Chapter 16

Charlotte's POV (The day after Vincent bit her.)

Why am I so cold? My neck feels like a wood plank and I have a tsunami headache crashing through my skull.

"Charlotte? Baby. You're awake?" Mom's quivering voice made me turn my eye balls to the side. Neck pains remember? We make eye contact and she gasps like a woman who just found out she won the million-dollar lotto. "Trent, your sister is awake!"

She kneels by my bedside and holds on to my forearm. Her eyes are bloodshot and her face is painstakingly pale like a paper sheet. She looked twice as horrible as yesterday, I kid you not.

"Mom?" My throat is so dry it's hard to speak.

"My baby girl." She cries into my arm.

Regarding the room, I realize we were at the hospital. How'd I get here? The last thing I remember was chasing Vincent into the woods. My brain flashes outlandish images of Vincent turning to a werewolf.

I must have fallen on my head before having nightmares. It explains the headache.

"Mom?" I reach for her hand, but the IV needle on the back of my palm prevents me from moving my arm any further. I look at it and feel squeamish.

I freaking. Hate. Needles.

Trent sits on the other side of the bed and covers the taped area, hiding the IV from my sight. Like mom, he looks forlorn and deep eye bags mark under his eyes.

"Don't look if you know you're not going to like it. How are you sis?" His voice expressed concern, but his rigid posture meant he had a lot more serious things to say, but was restraining himself for mom's sake.

"I--

Before I could tell him how sore I felt, mom interjects. "Charlotte, what in the world made you think of going outside?! With what happened to-

She chokes on her breath and paused for a second to hold in her emotions.

The door opens and a nurse walks in and mom stops talking.

"You're awake!" The nurse walks over to monitor and checks my vital status. She takes down a few notes and introduces herself. "My name's Marlene, I'm your nurse for this afternoon. Are you in pain honey? Would you like me to give you some pain meds? The doctor said if you woke up in pain I could administer a small dosage to make you feel at ease. That animal bite was pretty deep. I'm sorry darling, but you're going to have a scare there."

My mouth drops and I kink my neck to see the wound, but forget I had stiff neck. I groan when the sudden pain hits me.

Trent curses under his breath. "Sometimes I feel like you're the younger sibling." He gets to his feet and helps me adjust the pillow so that I don't hurt my neck again. I watch him as he does this and I feel so well taken care of by my little brother, it almost makes me emotional.

If Celeste were here she would think some alien took over our little brother's body and replaced him with this caring stranger.

I stubbornly attempt to swat his hand and tell him I didn't need help, but he groaned in annoyance. "Charlotte, please..."

My stomach twists.

Charlotte please...

Vincent said the same thing last night before jumping off the porch.

The recognition made me somewhat nauseated, likely due to my headache and shock.

Last night was real. Did I really see Vincent turn into a wolf? It sounds so crazy. Or maybe I'm already going crazy!

I blink a couple times hoping my brain would work past the throbbing and tell me I'm too hazed to think straight. Nothing clears up.

Vincent's burning, the night chill prickling my skin, the pain of his fingernails digging into my skin, and the snarls from deep within his throat...it was real! And if all that wasn't evidence enough, the pain on my shoulder is proof of last night.

My face contorted into an image of distress.

Trent looks at me quizzically. "Nurse, I think she needs those pain meds."

Nurse Marlene awaits my consent. "You're the patient. I can't just hand you medication if you don't actually need it. Is the pain unbearable?"

"The shoulder's a little painful, but the neck and the headache...it's like a 6.0 earthquake."

Nurse Marlene laughs. "First time I heard a patient describe pain like that. I'll tell your doctor and come back in a sec with your medication." She left and the room was quiet again, except for the beeping on the EKG monitor.

"Charlotte..." Mom said softly. "Tell us why you went outside. We just want to hear a perfectly good reason why you would endanger yourself." Her eyes are directly on me.

They wouldn't believe me if I told the truth. They would think I'm crazy! My only option was to lie and that was something I was never good at, but I had to. In this family, we never lie to each other. But this once, I hope to god I can pull it off.

"I-I went out because..."Come on! What to say? Lying is harder than I thought. "I saw, or I thought I saw...Celeste." I'm going to regret this. "I thought I saw her in the woods and I was hoping to chase after her."

"She's gone insane. She's seeing things." Trent blurted. "It must be the lack of sleep. We all have been walking around like zombies for the past couple days since Celeste disappeared and I think we've hit out limit. Mom's an emotional wreck and I feel like I've been getting none stop panic attacks."

Mom's brows arched so high, for a second I thought they disappeared into her hairline. "Trent, you've been having panic attacks?"

Way to go bro. Now mom has another thing to worry about.

Trent looks like he regrets what he said. "It's not as bad as it sounds, mom. They last for three minutes, or maybe less. I can handle them. They started happening a little while after Celeste went missing. I think it's because of all the caffeine I drank from Gran's cupboard."

