Finding My Mate

Chapter 20

Calla's POV: 

I bolted up in my bed and immediately regretted it as black dots scattered across my vision. Rubbing my throbbing chest, I gingerly laid back down on the fluffy white pillows. Examining my ribs further, I found little black stitches running from the top of my left shoulder to the middle space between my lungs. "What the..." I trailed off. I couldn't remember how they had gotten there. That frightened me quite a bit. Starting to hyperventilate, I grabbed a pillow and held it close to me. I tried to assess the rest of my body, but did so slowly. Still holding the pillow, I took a few breaths before flexing each muscle one at a time. I had some soreness in my arms, and my neck hurt from sleeping the wrong way. "Not so bad after all..."  I thought to myself. But there was still the question of my stitches.

Ben entered the room then with a familiar man. I tried to scurry to him but was unsuccessful. The man pushed me back on the bed and lifted up my shirt. I tried to protest but Ben shook his head and took my hand. The man, who I remembered was named Hunter, poked and prodded at my wound. While he did so, I took the chance to fully examine him. He looked to be about 25, but must've been older with his training. His head was covered in blond curly hair and his eyes were a deep gray color. He sort of looked like Bryn. Which just made me miss her more. I never got the chance to meet up with my parents like we were supposed to. At that moment everything came back to me. The attack, the rouges, my gashes, Ashley. Oh god, Ashley. I had been in such a trance that I flinched when lips touched me, causing more tears to fall out. I hadn't even realized that I had started to cry. As each one fell, just before they left my jawline, Ben's mouth would catch each one in a small kiss. He continued until they stopped, murmuring comforting noises the whole time. I was glad that I had stopped crying in time for Hunter to put my shirt back down and face us. Looking at him with concern and curiosity, he began. "Well Luna, though all of us grieve at your injuring, you're healing just fine. Those should be able to come out in about three days." I was confused for a minute until I asked how long I'd been out. "Almost a week." Hunter told me. I gaped. How had I been out for a week straight? How much had I missed?

"Thank you Hunter." Ben said with sincerity. Taking that as his dismissal, Hunter left the room, leaving me to gape at Ben. He just stared at me with the most sorry eyes you would ever see. As soon as Hunter had left the room, he took my face in his hands and kissed me everywhere. I started giggling and he pressed our faces together and smiled. "Calla..." He breathed. "It's ok Ben. I'm ok... We're ok." I soothed him. "Calla. My Calla. Mine." He said. "Shhhh," I calmed him. "It's alright. I'm fine." "You're fine. You're ok." He repeated. "Yes." I confirmed. "You. Will. Never. Understand. What kind of fresh. Hell. The last week has been." He said. "I worried more than you do on a daily basis, I almost snapped at our pack, I just... I've just been a wreck and I really. Really. Missed you." By the time  he had finished, a few tears had slipped from his eyes. I took his chin in hand and pulled him so he would look into my eyes. "It's all ok now. Alright? Everything is going to be fine now." He nodded and I kissed him. I pulled him onto the bed and deepened the kiss. We kept going, doing things we hadn't been able to do for a week. He just had to be careful with my stitches.

He was halfway down my stomach with kisses when he bolted out of bed, pants around his ankles and waddled over to the door to lock it. I burst out laughing then. He looked so funny standing there.  "Calla, it isn't very nice to laugh." He said. I stuck my tongue out at him like a five year old. "Oh now you're really going to get it." He threatened. Beginning to run at me, he tripped over his pants and fell to the floor with a very loud thud. I laughed so hard my stitches hurt and I was choking on my own spit. He groaned from the floor. "Ugh, shut up. That hurt." But pretty soon he was laughing too. Eventually we both had tears streaming down our faces and cramps in our sides. It got even worse when Clara burst down the door. 

"Hey! I heard you were be-" She cut off. Looked at me, then Ben, then his pants, then me again, and left muttering "I don't even want to know." We began our laughing fit all over again. He managed to get up, removing his pants this time, fix the door and return to a still giggly me. He continued with the kissed and then everything else we normally did. Saying it felt great to be with Ben again was the understatement of the year.

The rest of the day went quickly. I was very touched when each and every pack member came to visit me. Each one was wondering if I was ok, and when I would be out of bed. And each and every one of them complained when I said three days. Ben almost never left my side, he filled me in on everything that I missed. Apparently not one of us had been killed, but there were a lot of injuries. Some more severe than others, but everyone would be alright. My parents had called, and Bryn and Stephen actually broke into our territory to come make sure I was ok. Although I was touched that they would risk that just to see me, I was shocked to feel some territorialness. Ben had met with my dad and explained what really happened to Ashley. Karen had taken it roughly, as everyone did. But Ashley's dad had been distant since hearing the news. I called my parents back and explained my side of the story. They thanked me for not leaving Ashley alone and asked if they could have the packs meet up to see me. With Ben's and my permission, they were granted access into our territory. 

"Hi mommy." I smiled when she walked into the room. I greeted everyone as they piled in. It felt strange to see my old pack. Nostalgic, but not the same as before. Bryn and Stephen gave me a hug and Ben left us to be alone. Bryn was teary eyed, but  Steph just looked happy to see me. My parents held and kissed me like they did when I was younger. Everyone else greeted me. The only one who didn't was Ashley's dad. In fact, he was no where to be seen. "Ashley's dad?" I asked. My mother looked down and my father answered, "It's just too hard for him honey." I nodded, hoping he wouldn't hate me forever. "So... how are things back there?" I asked. I didn't say home because it wasn't mine anymore. I wasn't the only one who picked up on it either. "They're good. No attacks, no intruders." The others nodded. The conversation refused to flow and it stayed for as long as they did, unitl dusk. The goodbyes were long and less sad then I thought they would be. But just before they left, Bryn managed to get me alone and hold up her left hand, which had a delicate white gold band on her ring finger. It had two small diamonds embedded into it and it was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Upon showing me the engagement ring, I gasped and teared up. She smiled really big as I sat there in shocked silence. Finally I looked at her and said the words most said by girls, "Shut up. Just shut up! Are you serious?! You're getting married???" She nodded and teared up too. We gave each other a huge hug and that's how Stephen found us. He joined in our hug and we talked about if he was going to really get serious with Stacey or not. "Nah, he said. Tried talking to her about it, but that's just not her style. She doesn't want to get married." He explained. "Are you alright with that?" I asked and he nodded. "Oh my gosh Bryn, I just can't believe-"  I was cut off by my dad yelling up to them that it was time for them to leave already. My best friends in the whole world gave me another hug. just before Bryn left she slipped me a card and said, "Save the date." she winked at me and chased after Stephen. Before examining the paper, I shouted after them, "Don't come into our territory without telling me first! You could get killed next time you know!" I heard their laughter and then the door close behind them. 

I sighed, looking at the paper. It read, "Bryn and Matt Waters. January 29th, 2014. Save the Date!" It was a month after Bryn turned 18. I was happy for her. But I couldn't help but wonder if Ben and I would ever marry. 

He found me like that, examining the card and I could tell that he was wondering exactly the same thing.