We came to a cabin of some sort, and Adam had gone ahead to change form. By the time Charles had unhooked and lifted me off the sled and carried me inside, Adam came out of the other room in human form, his hair wet and wearing only a towel.
He was a magnificent apparition. They had always washed on the ship, so I hadn't seen this sight, but something inside me greatly appreciated Adam's magnificence.
A perfect male body that exuded vitality and danger. Muscles moved beneath his skin. His movements were still as graceful and beastly as I remembered, and now Adam was not weakened by silver and aconitum, so I saw him at his full strength.
Charles carried me to the bed and opened the sleeping bag. For some reason, I wasn't ashamed of my nudity or considered myself worth looking at. I was a skeleton. I didn't think of myself as a woman, maybe more of a female, so I didn't even think about what my body looked like.
"You're still cold. Let's get you into a hot bath and warm you up a bit." Samuel said.
Charles went into the bathroom to draw me a bath when Adam came close, put a thick blanket over me, and asked, " What happened?"
I explained the events as best I could; I didn't want to recall too much because I remembered everything very clearly. I could even feel them, so I tried to explain only the facts.
Samuel listened attentively; Adam's expression was neutral, but something in Adam was alert and angry, not at me but at the people who did this to me, and at the same time, I could see that Adam just wanted to gather me in his arms and hold me...
" So I woke up in another place, on this steel table, and there was like an x-ray machine on top of me; a chubby guy came up and said now I'm going to have radiation therapy. Well, the machine started beaming at me, and I don't know how long it went from my toes to my head; then, after that, they took me on a stretcher into another room and put eight bags of drips; it was sedating because I was out of my mind. I don't know how long it went on."
My voice was clear but my memory was too sharp, way too sharp.
"Either radiation or drips. Then I was in a bubble. Apparently, my immune defense had gone, and at some point, these guys in space suits brought some green stuff in drip bags and put it in drips. It dripped for a while, and they also put bone marrow in lots of places to drip directly into my bones. Then, I was very sick, and I did not know for how long. Then, they took me out of the bubble. I was really weak, but somehow getting better. Then Mimosa, my wolf, started talking in my head a couple of days before the full moon, and we changed shape, and I found out I was a werewolf."
I vaguely remember someone else talking about my new memory, photographic and enchanted even more.
"After that, they tested me almost every day, but I couldn't tolerate drips now, no cannulas, no injections. Then they shot me with a silver bullet, and it was in my side for four days before they dug it out, and then when I had somehow recovered from that, they poisoned me with aconitum, so I vomited for 48 hours, and the scientists just took tests and examined me, didn't help. We started preparing for the escape, crashed through the window, and ran away. Okay, I could have thought of a bit smarter escape plan, but I couldn't stand to be there anymore."
Adam was close to me, touching me, and Samuel said, "I have a thousand and one questions, but you're probably not ready to answer them yet, all in good time. Now, you're about to get into a warm bath, and we'll get you warmed up a bit."
Samuel's voice was soothing, his doctor's voice.
Charles entered the room and said: "The bath is ready."
I tried to get up, but Charles stepped over to me, took the blanket off me, and lifted me naked into his arms, carrying me to the bath. He gently lowered me into the tub.
"The water may feel hot, but as you are now a wolf, your body temperature is normally around 40 degrees Celsius, so let's try to get you a little warmer."
His voice was like melted chocolate, somehow soothing and safe but with power, experience, and a clear dominance again.
I nodded wearily. The water was really hot, but I had no choice but to get used to it. When the initial shock of the water was over and I no longer felt like I was boiling alive, I started to feel tired and closed my eyes.
The hot bath relaxed my few muscles, the adrenaline started giving way, and I didn't keep my rage on display. My eyes were so very heavy. They simply didn't want to stay open any longer.
Charles watched as this skeleton finally relaxed in the bath and then fell asleep. He wondered in his mind what a tough creature this was and what a werewolf. Now, if a werewolf were usually in that condition, it would be a raging beast, but not Mimi.
