It's Complicated

It's Complicated: 29

===Tala's Point of View===

I've been in and out of consciousness many times and I have no idea how much time has passed since we've been strapped to the table.

I've woken up to Gabriel grasping my hand at least twice and each time Doctor Mathis is no where to be found. The visits never last long because he doesn't want to risk being caught, but he's told me he is working on a plan. I gave him my brother's cell phone number, saying he'll gladly help with anything, but I'm not sure if Gabriel has called him or not. I was told that the less I know, that safer we'll all be.

When Gabriel isn't here, the room is filled with our irregular breathing and the woman's irritating pencil writing things down. I'm not even sure what she's writing or could write other than 'in pain'.

I sigh and allow my eyes to flutter open before squinting into the bright lights on the ceiling.

"Good you're awake." The woman's voice is too loud and too happy. It makes my head start to hurt.

I turn my head to face my friend and see she's passed out. Her skin is pale and her hair has lost its shine that I once envied. The two guys, who I've learned are Derek and Tristan, are awake, but they look like they could pass out any second now.

"We're just going to get started. Your friend will wake up eventually." Doctor Mathis grabs a few things from a nearby table.

She moves to Derek's side and pulls his shirt up to expose his stomach and chest. Being a wolf, he has toned muscles and a nicely defined stomach, but I highly doubt the doctor would take off his shirt just to ogle him. And even though I can't feel my wolf anymore, I'm getting a really bad feeling about this.

"Don't struggle. It'll only hurt more." She whips out a knife from her pocket and Derek's entire form stiffens. "We're going to test your healing abilities." I can barely watch as she traces the tip of the blade across his stomach before adding more pressure to break the skin. I hear his sharp intake of breath, and I close my eyes so I don't have to see anymore.

"What's the matter princess?" My eyes fly open to meet Tex's amused stare. "Can't stand the sight of a little blood?" His hulking figure is leaning next to the door and he's staring right at me.

"If you keep staring at me like that, people will start to think you like me." He frowns which accentuates with purple bruise on his face. He doesn't respond right away, but eventually he tears his gaze away from me to look at someone over my body.

"Need any help Doc?" My breath catches in my throat when I realize where he's going with this.

"No permanent maiming." She instructs, sounding almost disinterested in his words as she continues to carve at Derek's abdomen.

"Alright." He draws out a knife from his belt and takes slow, threatening steps toward me. "This is going to feel good. Consider it payback for my face." A wicked grin forms on his face.

"Your mother gave you that face." I retort before I can bite my tongue. His face contorts in anger and he hooks his weapon in the bottom of my shirt. In one quick motion, he cuts the fabric from waist to directly under my bust, leaving my entire stomach exposed. The bullet would is almost completely healed and no longer has the bandage on it. Mathis must have taken it off at some point while I was unconscious.

"You're not in a position to be saying things like that." He draws the blade down the left side of my abdomen, leaving a line of blood. My skin becomes hot before I feel the stinging pain of the metal kissing my skin. Gasping, I try to move away from him, but it's a wasted effort. The binding keep me from moving more than a few inches.