, the same light brown color as my mates, looked at me and I could tell she understood.

“I wanted Finn home too, Dad.” She said lightly, tears falling from her eyes. She took one of Finn’s hands as Paige led us over to our grey suv and opened the back passenger door. I set Finn inside as Donna came out of the house with a large blue suitcase.

“Tanner, you stay here.” I heard her tell our daughter as she placed the suitcase in the trunk.

“She should come.” I told my mate calmly, “We don’t know when we’ll see Finn again.” She sighed and ran her hand down her face, then nodded and told me to get in the back row. I had Tanner sit where we could put Finn’s head on her lap. Donna got in the passenger seat and Paige took the wheel. We drove silently through the rain for the first ten minutes before Tanner gasped lightly then looked at me.

I looked over my seat and felt my stomach churn and my blood boil when she pulled down the top of her sweater enough to show the bruise around her neck. Donna looked back as I growled darkly and gasped while putting her hand over her mouth. Silent tears fell from her eyes. Paige sighed heavily.

“She’ll get a full physical evaluation done once we arrive,” Paige informed us. “Everything will be documented and photographed as evidence. Copies will be sent to me, you and Alpha Jacob, seeing as he is investigating.”

“Okay.” My mate said lightly while taking her sister’s hand for comfort. I placed my right hand on Tanner’s shoulder as she sobbed lightly, she kept kissing her sister’s forehead and whispering how much she loved her and wanted her to come home soon.

We arrived an hour later at a large hospital looking, sandstone building. Paige drove us straight to the front door where a doctor and some nurses were waiting with a stretcher. Donna got out and let them take Finn from Tanner. I growled and whimpered when one of her arms limply fell toward the ground.

“It’ll be alright, Mr. Dalton.” The doctor assured me. “Miss Finn is not our first patient with ptsd and lycanthropy.” He flashed his eyes at me before turning and wheeling my daughter away.

“Doctor Quinn will be doing her examination. I personally requested that Doctor Harley Danvers be her therapist while she is here. When she comes back home she will be under my care.” I nodded and climbed into the back seat with Tanner while a nurse took the suitcase Donna had grabbed from the trunk. “Let's go inside, we have to fill out the intake forms.” Tanner and I slipped out of the back seat and closed the door while Paige parked the car. Donna and I were on either side of our daughter, each holding a hand as we waited for Paige to return. Once she did, we walked in and went to the front desk. Paige and Donna did the paperwork while Tanner and I scanned the place nervously.

“Can the Dalton family come with me please?” I looked at the short nurse who walked in. Her yellow scrubs seemed too bright for a place that felt so dark. Our family followed her through the door she had popped out of and she began walking us around. Men and women of all ages were walking around in what looked like nurse scrubs. Most of them were wearing white while others had on blue, red, and green.

“What do the colors mean?” I heard myself ask. She looked at the patients and turned to me with a sad smile.

“The patients in white are at a high risk of self-harm, the blue means that they are in the first phase of our program and they aren’t at risk of self-harm, red means that they are in phase two and green means that they are in phase three and nearing the end of the program.”

“What are the phases?” My mate asked.

“Phase one is really getting assimilated and learning to understand what they went through. They begin processing the trauma and develop ways to adapt to their new reality in a way that is healthy for them.”

“Phase two, if I’m correct, is where they are then put into groups and partnerships with other people as a way to begin learning how to rebuild trust with other people, correct?” Paige said, looking at the nurse.

“You almost had it,” The nurse said, smiling at her lightly. “We do introductions to other people and groups during the later stages of phase one. Phase two is more focused on learning how to communicate and discuss their trauma. This program is not easy, but those who learn to embrace their trauma rather than hide it away are more likely to live happier and fuller lives.” She paused and took a breath before continuing. “Phase two is also when our patients begin learning self-defense techniques and finding more ways to express themselves. We have music therapy, art, comedy and reading. If the patient requests something else, we do our best to accommodate them. We have some people who prefer meditation and yoga over music and art.”