She seemed quite sane, if tired, and Charles suspected that once the initial shock was over and Mimi had some security and was in better shape, perhaps then it would be time the wolf's side might come out more. But Mimi had named her wolf, and Charles was amazed. Because his wolf, Brother Wolf, spoke separately in his mind, and he had always thought it was special because he was born a werewolf, not made, and Brother Wolf had grown up with him.
But Mimi also seemed to have a unique wolf. Charles looked at the sleeping skeleton, and somehow, he knew there was much more to Mimi than she was showing at the moment. Samuel came into the room. He knocked softly at first.
"How's it going in here?" he asked.
Charles got up tiredly and said: " Look for yourself." He had been sitting on the toilet seat, watching Mimi, making sure she didn't drown.
Samuel raised his eyebrows. "Oh, she fell asleep. Poor girl must be pretty damn exhausted. Eight months and all she's been through, and still, she's quite sane. She's a truly wonderful creature. I can't say anything else."
Charles looked at his brother momentarily and said: "Yep, you'll probably get her out of the bath."
He walked away. He entered the larger cottage room, a combination of living room and kitchen. Adam was sitting on the couch, looking at his laptop. He seemed to be typing some kind of message.
Charles asked Adam: " Do you need anything else? Or can I leave?"
Adam looked up and said, "No, at the moment, I'm just messaging the vampires and telling them roughly what happened. If they want to go investigate that facility, Mimi is my priority, and the facility can stay. I'll keep Mimi safe. I'll take care of her. Go on, Bran's probably got some work for you."
Charles said: "All right, I'll go then. And you're right, there's plenty to do; if I wasn't so busy, I might have done a bit of research on the facility myself."
Adam nodded and said: "Thank you."
Charles just smiled, grabbed his jacket, and headed out the door to his sled to get back on his plane and get back to work.
Adam sent a message and then went into the bathroom and looked at the sleeping Mimi.
Samuel said, "I'm going to go get the food ready; you help the lady wash up, get dressed, and then eat. We have a job ahead of us on this creature, and from what I can sense, the lady has a pretty damn forceful character and is dominant, too. "
Adam looked at Mimi and said, " We'll get her in shape and in control; we're both alphas, after all. We'll have our own little pack if you want to live in Chicago for a while. I won't take Mimi as a mate yet, but I'll make a pack of us. I'll be the pack leader. "
Samuel smiled and stood up. He walked over to get the food ready.
I was startled when someone tickled my nose. I was still in the bath.
Adam said: " Come out of that bath, and I'll get you some warm clothes and some proper food for your tummy. Then there's a soft bed with your name on it. How does that sound? But first, I will wash you and give you a little haircut. I think you're pretty exhausted. Poor girl, you've been through a lot, but I won't leave you now. I'll take care of you and protect you. Everything's better now."
Adam's voice was soothing and confident.
But I almost felt like he was talking to himself and me. Somehow, he was very protective of me now, and I wasn't sure how I would live and be a werewolf. I mean, from what I saw on the ship, werewolves are pretty powerful creatures, and they have their temperaments, too, and I have my rage.
I felt my rage in my mind nowadays. It was like a white-hot ball of power, and well, I don't know where I got the idea, but I made my own well for my rage. Where I put it. The well was quite full, and I put a lid on it in my mind. Adam looked at me for a moment and then grunted. As if he sensed what I was doing.
Adam washed me and my hair and shortened my hair quite a bit. He braided it, and even the braid went over my shoulders. He helped me out of the tub and dried me off, and I put on a t-shirt, underpants, pants, and a sweater. Everything was big and hung on me. Even though I could see they were the smallest women's size. Then he directed me to the table where Samuel had set out who knows what, including those nutritional drinks.
I started eating meat again: minced meat steaks, mashed potatoes, gravy, and meat sauce; I drank coffee, juice, and soda. I didn't even think about what I was eating or drinking. I just ate and drank.
I had four nutritional drinks. I ate like crazy. Eventually, my stomach was full, and I felt tired again.
