-Ember-
A sterile scent of antiseptic and herbs fills the air as I slowly regain consciousness. My body feels like it's been run over by a truck, then set on fire for good measure. I'm lying on a padded exam table in Oaklynn's clinic, the soft glow of medical lights making me squint as I try to orient myself.
Every inch of my skin throbs with a dull, persistent burn. I can feel cool, soothing salve on the worst areas, but it barely takes the edge off.
"Where...?" I groan softly as I blink awake, my throat raw from screaming.
Oaklynn is immediately at my side, her voice gentle but clinical. "You're at the clinic. Try not to move too much. The salve needs time to work."
I turn my head slightly and spot Stella sitting in a chair nearby. Her face is drawn with worry and rage, dark circles under her eyes indicating she hasn't slept at all. Her hand keeps drifting to her waistband as if checking that her gun is still there.
"Hey, you're back with us," she says, leaning forward. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been burned alive," I wince as I try to shift positions. Every movement sends fresh waves of pain through my body. "What... what happened to me?"
Oaklynn exchanges a concerned glance with Stella. "It's like a rejection reaction, but... I've never seen anything like this before. Your body is completely rejecting Tanner's touch."
"Is that... normal?" I ask, though I already know the answer.
Oaklynn shakes her head, her brow furrowed. "No. This is beyond anything I've seen in medical literature. It's like your body is treating his touch as a severe allergic reaction."
The door opens, and Ainslee rushes in, carrying a bag of fresh clothes and toiletries. Her normally perfect hair is disheveled, like she dressed in a hurry.
"You're awake! Thank the Goddess," she says, relief washing over her face.
"Hey..." I try to smile but grimace instead as pain shoots through my cheek where Tanner had touched me.
Ainslee sets down the bag on a nearby chair. "I brought you some things from home. And I called in sick for you at work."
"What time is it?" I ask, suddenly realizing I have no idea how long I've been here.
"Almost noon," Stella says, checking her watch. "You've been out for about ten hours."
I try to sit up but fall back with a gasp of pain. It feels like my skin is being torn off.
"Don't try to move yet," Oaklynn says firmly, gently pressing my shoulder down. "The burns are severe, especially..." she hesitates, her professional demeanor slipping for a moment. "...in certain areas."
The memory of last night floods back—Tanner's hands on me, his mouth, the burning pain that followed each touch. I feel sick.
"He was going to mark me," I say, my voice breaking. "Force himself on me."
A tense silence fills the room. Stella's face hardens, her jaw clenching so tight I can see a muscle twitching.
"If I had been five minutes later..." she says, her voice cold as ice.
"But you weren't," Ainslee says quickly, placing a hand on Stella's arm. "You got there in time."
I close my eyes briefly, trying to push away the memories. "What happens now?"
"You stay here until I'm confident the burns won't get infected," Oaklynn says, checking something on my chart. "The salve should help with the pain and healing."
"And after that, I'm moving in with you and Stella," Ainslee declares. "No arguments. Safety in numbers."
Before I can respond, the clinic door bursts open with enough force to rattle the medical supplies on the nearby tray. Alpha Garret strides in, his imposing figure filling the doorway. His face is thunderous, eyes flashing amber with barely contained rage.
"What the hell is going on?" he demands. "I've got Tanner in my office claiming he was attacked at gunpoint!"
Stella stands immediately, placing herself between the Alpha and me. Her stance is protective, challenging even.
"With all due respect, Alpha," she says, her voice steady despite facing down our pack leader, "look at her before you listen to anything your son has to say."
Alpha Garret steps closer, his nostrils flaring as he scents the air—probably picking up on the mixture of pain, fear, and anger that must be rolling off me in waves. His eyes widen as he takes in my condition. The sheet has slipped slightly, revealing the angry red burns across my collarbone and shoulders.
"What happened?" His voice is quieter now, but no less intense.
Oaklynn steps forward, slipping into her professional healer mode. "Tanner broke into Ember and Stella's cabin last night. He drugged Ember with wolfsbane and attempted to force a mating mark on her. These burns are her body's rejection response to his touch."
Alpha Garret's eyes narrow. "And the gun?"
"Mine," Stella says, lifting her chin defiantly. "And I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
A tense moment passes as Alpha Garret processes this information. I can see the conflict playing across his face—the Alpha who needs to protect his pack members warring with the father who doesn't want to believe the worst about his son.
Finally, he turns to me. "Is this true?"
I meet his gaze, summoning what little strength I have left. "Yes, Alpha. He said he... he made sure Stella would be on patrol. He planned it."
Alpha Garret runs a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, conflict evident on his face. He looks suddenly older, the weight of leadership heavy on his shoulders.
"Tanner is my son," he says finally. "This is... complicated."
"With all due respect," Stella says, barely containing her anger, "what's complicated about attempted rape?"
"Watch your tone, Stella," Alpha Garret snaps, his Alpha voice making her flinch slightly.
Oaklynn steps forward, her calm presence diffusing some of the tension. "Alpha, as a pack healer, I'm officially documenting these injuries as evidence of assault. I've already taken photographs for the pack records."
Alpha Garret looks at the determination on all three women's faces, then back at my injured form. I can see him calculating, weighing options.
"I'll handle Tanner," he says finally, sighing heavily. "For now, Ember is to remain under medical care, and I want guards posted outside this clinic."
"Guards to protect her or to keep her here?" Stella challenges, not backing down.
Alpha Garret gives her a hard look. "Both. Until I sort this out, I don't want anyone making rash decisions."
As he turns to leave, his eyes suddenly glaze over—the telltale sign of someone receiving a mind-link. His expression shifts to concern.
"We've got reports of unknown wolves at the northern border. I need to go." He looks at Stella. "You're on duty in an hour. Don't be late."
After he leaves, the room falls silent. I can hear the soft beep of medical equipment and Oaklynn moving around, preparing fresh bandages.
"He's not going to do anything to Tanner, is he?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
Ainslee sighs, sitting on the edge of my bed. "Tanner is his son and heir. Alpha Garret has always turned a blind eye to his behavior."
"This is bullshit," Stella spits, pacing the small room like a caged animal. "Complete bullshit."
Her phone buzzes, and she pulls it out. I watch as her expression changes as she reads the message.
"What is it?" I ask, noticing the shift.
"Nothing," she says quickly, putting her phone away. "Just pack business."
I narrow my eyes, suspicious. "Stella, what aren't you telling me?"
"It's nothing you need to worry about right now," she says, avoiding eye contact. "Focus on healing."
Oaklynn and Ainslee exchange concerned glances.
"I need to change your dressings," Oaklynn says, clearly trying to change the subject. "Ainslee, can you help me?"
As they work on my burns, Stella steps outside to respond to the message, her fingers flying across the screen. Through the window in the door, I can see her expression—intense, determined, and something else. Hope, maybe?
When she returns, I note the conflict on her face. She's hiding something big.
"Stella, please," I say softly. "What's going on?"
She meets my eyes, and for a moment, I think she's going to tell me. Then her expression closes off.
"Nothing," she says firmly.
But the way her hand keeps checking her phone tells me it's definitely something. And whatever it is, it's important enough to make her lie to me.
As another wave of pain washes over me, I close my eyes. Between Tanner's attack, these mysterious burns, and now Stella's secrets, I've never felt more vulnerable.
Or more determined to take control of my own fate.