Recap:
"But you humans are weird with your customs, and I know that this stuff means a lot to you, so I am now asking you to marry me?"
Sadie let out a loud shriek and hugged him, screaming out her acceptance. That he would care so much to ask for her to marry him, merely because it was something she was used to thinking of as a part of her future.
Balthazar sheepishly spoke, "I'm sorry, I didn't have time to get a ring. I know I should have waited to make this perfect for you."
"This is perfect for me, you are perfect for me."
Chapter 17:
Sadie couldn't contain her excitement. It had been exactly one day since Balthazar had proposed to her, and she had been dying to share the news with her family; but had withheld it as she wished to tell them in person.
After an urgent message sent to all members of her admittedly small family, she know stood in front of the hospital entrance awaiting their arrival. Sadie would have liked to do this somewhere more homely and private, but with Blue still in the intensive care unit and Balthazar sleeping inside his hospital room; she had wished to be closer to both of them when she broke the news to her family.
As far as the question of her family's reception of her engagement went; she had absolutely no idea of what reaction to expect. It could either go extremely well, or disastrously horrible for her. But it was a risk she was willing to take. She would love for her family to accompany her on every step of their journey, but if need be; she was also prepared to do it without them.
A human mating with a shifter was no longer considered to be a social taboo, but a human mating with a shifter known specifically for his ferocity and brutality; would pose to be a problem in convincing her overprotective family.
Which is why she'd arranged for the jeeps to bring them straight to the hospital. Meaning she was close to Balthazar at all times. The two friends were being housed on the same floor, in rooms connected by a waiting room. Blue had been secured to her bed with strong leather straps and a metal cage had been installed around her bed; with bars as thick as both of Sadie's fists put together. Personally, Sadie felt that was an unnecessary addition, but none of the shifters including Balthazar were willing to take a chance; given the extent of her injuries, no one knew what state of mind Blue would be in. So appropriate precautions had to be taken.
The rumble of a jeep disrupted her train of thought and she shook her head as she brought herself back to reality. It was time to face the music.
A few black land cruisers pulled to a stop at the hospital entrance, her father stepped down from the passenger side. Her mother and sister following suit from the back seats. The rest of her siblings and their children poured out from the second and third cars; a total of nine people in all. The cars pulled out into the traffic and soon disappeared from view.
Taking a deep, fortifying breath Sadie mustered as much courage as she could manage, and plastered a warm, welcoming smile onto her face. Stepping forth she greeted and hugged her family and couldn't help but laugh at the tears cascading down her cheeks. She had never been one to have any sort of control over her emotions.
"How's my little princess?" Her father hugged her tight.
"I'm doing perfect," Sadie sighed, "I have some news for you all." Plastering a reassuring smile onto her face she led them inside, and stepped inside the waiting room that was connected to Balthazar's room and Blue's room on one side, before turning to face them.
The waiting room had wide mirrors that looked into both rooms, and comfortable couches and chairs for seating. Sadie spent a lot of time in here as she refused to let Balthazar leave before the drug was fully out of his system, and Blue had been entirely unresponsive and comatose for about a week now.
Her eldest brother, Kyle and his family; two sons, Tom and Daniel, and a loving wife, Joanne; seemed to be sceptical and suspicious of their surroundings. Choosing to stick close together and stare at everything with wide eyes, Sadie couldn't help bit sympathise with them; she'd been exactly the same when she'd first come to the mountains. Her sisters, Sarah and Lilly, were no different, clutching to their husbands, Rover and Greg for support and peering about with fear in their eyes. Her other brother, Alex seemed to be more at ease and relaxed than the rest of them put together.
Sadie couldn't help but feel nervous, but she knew this couldn't be avoided. She wanted all her family to accept and approve of this new step in her life. She didn't miss how her sisters cast an apprehensive eye at the cage around Blue's bed; that would have to be a story for another time.
"The boys are hungry, I'm going to head down to the cafeteria before they cause a ruckus." Joanne excused herself and left the room. She had never been comfortable with confrontations, and Sadie had a feeling this could very well become one.
"Okay so, what's this big news little sister?" Alex threw an arm about her shoulders and squeezed her reassuringly.
"Well," Sadie mustered her courage, "I'm engaged."
The overwhelming silence was something she hadn't even prepared for. She had expected her family to pester her with questions and demand answers immediately, not stare at her in pure bewilderment.
