Replaced

Chapter 3

4 years later

Dry, my throat felt so dry. An unfamiliar sensation had me fearful, I tried to open my eyes to see what it was. There was something down my throat. A muffled scream for help as I fought the unknown. My eyes were so heavy and focusing was a struggle. There was a loud beeping noise, but I was unsure where it was coming from. I heard the sound of footsteps. "Connie, stop!" Forcing my eyes to open and focus I turned toward the sound. Frowning I recognized my father and halted all my movement. I focused on him; he looked like he had aged, there were grey hairs where there had been none. Sporting a beard even! Very much unlike his usual clean-cut look. What appeared to be a doctor stood next to my father that's when the panic set in. "What happened?"

"Hi, I'm doctor Blain. Can you give us a few minutes? We will remove your breathing tube." I gave a nod to convey I understood. Breathing tube not an alien device, nice. A nurse walked up and assisted the doctor with removing the breathing tube. Afterwards they put me on a nasal cannula just to help me out some with breathing according to the doctor. Taking in my surroundings I realized I was at the hospital. The white washed walls and linoleum floors along with the privacy curtain gave me reassurance I was still in town. Well at the hospital a few hours from town I had been here before. "There, how do you feel?" Turning to the doctor I wasn't sure how I felt, "numb" I replied. Checking his chart, he nodded his head, "that's not too bad she just had a scheduled dose of morphine." Morphine? Why would I need that? "Can you tell me your name?", I replied, "Yes, its Connie Merson." Frowning I stared at my dad. "Daddy what's going on?" He looked at the doctor as if asking for permission then turned back to me.

"Connie, baby girl you've ben in a comma for 4 years to the day." Shock hit me like a pile of bricks. "I've ben what?", Barely even able to talk through the dryness of my mouth I turn and look down at my abdomen and see nothing but flatness. "Where's my baby?" "Connie, you were attacked at a party Andrews parents had thrown to find their daughters' mate. What do you remember?" Tears flowing down my face. I try to lift my arm to wipe them away, but I can barely move it. The nurse seeing my situation assisted me. "Delaine, she, she attacked me, and I was in so much pain." All I could manage around the emotions hitting me one by one. It made talking seem like a battle. My mouth felt like it was full of peanut butter. The nurse steps up again to assist me with drinking some water. Though it helps I just feel overwhelmed with emotions.

"Baby girl, by time we could get to you so much time had passed. Connie had to be given a sleeper dart so that we could drag her off of you." Glancing down at my body I noticed that my arms were wrapped in bandages but not my legs. My belly once swollen to the bursting with my child was completely flat. I could stop from reaching out to touch it. Intense pain followed, I sucked in a breath and waited for the pain to pass. "Where's my baby?", I ask my father once more. He went silent and refused to look me in the eye. Glancing around I see that there were two other nurses besides the one dabbing away my tears along with the doctor and my father. None would look me in the eye.

"Where's Andrew? Four years is a long-time father....is my husband ok?" "Connie I'm sorry to say that Andrew is not in the picture anymore. He confessed to the elopement and we had the marriage annulled. He found his mate and we wanted you to be able to move on successfully after you woke up so we agreed to it. Listen, sweetheart, Delaine is the other alphas niece and goddaughter he would've stopped at nothing to have you and Andrew separated. We, your mother and I, did what was best. Your mother is currently with Carol and Cece I thought it was best that she took some time away from the hospital. We've been taking shifts for four years hoping and praying you'd awaken. The doctors weren't hopeful there was so much damage and numerous surgeries. Please believe me when I say I love you and want nothing but the best." Swallowing past the emotions I ask If mother will be back soon. "I've sent a nurse to the front to call her. She's on her way with carol and Cece." "Whose Cece?" "Carols baby girl." "Carol has a baby??!?" "Yes, after you went into your coma, two years after she ran into her mate, literally.", he gave a strangled chuckle, "you should ask her to tell you the story when your up to it." "She's gone, isn't she? My little Isabelle?"