Heir To The Iron Crown: Butterfly ✓

21 - Tuttugu og Einn

"Valente," I heard Gramma's voice.

The sound of his name woke me up, but I didn't have the strength to move.

"Don't worry. She's going to be fine. They had to give it to her because-"

"Shh" he shushed her. "She's awake."

I felt the mattress bend under his weight as he sat next to me.

"I'm here," he whispered softly. His hand found mine in a tight grip, and I finally opened my eyes to look at him.

Gramma sat on the other side of me, and there was no one else in my room. It wasn't too bright, the only illumination the yellow lamp on my bedside table.

Gramma looked worried for me as she touched my face in a show of kindness, but Valente was on another level.

His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, worry crowded his features. He seemed very tired.

"I don't know what happened," I told him, my voice cracking, barely audible. "I couldn't control my body, or Ima. I didn't mean to-"

"Rayne," Gramma said, wiping away the tears that I didn't know were falling. Valente's grip on my hand tightened, and he shifted a little closer.

"It's okay, no one is blaming you for anything," she said.

I knew that couldn't possibly be true. But that wasn't my concern at the moment.

I tried to sit up but the action caused shooting pain throughout my body, an almost scream leaving my lips in agony.

Valente immediately stood to help me, placing more pillows than I'd need behind me, making sure I was okay before taking his place beside me, and my hand in his again.

"What happened?" I asked them.

"You tell us," Valente said.

Gramma took my other hand in hers, holding it tightly as she started to speak.

"You had to be given Wolfsbane to calm Imadis. Sylvia said your wolf had suppressed you and overtook-"

"Rosa please," Valente stopped her again, his face showing a lot of frustration. "Let's not talk about Aunty right now."

"Wolfsbane?" I asked, my voice shaking. Wolfsbane was poison. And I was terrified of what I had heard about it.

To think I was given it, and it was still running through my veins settled fear in my heart.

Both Valente and Gramma gripped my hands tight to stop them from shaking.

"The doctor has asked you to rest. It will leave your system on its own in two to three days," Gramma said.

"Why did it happen Gramma? I never had a problem like this with Ima before," I asked her.

Gramma looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything.

I looked to Valente, but he seemed stumped.

"Gramma?" I asked her again.

She sighed heavily, looking down at my hand in hers.

"Sweetheart. Let's hope it's not what I think it is. Because otherwise this pain will feel like just the beginning," she said, her eyes shining with tears.

"What is that supposed to mean Rosa? Our pack doctors are highly qualified and-"

It was Gramma's turn to interrupt him.

"In this case, the doctors won't be able to do anything Valente," she told him, her gaze intense. I could tell they continued their conversation in private through the mindlink.