The first thing I feel is the pounding of my head. Then the soreness in my left side. Then the tightness in my throat. Even with my eyes closed, I can see the fluorescent lights through my eyelids and I immediately know where I am. The semi-rough bedsheets underneath me are the same bedsheets as the ones in the pack house infirmary.

I find myself in this room more often than I should- once after the vampire attack, then when I woke up from the nightmare spell, and now I find myself here again.

The circumstances that brought me here are clear as day in my mind. I remember the blood, Eli's lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling, Grayson's pleas that I be spared. My eyes flutter open as I try to gauge my surroundings. I immediately see my mother and Evie sleeping together in the bed next to mine- it seems another bed was added just so they could stay with me.

The two of them are snuggling close to one another, Mom's arms wrapped tightly around Evie's frame as if she's going to disappear.

I gently sit up, pain immediately spreading through my midsection and my head definitely has felt better. It takes me a few seconds to get my bearings and then I'm able to sit up straight without feeling like I'm going to tilt to the side.

I'm not stupid enough to attempt to stand like I did last time, but I still need to ensure that Evie's safe. She was with that evil coven for hours, and I have no idea what they did to her.

I grit my teeth as I lean forward to glance at Evie- she looks fine to me, but I know that emotional pain doesn't show in a physical sense. At least she looks completely unharmed- thank the heavens for that.

The slightly squeaky hinges bring my attention to the door which is halfway open. My mate walks straight for me. The timing would be creepy if I wasn't already aware that he can sense my feelings and could most likely tell that I just woke up.

Grayson brushes away a piece of knotted hair from my face as he hold my face in his hands. He sits down on the edge of the bed and immediately places his forehead against mine. He sighs heavily as his thumb lightly strokes my cheeks. I can see the dark bags underneath his eyes which hint at the number of hours he slept last night- zero.

His disheveled hair also told me that he had been running his hands through it, an action he does when he's stressed or lacks control over a situation. I can only imagine the stress he's been under in the past 24 hours- the entire pack must be worried, but especially Gray because I was almost killed- again.

The warmth that spreads through my chest is calming paired with the tingles I feel with every place skin touches skin.

He was scared for me.

He doesn't say anything, he just remains close to me, reassuring himself that I'm alive and safe again. I'm the one who breaks the silence when I get past the distraction his proximity causes.

"Is Cooper alive? And is Evie okay? She looks fine, but psychological trauma can be deep-rooted and-"

"They're both fine. Evie was found coloring in a room by herself. She was a little scared after being portaled from the daycare, but she's young and wasn't harmed. Hopefully she'll forget about it as time goes on."

My shoulders sink into a more relaxed stance at the news. Evie is okay.

"Cooper..." Gray continues, "Cooper had us worrying for a moment, but he held on. He's tough. He's also too stubborn to die, it seems." The smile betrays Gray's true care for his best friend's mate. I sometimes forget that Gray and Cooper are also really great friends. They probably spent a lot more time together before I came around and stole all of his attention.

"I truly think that Eli saved his life. Without the healing magic..."

No he, or that warlock. Gray used his name. At the thought of my dead friend I close my eyes. He died disobeying his coven, his own mother, just to do what was right. I'll never see his warm brown eyes again, that slight lift of his lips whenever I say something too "pure" or "ethical." How am I supposed to show up to that class without him? Knowing that his death was my fault...

Every time I close my eyes, all I see is his open-eyed stare after he was hit with a blast of magic. I don't even know where Elle took him...

I don't even realize I'm crying until Gray is wiping away my tears and kissing my forehead, my cheeks, my jawline- all tiny little pecks to gently show that he understands and loves me. When my tears continue to fall, he gently grasps the back of my neck and holds me against his chest as I cry. I cry for Eli, for Cooper who's hurt because the coven was after me, for my mom and sister who were shoved into this supernatural life because of me.

Each breath hurts my ribs, which in turn reminds me of why they hurt in the first place. Then I cry more, which hurt my body even more. It seems to be an endless cycle of emotional and physical pain.

It takes me a little while to collect myself, but Grayson is there for all of it. He whispers sweet things to me and gives me little kisses on the top of my head. When the tears finally subside, I pull away from him slowly. Grayson's eyes never leave me.

"What happened to the coven?" I croak.

"Some of the more violent and resistant members are in the cells. Some were able to escape, but I don't want you to worry about any of that, baby. They only possess defensive magic, so nobody can hurt you anymore- not with me around."