"You could have told us over the phone, Sadie." Kyle eyed her disapprovingly. Sadie always knew he could be unfeeling at times, but she wasn't expecting him to be so straightforward about it. Despite herself, she felt a pang of hurt.
"Kyle," Their mother admonished, "This is an important time in her life. Family is there for one another no matter what." She smiled at Sadie warmly and enclosed her in a hug. "I'm so happy for you darling."
As though a dam had been broken, the sound of her family's excitement and congratulations filled the room. Sadie couldn't help but smile in happiness as she was sandwiched between her siblings and parents in the bone crushing hug.
Finally they all pulled away and bombarded her with questions. How did he propose? Did she love him? How did they meet?
"Sadie, who is he?" Alex asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he realised that she'd never mentioned the name or told anything about him.
"Balthazar."
"Who is that?" Kyle asked, he lived in the human majority cities and kept as little contact with shifters as possible. Even going out of his way to avoid anything to do with them.
"He's the mountain tribe chieftain." Her eldest sister, Sarah, who was a year younger to Kyle, hung her head in her hands. Her husband Rover, comforted her.
"Oh my," Her mother clutched her husband's arm.
"Sadie, you are not being forced into this, are you?" Her father asked, worry shining in his eyes.
"No, father." Sadie pleaded with her eyes. "This is entirely my own decision."
"Well, then I am glad for you, my child." He placed a kiss on her forehead, cupped her face in his hands as he gazed down at her fondly.
"A shifter?" Kyle had gone red in the face, "You're engaged to a shifter?" Turning to rest he pointed an accusing finger at Sadie. "Your daughter is marrying a shifter and you're going along with it?"
"There is no wrong in being engaged to a shifter." Sadie scoffed. Her brother's heavy handed attitude was getting on her nerves.
"Sadie, are you sure about this?" Alex asked her, his eyes held an overwhelming amount of concern.
"Yes. She is." Balthazar's impassive voice interrupted. He stood at the doorway leading into his room. Hands tightly clutching the doorframe. He glared at all the others in the room, pinning them in place with a lethal glare. Sadie could feel her family drawing back in fear, with the exception of her parents, who were entirely relaxed, having been accustomed to Balthazar and his ways. And Alex, who seemed more amused with the situation than anything.
Sadie felt Balthazar's arms go around her waist, anchoring her petite form to his. His body was stiff, muscles tense; as though preparing for an attack.
"Can you guys give me a second?" Sadie mumbled as she took ahold of an unmoving Balthazar and nearly wrestled him back into his room.
At his unimpressed stare, Sadie couldn't help but lose the tight control over her temper. Swiftly kicking his shin, she was satisfied to see him wince in pain.
"What are you doing?" Sadie hissed out him.
"What does it look like?" He shrugged, uncaring of the consequences, "Those humans were bothering you, I stepped in."
"Those humans, are my siblings and parents!" She nearly shrieked, "And you stepping in like that makes it seem like you're forcing me into this."
"Well," Balthazar scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "That sure changes things."
"I know, but I need to tell them about our engagement on my own." Sadie caressed his cheek lovingly.
"I would prefer to be with you every step of the way, but if you feel you need to do this on your own. Then go for it."
"Now you stay here, while I go fix the damage you've caused." Sadie swivelled about, ready to march back and confront her family.
Only to be pulled back into his embrace and hugged tightly. "Forgive me, my love. I did not mean to make things harder for you." He nuzzled her neck as he spoke. Sadie could feel her heart melting, despite her frustration with him, a smile broke out on her face.
"Let me go do some collateral damage." She huffed, unwilling to show him how much his presence and his touch effected her.
Schooling her features she walked back to the door, her gaze sliding over to the two-way glass next to it. Her family would have probably seen everything. Internally groaning, she squared her shoulders and slipped into the room, closing the door behind her. She had no doubt that Balthazar could still hear them.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Balthazar closing the blinds to the two-way window. Letting out a sigh of relief, she didn't want her family's attention focused on Balthazar, rather than her.
"I'm guessing that was him?" Alex smirked.
"Yes, that's Balthazar."
"We've met the chieftain before, he is a good man." Her father chimed in, her mother remained quiet on the subject.
"I don't care if he's an angel. Lord knows how the shifters treat humans, are you sure you want to be going down this road Sadie?" Kyle pleaded with her to reconsider, but Sadie knew she'd never been this sure about anything in her entire life.
