Chapter 23 Calyx

Uncle William’s health assessment went a lot better than I thought it would. Amalie only started to spiral once. Uncle William had been kind and respectful, not that I doubted he would be. He was very protective of his patients and of their needs.

“Okay, you healed very nicely. Beren did a wonderful job. Stay off your leg for at least two more days and you should be good,” he said. “Now, we have a psychiatrist on staff here or we can reach out to other packs. Sometimes people want to talk to someone familiar with them and their situation. But it can be easier to talk with someone new.”

I watched Ama nodded her head in understanding. “Who is the psychiatrist for the pack?” she asked.

“Carol Beaty,” Dr. William said.

I was not ready for the reaction from Ama.

“No! Not her, please. Anyone but her,” Amalie started to cry and shake. She looked like she was about to bolt from her hospital bed.

“You’re safe,” I said as I squeezed her hand. Nothing happened. Amalie started to shake harder, and her tears came faster. “Ama, we’ll find someone else.”

“Not her. Please, don’t make me talk to her,” she begged. Ama wasn’t seeing me.

I let go of her hand and wrapped my arms around my terrified mate. “It’s alright. You’re safe. We will not let her anywhere near you.”

“She,” Amalie started to say but hiccuped. “She’s best friends with Marie.”

“She will not be allowed near you little one,” Zviad growled as he pushed forward. He was growling and pacing in our shared head. ‘If she knew that Ama was being held captive, I will rip her to shreds. No mercy,’ he growled to me.

“Did she know?” I asked, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. I don’t think I was successful based on the look my uncle gave me.

“That I was being held there?” Ama whispered. “I don’t know. She just came over several times a month or hung out with Marie. When they would get together, they would gossip about the pack and then talk about me. I would be trapped in the basement while she was over. I only was able to catch a few words. The basement had been sound proofed so people visiting wouldn’t hear me.” Ama had stopped shaking, but she was still crying.

“We will find someone else,” I told her. I switched my attention to Uncle William. “Do you know of anyone who could come and help Amalie for a little while?”

“I have a few friends from different packs I can reach out to. I’ll reach out to my old pack first and see who can come,” Uncle William said. “For now, we’ll take a break as I contact friends.” He got up and left the room.

I nodded my head in agreement. I picked Ama up and then sat on the bed. I placed her in my lap to be able to hold her better. Ama snuggled into my chest farther. Her crying had slowed, but she still had a few tears leaking from her eyes.

‘Get back here with Rose when you can,’ I told Markus via mind link.

‘What happened?’ he asked, panic lacing his tone. He had only been gone for a little while.

‘Our psychiatrist is best friends with Marie,’ I told him.

‘What? How did we not know this?’ he demanded.

‘It’s not like we suspected that Ama was here in the pack. Her parents carried on their lives like she had left. Tomorrow we will get a list of their friends and start finding out who knows what. But for today, we comfort our mate and show her that we care,’ I growled.

‘I can do that. Rose and I made something for Ama. I think we can show her how much we care,’ he told me. I could hear the pride in his tone. ‘We’re on our way back. We should be there in about 10 minutes.’

“Markus and Rose are on their way back. I figured you could use time cuddling Rose again. We can talk about anything that you want or just sit here,” I told her.

“Will you still hold me?” Ama asked in a small voice.

I hated how small and broken she sounded. “Of course, but I think that Mark might get really jealous,” I chuckled.

“He can hold me later. Right now, I don’t want to move,” she whispered.

“Then don’t move. Stay where you feel comfortable,” I told her and tightened my arms around her, so she knew that she was secure. We sat there in silence for the rest of the time it took Mark and Rose to come back to the hospital.

As Mark opened the hospital room, Rose ran in. “I give!” Rose shouted happily.

“Alright, but be careful,” he told her as handed her a box that was half as big as she was.

I was amazed that Mark had gotten to the hospital with Rose and the box safely. She took the box and almost dropped it. Mark must have been expecting this and steadied the box. He scooped Rose up and set her on the bed. He then put the box in front of her lap.

All smiles, she pushed the box closer to Ama and I.