Chapter 16

I gasp sitting straight up my heart's pounding just as hard as it was when I passed out, and the only thought my brain can process is Quentin. Where is he? I'm in a hospital bed all alone with no one in the room which doesn't leave me with a good feeling. The machines around me blare as I rip cords and needles out of my arms so I can find Quentin since he isn't in this room. Carl frantically races into the room his eyes widening once he sees that I'm awake.

"Tessa Stop!" I struggle in Carl's arms trying to push him away, but the stupid cast on my arm makes it a lot harder. He pushes on my shoulders holding me down on the bed doing his best to restrain me without actually hurting me. My fear only grows when Quentin doesn't immediately run into the room after him.

"Quentin!" I yell hoping that I'll hear his soft spoken voice reassuring me that he's fine and everything's going to be okay.

"He's alive." I fall limp in his arms finally looking up at him. His word choice is what stops me dead in my tracks. Carl didn't say he was okay or that he's fine, he said "he's alive" which probably means barely.

"I need to see him." I whisper out my voice cracking as I feel hot tears spilling down my cheeks. Carl gives me a sad smile while gently helping me sit up. My muscles ache as I shift so my legs are dangling off the side of the bed.

"I'll bring you to see him right after the doctor checks you over." He tries to bargain but I don't compromise. Pushing myself off the bed I go to walk towards the door almost falling flat on my face, but thankfully Carl catches me.

"Shit Tessa! Okay fine the doctor can look you over in his room." Carl sets me on the bed giving me a second to tap the cast that's wrapped around my lower leg against the ground. "Here I'll wheel you there." He pushes the wheel chair next to the bed and helps me get into it even though I could have easily done it on my own. I already want this cast off as soon as possible.

No words are spoken between us as he pushes me down the empty hallway towards a closed door. There are no visible windows but the lights are dimmed so I'm guessing it's late in the evening. Carl steps around me opening the door with one hand while maneuvering me in with the other. The lights are off in the room except for a small bedside lamp illuminating his face.

A whimper escapes me as the bruises and small cuts become visible all over his face. He's laying on his side with a tube down his throat which I know helps with your breathing. My heart shatters as I remember why he is here in the first place, me.

"Quentin." I cry grasping his hand in mine making sure to avoid the IV taped to it. Carl gets me as close to the bed as he can before taking a step back. "I'm so sorry." I whisper brushing the hair out of his face even though his eyes aren't open. He looks so peaceful despite the dark circles under his eyes and how pale he looks due to all the blood loss.

"It's not your fault." The horse voice startles me so bad I almost jump out of my chair. I didn't even notice Oliver slouched over on the couch  by the widow. He looks wrecked almost as if he hasn't slept in days. "They came out of no where." He frowns rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"What happened?" I only know that we were attacked. I wasn't there when it started, and I passed out before seeing how it ended. The fact we are all alive right now means that back up must have arrived in time. My dads are probably freezing out right now.

"We had just finished up and were about to head back to the pack house when the first wave came in. At first I figured it was a group of rogues who just wanted to cause some issues but then more kept coming. People mind linked each other to hide and bunker down while more warriors showed up to help. You showed up shortly after so you know the rest, but after both you and Quentin were down the rogues drew back and left." I snap my attention away from Quentin to look up at Oliver. Why would the rogues leave just like that? Was there intention to hurt Quentin and I?

"What about back up did they ever show up?" Surely my dads came to help. Oliver's jaw clenches as he looks out the window.

"Your dads sent back up who arrived first but the rogues had left before that. Once your dads arrived you had already been treated and given the casts. Quentin was declining for a bit so your dads called the council to inform them of the attack." I nod my head encouraging him to continue. This all sounds like standard procedure that I've seen countless others do. "They revoked our pack recognition." My jaw drops at this. How can they do that we did everything we were supposed to do.

"What?" I look between Oliver and Carl waiting for one of them to say they are just joking. Unfortunately this is all too real. "How?" I squeeze Quentin hand reassuringly so if he can hear any of this he knows I'll fix it. The last thing I need right now is Quentin to get worse.

"One of our rules was we weren't allowed to get into any fights so I assumed that was it, but I told them it wasn't our fault and that we were ambushed." Oliver take a deep breath before continuing. "They said that someone came forward with information that Quentin was questioning the authority of the council." I would have known if that were the case, certainly he would have brought it up to me: This pack worked so hard to get their pack recognized, and the council takes it away just like that without even verifying the allegations.

"That's bullshit!" I spit out. My anger at the council grows with each passing second. Oliver sits up straighter looking at someone behind me. Turning I see Julia's mate, Parker, walking over to me with a meak smile. It's nice to already know the doctor plus it eases the tension a bit.

