Genovi:
The middle aged werewolf with thinning chocolate brown hair sat across from her, his ocean blue eyes watching her walk in. Scratching at his scraggly beard, she scanned his plain brown sweater and light khakis. Turning to leave, she jiggled the door handle. The fact we were here was an improvement, her response when I asked her to go was surprising. Not once did I expect her to say yes, her tendency to shove all down until a later time implied that expectation. The door rattled, her fists banging on the door. A quiet rage burned in her eyes, his pencil scribbling away on a pad of paper. A long rant ensued, the therapist just nodding. The hour passed the same way, the rant never ending. The therapists looked worn by the end, his brows furrowing. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he let her out. Brushing past me, she stomped out to our car. Rubbing my forehead, there was no way in hell that it went well.
"Can you help her, Dr. Benston?" I inquired cautiously, his expression telling me that he felt the brunt of her anger. "I just want to stop the anxiety and panic attacks. The nightmares have been getting worse. My only desire is that she gets better." Tapping his pencil on the notebook, he rubbed his forehead. Many thoughts coursed through his mind, his type A personality seeking a compassionate way to word it.
"I can't tell you what she said but I can help her. She has her homework to work on until next month." He answered briskly, still visibly shook. "I didn't get her to talk about any of her past or the trauma you sent her to me for but I can see it on her face. At least she talked. I was expecting her to not even try to talk at all. My suggestion right now is to take her out for ice cream or whatever she likes. When she gets an attack you should hold until she stops. Do you need to see me as well? I see the stress written all over your face. I am signing you up for your own session after hers. You saw someone get shot and saw utter chaos. She didn't tell me that, I could smell that memory on you. See you guys at the same time next month." Taking a deep breath, it took everything for me to stay calm. His assumption was incorrect, my fists clenching into tight balls. How dare he suggest something like that? Passing him his payment, he pressed half of it into my palms.
"I am honored you would pay this much but I told you I would only do it for the amount in my hand." He chuckled softly, flicking his wrists. "Take these appointment cards. May you have good health with your twins." Swallowing my pride, he only meant well. Why did my pride still take a massive hit?
"Thank you doctor. I am off now. See you next month." I stammered anxiously, my confidence gone in the blink of a second. "I will think about seeing you." Speed walking to my car, vomit flew up my throat. Curse this blasted reaction to any anxiety! Celly got out of the car, her hand rubbing my back. Her fuming face softened, her arms wrapping around my waist. Resting her head on my back, tears soaked the back of my jacket.
"I am so scared. I don't know if I can talk about anything." She sobbed in a deflated tone, my hand wiping the vomit from my lips. "I am only becoming more of a bur-" Spinning in her arms, my face was inches from hers. Pressing my forehead to hers, her whole body was trembling. My heart shattered at the sight of her shaking like a trapped animal. Popping a mint in my mouth, her fists banged limply at my chest. Waiting patiently for the rest of her rage to fade away, her arms fell to her side. That was the reaction I had expected, difficult words rested on the tip of her tongue.
"I still want to go." She uttered in disbelief at her own words, her arms curling around my waist. "I want help and the way I am doing things is not working for me. I feel like I can trust him but only a tiny bit." Perhaps it did work out for the better. At least she was willing to go in for another session. Grinning crookedly, she punched in an address. Sliding into the driver's seat, she tossed me a piece of sugared ginger. Adjusting the seat, her gorgeousness stole my breath away. An emotional limbo flickered in her eyes for a moment, her bright smile returning.
"Are you coming for what!" She called adorably, winking in my direction. "I am even using your trick on you. Now eat your ginger to calm your stomach like a good boy." My inner wolf howled with joy, her door slamming shut. Popping into the passenger's seat, the seat squeaked back. Putting on my seat belt, the engine roared to life. Peeling out of the parking lot, the boring brick building turned into a dot in the rear view mirror. Humming to herself, her good mood seemed out of place. What fresh hell was it masking? Small signs of anxiety showed in the minor tapping of her fingers on the steering wheel.
"I am fine." She chirped cheerfully, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I just need to distract myself for a minute. So don't you. I heard your nightmare the other night and it sounded like you were reliving the day at the hospital. I hope you are getting help for your trauma as well. You don't want it to eat you up." My lips curled into a snarl, bitter words rested on the tip of my tongue. How dare she try to fix me! It was my job to take care of her, not the other way around.
