LUX

11. A Feeling

~**~

I wake up in the white sterile room with bright lights that were obviously dimed for my sleep. It takes me a minute to remember the reason I was brought here last night, the unbearable pain that brought me to my knees.

It started last night and I felt it until the sun started to rise. The Pack Doctor had no idea what was going on and couldn't get anywhere because I was unable to answer any questions. It must've been the early morning by the time they gave me something to sleep.

Now that I'm awake, the pain is gone but there is a dull ache instead. I'm so exhausted it hurts to even think about moving.

No one comes in the first hour I'm awake and I'm quite content with that. That was the first party I've ever been too and that happens. It's absolutely embarrassing, I don't know how to face those wolves.

An older lady who I assume is the pack healer, comes in shortly after to check up on me. She doesn't introduce herself, just carries on her job. This old lady reminds me so much of Gleneth in the way that she moves around.

"I have a feeling about you, girl." She says, not turning around. She continues filling a cup with herbs and reaches over to pour the hot water in. "a very good one."

"What about?" I ask, but again she doesn't say anything. I sit in silence looking around the room while she does whatever she came in to do.

She turns around and hands me a cup of tea, expecting me to drink. Her hard look doesn't look like I can disagree. Is she going to tell me what happened?

She doesn't.

She walks outside of the door like there wasn't a care in the world.

I'm not in my room alone for very long because Rory comes bursting in the room. She makes herself comfortable on the bed and lays her head down on my shoulder.

"They have a theory." She says quietly. "About why it happened." She clarifies.

"What is it?" I ask, curious to finally get an answer.

"It's Ryan, he was with someone else." She says sadly. "The pack doctor came and checked on you as soon as you passed out. He said that there was really nothing wrong with you. He said it was a mystery. It was actually Fawn who asked about your mark." She tells me. I assume Fawn is the healer who was in this room this morning.

"She reminds me of the healer back home," I tell her with a small smile.

"Fawn?" She asks. "Fawn's an odd one alright." She giggles. "You're taking that news pretty well." She says, bringing us back to the reality.

"Honesty, I had to expect it to happen." I sigh. "Ryan's never been one for monogamy. I didn't really expect him to drop everything because he marked me."

That's why when the next burning pain started, at least I knew what to expect. It happened three times today. Every time I tried to move on with my day, it started again. It's a metaphor for my life apparently – every time I try to move on, something new is trying to hold me back.

Rory was in and out of my room all day, bringing in something new each time to keep us occupied. We watched three movies before she finally decided that it was time to get to bed, saying that I needed my rest.

I didn't sleep that night.

In the healer's office, I tossed and turned while the pain in my body seemed to have a mind of its own. If this is any indication of how my mate was while we were apart, then I'm glad I only ever saw him three times.