Broken Beginnings

Chapter 4

Chapter 4-A Trap

I awoke to the smell of fresh brewed tea. I rolled over and found Ashereds spot cold. I stood up and wrapped the blanket around myself before making my way into the kitchen.

Ashered leaned against the counter, a cup of tea in hand.

He was silent as I sat down in the kitchen, placing a warm mug before me. I smiled in thanks but he turned and walked into the hallway, the sound of the back door, clicking shut ringing out.

At the same moment, Claire and Xavier walked in, Alaric glowering behind them.

Gale shuffled into the kitchen with her arms around her and Alaric crossed the room, pulling her into his side. She leaned into him and he fetched her tea as she sat beside me. I warmed my hands on the mug looking down the hallway where Ashered disappeared to, my heart clenching distantly.

I chewed my lip and Gale placed her hand on my arm. I smiled at her and resumed looking down the hall.

"Ashered has been up all morning making calls. He's working on ensuring we all make it home safely. Both Frost and Melvins followers have been spotted in various places." Xavier leaned against the side of the door as he continued. "After the king is done, we will be headed out." He added jokingly.

I looked at Alaric as he stood behind Gales chair protectively. " So you're going to the pack?" I clarified.
Gale picked at the table, nodding.

My throat bobbed as I swallowed thickly. I glanced at my sister and she was already prepped with her answer. " I'm going with Xavier."

I schooled my expression. "I see."

Xavier was quick to add on. "I have territories all over but I will be in the states for now. We have to obtain the dark fallen leaders, and then we will return to Europe. We will be seeing each other soon, regarding our plan."

I scrunched my eyebrows at the last part. "Plan?" I asked.

" Our plan to put an end to the dark fallen." I snapped my attention to Ashered as he walked into the kitchen.

"Meaning to kill them?" Gale squeaked. I looked between her and the men in the room as they said nothing.
I gripped the mug in my hand tightly. I had created Melvin, even if at the hands of Simone and now I was also going to be a apart of his downfall. I thought of all of the things he had done and squeezed my eyes shut.

I was going to be sick.

I flew from my seat and out the front door, leaning over the railing as my insides dripped onto the dead rose bush in front of the house.

Ashered was behind me, holding my hair back. I sucked in a breath, tears sliding down my cheeks, I was sure if it was from being sick or the thought of murder; likely both.

I pulled away from Ashered shaking, beads of sweat dotted my forehead.

Ashered looked at me concerned, his hands resting on my shoulders.

"Hope?" He asked. I looked at him for a long moment, the world spiraling.

I could see the figures of everyone behind him and I blinked pulling myself back to reality.

I latched my arm onto Ashered and I shook my head, another wave of nausea rushing through me. The blurried images of everyone surrounded me. Panic slithered through me. "Something's wrong." I said hoarsely and I felt myself double over in pain. I clutched my abdomen, Ashered catching my body as I plummented. It all felt so impossibly fast and slow at the same time.

My head rested on Ashered and soon I was laying on his lap. He was shouting something and I could feel the rocking of a car as I jostled.

Ashered held me close to him, my face angled at the floor. I couldn't breathe, everything hurt so horribly.

My hand was warm, everything else was cold. I didn't want to move, my eyes felt melted shut.

There was a beeping noise, rhythmic, faster than my heart rate.
The warmth in my hand moved and I reached for it desperately, it was safe.

"Love?" The sound of Ashereds voice lured me in and I opened my eyes. The room was bright. It was a white that was starkly against the paleness of my own skin.

My eyes followed the IV in my hands, the smell of bleach bringing me to my senses.

I shot forward panicking, my hand wrapped around my stomach. I wasn't more than a month, this couldn't happen again.

I couldn't go through this again. The thought of being told-.

"Hope." Ashered said softly. He held my hand tightly, the other cupping my cheek. "Breathe." He took a deep breath and I mimicked him, the sound of air rushing out of lungs, thumping in my skull.

I was having a mild panic attack.

Ashered leaned forward in his chair. "You're okay. Both of you."

A sob broke through my lips, relief flooding me.

Ashered pull me into him as I clutched him tightly, my body shaking with fear. "What happened?"

"It's rare but you had a false miscarriage, your body shut down on you, likely due to the fact that the little gift bag the witches gave us was a pawn."

I looked at him confused.
"There was another bag hidden away, spelled to cause you harm. Alaric found it and destroyed it but it was almost to late."

Ashered kept his voice steady as he spoke. "Where are we now?" I asked looking around, my hand held tightly onto his. " You're at a local hospital." Ashered said rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. "You have to take it easy for a few days and then you should be fine. Aside from that, everyone is waiting for us before we all head out. They didn't want to continue on without you. At the moment, groups are our best bet. Melvin and Frost have more inside people then we realized."

Ashered finished what he was saying, gathering my belongings and handing me a dress to slip on, instead of the hospital gown. He took the IV out of my hand and I looked at him confused, grabbing his wrist to stop him. "Why are we leaving right now, we haven't even seen the doctor."

"You stayed overnight, Hope. Although we have some of the strongest people, including myself they were still able to get to you. So we are leaving, I don't trust anyone. I took you here because I had no choice, you were drowning in your own vomit." I flinched at the thought.

Ashered pulled me out of bed and I changed out of the dress as he slung the hospital bag over his shoulder. I held onto him as I put on my shoes and he held me up as we walked out of the room.
"Don't acknowledge anyone, just keep walking , okay, love."
I nodded and Ashered led me out of the hall.

"Hey! You can't leave just yet." Ashered took the bag of soiled clothes off his shoulders and made a show of throwing into a trash bin.
He stared down a black haired male nurse as he stepped into our way.

Another stepped behind us and another and another until we were surrounded.
Ashered clenched his fist, unclenching to show red hot flames. "I suggest you let us through." He purred darkly.
The black haired male stepped toward us, white fangs flashing red. It was then I noticed the blood on the ground, a body leading to the end of the crimson trail. "I don't think so, your majesty." He seethed.