Into the Flames → Liam Dunbar [2]

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Am I dead? I feel dead," Addison groaned. She sat up in the bed she rested on, one hand gripping her head and the other supporting her to keep her upright. The pounding in her head drowned out every other noise in the room. The room was unfamiliar to her, and only a small picture of Scott on the wall allowed her to know that it was his house she was in.

"Not dead, no." Malia sat on the chair in the corner of the room. The pack had taken shifts watching over Addy. They had no idea what was going to happen to her and thought it was best to watch over her. They couldn't exactly bring her to the hospital with the chance she might burst up in flames, which had actually happened while she was out of it. "When was the last time you ate anything?"

"What? Why?" Addy asked, wincing as she sat up straighter against the headboard. An IV was stuck in her arm, and she hastily pulled it out.

"Because you've been asleep for the past two and a half days," Malia answered. The werecoyote stood up from her chair and walked to the door. Almost three days? That was crazy. There was no way that she would have been out for that long. During that time, she had partially woken up three times, and for each, fire surrounded her entire body and blackened the sheets.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

Addison huffed and slouched down on the bed. Her phone was on the nightstand next to her, and when she reached out did she realize that she was in a different set of clothes. The shirt smelled like Scott, but that could have been just because it was in his house. There was one missed call on her phone and one voicemail; both from her mother, and neither would be answered.

It was going to take time more than anything for Addy to be able to look at her mother. She may never be able to see her the same way, but she was still Addy's mother, and for that, she would have to be able to forgive her at least. She was hoping to talk to Brayden about it again without ending in a fight.

"Your mother's been worried," Michael Ryder spoke from the frame of the door. "She even called me to see if I knew where you were."

"You didn't tell her, did you?" Addy hoped aloud. He shook his head and sat on the edge of the bed. His daughter looked so grown up. Although her skin was pale and bags were set under her eyes, she looked older. Of course, he had only seen her when she was just a toddler, young enough that she barely remembered his face. "Do you know what happened to me?"

"Have you been eating lately?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Addy raised her arms – her sore arms. Michael gave her a look, and she finally answered the question. "Fine. Look, I've been too busy lately. I guess eating just skipped my mind. The last thing I remember eating was the breakfast Liam made, I think. Three, four days ago I guess."

"You have to remember to eat," he told her. "You need your strength if you want to try out your new abilities, which you have to be responsible about. It's a great gift that you have, Addy."

"Gift?" she scoffed. "I wouldn't call running for your life half the time a gift."

"Look, I can't tell you how to manage your skills – that's something you learn on your own – but I can say that it takes a lot of concentration the first few times, okay? You have to be careful. You might not see it, but doing what you can do; some people would kill for it."

"Are you saying that I'm going to have a whole new set of hunters on my ass?" Addy asked.

"I'm saying there are dangerous people out there. I know you're smart, Adster–"

"Don't. Don't call me that." Addy shook her head. "Only Brayden calls me that."

"Where do you think he got it from?" Michael raised an eyebrow. He handed her a slip of paper, several numbers sprawled across it. "I know I've only been here a few days, but I can't stay here. I won't be far, and if you need anything, I'll come back. I love you, Addison, and I hate to give you this ultimatum, but you can come with me. I know it'll be tough to leave your friends behind, but I can protect you. "