He looks at my face, then down my neck and across my body. I'm partially covered by the off-white hospital blanket, so I don't know what he's staring at at first. Gray clenches his jaw and tightens his fists until the skin is pale around his knuckles. I place my hand over his tense muscles, which is about the time that I notice my own injuries.

I was aware that I was hurt- breathing and moving hurt, but I didn't think about how severe those injuries may have been. The same hand that I used to calm Grayson is covered in bruises- I have a couple randomly placed on my arms, and my legs that are peeking out from under the blanket also have a few as well.

I feel around my abdomen where the true pain is stemming from and feel a light bandage wrapped around it. I have the sudden urge to look in the mirror and see what I look like.

"Gray, can you help me go to the mirror?" I whisper, still staring at the splotches of purples and blues staining my previously pale skin.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, baby," he replies, stiff as a board.

I look up at him through my lashes and sigh, the fight in me slowly dissipating.

"Please."

One look at me and he groans, obviously wanting to give in to my pathetic pleas. He slides a hand down his face and his eyes glass over- a sign of his communication with others from the pack. In 10 seconds, his attention is back on me.

"The pack doctor says that he wants you to be on bedrest for a little while. You shouldn't be moving around unless it's to use the restroom, and you'll need someone to help you. You have a lot of injuries," he says, the last part coming out as more of a grumble.

"What's wrong with me?" I ask. I need to know, no matter how overwhelming it is. I know that the evil bitch witch threw me around with her powers after I injected her with the magic inhibitor, but I don't know the damage yet.

While Grayson's eyes do darken, he manages to tell me calmly what the doctor told him.

"A concussion, three broken ribs on your left side, bruises on your back and neck among other minor injuries." By the time he's done reciting my injuries, I can see his canines peeking out of his gums. "It's my fucking fault."

I shouldn't be surprised that he somehow finds a way to blame himself for my injuries, but I am upset that he feels responsible when he couldn't have done anything to stop it. The four of us went into that house knowing the risks- and it was all worth it so that I could have Evie safe once again. I'm devastated that Eli had to give his life... I wish it were me instead.

"Gray, it's not your fault, so don't even try to spin this," I brush off his ridiculous words. He must know how stupid he sounds.

"It is absolutely my fault. As your mate, it's my responsibility to protect you, love you, and keep you from harm. I'm failing." He abruptly stands and walks towards the other side of the room.

I hate seeing and feeling his pain. He so clearly feels guilty and I don't know how to make him feel any better.

"I don't want you to have all of this anger pointed at yourself-"

"Oh trust me, it's not all directed at me," he says, now staring glaring at me.

I point at myself hesitantly, a bit taken aback by his sudden mood change.

"You're mad at me?"

He huffs and crosses his arms, once again sitting at the edge of the bed.

"We'll talk about this later when we don't have an audience."

My eyes travel through all of the empty space in the room, then shift to the empty doorway. Then I twist my body, a little too quickly, towards the bed directly next to mine which draws out a small wince that I attempt to pass off as a cough. My mother is laying down still, but her eyes are open while watching Grayson and I. She gives me a guilty smile as she slowly detangles herself from Evie.

"Sorry. I-" she stops talking, probably considering the best fib she can come up with to explain why she was listening to our conversation. I'm not upset with her- I honestly would do the same thing if my daughter was injured and speaking with her supernatural boyfriend who I didn't completely trust.

"How did you know I was awake? Your back was turned to me," my mom asks instead, albeit cautiously. At least she didn't try to lie to him. He would be able to tell, anyway.

"Your breathing changed and your heartbeat sped up," he replies.

"You can...? This is crazy, all of this!" Like mother, like daughter. She reacted to this basically the same way that I did.

She walks over to the side of my bed- opposite of Grayson, as she leans over and inspects my injuries again. Gray doesn't back up to give me and my mother some space. He just holds my hand and watches my mom carefully. He doesn't seem to have forgotten the last encounter I had with her when she accidentally sprained my wrist- which Eli healed. I push back the tears at the thought of his name.

"Honey," my mom whispers, then follows the trail of bruises across my body. She doesn't cry but her eyes do cloud with tears. "I'm so sorry you're hurt. I'm sorry for the way I reacted to-" she glances at Grayson, "-your mate's shifting."

She chuckles, then places a gentle hand on my head. "I've been trying to learn all of the lingo."

That earns a small smile from me.

"Most importantly, I'm so proud of you. You've been dealing with this supernatural shit all by yourself, all while keeping A's in your classes and working at Java, and still spending time at home to be with Evie."

