Chapter 49

**Winter**



I open my eyes to find myself back in my room at the packhouse. What happened? My head is fuzzy, and everything hurts. I try to focus on healing myself. It is hard to concentrate, and the pain is too much. What happened to me? The last thing I can remember is the arrow sticking out of my side. I have no idea what happened after that, or how I got here.

I struggle out of bed. I need to find Cole. I'm sure he’ll answers for me. When my feet hit the floor, I feel searing of pain starting from the soles of my feet, but all over my legs as well. I look down. I'm wearing Cole's shirt and nothing else. My legs are covered with bandages. In some places I can see my blood has soaked through.

I walk slowly over to the bathroom to get a good look in the mirror. I need to see how badly my body has been damaged. What I see does not look so good. I am covered in bandages from head to toe. I look like a fucking mummy. I start looking under my wrapping to find that I am covered in cuts and puncture wounds all over my body. Even my face has been cut up. What the hell happened to me? Why hasn’t my body healed itself?

I drag myself down to Cole's office, but he isn't there. I try to mind link with him, but I am too weak. Holding title to the banister, I slowly make my way down to the kitchen. When I finally arrive, I find the whole council there. Including Cole's father Roan.

It is such an odd sight, seeing them all together outside the council room that I stand there staring at them. It takes them a few moments to realize I am there. They must be having a very intense discussion. Usually Cole notices my presence right away. When they finally see me, Cole immediately rushes over. It is nice to have his body to lean on.

“Come on Hun you need to be resting.”

He picks me up bridal style to carry me back up to the room. As we leave the kitchen, he calls back to the others to tell them he will be back soon. When we get back up to our room, he lays me on the bed and tucks me in.

“Do you want something to eat or drink?”

“No, I do not want something to eat or drink. I want you to tell me what the hell happened. Why I am so weak and covered in these cuts? They are everywhere.” He looks at me with such sorrow in his eyes it makes me sick with frustration.

“I don’t need your pity. The only thing I need is the truth.”

He takes a deep breath and then starts to explain. “Well, as you know we were out at the club. I went to the bathroom and when I got back, I could not find you. I did not know where you went. So, I followed your scent. When I got outside, I saw the blood and thought the worst. I could still track your scent though, so I followed it. I tracked you clear outside of the city. Then the scent fell away. I had already called for our trackers to meet up with me though, and after a little searching, they picked it up again.”

“We came to a small building and found that you had been taken by hunters. We tore them apart as we cleared their base. When we got to you though, you had been badly tortured. They had been cutting you with silver and wolfsbane and some other compound. We have no idea what it is.”

“Oh, Winter, my love, I am so sorry. I don’t know what to say. I should have never left you alone this is all my fault.”

I'm so confused. This just happened last night how could they have had time to torture me. What about Gale. Was she targeted too?

“Cole what about Gale? Is she okay, and Linus?”

“Hun they are okay. Everyone is okay.”

“Cole, I don’t understand how this all happened in one night. I do not get it.”

He has a worried look on his face. “Winter my love you have been gone for about a week. Then you slept for days.”

What is he talking about? I have been gone for about a week! For the first time I take a minute to study Cole’s appearance. He has bags under his eyes. His hair is disheveled. I can see he has been stressed for a while; like he is carrying the weight of the world.

“If I have been home for days then why haven’t I heeled yet?”

Now he looks sad. “I don’t know what they used so we can’t really treat the cuts. But we have found that it is extremely toxic to werewolves.”

I suppose that Cole can sense my confusion, because he starts to explain. “They didn’t just torcher you. They were taking notes. When the hunters drew you out and shot you with that first arrow it was supposed to be fatal. According to their notes this new weapon they invented has always been 100% affective in killing our kind. So, when you did not drop dead, but kept fighting at them they kept firing arrows until you were unconscious and took you with them for research.”

“They could not figure out how you were still alive. They laced silver blades with the stuff and were trying to see how many cuts it would take to kill you. Whatever that stuff is, it is potent. We lost a few warriors during the rescue when they were cut by blades laced with that stuff.”

I am in shock. “Cole how am I alive if what you're telling me is true?”

“Byron thinks it has to do with your gifts. The hunters had no idea about that. Let's just say you are incredibly lucky to be alive.”

“I guess so. It is the Goddess mercy I am alive though, not luck.”

He just nods his head.

“I think I will take you up on your offer after all. I would like something for my stomach.”

“Oh, yea what would you like?”

“I would love a strawberry smoothie.” He smiles and goes to fetch it. I just lay there and try to focus on healing.

Athena reaches out to give me guidance. She says it will take a while, but if I focus on each induvial wound instead of all at once I will heal faster. So, I start with the cuts near my feet. It is still ridiculously hard to concentrate. Shortly Cole comes in with my smoothie. The food helps a ton, giving me energy. It is easier to stay focused now. I continue to work up my legs focusing on each cut until it is healed. When I get to my stomach I finally pass out; exhausted from concentration and pain.