Happy Endings Don't Exist...Do They?

Chapter 16: I Learn About Wolves and Then I Go Live With Them

ARYN POV

It's been just over a week since I woke up and I am finally being discharged. Almost three weeks since I have been home. I am not looking forward to returning. My bruises have finally started to go away, my ribs aren't as sore. My throat while still painful, doesn't impede my ability to speak, although my voice will go out if I speak for too long. I am not looking forward to my 'lesson' upon my return home. The door opens to reveal Micah. Hmm he is here early. A smile grows on his face when he sees I am awake. 

"Are you excited to get out of here?" He asks me. Is that a trick question?  I think as I nod my head enthusiastically and I am mostly. As happy as I am to be free from this prison of healing I am actually terrified to go home and have to deal with my father. Micah keeps telling me that my father has a warrant for his arrest and I won't ever see him again but again this isn't the first time this has happened.

Every time he somehow makes everything go away leaving me with an angry abusive drunk who teaches me many painful lessons to make up for his anguish. I hear Micah clear his throat pulling me from my dark thoughts. I look at him as he shifts from foot to foot. I narrow my eyes at him, something is going on. "Before we leave the hospital there is something that I need to tell you," he starts. Oh God.  

My mind starts racing going through different scenarios, different horrible, dark scenario. My breathing starts to pick up, my heart beats faster and faster. So, fast I start to think that is might beat right out of my chest, thank God for rib cages. I observe as Micah shifts some more before blurting "Wolves exist." 

His volume and the suddenness of his words cause me to jump a little. Confused, I reply "I know that wolves exist, I think everyone knows wolves exit." Micah smacks his hand to his forehead and lets out a frustrated groan. " No I mean... that's not what I ... I'm not talking about.." He stammers out before taking a deep breath, almost as if centering himself. 

"Wolf shifters are real; I know this because I am one. I can change into a wolf, I share my mind with a wolf..." In shock, I don't' hear the rest of what he says as he rambles on about this, this fantasy. He is delusional, crazy. I can't believe the one person I maybe, possibly, was beginning to trust is out of his freaking mind. Micah begins to undress causing me to stop my mind tangent. 

"What are you doing?" I all but shriek at him, my voice fading out completely. "You don't believe me so I am going to prove it," is his reply as he continues to undress. Closing my eyes when he is wearing just his boxers my face heating up as I do. Gasping in shock and surprise as something cold and wet bumps my nose causing my eyes open, where I meet pale green eyes, usually found on Micah, on a dark colored wolf. 

The dark fur wolf has its fore paws on the side of my bed, its snouts inches away from my face. I tentatively reach my hand to touch it, the wolf stock still as if it knows somehow that any move on its part will send me into a panic. I pet its fur it's enough to cause me to believe that it is real. There is a wolf in my hospital room, "Micah?"  The wolf opens its mouth sticking his tongue out to the side giving me a toothy grin. "Oh god," I breathe out as I lean back into the bed. The wolf, Micah because he is the wolf, must take this as an invitation to join me in bed as he jumps up.

I absently stroke his black fur, which is really, black with bits of red and dark grey mixed in, as I ponder what the hell is going on. Wolves exist, well wolf shifters exist. Micah isn't crazy. Or at least not crazy about this. What does this mean? Why did he tell me? So, I decide to ask and knowing he can't answer me gives me courage to be able to ask. 

"You're a wolf or you can turn into a wolf, not quite sure what the difference is there. And I am not quite sure what all this means, I mean why tell me? Why..." my voice chooses that moment to crack. I clear my throat before trying again. But before I can get a word out Micah places a paw on my leg, as if to stop me. I say the last words regardless, "Why me?" I state looking him in the eyes as he cocks his head at me. 

Micah POV

Why her she asks. Why her?!? Because she is my mate, my other half, the ying to my yang, the peanut butter to my jelly. Oh my god I sound like a girl. Not that it matters me still having a snout I can't tell her any other this. I settle with letting out a whine, placing my paws along her legs and flashing her a grin. "Right," she breathes out, "Wolves can't talk." Before she has a chance to say more Brooks walks into the room. 

He pauses for a second seeing me on her bed, before continuing into the room. "Well, Miss. Jayne looks like you are all set to be discharged," the doctor begins. At this I jump down from the bed making my way into the bathroom, making sure to grab my clothes in my snout before nudging the door closed. As I shift back I hear Doc start to give Aryn her discharge information and instructions. 

"Your broken ribs are healing well, but make sure you continue to do those deep breathing exercises every hour to ensure pneumonia doesn't happen. As the bruise on your thigh heals you make experience difficulty walking. If that happens stretching would be good and we can do physical therapy as needed." I finish putting on my clothes as I open the door once, joining my lovely mate as she listens to what Brooks is telling her. His eyes dart to me as continues with his run down, 

"Now, with your skull fracture, no extraneous activity at all for the next several weeks. Don't be alarmed if you get headaches or have any nausea, they can appear due to over stimulus, if it happens and you can take a break, take a nap but no over the counter drugs. I can give you something for the pain if you like?" he questions her. She just shakes her head taking no time to even think about it, causing me to frown slightly. 

"Alright then, as for your throat, the bruising has gone down which is why you are able to talk. The reason your voice will give out from time to time is the burns on the interior of the throat. Taking the medicine should soothe the burns as well as not pushing your voice when it goes out like it has been. It should fix itself in time if it doesn't there are other options we can visit. I have printed everything I told you as well as additional information about follow up appointments and the like here. If you don't have any questions we can get you out of here." 

He finishes going over her list of injuries and care as I try my hardest to breathe through it calming both my wolf and myself. When I have control over myself I notice a nurse toting a wheel chair enters the room, helping settle Aryn into her metal chariot. Shortly there after I have my beautiful, if slightly bruised, mate settled into my car and on the way to my home.