Her wobbly smile gives me strength. It gives me the warm tingly feeling any child receives after their parent says that they're proud of them. I have been dealing with a lot, but I haven't been doing it alone.

"You're so brave to have gone after Evie. If I had half a brain at the time I would have made you stay back so you wouldn't have to hurt like this," she continues.

Grayson's hand ever-so-slightly tightens around mine. I squeeze it back.

"I know you were freaked out, Mom. Trust me, I didn't react very well when I found out either," I chuckle. My mom shows the beginning of a smile when Grayson's slight grumble immediately makes her posture stiffen. She slowly leans back on the bed while staring at the Alpha werewolf in front of her.

I lightly slap Gray on the chest.

"Don't be scared of him. He's just grumpy because I ignored him the whole weekend and refused to answer any of his calls after I found out."

"I just wanted a simple text, Thea," he pouts.

I smirk at him and roll my eyes. He's so cute when he pouts.

"You can't really expect me to react well when you shift into your wolf while tearing a vampire off of me!"

"A vampire? You were attacked by a vampire?" my mom frantically asks.

"Uh... That was a while ago. Way before the sleeping spell fiasco."

"What?!"

Uh oh. This is going to take a while to explain...

~~~

After an hour or so of explaining my history with Grayson and describing pack dynamics, I think my mom is completely overloaded with supernatural information. She seems completely calm on the outside, but I'm not sure of the exact level of chaos that is twisting in her mind. That's just the power of moms for you.

The more Gray and I take turns speaking about our past, the more comfortable my mom seems to get around Grayson. I know they still have a long way to go before they're close like I know they can be, but the progress makes me feel lighter than I thought I could be in a time like this.

Evie sleeps through it all, her cute, tiny frame twisted up in the bedsheets as she lightly snores. Having her in my line of sight reminds me that she's safe and far away from a coven that hopefully doesn't exist anymore.

I've already drank two cups of water in between stories and used the bathroom once- which was quite an adventure. My mom chose to help me walk over to the bathroom, but about halfway through the small trek to the restroom Grayson picked me up and carried me the rest of the way. Apparently we were taking too long, which would "cause unnecessary strain on my broken ribs." Damn overprotective Alpha.

When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I just looked at myself. Gone was the normal Thea that usually stared back at me. Instead, a bruised and battered version remained. I had a new neck accessory- purple bruises from when I was almost suffocated to death- and a bright bruise on my cheek as well. I look like one of those badass girls from the movies that just barely made it out of a fight alive.

I wish I felt that way...

My mom seemed to enjoy the slight bickering between me and Gray whenever we would hit a point in the story that we disagreed on.

When we finally reached the present, I was a little teary eyed. Speaking about Eli was hard, and I don't ever think it won't be hard. I wish I knew where Elle took him. I'd like to pay my respects.

I ask to be taken to Cooper's room, but Gray says I can't visit him because I shouldn't be walking. After I give him an earful about seeing my injured best friend, and "how dare he tell me that I can't check on him," he finally agrees to get me a wheelchair. Completely dramatic of him, but I won't fight him on it as long as I get to see Cooper.

From what I understand, he was severely close to death when they brought him in, and he's lucky to be alive. He's woken up already, but Gray says that he'll be sleeping a lot.

That's where I am right now- outside Cooper's hospital room. Technically, it's just another room in the pack house with medical equipment, but I'll just call it a hospital room because that's essentially what it is.

My mom decided to stay back and watch Evie- I don't think she'll let Evie out of her sight anytime soon.

Gray wheels me into Cooper's room and my eyes are first drawn to Axel. He looks the worst that I've ever seen him- his blonde hair is standing up at odd angles and he has bags under his green eyes that are very similar to the ones under Grayson's. His shirt and shorts are very wrinkled, and he doesn't seem to care one bit about his appearance.

Axel's eyes shift from Cooper to me, and although his eyes soften a bit, he doesn't smile. Not like he really seems like the smiling type...

"Hey, how is he doing?" I say quietly, not wanting to wake up a sleeping Cooper.

"He wouldn't admit it, but I know he was in quite a bit of pain earlier. He's been on and off sleeping for a while now." Axel glances back at his mate."I'm just glad he's resting."

I nod, then grab Axel's hand. He seems a bit surprised by my gesture, but I still squeeze his hand and give him a small smile.

"He's going to be just fine, though. Right?"

He sighs and stares at our joined hands. He squeezes it once, then releases it.

"The doctor's say he'll make a full recovery, but you never know with magic. It's dark and twisted and can cause all kinds of damage that we can't foresee-"

Axel freezes when the heart monitor flatlines.