Chapter 8

Olivia’s POV

We turn off the highway; Jonathon pulls the car over at a small 24-hour garage and I stretch my legs and go to the bathroom. Alex is filling the car up with petrol; “Not that we need it, I’ve still got half a tank, saves me stopping next time” he calls out.

I hop in the backseat and put Jessica’s head on my lap. I don’t know how, but I will make that asshole pay for hurting Jess this bad. Alex gets in the driver’s seat and Jonny is shot gun “how much longer?” I ask Alex; “10 miles” he says starting the car and heads up a dirt road.

As we get closer, I see skyscrapers; “What the Fuck” I gasp. Alex and Jonathon laugh as he pulls into a multi-story car park, there has to be 20 floors, holding a shit load of cars. He parks the car on the 9th floor, “welcome home” he says to us. Alex takes Jessica out of the car; carrying her gently in his arms as we walk towards an elevator “ground floor Jon” Alex tells Jonathon.

I'm so overwhelmed, I can't speak. First Alex is alive and he says he's Jessi's mate. On the ride home, they tell me Mum and Dad have been living here all along. What the Fuck? Dad is a strong warrior; why didn't he come and get us? "They must have their reasons Liv, give them a chance to explain" Vanessa responds to my thoughts. "It better be a good excuse" I spit back at her.

Getting to the bottom of the car park; we cross the grassy strip to another building. A woman in a white coat runs out the door with a stretcher; “How long has she been unconscious?” “A little over two hours, she was kicked and punched multiple times before I could intercede” Alex told her frowning.

We follow her into the building, I look around; there’s doctors and nurses at every station. "It’s a hospital" I whisper; another lady in scrubs comes up to me. “I’m Nurse Jacklyn; you must be Olivia and Jonathon. I’ve been asked to take you both to an examination room.” I look at Jonny, he smiles and we follow Nurse Jacklyn down the hallway and into a room; “Doctor Spencer will be in shortly.”

We sit on the examination bed; Jonathon puts he’s arms around my shoulders; I nestle into he’s chest, while we wait for the doctor to come in. "Why didn't you tell us before, Mum and Dad were alive and you have been in contact with Alex?" He frowns, I don't like it when he frowns. "It's been a long night Liv; I have my reasons and when Jessi is better, I will tell both of you together."

I open my mouth to demand answers, but the door opens; the lady who met us out the front comes in. “I’m Doctor Sophia Spencer, head physician here” she starts, before she can continue I ask how Jessica is; “she’s sustained a few rib fractures and the kick to the head has given her a concussion. There are a few broken bones that have healed incorrectly, so we had to rebreak and set them. Other than that, she is fine. I want to examine you first”

I nod my head. I stand on the scales; then she listens to my chest with her stethoscope. Nurse Jacklyn comes to the door, “are you ready?” she asks Doctor Spencer; “one minute." “You’re not as malnourished as I thought you may have been.” she says smiling. I smile at Jonny, “Jonny made sure we ate, he snuck us food.” She looks at Jonathon and gives him a warm smile.

“I need you to go with Nurse Jacklyn, Olivia. We need to get a few x-rays done to make sure there are no issues.” I nervously look at Jonathon. “Can I go with her?” Jonny asks. “Sure, you both can get your x-rays done at the same time” she responds.

We open the door and go down the corridor with Nurse Jacklyn; there is a long tube looking machine, “this is a CT Scanner it's easier to check you in this; than doing individual x-rays” Nurse Jacklyn says; “are you claustrophobic?” “I slept in a closet smaller than that,” nodding my head towards the CT Scanner; “I think I will be right." She laughs and I hop into the scanner machine; Jonny and Nurse Jacklyn go into a small room with a large glass window.

It didn’t take as long as I thought; I swap with Jonny and when she finished scanning both of us; she took us back to the examination room.

Dr Spencer informs us; “Jonny, your scans come up clear. Liv I need to reset an arm fracture that healed incorrectly, but other than that, you will be right to go home.” She pulls out a huge needle, “w-what’s th-that f-for?” I stammer; “it’s a strong local anesthetic, it will numb the pain for me to rebreak your fracture and reset it. I can put you under a general if you prefer?” “No it’s ok” I put my face into Jonny’s chest while she injects the local anesthetic and rebreaks my arm. “You will feel some pulling; if you feel any pain, let me know and I will stop."