Adam said, "I think you're about ready for bed. There's a bed over there, and we'll always be here. You're quite safe. No one can get in here. Remember, I'm a security consultant, so this is a secure cabin."
Adam directed me to one room, and there was a lovely bed. It was a bed, not an institution's bed or a hospital bed. It was just an ordinary bed, but it was everything I wanted then. Adam smiled gently and took the bedspread and blanket aside.
I said, "This is lovely, thank you. I'm so damn full, and I can't stay awake much longer after a meal like that."
I crawled gratefully into bed. Adam tucked me in and then turned off the bedside light. I fell asleep immediately. He sat next to me for a moment and stroked me. I fell asleep and felt safe.
Mimi was so exhausted already at the dinner table that she was finally falling asleep in that spot. Adam guided this tired creature to sleep and sat beside her for a while longer. When Adam finally got her tucked in, Mimi fell asleep immediately. Adam then got up and walked into the other room where Samuel was.
Samuel told Adam what Bran had tried to do on the ship.
" Adam, did you know Bran tried to kill Mimi on the boat? To let her go, you know, my father's way of showing mercy, and he fucking overdosed Mimi with those drugs and thought he was saving her from suffering. Therefore, he had no motivation even to try to keep her when he was sure there was nothing to save."
Adam sort of understood that; on the other hand, he felt like going off somewhere to scream and rage. He also felt like saying a few words to Bran, but it was no use now. Mercy killing was Bran's trademark, and he was known for offering it when it was needed. But Bran didn't kill everyone he should have. Bran selected his victims, so to speak, and wolves who would rather be dead than alive, then passed through the sieve.
Adam told Samuel, "Let's let Mimi recover here maybe a day or two, but then I'll take her to Chicago. That house is safe and a good place for her to rehab. I can teach her about wolves and anger management while I'm there. She still has that rage, and she did something to it, so I didn't sense it so well anymore. Chicago is a good place. It's super safe and has everything you need."
Samuel was silent momentarily and said: "Is it okay if I come with you? I'm tired of going to Daddy's now, and Mimi probably needs both of us."
Adam nodded. He said, " There is a very well-equipped medbay or two, for that matter. There's room for you, too, and two is always better than one. Mimi can learn to pack things, and then somewhere in between, we can think about her future and what she wants. She's a female, so she's important, but then I guess she's a bit of a unique creature in that the normal rules and expectations put on females may not apply to Mimi."
Samuel grunted and replied, " She's unique; I mean, she's in that condition, alive and lucid, no rage or sign of any kind of head case. "
The men watched the dying flames of the fireplace for a while and retired to bed.
I woke up and couldn't remember where I was or what had happened. I jumped up, my heart beating wildly. It was dark, and this place smelled strange. I managed to wake myself up properly, and slowly, I remembered everything again, but I was too agitated to fall asleep again. When I tried a couple of times, the nightmares started.
A drip bag, green liquid, pain, helplessness. The pain tore through my body, the smell of the medicine that coated my mouth, and I tasted it again in my mouth. The scientists examined me as I vomited or the burning wound on my side—a silver bullet. Or we ran away as fast as we could, but even then, someone was always catching up.
All of these horror experiences surfaced until I was sweaty and finally woke myself up. I must have shivered in bed for fifteen minutes, then removed my sweaty, wet sweater and explored the cabin.
It was dark; I noticed from the wall clock it was night again. I had slept all day. It was half past eleven in the evening. But I could eat or drink something, not sleep. Mimosa was sleeping in my mind. She hadn't had nightmares, apparently. Well, those are just my troubles, then.
I found a coffee machine in the kitchen and started looking for coffee. I went through the cupboards and didn't think I was rattling. After a while of searching, I found a packet of coffee. I decided to make some coffee for myself. There was a noise at the door.
"What are you doing? You're awake, I see." It was Adam.
His eyes were sleepy, his hair a bit messy, but he was still gorgeous. He was wearing jeans and a white tee shirt, and oh, I couldn't help but admire him. I smelled the pear and remembered it was Adam's scent, but now, as a wolf, I smelled everything else, including the fact that I still stank of sweat and fear myself.