"What the hell do you know about my inner issues!" I barked venomously, her expression darkening. "I am not as messed up as you are. I am perfec-" A cruel smirk spread cheek to cheek, her eyes glittering with fury. The steering wheel groaned underneath her strengthening grip, her harsh words soon to match mine.
"I know that you have the same issue as me. You insist on saving everyone else, then worrying about yourself! I am glad to see that you think I am so messed up!" She retorted hotly, her golden eyes flashing. "Shut the fuck up and don't talk to me!" Hurt cut into my heart, her fingers drummed on the steering wheel impatiently. Fuming away, I didn't want to talk to her either. Folding my arms across my chest, the brakes squealed to a halt. We were at trail head, her door slamming shut behind her. Marching up the trail, her ankle bent the wrong way. Collapsing to the dirt, she struggled to her feet. Limping away from me, my hand curled around her wrist. Slapping it away, her head whipped back at me. My words went too far, the truth slapping me in the face. She only said that shit because she cared, the guilt from knowing chewed on my always present anxiety that we both messed up.
"Go away." She growled through gritted teeth, my eyes falling on my old man's truck. What the hell was he doing here? Hiking after her, the silence felt horrible. Her ankle was visibly swollen, her whimpers echoing in my ears. Spinning her around to face me, her eyes refused to meet mine. Her brow twitched furiously, my hands grabbing onto her shoulders. My temper flared up, my hands raising in the air. Knowing when to step back was key, both of our tempers were flaming hot.
"I am going back to the car. My dad is here somewhere anyway, so come back to me when you are ready." I uttered despondently, feeling hurt as hell. Turning to leave, her quaking fingers grabbed my sleeves. Glancing back at her, her bangs hid her eyes. The corner of her lips quivered, teardrops glistening in the afternoon sun. Dark words flooded from her lips, a haunting truth laid beneath them.
"I know how it all starts. It begins with the nightmares, then the popping sounds will make you cower like an injured dog." She stuttered dejectedly, her head shaking. "I don't want you to end up where I am. I am also worried that you haven't grieved your mother enough. You have barely cried, and she raised you." My teeth gritted, her words tearing into me. A loud pop echoed in the air, the scent of my dad's blood filled the air. Ignoring the pain, her boots crashed up the trail. Panic gripped my mind, the branches tore at her dress. Huffing and puffing, she skidded to a stop. Tears welled up in my eyes, his body laid in a heap. Glancing around, the attacker was dashing into trees. Collapsing to his side, she rolled him over. Inky veins throbbed in his shoulder, her claw extending from her fingernail. A collected panic washed over her face, determination glistened in her eyes.
"This is going to hurt." She promised through a veil of tears, slicing open his shoulder. Sticking her fingers into the shoulder, the wet noise of her digging around nauseated me. Pulling out the bullet, black smoke curled off of her fingers. Shifting around her boot, my father groaned with agony. Pulling out a stitching needle, her shaking fingers struggled to thread the needle. The sound of a bullet popping stole my attention, my body enveloping hers. Threading the needle for her, we needed to move faster. Mouthing thank you to me, the needle slid in and out of his skin. Tying the knot, the bullet whistled by our heads. Biting the excess wire off with her fangs, she struggled to her feet. Feeling around her boot, her fingers curled around a dagger. Scanning the trees, she flicked her wrist into the upper treeline. No scream followed, fright haunting her face. Celly never got this scared, the dread bubbling in my gut. Nausea wracked me, the anxiety making me want to throw up the remains of anything in my stomach.
"Get your father out of here." She ordered sharply, turning back towards me with a broken smile. "I will finish healing him at the bottom of the trail." My old man struggled to his feet, his head shaking. Thinking about calling Onyxio, she shook her head. He was protecting our village right now.
"You have a twisted ankle. Doesn't that hurt?" He asked with concern dripping in his voice. "Let us take you back down. You don't have to do anything by yourself anymore." Hovering her hand over ankle, it wouldn't heal. Cursing bitterly to herself, a long sigh escaped her lips. Annoyance showed through another sarcastic barrage of curse words, a groan of raw agony escaping her quivering lips.
"Someone has magic proofed the mountain." She whined adorably, stomping her bad foot. "If my senses are correct the attackers are everywhere on the trail. Without my magic I am useless." Cupping her face, another anxiety attack was seconds from starting. His blood shimmered on her fingers, a couple of drops painting the dirt. The color faded from her face, several rouge werewolves circling us. They weren't transformed yet, bats with barbed wire spun in their palms. The leader stepped forward, a stopwatch swinging on his finger. Long scars covered his pale face, his wild gray hair bouncing around his shoulders. Leather covered his seven foot tall frame, his silver eyes glaring at her. His black aura could have drowned us all, his powers matching hers on a good day.
