Royal Pains

Really?

***Terra's P.O.V.***

"Terra, what's going on?!"  I don't answer Aaron as I push past him to head towards the imfirmary. He was waiting for me outside my father's office, wanting to know how things went between us. From his confused expression, I'd say no one informed him exactly what is happening elsewhere.

He suddenly grips my arm as I move to walk past him without responding. Yanking me to a halt, he turns me to face him. His grey eyes are darker than normal and at our close proximity, I can feel his wolf coming out because of his instinct to protect me.

"Are you hurt?" I shake my head and try to shake him off my arm.

"My aunt has been attacked." As soon as the last word leaves my lips, he pulls me against his body and tangles a hand in my hair, forcing me to bury my face in his chest.

"Everything will be alright." He buries his face in my hair, and I choke back a sob.

"You don't know that." I grumble, taking a deep breath to calm down. "You've known me long enough now to never tell me things that may not be true. Yes, I know you're comforting me, but I need to be told the truth."

"It's my job to hold you and tell you things will be okay because I will stay with you through anything." I nod and untangle my hands from around him. I must have been squeezing him to death, but he didn't complain.

"Come on." I unwrap his arms from around me and grip one of his larger hands tightly in mine. I then begin to drag him down a maze of hallways towards the infirmary. The closer we get, the more my stomach begins to flip in anticipation of seeing my aunt. 

There are more and more people hurrying around with different things in their arms the closer we get to the smell of blood and alcohol. I wrinkle my nose at the smell and quickly round the last corner. I halt in my tracks, sending Aaron bumping into right my back, and look at all the worried and tear-stained faces of my family.

Only my father and mother are missing from the group, but every single one of my cousins, aunts and uncles are sitting in a waiting area outside a single door. I strain my ears to hear people rushing around inside the closed off room and recognize both my parent's voices inside.

"Terra!" One of my youngest cousins, Johanna, spots me and jumps from her position in a chair. She's my father's sister's daughter and by far one of the cutest little girls I've ever met, but with her eyes puffy and red from crying and her lower lip trembling, she look ready to burst out into tears at any second.

"Come here squirt." I kneel down and hold open my arms. She throws herself into my embrace and starts bawling. I lightly stroke her light brown hair and hold my seven year old cousin as she cries. "It'll be okay." I assure her, standing up and placing her on my hip. I briefly glance at Aaron over her head and see admiration shining in his eyes, but I honestly don't know why at a time like this.

"Wh-y-y d-id  som-e-one hurt a-un-t Magg-ie?!" She wails and clutches me tighter to her, almost like I'll disappear if she lets me go. I'm about to respond when she hiccups. I hide a small smile and come up with something to tell her.

"I don't know, but you need to be strong for her okay?" She nods and wipes her hand across her nose and tear-stained cheeks. I eye that hand and pray she doesn't touch me with her snot. I can handle crying kids easily since I used to babysit my cousins all the time, but Johanna is known for making a mess when she cries. That's really the best way I can put it.

"Uh huh." She nods and hiccups again.

"I have to talk to Uncle Antonio now. Can I give you to your mom?" She nods, making her short hair swish around her baby face. I lightly set her on her feet and she runs back to Aunt Patricia. One of these days I'll get around to counting how many total people are in my family.