Eight days.
Lynn have been unresponsive for eight days.
Each one seemed to drag on but there was no change. She never moved, never spoke, never gave any indication that she was going to be alright. Doctor Abel's frown had deepened further each day she lay there. His worry had been palpable and it had grated on me until he told me, after day five, that the longer she was like that, the less likely she would come out of it. I had wanted to beg him to give me any hope, to tell me everything he could about her condition and the ways we could help her but I had kept silent, knowing if there was a way, he would have told me.
I hadn't been able to drag myself from her side. I ate only what was brought to me and left only when my body forced me. I had held her limp hand in mine as I spoke to her, talking about nothing before I would break down and beg her to come back. Her soul against mine was so dim. I couldn't stand it, it grated against everything in my being to have it look like that. The bond had raged against me at first but it had grown weaker and now it slumbered within me. I knew it was there, I could feel it, but it was stuck wherever she was.
It had been... hard on me. Three days after the accident Azrael had tried ordering me to help him with some Hunters but it was like the command rolled off my back, my worry for my female was stronger than his dominance it had seemed. He had badgered me incessantly until I shut him out. Which had caused him to storm into the hospital room, Hunters in tow, to shove it into their faces that we hadn't destroyed Caligo for fun, that we had a reason.
I had been surprised to see it was Ricktus that had arrived and he had been just as surprised to see me and horrified to see Lynn. He hadn't really been able to speak but managed to stutter out that he would deal with the complaints personally and that we wouldn't be bothered any longer, his wide eyes on where Lynn lay in the hospital bed. I wanted to feel something for him seeing her like that but I couldn't even manage that. He had been her partner for five years but she was my female and she wasn't there.
After the Hunters had left Azrael had tried to tell me that my disrespect wouldn't be tolerated and he had shut his mouth with a click when I had asked him how he would react if someone tried to take him from Lace's side if she were in the same condition that Lynn was. I had been left alone after that, the only people coming in and out were Doctor Abel and Lynn's group mates.
My wolf whined, nudging me hard. He wanted out, he always did, to lay with her. I had taken to letting him out at night so he could curl up on the bed, his front paw and head over her legs as he maintained a somber vigil over her. He didn't like being separated from her anymore than I did but he had to accept that Lynn was my mate as well and I wanted to be close to her as well.
There wasn't a moment that I didn't think that it should have been me laying there. It was a foolish thought at best but it was still there. Lynn didn't feel the bond like I did, I knew it would have been easier on her than it was on me. That and I didn't want to see her like she was. I would have traded places with her in a heartbeat if someone gave me the chance. She didn't belong in a hospital bed lying so still. Not my female.
I brushed my lips across the back of her hand, rubbing it against my cheek as I watched her face for any sign of movement. Her face was lax, as it always was. I looked glanced at her hair, seeing the braids that Emily had put in her hair, the female's bottom lip had quivered as she had done each one but she had spoken to Lynn in a cheery voice, as if it would help. Katelynn had painted Lynn's nails. I hadn't liked it, the smell was pretty strong but I hadn't been able to tell her no. It had seemed to calm her to make Lynn's nails various colours so I let her. We all needed our coping mechanisms.
Then there had been Larissa. The female had simply pulled a chair up to the other side of Lynn and grasped her hand, holding it like I had before she stroked patterns into her skin. She said nothing, did nothing, she had simply sat there, her eyes taking in every detail like mine did before her mate would pull her away.
Bastian, I nee- I immediately shut the link down between Azrael and I. I knew I had duties as a Beta but I couldn't leave her side. He had to understand that she came above everything for me. I stroked her wrist, feeling her heart thump against my fingertips, following the same rhythmic pattern. It was slow, so slow, but I was getting used to it. There was nothing I could do besides get used to it.
A commotion in the hallway briefly caught my attention before I shoved it away, trailing my fingers along the dark veins that ran underneath her pale skin. They seemed so much easier to see now. I didn't like that. I wanted her skin to stay that golden sand hue that I loved. I kissed the back of her hand right as the door to the room opened.
Doctor Abel gave a heavy noise of frustration. "You can't-"
"Oh pah!" The voice seemed familiar but I shoved it away, my entire attention on Lynn as I watched her chest slowly rise and fall. "They think they can keep me away? Pah! Foolish men." I frowned, my face twitching at the voice but it wasn't enough to draw me away. "Enough of this. You have wallowed enough, my son." A hand grabbed my arm and I gave a heavy growl of warning, stiffening. The hand retreated immediately before someone pinched my ear hard and yanked upwards, causing me to give a rather undignified yelp. "You do not growl at your a-bú like that!" The voice was sharp and the fingers pinching my ear twisted and I let out a heavy whine as my gaze landed on Lynn's mother.
She shook her other finger in my face. "Enough!" She flicked my nose as she gave me a heated glower. "I gave you time but you have done nothing with it! You wallow like a pig in filth!" Her nose curled up as she gave another tug on my ear that had me feeling like she was going to rip it off. "You even stink like one! Enough is enough, my son. Come!" She didn't give me any chance to protest as she started walking, yanking me to follow by my ear.
