My Name is NOT Cupcake

Chapter Sixteen

"Nova, please wake up," I heard Elias beg quietly. His thumb rubbed soothing circles over my hand. I pulled my hand out of his and kept my eyes closed.

"Go away," I said hoarsely.

"Nova?" he asked. I sighed and blinked my eyes open. I groaned as I tried to move. My shoulder and collar hurt from where Kendra scratched me.

"This is your fault, Elias. Just leave me alone. I don't want to see you. I don't want to be with you," I said. Some was a lie, but I wanted all of it to be true. I wish I didn't care about him like I did. I felt tears prick my eyes so I looked away from him. Darius was still a wolf. He whined and put his head in my lap. Elias growled at him, making him move away from me. I glared at Elias.

"Stop it! You have no claim over me. I don't even want you here right now," I yelled at him. I winced as my mark started burning. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"Who did this?" he asked softly. I rolled my eyes.

"Who do you think? You wanted to keep her around after I specifically asked you to get rid of her. But I guess the mate bond wasn't strong enough for that. You didn't care about me enough to let Kendra go and look what happened. This is your fault," I answered. Elias immediately started shaking his head.

"No... she wouldn't do this," he denied. Of course he didn't believe me. I felt so defeated and tired.

"Of course you wouldn't believe me over your precious Kendra. How could you take her side? She did this to me and you don't even believe me. There's no way that we're mates because if the roles were reversed, I would believe you. I would believe you even if you were lying. You know what... just leave me alone. After I heal, I'm going home to my dad and my brother. And you're not going to stop me," I said calmly.

"You're not leaving me," he growled.

"You've lost all say, Elias. Get... out..." I glared at him. He hesitated but eventually he left. The doctor came in and checked on me.

Over the next few days, I was stuck on that hospital bed, but I swore that as soon as I was well enough, I was getting the hell out of dodge. I couldn't take this anymore...

Mate or not.

Elias would check on me every now and then but we didn't talk much. It hurt more than I was willing to admit. My wound eventually healed, leaving four claw-line scars that started on my shoulder and ended right before my breast.

I looked myself over in the bathroom mirror of the hospital room. My copper red hair was tangled in curls. My normally tan and vibrant skin was dull and paler than normal, making my freckles pop out even more. My hazel eyes were red from crying. I was sickly thin from not eating as much and I just looked terrible. I took a long, hot shower before I ran a brush through my hair and untangled it. I changed into the clothes Minnie brought for me. It was a simple white blouse and jeans. The jeans were a bit baggy on the waist but I would just have to deal. I left my, now untangled, hair down before I walked back into the hospital room. Elias was already standing there with a bouquet of roses.

"Ready to go?" he asked hopefully. I felt a pang in my chest but kept a straight face as I nodded. I waked out of the room with Elias behind me. I walked straight to the car that was pulled up for us and got in. Elias got in the driver's side a moment later. He drove to the house before he parked and just let the car idle.

"Nova, talk to me please. You haven't said a word to me in two weeks," he begged. I stayed quiet and just opened the door. What was the point? He didn't believe what I said anyway, or he wouldn't listen. Talking wouldn't solve anything. I walked to the house and pushed the door open. The lights suddenly flipped on as people popped out of random places and yelled 'surprise'. There was a huge 'Welcome Home!' and 'Happy Birthday' banner hanging on the balcony and I just couldn't help it. My eyes welled up with tears as I subconsciously pulled my shirt over the scar on my collar. I covered a hand over my mouth, as a sob broke loose. This surprise threw me into missing my dad and my brother and my old life all over again. It was my brother's birthday, too.

This wasn't my home.

"Out," Elias growled as he pulled me into his chest. They disappeared like the room was on fire. Elias shushed me as his hand ran over me hair. I hated this. He was comforting me from being hurt by him in the first place and it was actually working. After I calmed down enough, I pushed away from him and went up to my room. I regretted it the minute I stepped out of his arms, but I couldn't allow it. I couldn't continue to allow it.

"Novalyn," he growled. Against myself, I stopped.

"I'm tired, Elias... and I don't want to fight you. I'm going to bed, just let me," I said tiredly without looking back. I waited a moment before I went up the rest of the stairs and closed my door behind me. I slumped on the edge of the bed. I was emotionally exhausted. I was tired of doing anything, so I just wouldn't do anything. I numbly undressed before I crawled under the covers and cried myself to sleep.

~

I heard birds before anything; their happy and musical banter not at all fitting my mood. My eyes fluttered open to be met with partial sunlight filtering in through a crack in the curtains but I couldn't be bothered to get up. I didn't see the need to. My door cracked open but I didn't move to see who it was.

"Nova, are you going to get out of bed today?" Minnie asked. I only blinked in response. I didn't want to do anything. I wasn't even hungry. I didn't care anymore. I was tired of being here and tired of going up and down with Elias. It was getting us nowhere. Most importantly, I wanted to go home.

For a week, I only got up to use the bathroom. Eventually, Minnie started taking care of me. She would pick me up like I was just a feather. She bathed me and tried to feed me but I wouldn't eat. I wasn't hungry.

"Nova, Elias is worried about you. He hasn't left his room since you locked yourself away. I've never seen him so upset. You're torturing him," she said. She didn't have to tell me though. I felt it. I could feel him through my mark. It was stronger than before... the bond was growing. I just blinked. Maybe now he would understand how he made me feel. Minnie dressed me and brushed through my hair. She did everything I was supposed to.

She propped me up in the bed and tried to make me eat for the day. Like every time before, I didn't. I was a doll for two weeks that Minnie took care of. She talked to me despite my staying quiet. Eventually, Elias tried to talk to me too. I stayed still and quiet. I didn't even move to pull my hand out of his when he held it. I only blinked. I only blinked, breathed, and used the bathroom. I was weak from not eating and I knew it, but I didn't care.

"Nova, please say something. I'm sorry, okay? I'm so sorry. I don't want you hurt. I never want you hurt. She's gone. I want you back. I don't even care if you yell at me, please just talk to me," he begged. I could feel his pain and the mate bond pulled me to comfort him but I couldn't.