Jackson POV
"You can't be serious?" I questioned Sadie as she stared me down.
"Oh, I'm super serious, now help me up," she ordered.
I stared back at her through narrowed eyes. She had been arguing with me for the past thirty minutes about getting off the couch. She was relentless about it, completely back to normal with her witty comebacks and demanding demeanor. It was like someone flipped a switch and turned her back on. I was happy to see her back to normal, but curious as to why it happened. She had been so quiet and adult-like when I returned home, and now she was joking and energetic. Something had changed and I just couldn't put my finger on it. She even stole my phone before I woke up and had someone come take Ember, leaving me with no excuses not to help her.
"Steve said you were on bed rest," I finally spoke.
"Screw Steve," Sadie shot back quickly, "I don't see him here, and I'm the only one with a medical license in the room, so I think we will be listening to me."
"It's gonna hurt," I warned.
"Yeah, well so does my period but I still get up when I have that," She said with a smirk and then laughed at my disgusted expression. This girl really had no limits.
I shook my head at her but stood up and held my hands out for her to take, "Only for a few minutes cause I have to go to a meeting and I don't want you walking around all alone."
"I'll just come to the meeting then," she decided as she grabbed my hands.
"Not happening," I replied and then braced myself for her to pull against me.
Within seconds she had hoisted herself up and was standing, leaning slightly against me, "Easy peasy,"she breathed out between clenched teeth. "By the way, I'm going to the meeting."
"No, you're not," I breathed out.
"Well I can either go to the meeting, or you can risk me staying here and walking around all weak and stuff," she said sweetly, smiling up at me.
"You're a ridiculous girl," I scolded, knowing that I had been beaten. I couldn't leave her alone now, she had pretty much just told me she wouldn't wait for me to start walking more. Knowing her, she would fall and injure herself even worse. Girl was definitely a trouble magnet.
"A ridiculous girl escorting you to a meeting?"
I laughed, "Yes. Now let's go get you dressed."
"Fine, but will you carry me back to my house?" She asked, poking out her bottom lip.
"Your house?" I questioned, and then remembered that she wasn't there for the fire. Well, shit. "Um, your house is gone. The hunters burnt it down after they took you."
"Those dirty baboon butts! I just got that house!" She yelled.
"Baboon butts?" I asked, trying hard to hold my smile back. Her thing against cursing had always amused me.
"Yeah, baboon butts," she snapped, "What am I even gonna wear now?"
"My mom and your mom went out and bought you some clothes already, so you'll wear that." I explained.
"Whatever," she huffed out, "so what, is everything gone?"
"Yup, everything."
"My bed, my clothes, my dishes?"
"Yes Sadie, everything," I sighed.
"Like everything, everything?" She pressed.
"Everything, everything."
"Stupid hunters," she grunted, "let's just get me changed."
I took Sadie up to my room where our parents had left her clothes. She only walked a few feet before she got tired and I had to carry her. I almost used that against her as a reason she needed more rest, but before the words could even pass my lips she gave me a death glare, almost daring me to start a fight with her. Instead, I kept my mouth shut and just helped her into a pair of fitted sweatpants and a loose t-shirt. Then once I had her dressed, I changed into a pair of clean jeans and a plain black t-shirt.
We took my dad's truck to the pack house instead of walking. I knew Sadie wouldn't make it too far on her feet and it was too damn hot to be carrying her the whole way. The trip there was quick, only about five minutes, and during the entire ride Sadie grumbled under her breath about those 'worthless leaches from hell,' and 'who burns down a house.' I found her humorous, but kept that thought to myself. She was more herself now than she had been since I got back, and this Sadie would be taking no crap from me.
"Wanna try walking into the house?" I asked once we pulled up.
Sadie's face was immediately wiped clear of her scowl and replaced with a big smile, "Yeah, no one will expect it!"
I shook my head at her and got out, walking around the car to let her out. I opened up her door and then grabbed her around the waist, carefully lifting her up and then setting her on the ground.
"I could have got out on my own," she said stubbornly.
"I know," I lied, no she would have just hurt herself, "I just wanted to help because I love to touch you."
"Nice save," she laughed.
I kept my hands around her waist as we walked up to the house, she was still shaky on her feet and I was seriously worried about her falling. She didn't complain about my constant hold, probably because she knew it made me feel better.
We walked into the house and everything stopped. Every single person in that house stopped moving and looked towards us with shocked expressions. "See, told you they wouldn't expect it," Sadie gloated with a laugh.
Right after Sadie spoke, the room erupted into cheers and applause. Everyone was yelling welcomes to Sadie and telling her how well she looked. It was funny to watch, almost like I was watching it in a movie rather than living through it.
"Wow, someone has superstar status," I whispered to Sadie.
"You realize that I technically just got a slow clap!" Sadie said excitedly, "My life is officially complete now!"
"Are you high?" I finally asked. I was definitely enjoying her fun side, but she was just too much fun, too happy, and it was starting to weird me out.