Did a bomb just go off? "You drank your grandmother's coffee?! Do you not know how strong that is? A person with a possible cardiovascular disease shouldn't even drink that stuff. It increases their chance of a heart attack! But does my mom listen? NO! She does whatever the hell she wants and drinks that crap like water. Trent, you are not allowed to drink coffee anymore. In fact, when we get home, I'm going to throw it out."

"Throw what out?" Gran walks into the room holding the room curtain wide open using her cane. One hand, she had stacks of plastic wrapped muffins in assorted flavor. "Hey honey, how's the freakishly large hickey on your neck? I remember when I was your age, I..."

I stopped listening, afraid that my ears would hear something inappropriate and have more images in my head that I didn't want to see, or believe.

Mom stomps towards Gran, eyes focused on the pile of food. "Those are all carbohydrates. You eat all those and you're blood sugar will sky rocket to the moon! Give it to me, I'm going to go down stairs and donate them to the visitors sitting in the waiting room."

Gran looks appalled and shakes her head like a defiant child. "I paid for these and I'm going to eat them."

"Not in my watch you're not!" Mom takes a nose dive to grab the food. Gran hits her with her cane and she bolts out the room. I hear people yelp outside as she shoves her way past them. Mom clutches her side and groans. "Crazy old bat! If you don't stop running, I'm going to replace all the food in the house with prunes!"

If only I weren't temporarily incapacitated, I would have loved to see my 65 year old Grandma running.

"Mom, are you okay?" Trent asks and he helps her get on her feet.

"Watch your sister, I'm going to handle your grandmother and we're going to have a strict talk on nutrition when I get back." Mom briskly walks out and Trent and I are alone.

Trent gazes at me with an unyielding look, I knew a lecture was coming and it irritated me that it was going to come from my little brother.

"Just say it."

"Say what?" He was playing his execution role down exactly to a T.

"You're going to lecture me."

"Am I?"

I groan. "Out with it Trent, I know what you're going to say."

"Which is..." He sat down on his chair again and put his feet up on my gurney bed. He didn't even care that the hospital staff could walk in and see his rude behavior.

"That I acted irresponsibly and you're mad at me for my idiotic actions."

He smirked. "What's the point of me yelling at you when you obviously know what I'm going to say? There's no need to waste my breath. However, you left out the part that you worried us sick to death. Charlotte, next time you decide to take ten years out mom's life, you should warn us in advance."

The urgent need to pout had me well along the line of sudden tears. "Aww...Little bro. Where you concerned about me? You make me want to cry."

"News flash sis, you're already crying." He chuckled and hid his face from me in embarrassment.

"Are you blushing, Trent?" I teased him.

"Shut up." He folded his arms and leaned back on his chair.

A knock paused our conversation.

"Can I come in?"

Under the curtain, I see a black pair of pants and male's leather boots.

"Yes." I respond back. The curtains draw open and I meet a pair of familiar blue eyes. "Leonardo." I greet, but I feel a sense of apprehension knowing he was Vincent's brother.

"Charlotte, I heard what happened. I'm glad that you are okay." He has his police uniform on; badge and name tag shining like a plate of gold.

"Why are you here? Don't you have important business to attend to?" Trent mutters, strangely a bit belligerent that it shocks me.

"Trent, don't be rude."

Leonardo looks at Trent with a blank expression on his face before smiling sympathetically at me. "I'm sorry to bother you when you should be getting some rest after the ordeals you have been going through, but I'm here to write a statement on your case. We need to know about the appearance of the animal. I need to inform the ranger so that he can warn people of animal attacks."

Trent got up and stood almost eye-level to Leonardo, except he was a couple inches shorter. "This town should have already made provisions to keep animals away from inhabited areas. My sister shouldn't have been attacked by an animal in our backyard."

Leonardo didn't flinch at Trent's accusation. "It's an unfortunate event that is of no one's control. And I'm sorry that Charlotte, you were the victim." His sharp eyes narrowed on me and I shivered at the resemblance to Vincent's eyes. "Trent, is it alright if I speak to Charlotte alone?"

No...Something in my gut told me there was something strange about Leonardo and it wasn't because Vincent is his brother.

"I'm not leaving this room." Trent snapped.

I clasped Trent's hand and he held it in a tight grip.

"I'm only going to ask her a few questions." Leo said carefully.

"She is not willing to answer them. She's in pain and the nurse will be coming in soon to give her, her pain medication." Trent scowls.

"I asked her to give me a few minutes."

The two stared at each other as if they were testing each other's patience.

I doubt Leo was leaving until he talked to me.

Sighing, I raise my head self-assuredly. "Trent, it's okay. Let him do his job."

Trent gave a weird look. "But-

"Hang out in the hall. If I need you I'll call."

Trent made an incredulous expression before making a sneering remark at Leonardo. "If you stress her out, I'm going to do a number on you."

"Threatening an officer?" Leonardo stated.

"Trent, please. Stand outside and don't eavesdrop."

He snorted and left.

"You've got a great brother." Leonardo smirked.

