Framed

Part 3

I slowly rolled over, stretching. The bed beneath me felt as soft as I imagined clouds to be. I froze instantly, keeping my breathing and heart rate as slow and steady as I could. A bed, I thought as my eyes slowly opened. The last thing I remember was fighting a Spartan Bear. Sitting up slowly, my eyes scanned the room.

Everything around me told me that I was in a hospital room, but it wasn't until my eyes landed on the silver bars that ran across the window that I knew I was in a pack hospital. Slowly, I slipped from the bed and rolled my shoulders. The sound of my back popping filled the silent room.

I was still sore, but nothing hurt too badly that I couldn't function. Pulling the needle from my arm, I slowly walk towards one of the two doors and open it. A small bathroom was before me and a quick search revealed a stash of clean clothes along with other things I could use to freshen up. Locking the door, I turn on the hot water and pull the hospital dress off before stepping under the hot spray.

I hum softly as I let the hot water run over me as if it was washing away all my worries. Once my shower was complete, I dried off and slipped into the clean sweats. Behind the mirror I found a pair of scissors. My eyes took in my reflection and I noticed that my hair was longer than I had ever grown it before.

Quickly, I pick the scissors up and cut away. Ten minutes later, a pile of silvery-blond hair lay around my feet as I take in my new style. Well, truth be told, it was my old hair style back when I was a pack warrior, not an outcast. My hair stopped at the bottom of my jaw. Giving myself a quick nod, I clean up my mess, making sure to put everything back where I found it.

Stepping back into the room, I sit crossed-legged on the bed and just stare at the small clock that hung above door number two. I knew better than to wonder around a pack house that I didn't belong to. Three hours had passed since I woke, and still no one had entered my room. The clock and a glance out the barred window told me that it was almost noon, but I still didn't move.

It was almost one when I heard a faint click coming from my door. I watched as the handle turned and two doctors stepped in. When they saw me sitting up on the bed, watching them, their eyes widened in shock. "Martha, run and tell the alpha that the rogue's awake." The male doctor ordered and the other almost tripped over her feet in haste to carry it out.

He didn't speak again, just stood at the door watching me. I knew he was waiting to see if I would try and attack him so I could escape. I wasn't stupid. I knew that just out of my sight stood their best warriors. I wasn't in any shape to take them on.

Ten minutes passed before I heard two sets of footsteps hurrying towards my room. I kept my eyes glued to the doctor's but in a way that his wolf would know that I wasn't challenging him in any way; which was hard to do. We had spent the last five years roaming alone. Our bond grew closer as we fought to survive that first year, and it grew closer with each passing year.

The raw power that flowed from us both was enough to unsettle most ranking wolves. To them, we were a threat to their position, even if we really weren't. "Thank you Martha." A deep voice spoke and my eyes slowly slide from the doctor's to the man that was standing behind him. Standing just behind the alpha was the female doctor, Martha. She caught my eye and flashed me a small grateful smile, which puzzled me. What was she grateful to me for?

The alpha cleared his throat and my eyes flew back to him. I kept them glued to his chest so he wouldn't think I was challenging him. "I'm Alpha Liam Rivers." He introduced his self as he stepped a little closer to the bed. A nod from him had the others quickly leaving the room, but I noticed that they left the door opened. As if I would be foolish to attack this giant of a man.

"I guess I have you to thank for saving my grandson." My mind drew a blank until I remember the little boy that almost became bear chow. "How is he?" I ask softly, my voice sounding gruff and hoarse, even to my own ears.

Alpha Rivers pulled the only chair in the room closer to the bed and sat down. "He's alive and well thanks to you, just shaken up as you can imagine." I nod slowly. Silence fell between us as I watched him, curious as to why I was in the infirmary instead of a cell in the basement.

"Why did you do it?" He asked suddenly and I looked at him confused. "Do what?"

"Why did you protect him? You're a rogue, which in itself is still a little confusing to me. There aren't many female rogues out there, but most rogues would have not even bothered in trying to save him. They might have even helped kill him." I sighed as I felt Bellona stretch around.

"He was an innocent child who did not deserve to die that way."

"But you did?" His question startled me and I dropped my gaze to the floor. That first year of exile, I had to do things that went against everything I had stood for just to survive. I shrugged once. "Maybe," I said softly but I could tell that my answer didn't satisfy him.

He stared at me for several more minutes, but I didn't speak again. When he realized that I wasn't going to talk any more, he stood up and put the chair back in its place. "I'll have some food brought up to you. Eat, get some rest and get your strength back." With that, he left the room, leaving me confused.

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