I raise my heavy eyelids and squint at the brightness. The room slowly comes into focus. A white medical room. I’m strapped to the bed and I growl angrily. They are healing me again, or I’m hallucinating.
I

can’t! I cannot do this anymore!

The door swings open and the ghost man walks towards me quickly. He's solid this time. My mind is so broken now, he looks real to me. A sob escapes me and I look away. I cannot see his pleading eyes while I deny him this time. There is no ‘little bit longer.' He doesn’t exist. He is not coming for me. It’s all a lie.

“Angel?” He whispers, his hand cupping my cheek. I gasp, feeling the heat of his skin, the tingles of his energy, the smell of fresh linen and the sea breeze as my nose takes in his essence. I chuckle. Oh boy, my brain is pulling out all the stops.

“No,” I say hoarsely with conviction. “No more waiting, no more promises. You, Casper the annoying ghost, need to get the fuck out of my head.”

“No more waiting,” He agrees. “You are safe now, we found you. You're at Maroon Bells Castle. I kept my promise.” He raises my hand to his lips and kisses it. Tingles shoot up my hand and gather in my abdomen.

“Nice try,” I say sadly, pulling my hand away. “But you need to leave me now. You need to let me go. I’ve done this scenario before. It wasn’t real then, it isn’t real now.” He shakes his head at me fast.

"You got out. I promise. You are mine and I am yours.” He says, eyes boring into mine. “I have looked for you for centuries. I can never let you go now. I ask you to listen to me one more time. I promise I swear on my life, this is real.” He kicks up the wheel locks on my bed and with one hand pushing the bed and the other pulling the I.V pole with him, he moves me to the window.

I look out the window and see rolling hills and forests. He pushes the window open so I can smell wildflowers on the breeze, as it caresses my face. I choke on a sob. I never thought I would smell the wilderness again.

He gently clasps my hand in his and strokes my hair. A strange rumble noise starts to come from his chest and soothes my soul. I find myself relaxing into his touch. Genuine kindness, understanding, and empathy shine from his eyes. I startle suddenly. My body shoots pains as it tenses.

“Your eyes are wrong! You're not him.” But he smiles and I watch his eyes bleed into the familiar reptilian ones.

“You brought my humanity back when I found you.” He explains. “It was nearly gone completely.”

“I don’t understand,” I admit, confused.

“I am yours; we are mates.” He smiles.

“I have two mates?” What is this fuckery he's trying to peddle?

"Three.” A voice says from the doorway.

My eyes dart to the sound. The deep growl flies out of my throat before I can stop it, as recognition hits me. My abusers are here, my betrayers. I am not free.

The ghost man gets in my line of sight. That soothing rumble starts up again that I can’t help but respond to. Once he deems me suitably calm enough, he stops it. Was he just purring? He is a dragon, right? Not a cat?

“Angel, listen to me carefully.” He said. “This is your fourth wake-up call. Hense the bed straps. You reacted badly each time. You had enough hallucinogenic in your system to sink a ship. As well as wolfsbane, silver nitrate, sedatives, and a cocktail we are still trying to work out. Your mates weren’t there. I swear, they were looking for you just as hard as I was. I don’t know what you saw. But some of it wasn’t real. Your mates, they would never hurt you. Do you hear what I’m saying? Whatever you think happened while you were there, was not done by them. Do you understand?”

I nod slowly as I process what he’s saying. I understand and part of me knows he’s right, but there's still that part that doesn’t believe.
“

Ok, I’m going to move out of the way so they can see you, but I’m right here.” His hand clasps mine and he resumes his previous position, stroking my hair. They approach cautiously, stopping at my low growl of warning.

“Eve.“ Reece begins. “Baby, I missed you so much. When you want to talk about it, I'm here.” I avert my eyes and shake my head vehemently. No one can know what I went through, how I broke in the hands of the enemy. They cannot know of the undignified deaths of my family and how I was too weak to save them.

“Can we remove the straps now Kitten?” Hulk asks. “I hate seeing you like this.” I nod wearily. I jerk against the restraints when his fingertips graze my wrist and a fine tremor takes over my body. He backs away immediately. Hands up, showing he means no harm.

"Maybe you should do it,” Reece suggests to Ghost man. “She’s not ready yet and that’s ok. We have nothing but time.“ He directs an understanding smile at me. They back up to give me space. Ghost man leans forward and unbuckles the strap at my shoulders. He then moves, unbuckling the one at the waist then my knees, and lastly my ankles.

“Your wolf side only activated yesterday and is sluggish, your body has a long way to go. They have you on some wicked pain relief but try not to move too much.” He explains.

“Can I sit up?” I ask, focusing completely on the ghost man. I can’t look at the other two. It hurts and makes me angry to see their faces, regardless of whether my mind fucked me over in the cells or not.

“We can try and slowly raise the bed." He says smiling gently. “Just let me know if it hurts and we will stop.”
I

nod in agreement, excited to see more of the landscape out the window. He pushes a button near the bed and a mechanical hum fills the room. For a moment my heart beats out of tune and I swallow hard, waiting to hear the clanking of the chains. I think I’m going to be sick.

“Angel?” His hand on mine brings me back as I blink at him. He places the controller in my hand. “Here, you choose when it moves.” I nod, biting my lip. I am scared of a bed. God, how the mighty have fallen.

It takes me forever to get the bed to half-mast. Stopping and starting. My ribs protest each time my bed adjusts but is nothing compared to some of the other pain I experienced in my confinement. The view from the window is worth it.

"Did you want to try something to eat and drink?” Hulk asks. “Doc said you can try some soft food and water.” I nod absently, stretching my wolf hearing to the birds, the rustling leaves, and the crickets chirping.

A hand appears in front of my face holding a cup of lime jelly and a spoon. I eagerly grab it. When was the last time I had food? I dip my spoon in and fill it, shoving it in my mouth and swallowing without chewing. My stomach clenches in response. The second spoonful I hold in my mouth, allowing the flavor to slide over my taste buds as it dissolves. I swallow it cautiously. My stomach tries to tie itself in knots. I place the cup on the window sill.

You did good baby Reece's voice caresses my mind through the pack link for the first time in ages, today two spoons, next time three. I glance at him. He and Hulk are still keeping their respectful distance, even though I can see it pains them. I feel guilty at being so weak, so broken, so angry at them. I avert my eyes ashamed. Suddenly I remember what Reece said when they first walked in.

“What did you mean by I have three mates?” I ask him directly, but I focus on the wall just behind him, still unable to meet his eyes. Reece grins at me.

"Oh Baby, do I have some news for you.

Time for the healing journey to begin.
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