HER Young Mate (Completed)

Part Forty-Two: Strength

"They'll be home soon..." I heard my dad say solemnly.

"Is he okay?" I heard Frea ask darkly.

"Of course. We had a few fatalities, mostly more distant relations, we'll give them a soldiers burial. We didn't lose any of the scouts. They're all pretty hurt though... They're just trying to make it here before sunrise..."

I blinked. "She's waking up sir!" Frea said as I felt a cold rag pat my forehead.

"Danny!" I shouted as I sat up. I felt completely sick, and Frea must have noticed, because she lifted a bucket from the ground and placed it below me. With a blurred and distorted vision I tried to steady the bucket, I felt my dad's strong arm nudge me onto my side and Frea held the bucket right up to my chin. I heaved shamefully.

"It's okay Cora- they're okay- try to get it all out." My best friend cooed, as she rubbed my back lovingly, and didn't even flinch at the disgusting noises coming from me as I wretched.

My vision spotted black and my head spun. I laid back as Frea wiped my chin clean and then patted my head with a wet rag again. I shivered.

"I need a blanket..." I said as my body felt prickly all over from every cold gust of wind from the fan.

"Here Cora..." My dad pulled the blanket over me as Frea put the bucket down. I felt my vision go as my eyes closed again.

"No! No! That's too hot!" I cried as I pushed and kicked the blanket off of me like a child. My eyes fought to stay open but I couldn't get them to.

"It's the withdrawals sir... There's tracks all over her- her neck- her arms-" Frea was crying, I wanted to open my eyes and tell her I would be okay, but I couldn't- and I wasn't sure whether or not I'd be lying.

"We'll have the nurse look at her as soon as she gets here... She couldn't make it till morning..." My dad said.

I felt every hair on my body raise and then I was out again.

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Danny's POV:

"She's- she's been asleep for an hour or so now Sir." Frea said as I walked quickly towards the door she just came out of. I should be downstairs with all the other men, thanking them, and tending to them. I didn't care. I had to see her.

"Move aside Frea."

"Alpha; I respectfully request I help you with your wounds..." She said, her need to help her Alpha evidently not an option.

"Frea, Owen has wounds, please go tend to your mate and I will tend to mine..." I growled as I closed the gap between me and the door. Frea put one of her delicate long hands against my arm.

"Sir..." She started quietly. "She... She doesn't look like herself... She's very ill... And she seems to have been drugged a majority of her stay... If not her whole stay... She's very fragile..." Frea spoke softly, with a quiet concern and sympathy, the way only she could. Like she was speaking to a child who was lost. I froze and looked down at her.

"Will she... Is she going to..." I tried to remain stern, but my voice was faltering.

"No Sir. I'm sure she'll live... But the amount of damage done won't be easy to repair... She's been beaten and r-raped..." Frea shook her head and looked down, tears swimming in her eyes. "And I only know because she was-" she shook her head, "-she was screaming in her sleep at first- for him to stop..." Frea began to weep freely now and I knew it wasn't a simple sorrow for her Luna, but a deep one for her lifelong friend.