"Yeah Jackson, I'm high," she spat sarcastically, "before you woke up I walked over to the corner and bought some drugs, right under your nose."
"Chill out, it was just a question," I back tracked, "You just seem different is all."
"I don't know," she sighed, "I just feel really good today, and if my ankles didn't hurt I could probably run a marathon."
I just smiled, but the wheels in my head were turning. It could be possible that my blood was giving her this interesting little side effect, or my blood is waking up her wolf blood and she may turn. My mood lifted immediately at the thought of her turning, I would absolutely love it if that happened.
Without voicing my thoughts, I carefully escorted Sadie through the house. We said hello to everyone we passed and thanked everyone who told Sadie how amazing she was. I felt nothing but pride for her as we maneuvered through the people, she was held hostage and cut up, but she lived and seemed to be healing just fine. She was like a hero to our people and me. She went into the lion's den and lived to tell the tale, that's a pretty big accomplishment if you ask me.
We walked down to the Alpha's office, which was were the small meeting was to be held. It was only supposed to be the ones going on the mission to blow up the building. It would be me, my father, Ethan and the Alpha. I wouldn't be surprised if Cal and Darren came along also.
When we entered the office I motioned for Sadie to take a seat in the corner chair, the one that Trent had sat in during our first meeting. She didn't seem too happy about it, but she didn't argue, probably because she knew she was already pushing it just being here.
"Alright let's get started," The Alpha said as he walked in the room. My father and Ethan trailed in behind him and, as expected, so did Cal and Darren. "Oh, well hello Sadie," the Alpha greeted once he caught sight of her.
"Hey Mark," she replied with a large smile.
"You're looking well," my father said, giving her a soft hug and a kiss on the top of her head.
"Thanks," she blushed in response.
Ethan, Cal and Darren all sent her a hello before taking a seat and getting back into business mode. I was slightly surprised that no one asked why she was there, or protested about her being there.
"So, I want to go tomorrow evening and blow the building. It should be quick and easy without any problems. We won't even have to leave the woods, just got to be close enough to push the buttons, watch the show, and then leave," the Alpha said in a relaxed voice.
We were all looking forward to being done with all the hunter drama. As far as we were concerned, once we blew the building we were done. Even if they all didn't die, we still had made our point and were sure they would leave us alone for a while.
"So just a quick in and out?" My father asked.
"That's the plan," the Alpha responded, "We just need to stay long enough to see if anyone gets out."
"And what will we do if someone gets out?" I asked.
"Nothing, I just would like to know if or how many vengeful hunters we would have to deal with."
"So, should we have medical set up?" Sadie asked from the back, causing us all to turn around.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," the Alpha responded slowly, "I don't anticipate any injuries, but I guess you never know."
"Ok, I'll make sure it's all ready and set up, just in case," Sadie smiled.
"Uh, no," I interjected, "you will be here, at the pack house with Clair, all safe and sound."
"Uh, no," Sadie responded, doing a horrible impression of my voice, "I'll be at your house, waiting for you to get back so I can check you over."
"You know, this will be so easy that we probably won't even need medical," I said, changing my course of action, "Right Ethan?"
"Yeah, we won't even get close to the building, you might as well just stay here with Clair," Ethan agreed with me.
Sadie shot Ethan a nasty look, causing me to widen my eyes, that anger would be aimed at me soon. I shared a look with Ethan and then waited for my verbal lashing.
"Mark," Sadie said sweetly, not even sparing a glance my way, but I could sense her anger. "What do you think?"
"I think if you feel up to it, you can run medical," he replied. "But remember, you may be setting all that stuff up for nothing, then you just have to clean it back up."
"That's ok, I don't mind," Sadie said excitedly and then turned to me and stuck her tongue out. I couldn't believe that she had just pulled that off.
"Alright, so everyone be here tomorrow evening at six and we'll finish this," the Alpha said concluding the meeting.
With that, I moved towards Sadie and helped her up. She looked elated, probably happy that she got her way. We walked back through the house and towards the truck. I opened the door for Sadie and helped her into the cab.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked once I was in the truck next to her. "I mean, it might be a huge waste of time."
"Yeah it might be, but I don't care, I just want to help," she replied. "I'm not just gonna sit around the house like I'm broken Jackson, so don't even try to talk me out of it."
I let it drop at that, but I wouldn't be giving up on it. I could understand where she was coming from, but she needed to relax. She wasn't a wolf, she was human and as a human she needed more than a few days to recover. So I would let the argument die for the night, but I would argue it again with her tomorrow.
"How about we go and get my little mini me and we go out to eat, maybe catch a movie?" I asked, allowing the subject to change.
"What like a final dinner before tomorrow?" She asked, readjusting herself so that she was facing me. I noticed the angry look on her face and felt the air around us tense.
"No," I laughed. "Tomorrow is gonna be cake work, I just want to take my girls out to dinner."
"Oh, well then let's do it. I think that sounds amazing." Her whole attitude changed.
I definitely didn't miss her crazy change of emotions, once again making me wonder what the hell was going on with her.