"I'm making coffee. I woke up and couldn't sleep anymore, so I thought I'd eat and drink something. I've slept all day at least." I replied cheerfully.
I tried to sound more confident and calm than I felt, but my wolf's instinct made me hide my weakness. To be as strong as possible.
Adam approached me, took hold of my chin, lifted it slightly, and looked searchingly into my eyes. "Are you having nightmares? Is that why you're not sleeping? You smell like fear and terror."
I tried to be neutral and keep my voice even. "They're not that bad. Everything just comes back to me from time to time, and I didn't know where I woke up, so I got scared, but I'm fine now."
My voice didn't convince anyone. Adam took the coffee and replaced it with another.
"Don't drink that decaf shit. Always drink the regular stuff. See decaf, I should throw this out, but I drink it sometimes near the full moon; it helps a bit when the caffeine doesn't make you feel so nervous. You probably noticed the full moon effect yourself."
I said, "I was nervous and irritable, and the slightest thing made me feel fucked up and really fucked up. Is that what you mean?"
Adam nodded and grunted.
He said, "You need caffeine, it's good for you and that decaffeinated crap, forget it, learn to read the packets, we're not on a ship now so there might be different things in some foods or drinks now and then."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," I said.
" Go sit down, and I'll finish these and fix you something to eat. It's good that you're hungry, and after a few days in Chicago, you'll probably start to learn a few new things every day. It can be quite overwhelming at times, but I and Samuel will help. We'll be a pack, and I'll take you in the pack once we get to Chicago, and then you'll learn about pack bonds and everything else. Me and Samuel will help you recover and learn everything you need."
I said, "I'm fine, just go back to bed, I'll be fine. You were asleep, and I woke you up when I was rattling."
Adam looked at me steadily for a moment and then went back to his work. Soon he was frying eggs and bacon, hash browns, and had taken croissants from the freezer, which he topped liberally with whipped cream from the jar and chopped strawberries on top.
Somewhere in between, I hadn't noticed that Samuel was also awake and in the kitchen. I just got the food in front of me and started eating. Samuel and Adam were chatting quietly in the other room, and I wasn't even interested in what they were talking about. I just wanted to eat. I was so hungry that I didn't even taste the food so much as eat it. Now I wasn't tired of eating, I felt comfortably full, and I retired to the couch to float.
Adam, Samuel and I talked until the morning. Adam told me everything I would experience as a wolf: my instincts, my senses. Samuel tried to ask now and then for some details as he tried to figure out what had been done to me. I answered very vaguely, and Adam gave Samuel a rather pointed look at one point, and Samuel stopped asking so much then.
I felt safe, but I didn't want to sleep. Now, I was free to act and learn about my new body and abilities, and I was also curious.
When the sun rose and the day lightened, Adam said: "Today we're leaving here for Chicago. I have a house there, and Samuel and I are going to help you rehabilitate and take care of your wolf, get to know your Mimosa."
Adam had already sent a message to Nicholas and Elias, who wanted to see Adam because they had something to tell him. They also wanted to see me, and it was agreed that I would now live with Adam and Samuel in Chicago, at least initially. I didn't fight back. We had one more meal and then packed up in Adam's SUV.
The drive to Chicago was a long 12 hours, and we stopped at gas stations now and then to refuel, eat, and go to the bathroom. Along the way, I contemplated my new life. It had been quite an adventure since I was kidnapped from Finland, and I felt so different already, being literally another being, but something inside me had accepted it and knew that the person I once was not the same and never would be.
My memories would live on and I found I had a fantastic memory. All my memories felt crystal clear and now had emotions attached to them, both good and bad. Adam had told me that werewolves are long living, and Bran and Samuel are a few thousand years old at least. Adam was hundreds of years old, so I too would live maybe forever, and so I was grateful that I still remembered. This would be the start of my new life as a super werewolf, part of Adam's pack.