"How are we feeling?" He takes the stethoscope that's wrapped around his neck and sets the cold metal against my chest to listen to my heart. I don't need to be a doctor to know it's beating fast with fury. He checks another few vitals before sighing and standing at the end of Quentin's bed. "I know you will not listen but try and rest as much as you can. Your leg should be healed up by tomorrow since it was a clean break, so we can take the cast off in the morning. As for your arm there is stitches under your cast so I would give it a few extra days." I nod looking to Quentin and back to him with pleading eyes. My own injures aren't the ones I'm concerned about.

"When is he going to wake up?" I whisper shaking with worry. Never have I seen Quentin in such a weakened state, and I'm worried it'll take him longer to heal than normal based on the sheer number of wounds he substained.

"That is up to him. At first we had to put him in a medically induced coma to help stop his brain from swelling." His voice is gentle but I still flinch at his words. "His back should heal up by next week along with the few broken ribs, leg, and wrist. As for his head injure it's touch and go. He could wake up in a few hours or a month." He gives me one last solaum look before excusing himself. It takes everything in me not to break down in front of everyone.

The pack need us right now to fix this colossal mess, but I can only give them myself. If the roles were reversed I know Quentin would have had this all sorted and settled by the time I woke up, so I'm going to have to step up and show everyone including the council you don't fuck with Silver Dawn and get away with it.

"Do you know why the council believed the person that stepped forward with that information?" I ask Oliver while pulling the blanket a bit further up Quentin's shoulder making sure he doesn't get too cold.

"Because they had proof." I snap my attention to him only to see him shaking his head at me. "It wasn't what it looked like. When Quentin found out you wanted to know more about your mom he wanted to help. He dug up some recounts from the attack and he was curious on why the council dismissed it so easily. It was intriguing so he called some "friends" to ask them about similar attacks on their territories throughout the years. One must have alerted the council." This whole situation seems to be blown out of proportion. Oliver looks like he hasn't slept in days, and I don't plan on leaving Quentin's side so Oliver should go get some sleep and be with his family.

"Head home Oliver I can watch over him while you get some sleep." He sends me a grateful smile before standing up and pulling me into a gentle hug.

"Thank you. Try and get some rest as well and don't stress yourself out we'll get through this." I can see in his eyes even he doesn't fully believe in his own words. Carl walks over taking Oliver's place by the window while I stay with my hand in Quentin's.

"Can you get me a phone so I can call my dads?" I can't imagine how worried they must be right now. They only know we were attacked, the council revoked us, and that I was I injured during all this.

"You can't call them from any pack phones. Since the council revoked us no other packs are allowed to interact with us or they will also be revoked." My blood boils at the thought of the council threatening my dads. "But Emeric already dropped off a untraceable phone at the border for you to use." It's the first time today that a genuine smile takes over my face. Even during a shit show of this proportion my family still manages to find a way to bend the rules. Carl stands up handing me the phone. "I'll be outside, holler if you need me." I dial their number forgetting the late hour.

"Tessa?" Ryder's voice sounds so pained it makes my chest ache. The way he whispered makes me think he was afraid it wasn't me.

"Dad I'm okay." I choke out releaved to hear my dad's voice. He yells for Fletcher sounding just as relieved as I feel, and loud footsteps can be heard running towards the phone.

"Tessa tell me what happened from the beginning." Fletcher sounds calm but I can hear the hints of worry. Guilt consumes me because of the position I've put them in. If I wasn't their child they wouldn't have any reason to be dragged into this situation but I did just that when I linked them for help.

"Rogues attacked out of the blue, and we were outnumbered so I linked you guys because I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry but I was so scared." My voice breaks remembering the impending feeling out there on the field. "One of them got my front right leg when I was in wolf form, and I could put any weight on it so I shifted. Someone was pinned and I couldn't stand around and watch them die so I went to their defense but got my leg and nose broken in the process. Quentin ran after me but one of them tore his back up and bit into his shoulder throwing him across the dirt." I break down letting the tears fall freely as I squeeze his hand to help calm myself down. Reliving hurts just as much as seeing it in real time.

"Can I talk to Quentin sweetheart?" I know they don't know and only want to help, but the question just made me cry harder.

"He's not awake yet." I manage to get out between hiccups. The line goes silent for a while as they process everything. "Oliver told me that he was only looking into the council because he wanted to help find out information about my mom." I defend him even though I haven't heard him tell me himself because I trust Quentin and he wouldn't have put our pack in danger so recklessly for no reason.

