one night with the alpha

007

Cressida

She breathed a heavy sigh, bracing herself to look cheerful for J.J's sake. Her mother would be coming with him soon and the last thing she wanted was to traumatize him even more. Her hand automatically went to her bandaged cheek and she cringed at the feel of the gauze tape over it. 

Even though the doctors had told her they'd do their all to make sure she wouldn't scar she didn't have any hope. She'd seen the bits of her flesh on that woman's claws and felt how wide the wounds had been. Cress knew she'd have to live with scars and was dreading it. Bad enough she was too dark to be beautiful and now she'd have hideous scars to top it all off.

Reese and AnnaMarie had said she'd rock the scars the same way teen wolf's Braeden had and she'd laughed. Inside she'd been screaming. She was nowhere near as beautiful as that actress was and at the end of the day, teen wolf was a tv show. How was she going to live day by day with that kind of a scar? What was she going to tell people when they asked how she got it?

Cress was still having a hard time reconciling what she'd seen. That woman's face had changed, her features flattening and becoming wider as her nose and mouth seemed to protrude. She was having nightmares about it, the worst was when she relieved the agony of those razor-sharp talons slicing into her face.

What had she ever done to deserve any of this? Was sleeping with Jaspar such a crime that she had to pay over and over again? If it wasn't for the fact that the sex had produced her little Papi she would've regretted ever meeting Jaspar. But as much as she wanted to she could never hate him. Besides, she was as much to blame for that night as he was.

"Mama!" her son's voice intruded on her pity party

"Papito!" she exclaimed, not even needing to pretend to be in a good mood.

J.J ran towards her but Cress' mother held his hand tighter to stop him. "Your mother is still not well mijo, we have to be careful with her" she cautioned in a gentle tone.

His face fell and Cress felt her own heart break and her smile strained. "You can still give me a hug cariño," she told him as she held her arms open.

With his head hanging, he walked closer and gave her a careful hug, letting his head rest on her chest. Cress took a deep breath loving the sweet little boy scent he had, with the inevitable hint of sweat. Her son was an active boy and she smiled as she realised he was still so even though she was in the hospital.

He pulled away from her, his beloved little face sad enough to wipe her positive thoughts away. "Are you coming home soon mama?" he asked.

She was sure her smile was strained. "Si mijo, very soon," she told him then placed a kiss on his forehead. "Now tell me what you've been up to without me to keep you in line."

Her son told her all the things he'd been doing and with the innocence of youth was soon lost in his words that he forgot about where they were or why. Cress let herself get just as carried away as she listened to him. She teased him just as she always did and for a while, it was like her life hadn't been turned upside down. As if reality still was what it had always been.

Cress was in a private room, at a private hospital that the very apologetic day manager had that morning told her the owner of the Minor had paid for. Which meant there were no set visiting hours and her very extended family rarely left her alone. it was at times like these that she realised that in spite of their issues, they all loved her.

Her tias were soon arguing about their respective enchiladas recipes whilst her tios were watching football and arguing over the gameplay. It was a rerun but that didn't stop them from enjoying it or arguing. She sat propped up with J.J. lying on her legs, his hand holding hers even though there were other children in the room.