When Grey Met Purple

Chapter 23

I heard beeps in the distance, which were becoming louder by the second. My head felt like it had split in two. My legs felt numb. My heart started racing, and the tempo of the beeps increased. I could hear arguing in the distance – Jason, I wondered.

I tried opening my eyes, but they felt heavy too. “Baby girl?” someone who sounded like Blade questioned. I tried parting my lips to reply, but they felt too dry, incredibly chapped.

I tried opening my eyes again, but my vision was blurred – much more so than it was when I was kidnapped by Reed…Reed! I sat up straight, and the sounds were deafening, pressure on my shoulders pushed my back down, and I struggled against whoever it was.

“Cara, honey?” I heard my Mom cry out for me. I tried to smile, and it became easier for me to do so. Surrounding my bed were the people I loved the most - My Mom, Dino, Blade, Saph, Jake, and even Benji (my elder brother).

“Hi,” I croaked out. I was handed a glass of water, “What happened?”

A doctor moved his way into the crowd, “Questions after I do a check-up on Miss McArthur, please.”

“We’ll be right back honey,” Mom told me, squeezing my hand in hers. I shifted my eyes to Blade, who gave me a watery-eyed smile, which didn’t seem to reach his eyes. Benji shifted forward for a second and kissed my forehead, “Glad to see you’re still alive and kicking, squirt.”

“I’ll kick you out if you call me squirt ever again,” I replied to him, smiling. They all shuffled out.

The doctor asked me what he said were ‘routine’ questions. I felt a little suffocated as the nurses fussed over it. I was injected again, with what I was told was an anti inflammatory medication. Mom came soon after and told me that under strict orders only one person was allowed in at a time. I chatted with her for awhile, before I asked for Blade. Mom looked at me wearily, as if she knew something that I didn’t.

“Hey Aph,” Blade smiled weakly, “How are you doing?” He sat in the chair beside me with a pained expression on his face. I flinched a little as he took my hand in his- it was so warm compared to mine which was like a brick on ice right now. I greeted him back, telling him that I was as fine as ever… “You look beautiful,” he affirmed, squeezing my hand gently.

“So… Can you tell me what happened?” I had got a stupid explanation from the doctor, who was obviously lied to by Blade… or by Jason. His name tugged at my heart strings for some unknown reason, but I ignored it.

Blade hesitated for a second, searching my eyes, “Yes… You know what Reed is, right? Did he tell you anything?”

“I know he’s a different kind of werewolf- yes,” I replied, gulping back the other heartbreaking news that I knew too.

“He attacked you, you got bitten on your neck,” Blade replied, sadly, “There was nothing we could do; it was too late before any one of us got there.”

“Wha-What do you mean?” My eyes widened.

Blade looked at me sympathetically, “You’ve been turned.”

I scrunched my eyebrows, “Turned into what?”

“A werewolf, Cara,” Blade explained, “His venom got into your blood before we could get him off of you. But don’t worry baby, he’ll never hurt you again.” He smoothed down my hair, giving me this weak smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “You haven’t fully changed yet though. The next full moon we’ll help your through your first change, and the initiation.”

What?!

Blade must have understood what was going through my head, “Don’t fret baby, it’s just the first change that’s hard to go through, and you don’t have much of a temper so there’s not much to worry there either. You might have a heavier appetite though, but you’ll have a high metabolism too.”

“A werewolf,” I gulped, “A werewolf.” I stared at him, “Please tell me you’re joking Blade, please, please.”

He looked pained, “I’m sorry--”

My eyes filled with tears, I started shaking, “This is just too much for me to digest.” He sat down on the bed beside me and hugged me as bed he could around the wires and tubes. I sobbed in his arms for minutes, and he just sat there and held me. When my sobs died down he kissed me on my forehead, and sat back down in the chair. “Why do I get the feeling that there is more?”

Blade chewed on his bottom lip, “Because… there is.”

I groaned, “Rip the band-aid off, then.”

He gulped, as if he was there was this internal battle going on in him, “I… I don’t think that we can be together anymore.” I looked at him surprised. Sure, I was hurt, but it didn’t as much as I thought it would.

I placed my palm over his, “That’s okay.” I should have been asking why, but honestly, it didn’t matter to me. Blade was an amazing guy, and I’m lucky just to be his friend.

It was Blade’s turn to be surprised then, “No questions?”

“Nope,” I smiled, “You’re one of my best friends Blade. You don’t have to tell me everything.”

Blade sighed, “You were always a little naïve.” I gave him a scathing look. “You’ve read twilight right?”

I winced, “Sadly.”

“So you know about the whole ‘imprinting’ thing?” He pressed further. I nodded again, still not able to get what he was leaning towards. “Well you see for us, it’s not exactly like that, we have mates. Mates are… your soul-mates. The one person in the whole world you’re destined for. They’re your one chance for true love and pure happiness.”

I searched his face, “Seems like you’ve found that already.”

“Yes, I did. A long time ago…” his eyes got this far off look, “I met her, Jane, a year before my Mom and sister was murdered. She was… perfect. She was kidnapped,” Blade choked up, “This was right after Mom passed. I thought I could get her back. We didn’t know who was behind all these… I was told she was dead.”

“Oh, Blade…” I eyes filled with tears again. My heart broke for him.

“…But,” he continued, with a genuine smile on his face, “He kept her in captivity. When I set out to find you after the rest of my pack were fighting Reed’s, I found her,” this silly smile crossed his face. It was infectious. I smiled too. “It’s a good thing that Jason went after you.”

“Where is she?” I wondered, “I’d love to meet her.” I grinned genuinely, patting his hand.

“She’s in another room,” he frowned, “Malnutrition, and dehydration. She’ll be fine soon though, it’s already been three days.”

What about Jason?

“Jason came after me?” I asked, thinking back into the conversation.

“Yes, he did,” Blade replied, tilting his head thoughtfully.

“Where… is he?” I asked a little hesitant.

Blade suddenly looked sullen once again, “He’s in another room here, in the ICU.”

My heart stopped.