ENDURING {Sequel to Everlasting} ❗️EDITING ❗️

Chapter 15

My face screws up a little as I stand up, partially grimacing with pain.

"Miss Slovak?" Pablo rushes to aid me with his outstretched, as if I might fall.

"I'm ok, do you mind carrying my bags to the car please?" I ask in a quiet voice, giving the man a small smile.

I could see the concern in his eyes, but with my assurance, he exits the jet and does as I ask. The second he's gone, I let out a pained exhale, applying a little pressure against my ribs despite the pain waking back up.

Shaking it off, I carefully straighten myself out and exit the jet, crossing the field with cautious steps and sliding into the back of the SUV without passing out from the agony.

"Are you alright?" Stewart asks me with a small frown, glancing at me in his mirror.

"Yeah, I'm just a little sore." I assure him with a forced smile, refraining from the urge to put pressure on my ribs again.

The pressure hurts, but it somehow eases it at the same time. Without my wolfs healing, a wound like this can be fatal. I suppose if I was going to die from it, I'd be dead by now.

Stewart drives me home, all the way to the front doors without another word. It's no secret that I like to be alone after such a job, which explains his silence even if I see him glancing back repeatedly to check in.

The second I exit the car, Jackson comes barrelling out the front doors ready to squeeze me to death. I felt horror strike me, my palm reaching out as if to stop him as my eyes grow huge.

"What's wrong?" Jackson freezes, staring at me like I have a gun to his head.

"Grab my bags and I'll explain." I whisper to him, not wanting anyone else to hear. I trust Jackson to keep this to himself, the last thing I need is the Elders finding out and making a fuss.

Jackson immediately grabs everything and I head inside, thankful that my room isn't on the second or third floor.

The second we're inside my room, Jackson locks the door and I carefully remove my baggy jumper, having to slide my arms out first and use my left arm to drag it over my head.

I do the same with my t-shirt, and then Jackson sees the problem.

"What happened?" He steps closer, half frozen as he stares at the blood soaked medical gauze covering my ribs on my right side.

"I let my guard down, figured I'd killed them all. Then three guys show up at my hotel room, I wasn't wearing my uniform and I got stabbed-"

"STABBED?" Jackson yells in horror, whipping out his phone faster than I can blink.

"I already called Dr. Connor, he's on his way. I need you to keep the Elders occupied, if they know I'm hurt, they'll tell Hardin." I tell Jackson, gently grabbing his wrist to stop him dialling any numbers.

"No, your wolf is dormant. You've just flown all the way back here with a goddamn open wound, do you not see how dangerous that is?" Jackson frowns deeply, pulling his hand away.

"I'm doing fine, I can take a little pain. Dr. Conner will be here any minute, alright?" I also plead with him, not taking another step due to it twinging pain in my ribs.

"What if its bad? You don't heal anymore, what if he can't fix it?" Jackson questions me stubbornly, half devastated by this.

He doesn't have to tell me he's scared, I've known him long enough to be able to read him like an open book.

"He's one of the best, the Elders have worked with him for years. If this is bad, I trust him more than anymore to be able to fix me." I say softly, wrapping my arm around Jackson and hugging him, with a squeeze.