Alpha Aiden's Protection Program | ✓

Chapter 22: A Holy Prayer

I stared down at the gauze on my hands that Dr. Nazra just wrapped up. My super healing had not worked. 

My palms were blistered and aching. Soothed only by the burn cream that she applied. 

I didn't just have a bleeding heart, I also had a broken body. 

When I looked into the mirror of the vanity, exhaustion marred my features and my skin was pallid like that of a bloodsucker. 

But the fear was washed away along with my pain. I made sure to scrub at it in the bathroom, a feat made difficult by only having the use of my fingertips. 
 
After we got back, everyone was all over the castle, so we didn't call a meeting just yet. The shock of the morning still in our systems. 

I sent Aiden to find Tourmaline, knowing that was what he needed to get his head on straight. Myself, on the other hand, needed to rid the stench of the vampires permanently out of my system. 

And when I walked out of my bath, Dr. Nazra was there with a bandage and a stethoscope. Sent up by the Alpha's behest.

 "Are you sure the pain has subsided?" Nazra asked once more as she stood at the door. 

I plastered on a small smile and nodded, "I'm fine Nazra, thank you."

"Let me now if your chest starts to hurt again," She said pointedly before taking her leave. 

She didn't make it far down the hallway before I heard her footsteps stop and whispers start.

I sniffed him out before I could even hear his husky voice.

"She's okay?" Aiden asked, tone agitated.

There was a hesitant pause before she answered, "Mostly, yes. But her healing has slowed down drastically. To the rate of an average human's healing ability."

A rough intake of breath had me on my feet. The need to walk out there and convince Nazra to tell Aiden that I'm hundred percent okay.

But the truth was what he needed. Truth and trust were what Aiden valued above all else.

"And her heart?" He started to get snippy.

"No improvement," She informed.

"At least it's no worst," He mumbled, but lacked conviction. "Thank you Nazra. I'll see you down there for the pack meeting."

"Alpha."

In less than a blink of an eye, Aiden rasped his knuckles against my door.

"Come in," I said on a sharp intake of breath as I accidentally pressed my palm to my stomach. 

The unease of where we stood on the matter of the vampires made me fidget in my spot as he entered. But as I took him in, a few butterflies managed to chase away the unease.

There he stood with a tray of food in his hands and a distraught expression on his face. 

"I thought you'd be hungry," He said quietly as he took in my bandaged hands but said nothing.

He didn't have to because his expression said everything. The fine lines that creased his forehead in worry and the stubborn pucker between his eyebrows that told me his mind was waging a war and the set of jaw as he grind his teeth in agitation. 

"I am, thank you," I stretched my hands out for the tray in reflex. A movement that made Aiden wince as his grip tightened on the tray. 

Quickly, I hid the bandaged palms behind my back. Guilt ate at me for my physical incapacity because I knew the visual was just another reminded of both my underlying conditions and the massive vampire problem.