My eyes damn near watered and I followed after the witch, knowing that she would twist my ear worse if I didn't. She muttered Taiwanese underneath her breath in heated tones as she marched me through the hospital. "I need to-" I gave another yelp as she pinched harder.
"You need to listen to your a-bú!" She snapped it out as she shoved open the door to the hospital and yanked sharply on my ear. I couldn't help how I reached up, pressing it to my head to prevent her from trying to rip it off entirely. For a mundane she had a hellish grip. I was aware we were being watched as her muttering grew louder and her face grew more dark and stony.
"Bastian-chan!" At the familiar calling my eyes flicked around until I spotted Lynn's father by a car, leaning on a suitcase. "You should have learned with Lynn-chan. Don't upset Enomoto women!" He laughed loudly and I didn't get a chance to respond as Lynn's mother yanked open a door and pulled me through. The steam of the bathhouse washed over me and I went to pull her hand away from my ear but she slapped it away with a rapid set of words I couldn't understand but heeded regardless.
She marched me along, by my ear, to the main portion of the bathhouse before I found myself shoved over the edge of a pool and into the heated water. I sputtered as I came up, my clothes dragging me down. I went to glare at the female before she grabbed my shoulders and shoved me down, her Taiwanese growing more heated before she produced a comb from somewhere and started to attack my hair.
She was yanking rather hard at the knots in my hair and I winced heavily. I never considered myself to have a tender scalp but I felt like she was trying to scalp me. I reached for the comb. "I can do-"
She rapped me on the knuckles with the wooden comb. "Can you? You had time to do this all, my son, but you refused. It is why I am here and why you are there." She shoved my hand away before she once again started muttering underneath her breath and continued. My scalp felt on fire before she was able to run her comb through it smoothly. I went to get up, sure that I was done before she smeared shampoo into my hair and proceeded to scrub my head like I was a child.
I felt my cheeks heat up and a ball of embarrassment filled my throat. I coughed, trying to dislodge it and she gave a snort. "Embarrassed? You should be!" Her scrubbing hands disappeared for a moment before I had water dumped over my head as she started to rinse. "Imagine if my chicken pea had woken up to you smelling as you are. You would have sent her right back into unconsciousness!" There was a heavy reprimand to her voice as she continued to rinse my hair.
I turned my head, trying to sniff myself and felt the embarrassment grow a bit more when I realized I did smell a bit... ripe. One more bowl of water was dumped over my head before she seemed to deem it done. "Now do you require me to continue to bathe you like a child or are you going to do the rest yourself?" She said it sharply and I glanced over my shoulder to where she had her arms crossed over her chest as she peered down at me through narrowed eyes.
I swallowed thickly. "I can do it." I really didn't want or need her to help me with the rest. She gave a sharp nod as she picked up her comb and got to her feet, marching away with her head held high. I became aware of the eyes that were on me and I did my best to ignore the wide eyed stares that followed my movements as I stood up, pulling off my soaking wet clothing and setting it aside.
I once again settled into the pool before I scrubbed at my skin with a cloth, washing away the smell that I had gathered in my neglect of myself. I washed my hair again, just to make sure it was thoroughly clean before I conditioned it. I had just finished rinsing it before I realized that Lynn's mother was once again standing beside the pool. I stared at her, unsure of what to say as I looked at her.
A small silence fell as she stared at me hard before she made a sound of irritation low in her throat, her eyes narrowing. "Well? Are you done?" I gave a slow nod, unsure of what answer she wanted and she held out a towel in response. I took it, wrapping it around my waist before I got out of the pool, my leg protesting as I did so. She shook her head and pointed to the floor. "Sit." I glanced between her and the floor and she gave me a look of warning. "Sit." My ear throbbed at the look and I slowly sat down in front of her, letting my legs dangle in the pool.
A towel covered my head before she started to scrub at my hair, drying it before she once gain combed the long strands. I gripped the edge of the pool tightly, frowning at the water. I just wanted to go back and be with Lynn but I didn't want to test her mother. I hadn't exactly been explained what a green witch was and I wasn't about to test that.
"So..." At the word I flicked my gaze up to where it landed on Azrael as he crossed his arms over his chest, his mouth twitching upwards. "You know these... people." He glanced at Lynn's mother as she muttered Taiwanese underneath her breath.
"He is my son and I may be human by blood but the very earth runs through my veins." Her voice was filled with a reprimand and Azrael narrowed his eyes, confusion tinging his expression.
"She's a green witch." I said it carefully as she set her comb beside my and started to braid my hair back.
"And why is she here?" Azrael pinned me with a look and I honestly didn't know how to response but I grimaced as she gave a hard tug on a chunk of my hair.
"I have ears, Azrael Thorn. I can hear you if you speak to me directly." She spoke something is Taiwanese that I knew was clearly directed at Azrael but I had no clue what it was. "My name is Eiko Enomoto. I am Lynn's mother. I am here because my son clearly needs someone to tend to him." She tugged my hair sharply in reprimand and I scowled, not sure how to react to the disrespect and even my wolf seemed wary about how to proceed. We just decided to drop it, not willing to risk her wrath further. "My daughter is away and I will not have her return to a half dead husband because he can't take care of himself." There was another tug before she patted my head.