“What do you mean by comedy?” Tanner asked shyly from beside me.

“Some people use humor to cope with what they have been through, so we have a room set up where people can go in and tell jokes to each other. There are some people who just like to be alone. Our library has a few separate nooks where those patients are free to get away from the world.”

“And what is phase three?” I heard myself ask.

“Phase three is more so acceptance, when the patient feels they are ready to leave they can tell us and we will do an evaluation, once we feel they have made all of the right steps and they are calm enough we will send them home with the name of a psychiatrist that they need to continue to visit for at least six more months, if they stop going to therapy or if they begin to backslide, we will have them come back and see what caused them to regress.”

“What happens if Finn’s assailant isn’t caught?” Paige asked. “If Finn can’t remember due to the trauma?”

“We can’t do anything about that ,however we have people here who know who their assailant is but wont tell. We are unfortunately unauthorized to force that information from them.”

“Why would they hide that?” My wife gasped. “What if their assailant hurts someone else?”

“There are many reasons.” The nurse sighed sadly. “Many of the victims we see of the lychanthrope gene are assaulted by someone within the top ranking in their pack. Unfortunately their families are often threatened or they are commanded into silence. Sometimes it’s the wolf’s own mate who abuses them. The list goes on.” I felt the blood drain from my face as I looked at my equally pale mate.

(Do you think….?) I asked her in our mind-link

(I hope not.) She replied as tears began to run down her face. Paige looked at her sympathetically and pulled her into her arms.

“If that’s the case then we’ll never know who did it.” Tanner whispered. “Finn would never risk putting us in danger.” I felt my head nod as tears fell from my eyes too.

“We can try to get her to open up about it, but that will likely be the case.” The nurse told us before taking a deep breath and shaking her shoulders. “Let’s finish the tour so you can see the amenities we have to accommodate your daughter.” I nodded and we all followed her around the facility. While I was there physically my mind kept wandering back to Finn and how she was faring at that moment.

When the tour was finished we were permitted to go see her in the hospital-like room she was in. Her clothes had been removed and were replaced with a set of white scrubs. I heard my wife whimper as we looked upon our pale and fragile child as she laid on the bed. Her soft honey blonde hair was pulled back exposing the thinness of her face, her lips were dry and chapped which I could see better as we walked up to her.

“Can she have chapstick?” I heard Tanner ask, like she could read my mind.

The nurse nodded and left the room while motioning us to her side. I grabbed one of her hands lightly and squeezed it before I handed it to Tanner. Donna and Paige took her other side. I went down to her feet and held her toes. The ones I had kissed the day Donna and I brought her home from the hospital. They were the same toes I had to battle into socks and shoes when she realized she wanted to be barefoot all of the time. This was the daughter who spent more nights in our bed than her own once Tanner was born so she could wake up and see her sister sleeping in the crib.

My never-ending tears flowed freely as I saw the look of pure terror on her face when she woke up screaming, the way she cried when we tried to get close and comfort her. I looked at her, really looked and I could still see unrest. She wasn’t sleeping peacefully, she was being tortured in her mind.

The nurse walked in with the same doctor as before and an aged woman with dark skin and silver curls.

“Hello I am doctor Harley Danvers.” She said as the nurse walked back in with a green tin of vaseline.

“Is there any way she can be woken up?” I asked, I could feel Donna, Paige and Tanner looking at me like I had three heads. “I can tell she is being haunted in there.” I saw the look of pity on Doctor Danver’s face and the understanding on Doctor Quinn’s.

“We can, however, I think it would be best to wait until we have discussed our findings.” Doctor Quinn replied smoothly. “If I could speak to you and Mrs. Dalton outside.”

“Tanner, stay with Paige and Finn, okay.” She nodded as I kissed the top of her head and walked out of the room with Donna. We held onto one another as we both dreaded hearing what the doctor had to say. Our wolves tried their best to calm one another as well, but they were just as worried as our human spirits.