Alpha Cristian and Luna Michelle went that evening to visit the injured in the pack hospital. They wanted to thank them for their service and to wish them a speedy recovery.
With many warriors in a non-critical state being sent home early, the hospital seemed peaceful. However, the rooms were packed, and some had double or triple patients than they were designed for. Luckily, most patients were kept for twenty-four hours observation and will be discharged during the night or in the morning. Their enhanced werewolf healing was a good thing.
Alpha Cristian and Luna Michelle wanted to check on the injured now, as tomorrow they will be dispersed everywhere through the territory of the Spring Leaf pack, and it would be more time consuming to see every warrior who suffered for their pack.
Nurses were fussing about their Alpha and Luna being present. It was an official visit, and it was a big deal. They took turns explaining who was in each room and their conditions before Alpha and Luna entered.
It was nurse Betty's turn to talk about the room where Arya was.
"General Arya is stable, and she should wake up soon," Betty said.
Cristian was surprised to hear this. "The reports said she was seriously injured. Are you sure about her waking up soon, or are you just trying to spare us the bad news?"
Betty bobbed her head. "General Arya arrived in a bad state, but her mate stayed with her all the time. He barely ate anything. The commitment between mates impacts how much the bond will boost each other's healing, and I can tell you that the young man from the Dark Howlers pack is one of the most committed mates I've seen. Her healing rate is miraculous. If we were not reluctant to wake her up, we would remove most of the bandages hours ago."
Cristian and Michelle exchanged glances and smiled. It was good news to hear that Arya was doing well, and the second good thing was that Keith was taking care of her well.
"Will we bother them if we visit?" Cristian asked.
It's common for newly mated couples to seek privacy, which applies to more than carnal pleasures. It's a sensitive time as they are getting to know each other. Their souls and bodies get synchronized as the bond strengthens and allows them to exchange emotions, to become as one in more than just merging physically.
"We can take a peek," Michelle said. "If they are sleeping, we won't disturb them."
Now that Arya had found her mate, Michelle was hoping that Arya would give up on whatever attachment she had to Cristian. Michelle wanted to see Arya and Keith holding each other and being lovey-dovey, and she wanted Cristian to see them like that so that he would stop treating Arya like she was his responsibility.
Michelle knew Cristian loved her; she could feel his sincerity through their bond, so she didn't think he would cheat on her, no matter how pretty or clingy Arya was. But she could also feel his concern for the girl, and Michelle didn't like it. After all, Michelle was Cristian's mate, and she noticed that Cristian was giving Arya more of him than he did to other pack members.
Sure, Cristian had his reasons. He saw Arya as a child, Arya didn't have anyone else, but none of those appeased Michelle's discomfort with the situation.
Betty waited in the hallway as her Alpha and Luna went in.
Michelle was the first one to peek through the gap of the curtain.
"Aww… look at them," Michelle said softly.
Keith was curled around Arya with his face stuck in her hair. They were both sleeping. Arya had a lot of bandages covering her, but they couldn't cover that she looked peaceful.
Cristian pulled the curtain to see, and the 'krrrr' sound was louder than anyone expected.
Arya stirred from her sleep, and after one drowsy blink, her eyes snapped open.
"Alpha…" Arya called while trying to get up.
Cristian was quick to get by Arya's side. "No, no… don't get up."
Arya was disoriented, and the pain medications numbed any aches that should be there.
Keith groaned. He felt someone move next to him, and then he heard a female's voice.
Keith was half-asleep, but he realized that a male was getting close to his mate.
With a ferocious growl, Keith pushed Cristian back. "Stay away from her!"
Arya was alerted. She didn't realize that someone was there, on her bed, so close. And it was a man.
Keith didn't remove his glare from Cristian as he got off the bed, his muscles rippling as he was ready to attack.
"You… you…" Arya needed a moment to collect herself. Keith was tense like he was about to jump on Cristian and start a fight.
"How dare you act against my Alpha?" Arya asked.
Keith's head snapped to look at her. "What did you say?" The idea that she would side with a man other than him was breaking his heart into pieces.
"That's my Alpha," Arya said to Keith. Anguish swelled within her, and she didn't know from where it came, but it overpowered the medications she was under. "You attacked him. That's unacceptable."
Keith didn't know how to deal with Arya's accusing glare.
The air was thinning, and he felt like walls were closing in on him, threatening to crush him, and whatever was left of his heart.
That was his mate, right there. He could feel the bond. It was supposed to be wonderful. Everyone told him that finding a mate is magical, yet since last night he was uncertain, and now… he was nearly certain that his mate didn't want him.
Keith jabbed his hand into his hair. "Fuck this!" He cursed loudly and stormed out of the room.
Cristian felt guilty for this misunderstanding. He didn't mean to appear like he was trying to get his hands on Arya, but it happened, and Keith saw him as a threat, and Arya only added oil to the fire.
Cristian glanced at Michelle. "I will go after him."
Arya was blinking in confusion while looking at the door she could see clearly because Keith pushed the curtain all the way when he left.
"Who is that man?" Arya asked with disapproval in her voice.
Michelle folded her arms over her chest. "Who do you think he is?"
"How does he dare attack Alpha?"
"Maybe because he was defending you."
"Defending me? Why would I need defending from my Alpha?"
"That's not how your mate saw it."
Arya froze. "Mate? How can he be my mate?"
Michelle shook her head. "Do you remember how you found yourself in the hospital? Of course, you don't. If Alpha Damon and Luna Talia didn't save your ass in the forest, you would be torn into pieces by rogues. And if your mate didn't bring you to the pack hospital, you would bleed out there. He got you here and didn't leave your side. Not even for a minute. He cared for you. He abandoned his position as Luna Talia's guard and is risking severe punishment so that he could be with you. And what did you do? The first thing you did was siding against him for a man who is mated!"
"That's not what…"
"Bullshit!" Michelle exclaimed. "Only blind people don't see how you are looking at Cristian! That's MY mate, and I will be damned if I let you put your hands on him. I am not a warrior, but that doesn't mean I can't keep my mate away from shameless women like you."
