The Prince’s Unwilling mate

133 Griffin

My sweet, wonderful mate, unconscious on the c

the cold cave floor. Even

now that she was curled up, I could see how matted her hair was. How skinny she had gotten. And I saw her body covered in bruises. It triggered something protective deep inside of me. I just barely managed to tell the others to leave the two of us alone. She is fully dressed, but the clothes are draping off her body. They are too big on her now. I remember when we first met. She was so ashamed of her scars, that I never minded them. And if these wounds turn into scars too. I still would not mind, but I know she would. So I want to hide as many wounds and bruises as I can.

I shift back to my human form, not minding I am as naked as I was the day I was born, and I walk over. She seems so peaceful on the one hand But on the other hand, it is so clear that She is not okay. That she wasn’t just sleeping because she was exhausted. So, like I intended to do, I covered her bruises the best I could before I lifted her in my arms and

carried her out of the cave.

I carried her like that in my arms all the way to the pack house. Asking her to come back to me, whispering sweet nothing’s in her ear all the time. Asking her to come back to me. Telling her about the plans I had for the two of us. Every single thing I could think of to get her to get back to me, but nothing helped. Of course, Jay and Tessie had been brought up to speed. The two of them were waiting for us, together with Daniel and Krystel. Collin, Dillion, Jessa, and Gerald had been in the forest with me when I found Ayla, and they had walked alongside me ast

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I carried her to the pack house.

******

After I had brought her to the pack hospital, placed her in a bed, and washed her. Because I could not stomach the idea of anyone else touching her. Tessie came over to check up on her daughter. Not as a mother but as a pack doctor, for me, it was a bonus to know that her doctor loved her as much as I did. But I was not stupid, I realized how critical her condition was. So for Tessie to work on her own daughter as a patient who might not make it must be terrifying and heartbreaking.

“What happened?” Tessie asked me, her tone cold and professional.

I feel like she was keeping herself detached from the situation. So she could be as professional as she could. Without falling victim to the emotions that would come into play from seeing her doctor like that.

“I do not know we found her like that, on the floor of a hidden cave./ though. One of the other warriors found a backpack full of candy bars. and cans of sodas. So our best guess is that she was too exhausted and hungry with not having been fed enough. The bag got too heavy for her, so she dumped it. And it seemed like she had just laid down for a little nap. I have no idea why it has gotten so much more than just a little nap. All I do know is that she is not waking up” I told Tessie all the.

information I had.

tal

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12:38 ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

133 Griffin

I knew it wasn’t much to go on, but it was all I knew. Tessie asked me to leave the room so she could examine Ayla. I did not want to leave her side, I had missed her for so long. And she had missed me so I wanted her to feel her close to me. I knew in my heart that feeling me close, would make her come back to us, back to me sooner. Still, I did not want to bother Tessie as she was doing her job, and neither did I want her to think I did not trust her. Reluctantly, I got up to leave the room and give Ayla and Tessie the privacy and space that they needed. But not before bending over and giving Tessie one last kiss on the forehead, whispering

to her.

“Come back to me, Darling, I cannot do this alone, I need you here with me”

*****

That last kiss to the forehead was two hours ago. Tessie still had not come out of the room she was in with Ayla. And I was getting anxious, why would she not come out to tell us what was wrong?

A firm hand on my knee stopped me from shaking it so much.

“She is in good hands Griff, and there is no way our Fire Cracker is not pulling through,” Dillion told me, but he was pale, and his eyes were glossy.

He was trying to reassure himself as much as he was trying to reassure

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1. me. The two of us and everyone else in the waiting room breathed a sigh of relief when Tessie finally walked out of the room.

“She has been getting a medicine that I did not know of, and finding out what it was or did wasn’t easy. I managed to find out it is a medicine. given to control someone’s shifts. Meaning that with all the abuse she has been through, she has been forced to ignore her wolf too. The exhaustion and hunger combined with the medicines and their effects made her slip into a coma. Tessie’s explanation made me boil with anger. At the same time, I am sick with worry, wanting to do anything and everything I can do to get Ayla out of her coma.

********

When I asked Tessie what I could do to help Ayla if there was anything I could do to help her with. She told me I needed to take care of Ayla. Be with her care for her and talk to her. There was no proof that what I would tell her would matter. People are known to just read a story to the person in a coma. Because it is more the sound of your voice than the words coming out.

First, though I wanted to take care of her just like Tessie suggested I would. Not wanting to leave her side for even a second. I had asked Jessa to get Ayla all her favorite toiletries and lotion and whatever it was that she used. I had handed her my black card and she was back soon enough with a ton of stuff. She had saved me the receipts. I just crumpled them up and threw them away. Not only do I fully trust Jessa. If she had stolen from me that would have been fine too. As long as she did get the items I needed. The items Ayla liked the most and since I

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recognized a few of the bottles from our bedroom I knew Jessa had done a great job.

I crawled into the bed with Ayla, lifting her until she was like in a sitting position when I was done. It gave me free access to her hair just as I wanted to. Starting with spraying in some detangling spray and then patiently brushing small bits of her hair. To make it soft and bouncy again. And as I did I sang for her. There was so much I wanted to tell her it stopped me from talking to her at all. I could not find the words that would do justice to what I was feeling now.

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