With the procedure all done; Nurse Jacklyn informs us, “Alex is in the waiting room." We walk out a set of double doors and see him sitting on a chair in the corner. “Are you ok?” He nods at the sling, “yeah, they had to reset my arm." “I have Nath coming to take you both to your room. I want to wait here." On cue; Nathanial walks in through the front doors, “you said he was a tall male version of Jess; I had to see it to believe it” Jonathon says. “Where’s runt?” he asks, “still in surgery, doc says they had to reset some of her bones, other than that she will be fine” Alex answers him.

“Mind link me the minute she is out” Nathanial tells him “Will do." I give Alex a hug, “thank you for helping” I whisper to him. I turn to face Nathanial and Jonathon, “let’s go home.”

Jessica’s POV

Waking up in a white room, where am I? I look over to the corner, there's someone asleep on a chair; she looks peaceful. “Mum” I call out . She wakes up; tears begin to well up in her eyes. “Baby girl, you’re awake?”

If mum's here, Alpha Dumbass must have killed me; just when I saw Alex again. “Am I dead?” I ask her. She lets out a small giggle “no sweetie, you are in the hospital. You’ve been out for 5 days.” I stare at her; “where are we?” she doesn’t answer. “Mum?” “I think it’s best we wait until the others get here.” Others? What others?

I lay back down and the full memories of what happen start to come back, “Alex” I scream. Mum smiles at me.

“Is Alex here? Mum?” “He is outside talking to the doctor” she answers. “Does she know he called me he’s mate?” I ask Celeste, still trying to process what happened. “He is our mate.” “What the hell, Celeste? You kept that a secret. Why didn’t you tell me he was our mate” I fumed. “Calm down Jessi. You were heading to him when Alpha Dumbass grabbed your arm; I would have told you when you got to him.”

I huff at her as Pine and Peppermint wafts through my nose from outside the door; I couldn't stop the smile forming on my face. Mum moves to the door; opens it slightly and puts her head out. When she is done telling them I'm awake, she opens the door completely and sits back down in her chair.

Alex walks into the room with a woman in a white coat and kisses me on the forehead, a bolt of electricity goes through my body. He smiles; the woman picks up my wrist and checks my pulse. “I’m Dr Sophia Spencer, Head Physician. You had a few broken ribs and we had to reset some of your bones where they healed incorrectly. Other than being slightly underweight you’re ok. Olivia and yourself weren’t as under nourished as I thought you may have been.” I nod, “Jonny would sneak us food a few times a day.”

“Yes, Olivia did tell me. Your bones have healed and you should be right to go home.”

I sniff the air, “you aren’t a wolf?” Dr Spencer smiles, “no, I am a cat shifter. A leopard to be more precise. You will find there are many different shifters here” “Where is here?” I ask. Still smiling, she looks at Mum and Alex, “I will let Alex and Cynthia explain.” I look at both of them; “let’s get you home first” Mum says getting out of the chair.

I try to stand from the side of the bed, my knees buckle under me. Alex grabs me around my waist, holding me up; “Is she ok Doc?” he asked looking worried. Dr Spencer chuckles “yes. She hasn’t used her legs in 5 days. She will be a bit wobbly at first.”

Holding onto Alex, I prop myself up and let the blood return to my legs. Standing, I move my way around the bed. The one thing I wanted to do over the last 4 years, is to be able to give Mum a hug again. I look at Mum and run to her, hugging her tight. I must have caught her by surprise; she didn’t hug me back at first. When she did, she held on so tight.

Time stood still; I didn't want to let go; Alex clears his throat, “we should get going.” I don't let go; I don't want to. Mum grabs my wrists gently, pulling them away, “we have plenty of time for hugs."

Alex grabs my hand and pulls me into he’s own hug; I melt into he’s embrace. I wanted this more than anything four years ago; I smile into he's chest.

"First you need to get changed” Mum announces, picking up a bag at her feet. I look down; I am wearing a purple medical robe, with my ass hanging out. “Oh,” I blush; Alex and mum chuckle as I grab the bag and look inside at a pair of jeans and blue t-shirt. “Be right back” and head to the bathroom to change.