"We need you to come with us to free the first werewolf." He demanded maliciously, sauntering up to her. "We placed a magic barrier around the mountain so you are a stupid little wolf. You can't even transform. How does it feel to be small for the first time in your life? I have a proposition for you. Survive a couple of hours of a game of hide and seek and everyone goes free. They will be tied up, so they can't interfere." Her body stiffened, the horror showing in her eyes. Bowing her head, her eyes narrowed in his direction.
"No. I don't play that way." She refused firmly, flipping him off. "You are insane if you think that I will agree to your fucking terms. How about you just let us go?" Cocking their heads, they began to circle each other. My old man held me back, my inner wolf ready to tear them into pieces. The two of them were titans, his silver eyes glinted with malice.
"We need to help her out another way. Are you familiar with setting traps?" My old man whispered discreetly in my ear, his hand holding his shoulder. "Don't you remember anything I taught you?" Gritting my teeth, his words infuriating me further. Of course I paid attention but that wouldn't work here. Biting my lips, his bat swung down towards her face. Leaping in front of her, the crack of my bones shattering from the impact stunned me. A steady stream of curse words flooded from my lips, the intense pain jolting my body. Celly knocked me to the side, her knee slamming into his groin. Ripping the bat from his hand, the heel of her boot swung up in the air. Nothing happened, dread built on her face the moment his fingers curled around her ankle. Dangling her a couple of feet off the ground, my arm prevented me from moving. Her defiant grin brightened her determined face, her brow raising in suspicion. Tossing my old man the bat, he began smashing the pack member's head. Tossing her up in the air, his bones cracked, the muscles shifting into a white wolf with silver stripes. Shock rounded her eyes, her ankle snapping the moment she landed on her feet. A scream exploded from her lips, her body collapsing into a heap. Crawling away, his fangs sank into her calf. Struggling to my feet, vomit threatened to come up at the sight of chunks of her leg landing at my feet. A beat up rifle filled with silver bullets slid to my feet, one of the dying werewolves passing away. Picking it up, ruby covered my old man from head to toe. Aiming the gun at the center of his skull,he began to whip Celly around. Undoing the safety, my finger pulled the trigger. The kickback knocked me back, the bullet shattering his skull. His body dropped to the dirt, Celly ripped open his jaw. Swinging her leg out, the jaws snapped down with an incredible force. Crawling over the nearest tree, she rested her back. Leaning her head back, the tears never stopped flowing. Her left leg was shreds of tendons and bone. Vomit flew up her throat, her condition growing worse by the second. A fog crept in, Onyxio stepped out from the treeline. Scarlet painted his face, his ruby eyes falling on Celly. Saying nothing, he hovered his hands over her leg. Nothing happened, her leg refused to heal. The bone began to crack, a venom beginning to darken her foot to an inky black.
"I am going to have to cut it off." He informed her cautiously, brandishing his blades. "Even an angel couldn't save this." Celly gazed up at him, her mind flickering through the options. Disbelief dimmed her eyes, her skin paling further. Her fingers touched the blood pooling underneath her, her touch disrupting the surface.
"Are you sure I can't heal it at the bottom of the trail?" She stuttered sadly, not wanting to lose her leg. "I can fix it. I can fix it." The broken expression on her face shattered my heart, Onyxio wiping away her tears. Placing a piece of leather in her mouth, her hand reached for me. Rushing over to her, her head rested on my chest.
"No, he bit you with the silver's wolf venom. Nothing can cure that. Trust me, I looked into it when I was trying to kill you." He admitted shamefully, hating what he just said. Celly rubbed his shoulder in her typical sisterly manner, a lump forming in her throat. Submitting to the doomed fate of the leg, she swallowed the large lump in her throat.
"Just do it." She mumbled over the leather, her grip on my hand growing stronger. "Just wait until I look away." Her wet eyes refused to leave mine, my old man crouched down on the other side of her. Swinging his blade towards her leg, the wet noise of the cut sickened me. Her grip loosened, the leather dropping to her lap. Hovering his hands over, the bleeding stump, the wound sealed shut. Sobs wracked her body, Onyxio disappearing. Disappointment dimmed her eyes, fright paralyzed me. All of this felt like it was my fault, my old man rubbing her back in an attempt to make her feel better. Onyxio popped up in front of us with a shadow leg in his hand, attaching it to her leg. Mouthing a silent spell, the shadowy mass synced with her nerves. A solid black metal leg hardened from the shadowy mass it once was, her hands running up the leg. Wonder brightened her eyes, the gears whirring as she stood up. The toes wiggled, the freedom shining in her eyes while she danced around. Clutching Onyxio to her chest, scarlet burned his cheeks. Gratefulness shined in her life, mixed emotions hiding in her steady stream of tears.