"All done, my son." She draped a pair of shorts over my shoulder. "Put those on. You are going to train and then you will show me and your papa your home so I can make you something to eat." She patted my shoulder as she stood up and walked away gracefully. I slowly stood up, my body felt suddenly stiff and I winced as my leg screamed at me, the muscles seizing underneath my skin.
"You looked hilarious being drug around by the ear by a mundane female." Azrael gave a rumbling laugh at that and I glowered at him as I tugged the shorts on before yanking the towel from my waist to dry off my torso.
"What could I do? I couldn't exactly say no or snap at her." I rubbed at my ear as I limped towards the entrance of the bathhouse.
"I like this! Reminds me of my homeland. We shall have to visit more often!" At the jovial voice I hid an internal wince as Lynn's father stood in the entrance to the main room. He caught sight of me and grinned as he threw his arms wide, his eyes crinkled at the corners. "Bastian-chan! You look much better, except your leg, we shall need to work on that." His eyes fell to my leg and I shuffled nervously on my feet.
"If you weren't mundane I would take offence the to the trespassing." Azrael said it lightly but there was a rumble to his tone that made me want to snap my teeth at him. No matter how embarrassed I had been to be treated like a child, they were my mate-parents and would be given the respect they deserved.
My mate-father waved Azrael off. "Pah! Hermits you are! We are just here to liven things up a bit. Perhaps I could show your warriors a bit so something." He winked at me before giving Azrael a low and rather formal looking bow. "No offence meant, Azrael Thorn, my name is Riku Enomoto. I am Lynn's father." He stood up straight, that grin returning to his face as he looked at Azrael before looking at me, waving me forward. "My boy, you need to train. Perhaps I shall join in. Warning, I am a little rusty." He laughed loudly at that as I reached his side and he clapped me on tje back, giving another jovial laugh that seemed be echoed in Azrael. I felt my cheeks flush, a Mountain Beta berated by a mundane.
~~~~~~~~~
My mate-father's version of 'little rusty' was basically that he could take out ten opponents before he needed a small breather. I had never heard of a bo staff before, or bōjutsu for that matter, but I knew with how I felt that I wasn't likely to forget it any time soon. I had never thought that a mundane would be able to take down a fully trained pack warrior with just a staff but I was completely and totally wrong in that regard.
He somehow moved so quickly and swung the staff so silently that you didn't realize he had hit you until you heard the crack of it against your body as you hit the ground. After he had taken me down twice and I had tapped out, limping off the training ground to sit down I had watched him take down opponent after opponent with his bo staff. His form was somehow disciplined but fluid at the same time. It was rather entrancing to watch, not to mention he was taking down opponents that were nearly twice his size with what looked to be a stick that one could break over their knee.
It had gotten to the point where Azrael had even stopped to watch, talking to Riku after each match, gesturing to the staff, his expression animated and curious. For his part, my mate-father was patient as he seemed to explain everything and answered all of Azrael's questions before he would signal for another match to begin. Where he would then proceed to get his opponent on the ground with several fast moving sweeps and jabs with his staff.
My mate-mother had watched as well, her mouth twitching up at the corners and her appreciation for her male clear in her gaze. She had told me she had saw him at a bōjutsu final in China and that is where she had fallen for him. She said he had been a warrior without equal and she knew that the words of her grandmother, about her future, had been true. She said he had took the title, and her, home to his family.
She had retold the story her eyes sparkling with her happiness and love and I realized that I wanted that with Lynn and it just renewed the ache inside me that she wasn't there. There had been a few times where my mate-mother had saw the despondency and she would proceed to order me into the ring with my mate-father to 'distract' me as she put it.
By the end of it, I could feel one cracked rib and bruises all up and down my body from his staff. Everyone else had gathered near the end, simply to watch the male as he fought with the pack warriors. Someone had even suggested that Azrael take him on, to which both males declined. I wasn't going to lie, I had almost wanted to see the match but even I could see that my mate-father was breathing heavier and seemed fairly tired out, despite the easy grin on his face that suggested otherwise.
Once it had been clear that the training was over, I had wanted to head back to see Lynn but my mate-mother had shook her finger at me, handing me a shirt and telling me that I needed to show her where they would be staying. I felt so out of sorts by the demanding female that I hadn't really realized what was going on until I had been shoved into a chair at the table of our small cabin home and had a plate of steaming food place in front of me.
I finally managed to gather enough bearings to look up at the female who was being so diligent with me. "Why?" I couldn't stop the question even if I had tried and I hadn't. I didn't understand why they came or why they were being so caring. Lynn was in a coma and if I hadn't messed with her life then she would never be where she was. I didn't understand why they cared after all I did to her.
Eiko smiled at me, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she stroked my cheek like my mother used to do. "Because you are my son and my son needs me right now." I felt tears burn my eyes and a lump appear in my throat as she pushed the plate of food closer, murmuring at me to eat. I wanted to cry, let out huge heaving sobs because I hadn't realized that I had needed anyone but I did. Now more than ever.