Loss of Innocence

Chapter TwentyThree

Tried to make it as long as I can, to make up for my LOOOONG absence. 

Chapter 23

Jake Firenze

Days after David’s death, everyone busied themselves over the preparation of his funeral. Ella was still not fully recovered, but she did not allow anyone else to touch the little boy’s body. She was there to clean him up and dress him in a miniature tuxedo. Ella stood like a statue near David’s casket during the wake. She was caught stroking his face over and over, with a faraway look on her face. It hurt me to know that the little boy has died and my mate was in great pain all because of me.

Finally, the day of his burial came. Throughout the past couple of days, Ella has alienated herself. She has not shed any tears besides the ones from the day she found out about his death. Her eyes stared out in the distance, as if she was in another world and her whole posture was stiff. She still looked beautiful, but the thinning of her hair and the sagging of her clothes did not go unnoticed.

My guilt for the death of David ate me up as much as my concern for Ella. If I tried to resist Rylan’s blood bond then I would’ve been able to-

“She is not eating at all,” Ella’s mother hissed. “It’s all his damned fault! I wish my Ella was destined to a better man. I can’t bear to see her like this. It’s as if she died along with David and her daughter!”

“I’m afraid that she may be suffering from depression,” one of Ella’s doctors said as she looked through her clipboard. “She’s showing signs of it. It’s best if you get somebody to try talking to her. Try getting her mind off these things. What she had gone through was painful.”

“Yes doctor,” Jackie nodded. “I will get somebody to talk to her.”

“Please do,” the doctor sighed loudly. “Depression doesn’t run in your family, right? Or… Suicide?”

“No,” Jackie shook her head. “I don’t think… Or well, Eli’s mother died of overdose by accident. She was a human.”

The doctor nodded and wrote it down. “She needs all the support she can get right now.”

My head began to throb as a familiar, suffocating feeling overcame me. My wolf stirred, hating the fact that we’ve been causing our mate so much pain. Without entertaining any thoughts of Ella taking her own life, I was in search of the all too familiar orange door.  

I reached her room within seconds and hesitated to knock as I heard a loud sob from the other side of the door. Her cries of sorrow pierced through my heart, leaving gaping holes that only her smiles and laughter would be able to fill. I pushed the door opened and looked over the dark room. Her petite body was hunched over as she rocked back and forth on the center of her bed.

“Ella?” Her sobs stopped for a minute as she stared at me with her puffy, red eyes.

“Y-y-yes?” She let out a hiccup before stretching her legs out and fidgeting with her fingers.

“I…Uh…” I cursed at myself mentally for not being prepared. I had no idea what to tell her.

“Jake?” My name came out as a whisper as her eyes stared back at mine. “It’s okay,” she breathed out, leaning against her pillows. “It’s okay.” She shut her eyes slowly, making me panic. In a worried haste, I stumbled onto her bed and cradled her in my arms. What did she mean by that? What was okay?

“Ella?” I shook her lightly, making her hollow, lifeless eyes open. “You need to eat, Ella. Please.” My grip on her loosened as I felt her bones against pressing against my arms. She really had lost a lot of weight over the past few days.