"You are so amazing." She wept joyfully, the shame darkening her eyes. "I am so grateful for your help. We have to get Novi to the hospital." My vision blurred, the adrenaline wearing off. My old man draped my arm over his shoulder, Celly stepping underneath the other one. Kissing the top of my hand, my heart fluttered. Her love quelled me in the worse moments of my life, their love for me shined in both of their eyes.
"Normally I would heal you but my magic has been drained." She explained desperately, thinking that it was all her fault. "I will heal when my powers come back but for now you will need a cast. I love you so much." They hiked down the mountain, Onyxio remained in the back to make sure none of us got hurt. My whole body felt like a train had hit me, groans escaped their lips as they helped me into my old man's truck. Popping her head outside of the window, she ordered Onyxio to take the car home. Laying my head on her lap, she played with my hair to relax me.
"I am sorry for being a dick." I apologized sincerely, her real smile stealing my breath away. "I am messed up too. Let's work through it all together." Reaching for her, her hands cupped mine. Snuggling her head into my palm, her lips brushed against the top of my hand. The engine roared to life, the truck lunging forward.
"That is all I wanted to hear." She chirped cheerfully, her eyes telling a different story. "You are my hero after all." The minutes ticked by slowly, my old man eyes flitting between the two of us. The oppressive silence felt like poison, the red capital H in the distance looking like a beacon of hope. Squealing to a halt, they helped me out of the truck. Setting me down in a chair, she discussed the issue with the head nurse. My old man crashed down next to me, his head leaning back.
"You were an excellent husband today, so don't feel down on yourself." He teased lightly, nudging my shoulder. A low growl rumbled in my throat, his shoulder smashing into my broken arm. Celly rushed over to my side, pecking me on my lips real quick. Tapping her foot impatiently, the clipboard with my information quivered in her hands. My old man offered to fill out the paperwork for her, a strange look coming over her eyes.
"I just realized I know nothing about you medically. I am a failure of a wife." She whispered under her breath, her hand rubbing her forehead. Vomit threatened to fly up my throat at the sight of my limp arm on my lap. A bitter blonde nurse walked up to us, taking the clipboard from my father's hands. Helping me up, Celly began to follow us. My eyes watched her lilac scrubs blur, her hand pushing her back.
"Only he is allowed back right now. The police have questions." She informed her briskly, a quiet rage brewing in Celly's eyes. "We wouldn't want you to get arrested, would we?" Her threat made Celly stiffen up, her fists clenching into balls. Taking a deep breath, she flashed the nurse her polite smile.
"Of course." She choked out, fighting the urge to punch her. Turning to leave, the nurse gasped sharply at my passionate kiss on her lips. Celly grinned triumphantly, the nurse attempting to yank me along. Hatred brewed between the two of them, a silent battle ensuing.
"Would you quit!" I snapped hotly, ripping my arm from her. "I fell while hiking. It isn't my fault you are too bitchy to have a boyfriend." Celly attempted to hide her laugh under her hand, my father looking away. Sitting back down next to my old man, the nurse could barely hide her disgust. Ditching me on my bed, her bedside manner could use some work. Dr. Benston came in, surprise widening my eyes. Saying nothing he began piecing my arm back together. Mumbling a spell under his breath, jolts of pain shocked my body while my arm fused back together. Who the hell was this guy?
"I wasn't here and neither were you." He said simply, plastering a hard cast onto my arm. "Don't take this off until you get home. The cops are already on the way because they think something happened. I will erase their memories when they get here." Confusion twisted my face, icy blue smoke curled behind him.
"I am the Healer of the Wolves, as were my ancestors. Next time you get hurt, give me a call." He grumbled exhaustively, shoving his card into my pocket. "Call me for a prenatal appointment. I usually come to your home. Please schedule an appointment when you get back. Now go." Running out of the room, both my father and Celly looked confused as I pulled them into his truck. Shoving them in, the engine roared to life. Peeling out of the parking lot, they both demanded an explanation.
"I will tell you when we are safe." I blurted out awkwardly, both nodding with a silent agreement. What the hell was I going to do now?