Red Ribbons (Forgotten Series #1)

Chapter Seven: Part Two

"Maricella, you've been here two days. It is going to take more than that for you to get better." His voice was soft and I bit the inside of my cheek, the pain making me focus.

I stared at the table, taking exaggerated breaths in and out. If I was panicking then I needed focus on breathing. "Can I see Amber?" I wanted to talk to her. About what I wasn't sure but I wanted to talk even thought the voice inside my head screamed at me over and over again.

I glanced up at him and he frowned slightly but nodded. "Okay. I'm pretty sure she is in the office. I'm not letting you walk there." He gave me a slightly stern look that reminded me of Alpha Lawrence before picking me up. I couldn't stop myself from stiffening at the contact as he cradled me to his chest. "You've exerted yourself enough today." He walked around the table, keeping it between me and Angie. I felt guilty for feeling a bit relieved at the action. I knew she wasn't trying to hurt me but nine years of sudden movements ending in pain made me jumpy and the mantras seared the inside of my skull harshly.

"Don't let that incident sour you towards Angie. She's a really sweet girl. She's just... loud and boisterous some times. She wasn't thinking back there. We never greet new pack members like that." His voice was soft and I nodded despite the fact I couldn't understand. New members for the Omegas were always a sad thing and we were never allowed to make friends. We were isolated to our sections and our quarters. It was part of the mantras and I rarely saw the other Omegas other than Ingrid but she seemed to enjoy popping up randomly, as if trying to remind me of the classroom and her lessons. Always lingering around me, waiting for me to mess up.

"I understand, Davin." The name felt sour on my tongue as it did every other time I had said it but I still forced myself to do it. He had told me I had to call him by his name and I had to do as I was told. "I just need some time to reset before I meet her again." I honestly didn't want to meet her again but I wouldn't tell him that. I worried my bottom lip with my teeth as he carried me into the small infirmary.

My fear rose up in me sharply. I couldn't break the mantras but I needed to think, to let something out. "It's okay to be scared, Maricella." He kissed my temple and pushed open a door to a small room in the infirmary.

Amber looked up from her desk. "What can I help you with?" Her face was even but I could see a bit of worry at the edges of her expression. She thought one of us was hurt. I hated making her worry, I didn't want anyone to worry for me. I wanted to be invisible again, unseen.

"Maricella wanted to see you." Davin set me down on the chair across from Amber and I pulled my knees up to my chest. I wanted to escape into the fabric of the chair, to make myself disappear.

"Oh?" She looked at me and I stared at the pen holder on her desk.

"I wanted to talk." I swallowed against the lump in my throat and she suddenly relaxed, a small smile crossing her face.

"Oh. You had me worried for a second." She turned her gaze to the male who had brought me in. "Davin, you can go. I'm sure we will be okay without you." She waved him off with a familiar gesture of dismissal. I had seen it thousands of times before at the old pack. Davin placed a hand on my shoulder and I shuddered slightly. An unfamiliar feeling washed down my spine. I didn't like the position we were in. Memories swirled around the edges of my mind.

"Call me when you are done." Davin squeezed my shoulder gently before turning and leaving the room. I relaxed as he did so before feeling guilty about it

As soon as the door closed Amber looked at me. "Are you okay?" She looked genuinely worried and I swallowed, for some strange reason I wanted to cry.

"I'm broken, aren't I?" My voice cracked slightly and she frowned. I was surprised by her reaction. I thought she would say yes without a pause but she looked confused. Everyone had claimed I was broken, that there was something I needed to be fixed.