"This is your pack Tessa we can't tell you what to do with it, but we can help you in any way once you decide." Im glad they are letting me take control because honestly I'm worried they might get upset if they found out what ideas are swimming around in my mind. "Take a few days to heal up and in the mean time I've asked Elijah to send a few loyal rogues he knows to keep an eye out for your pack." It's only a slight weight off my shoulder to know we have few people willing to help even without the council on our side. "We've looked into what happened but haven't found any leads, but sweetie none of this is sitting right with me. Della wants to talk to you about it as well so if you could call her she might have some ideas."

"I will. I love you guys." I've seen how fast your world call fall in front of your eyes and I don't plan on taking another second of it for granted.

"Call us tomorrow morning. We love you with all of our heart." Ryder sounds emotional as he disconnects the line leaving me in the silent room with no noice except for the steady beat of Quentin's heart monitor.

"I love you, and when you wake up I'm going to make sure you never go a day without hearing me say it and a second without me showing it." I whisper running my thumb across his knuckling hoping that he can hear me so he knows I'm okay.

"You should get some sleep." I know Carl means well only wanting what's best for me but sleep is the farthest thing I'm concerned about right now.

"I will but first do you know where Quentin keeps the file on the council that Oliver was talking about?" I want to see what caused him to start asking around when he knew that repercussions could arise from it.

"Yeah do want me to go get it?" I turn looking over my shoulder at him standing in the door way. He needs sleep more than I do based off his droopy eyelids and disheveled hair.

"If you could get me that file and maybe something to eat? I'll get some sleep after I promise." To be honest the way my stomach flips at the thought of food I know I won't be eating but Carl doesn't need to know that. If I do something to make him happy I know he'll leave to get some rest leaving me some time to myself to really figure out what Quentin was trying to get at.

"I'll be right back." He nods leaving me alone with Quentin. The moonlight beams in through the window casting a beautiful glow across half of his face. Goddess his hair is getting long. I push his hair out of his face again seeing his roots coming in, blonde? Shifting forward I flick the lamp on next to his bed leaning over to examine his hair line. The hair seems to be growing in a light blonde color just like Oliver's. Does he dye his hair? I'm so absorbed in looking at Quentin's hair that I don't hear Carl walk back in.

"Is everything okay?" I jump a foot in the air clutching my chest. Carl stands their holding a tray of food he no doubt got from a nurse along with a manila folder. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." I can see the guilt in his eyes as he sets the tray down on the table next to the bed and hands me the folder. "Please get some rest and if you need anything link me." He bends down kissing the top of my head before heading out of the room.

I wait until I hear his footsteps make it to the end of the hall before opening the folder. The first page is the same document Aidan gave me about the day of the attack accounting how my mother died. Flipping through the next few are just more papers about my mother but then the documents turn into ones about the complaints Della and Aidan filed to the council about her father. It's a few reports on how some people thought the council wasn't doing enough at the time. The last one is what chills me to my core. It's a list of a bunch of similar attacks from the one that killed my mother but in a bunch of different packs. There is a small note scribbled in Quentin's hand writing that says everything happened after Ivan took over a major role within the council.

Goddess Quentin what have you gotten us into? If this is true that means Ivan could be somehow behind all of these attack which left many people dead including my mother, but I always thought Blake and Raven where the reason my mother had died. I'm going to have to call Della to ask her more about this, but even if Ivan wasn't responsible for the death of my mother he may still have blood on his hands that he needs to be held accountable for. This isn't something that's going to be taken lightly, and could divide packs. The council has always been considered the peacemakers if you will and if people find out someone within the highest ranks is participating in acts completely opposite of his position they will want justice.

I don't want this to be blown out of proportion so I'm going to need to do a little more digging. This pack needs me and I need to figure out how to get our pack rereconized. Maybe Carl's right I should get some sleep, just enough to get me through tomorrow. First thing in the morning I'm going to call the council to sort all of this out. We can find out if Ivan really is behind all of this after, and I'll make sure we don't get caught this time.

I lean over planting a kiss to Quentin's cheek and wheel myself over to the couch on the opposite wall. Lifting myself onto is more difficult than I anticipated with a broken arm and leg but I manage. I grab the blanket of the back of it and cover myself watching Quentin's chest rise and fall with each breath until my eyes can't stay open any longer and I let myself succumb to the darkness.

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Song: Find You by Ruelle

I want to start off by saying thank you all for 400 reads on this book! I'm really proud of this book so far so I'm glad everyone is enjoying it as much as I am. It may seem weird when I ask to hear your theories, but it really helps me because I can hear your perspective and I catch things I hadn't even thought about. You can probably guess by now that I'm asking to here your theories about what's just happened and what's to come. I hope you all enjoyed this story, and if you did don't forget to vote and comment! Keep staying safe and practice social distancing. Until next time.

~Stella Gordon