"Is that a complement, or an insult? Because if it's the latter, I'm not afraid to get arrested for kicking your arse. No one insults my brother, but me."

He smirks. "You and Celeste are definitely related."

Taking Trent's previous seat, Leonardo reaches into his pocket for a notepad. I eyed the gun strapped to his belt and my heart pounded harder. I'm sure the EKG picked it up, but Leo doesn't.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

Peachy

"Is that one of your interview questions?"

"No...I'm just asking as a friend." Are we friends? I don't know squat about him, except that he's Vincent's brother.

"As you can see, I'm not doing so well." I motion to the bandaged shoulder.

He nods. "How's the wound?" He points to my neck.

"Stitched and I'm told it will scar."

He nods again and takes down a few notes. What could he be writing? He's probably doodling some picture of me and not really listening.

"So what happened last night?" He prods.

Besides your brother maybe turning into to a werewolf and biting my shoulder? "I got attacked by an animal."

Nod again. "What did this animal look like?"

Handsome, charming, sweet, until he bit me and turn into a polymorphic man/wolf. "It was hairy and had sharp claws."

"Oh?" He wasn't taking this interview seriously, I could tell. What person is there right mind would tilt their head the way Leonardo just did. I don't feel like the person sitting next to me is a real cop. He's way too young. Mom was right.

"What are you playing at Leo? You're not actually taking notes are you?"

He angles his pad enough for me to see it. And sure enough, I see little doodles, but above it I read: Your brother is eavesdropping.

It wasn't a surprise.

Every hospital room had curtains and a glass door for privacy, or isolation. Leonardo could have closed the glass door, but I guess he was being courteous of my fretfulness being alone in the room with him. "You can close the glass door."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

He walks up and closes it. From the bottom of the curtain, I could see Trent's legs standing behind the glass. And I swear I thought I heard Trent curse from the other side.

"Your brother is overprotective."

"It's a side of him that I've never really witnessed before."

"Is that so," was all he said.

His relaxed tone makes me want to throw a glass of water in his face and out of the blue I'm majorly pissed off.

Steam must be smoking out my ears because I explode. "I'm freaked out of my mind after what happened the other night and I can't even comprehend what I saw! I don't know who to tell the truth too because what I happened was something out of a fiction novel!" I take a deep long and steady breath before saying, "Vincent did this to me. Or I think he did. I'm not really sure how, but I'm sure your brother is involved. And whatever shit he conjured up to make me think hocus-pocus, it isn't funny! When I see him, he can't get past a two meter pole near me! I'm telling him our relationship, or whatever we had, is OVER."

"Hold on a minute." This is the part where he tells me I'm insane and I need to check in to an asylum. "You can't break up with my brother."

What? "What?"

No, 'You're delusional!', or 'stay away from my brother'.

"You can't break up with Vincent. He needs you."

"For what, a play thing?! And let's rewind. You are well aware what your brother is? What he can change into..."

"A werewolf." He finishes my sentence and I feel like I've joined a group of pseudoscience nerds who also believe mermaids are real-they better not.

"Okay." At least that's cleared up. He's the psychopath, not me.

I'm tempted to scream and demand this nut out of my hospital room.

"Why aren't you freaking out about this? "He seemed surprised.

Give me a moment, I'll show you how freaked out I am.

"You want me to? I've just about done with all the craziness. If you show me a fire breathing dragon, I'd name it Toothless."

"That mouth of yours is so much like her too." He smirked.

"Who are you yapping about?"

"Nothing." He crooned, then looked down at his wrist watch. "Times running out, I have work to do and my boss is a bit of a grouch. I'm going to say this quick so pay attention."

"Wait--

"Shut up for a sec," he covered my mouth with his hand. "My brother is a werewolf. You are his mate. Don't ask, because there's too much to tell you and so little time. What I will tell you next, you have to keep a secret. If you don't keep your mouth shut. You won't get to see Celeste again."

My eyes widened and my hands grasped his arm, trying to pry his palm from my mouth. He knows where Celeste is!

"YOU KIDDNAPED HER!" My scream came out as a muffle, because his hand pressed against my lips.

"Keep your voice down!" He hissed.

"You kidnaped my sister!" I repeated again sounded like a muffin was stuffed in my mouth.

"Stop it. If you persist to disrupt me you will never know about Celeste's whereabouts!" That shut my trap. "In two weeks from today, Vincent will be back. He has more control over himself. He will take you out and you will let him. If you don't go with him, you won't see Celeste again. Do you understand?"

I think I lost him at werewolf...

"Can you repeat that again?"

NOTE: Dec 24, 2016

HAPPY HOLIDAYS YOU FREAKISHLY AMAZING PEOPLE!!! I'M BACK!!! I've graduated and I'm ready to write again after a year of constant chaos. I have edited this book again so you will find some changes to the style of writing. This book has been closed off from the public but I have made it visible once more. SO YOU BETTER BE GRATEFUL, you marshmallows! Let's make one thing clear though IF YOU COPY MY BOOK...I WILL FIND YOU.

BE WARNED. xo