"You know, shifters aren't all evil and human haters." Sarah cut in, Rover nodding in support.
"Now I know this is going to be a big leap for you baby sis. And I'm happy for you, I'm glad you've found someone you want to get married to as much as I did with Greg." Lilly spoke thoughtfully, "But have you thoroughly considered the implications?"
"What implications?" Alex snorted. Sadie knew he would be the only sibling to support her wholeheartedly.
"The fact that he is a chieftain puts him and people close to him in constant danger." Lilly shrugged, "Which I'm guessing is also why you are in the hospital in the first place."
The door opened once more and Balthazar stepped into the room, coming to a stop right next to Sadie, he gave her a reassuring smile. "I felt it was time I defend myself." Even though she wanted to, Sadie couldn't muster any anger toward him for deliberately disobeying her statement. His support was what she needed right now if she were to convince her family. The wedding would take place either way. But she would try her level best to make sure her entire family was a part of it.
"Alright." Lilly seemed unconcerned and not in the least intimidated. "Tell me honestly, with you being who you are, does that put my little sister in any sort of danger?"
"It does." Balthazar spoke from between gritted teeth.
"And is it wise for her to continue to associate with someone who endangers her wellbeing?" Kyle shouldered his way into the conversation.
"Sadie will be protected with my very heart and soul." Balthazar swore.
"We've already seen the extent of that." Kyle smirked. "Did you or did you not end up in the hospital, and endanger my baby sister's life in the process; because you are chieftain?"
"No I did not." Balthazar smirked smugly. "Although it kills me inside, the main reason why I ended up in the hospital. And why Sadie was injured was entirely due to my own decisions and rash behaviour." He motioned to the unmoving form of his best friend in the other room, "Not only was it a major threat to my Sadie, but I also nearly got my friend killed." Sadie slipped her hand into his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"And then you think we're going to approve of this match for our sister?" Sarah joined the naysayers.
"Listen, guys. Everyone has to overcome obstacles out of their control. We're all worried about Sadie's welfare, and that is the most important thing at hand." The voice of reason in the form of her favourite brother Alex spoke and hushed the negative speakers.
"That all must sound very appropriate to you." Kyle nearly snarled. "But I'm not convinced, I want the best for my sister, and I don't know if this is it."
"All I know is, I've never been happier." Sadie confessed, as she stared down at their intertwined hands.
Silence.
No one spoke, no one objected. All her family simply stared at her in silence.
"Sadie, I'm with you all the way. Whatever decisions you make." Alex moved toward her, pulling her into a warm hug.
"If this means that much to you, I too am with you." Kyle sighed, "I just want to protect you from all the evils out there." He kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly.
"We approve of your decision too." Her sisters stepped forward and linked arms with her.
Her brothers in law, congratulated her as well; pulling her into hugs that were cut short by an obviously jealous Balthazar.
"Who is that?" Alex interrupted the congratulators. He stared the comatose form of Balthazar's best friend in wonder.
"That would be my best friend." Balthazar stepped forward. "Blue."
"What happened to her?"
"She...she got injured bec-," Sadie couldn't bear the amount of guilt in his voice, so she cut him short.
"She was injured while protecting Balthazar and I." It was the entire truth and nothing less. She couldn't have her chieftain blaming himself all the time.
"Oh dear, she's the one who kidnapped us?" Her mother stepped forward, her mouth open in surprise.
"Yes." Sadie sighed. Despite herself, she missed the snarky female.
"Why is there a metal cage around her bed?" Lilly scratched her head.
"Safety precautions." Sadie mumbled.
"We don't know what state of mind she'd wake up in, don't want her hurting anyone." Balthazar explained.
The family stared out at the immobile shifter for a few moments before Kyle interrupted, "It's around lunch. Let's head down and grab something to eat. I need to check on Joanne and the kids too."
Mumbling their agreement, they all filed out and headed to the elevators. Sadie and Balthazar following at the end. Sadie could tell everything her family had said had gotten to him, and he was nervous about the state of their relationship. Although they were all extremely valid questions and points, Sadie knew that at one point in life, one had to be reckless and take a risk. What was life without risks after all?
As they waited for the elevator to arrive, Sadie pulled him aside and walked a little distance from her family.
"I love you, Balthazar. No matter what they say, they can't change what we have. What I feel for you, what our future holds."