Revolting

Chapter Twelve - Just Wait

Hannah

I snuck to the edge of the woods, my heart beating hard against my ribs. It was broad day light, people were coming and going all over the compound. I looked around frantically, hoping against hope that I would find the blond-haired beta. But there was no sign of the man. I zeroed in on the back door, and wiped my sweating palms against my shirt.

Never trust a pack.

But I had to. I needed help. Heath was dying. I could not wake him up this morning, and there was a blue tinge to his lips. I had to get help, or die trying. And this pack, that had twice shown me kindness, was my only hope. When the coast was clear, I ran across the grass, and up the steps to the door. My mouth was bone dry from fear, but I raised my fist and knocked on the door before I could lose my nerve.

A long moment passed, and I thought that perhaps no one had heard my knock, but in a pack of werewolves with supernatural hearing, that was impossible. Just as I lifted my hand again, the door swung open. A small woman with wild, curly blond hair stared at me with a mix of curiosity and surprise. She had the prettiest blue eyes, and a wide, easy smile, as if it were perfectly natural and normal for her to find a rogue at her back door every day.

I hadn't thought of what to say. All my energy had been on making it to the door without getting caught or killed. I opened my mouth, but words wouldn't come.

The woman's eyes flashed in a knowing way. "Why don't you step inside, dear." She said softly, gently. She stepped aside and made room for me to enter the house. I stood frozen for a moment, remembering the last time I'd entered a house. I put a hand up to my face and covered my scar. Then I remembered Heath, and the death rattle in his chest. I took a shaky breath and darted inside.

She put a gentle, but firm hand on my shoulder and guided me back into a large, farmhouse kitchen. It smelled of food still from whatever they had cooked for breakfast, but everything had been cleaned and put away. "Now, let's start with introductions. I'm Daisy. What is your name?"

Daisy. I had a flash back to the little flower that was doodled on the note I'd found with the picnic basket. Was she the one who had left me the food? "H-Hannah." I stuttered.

"Okay Hannah, relax. No one is going to hurt you here."

I didn't believe her, but I wanted to. I needed to. "Is... is the beta William here?"

She shook her head, making her curls bounce. "He's out today. How do you know the beta?"

No blond man. That means this blond woman was my only chance. "I - I need help. I need a... a doctor. My brother is dying!" I tried to control myself but the last part came out as a wail. Heath! Ah no, I can't lose him! Hot tears started running down my face.

The woman called Daisy gaped at me for a moment, and then handed me a paper towel to wipe at my eyes and nose. "Wait now," she said calmly, "What exactly is wrong with your brother?"

I blew my nose noisily in the paper towel. "He was shot by a poisoned arrow... thr-three weeks ago now. It wouldn't heal, it just kept getting worse and worse... and now... I can't wake him up! I think he's dying!" "Where is he now?"

"In-in the woods. About half a mile outside of your boundary."

"Okay. Just wait here. I'm going to get my Luna, she will know what to do."

Luna. Oh god I was dead. I was so dead. I wrung my hands together and glanced at the door, trying to gauge the chances of my making an escape if they attacked. Daisy left the room quickly, and I anxiously paced around the kitchen. They could kill me. I was a rogue, and I had trespassed on their lands. I stole from their gardens. I had even entered into their pack house. I deserved to die. But if I didn't do this... I knew my brother would slip away from me. I had to try.

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After what seemed like an impossibly long time, Daisy returned, with a medical bag slung over her shoulder, followed by a pretty brown-haired woman. She had soft, golden brown eyes, and there was a toddler propped on her hip. "I'm Nina," she said softly. "Take us to your brother."

I didn't waste time zigzagging this time. I lead the two women straight back to our camp. But even taking a direct route, it took longer because of the baby the woman was carrying. I didn't understand why she would carry the kid with her. Why would she take a baby to see a dying rogue? Wasn't it dangerous? Wasn't there anyone else in the house that could take care of the kid?

Finally I splashed over the little brook, and lead them to the little sheltered hollow where we had made our camp. The putrid smell of infection and death was in the air. I moved the branches of the lean-to aside and held my breath, praying that he was still alive, that his chest was still rising. Although the Luna was trying to be reserved, I heard Daisy gasp when she laid eyes on my brother. His skin was greyish and translucent, his flesh had wasted away until he was barely more than a skeleton. The wound on his shoulder was still oozing and putrid, and the skin around it was turning black. But he was still alive. Thank the goddess I saw the shallow movement of his ribs beneath the quilt.

The Luna set the baby down kneeled down so that she could inspect my brother closer. "This is bad," she said quietly. "What was on that arrow?"

"I d-don't know," I sniffled. "Wolfsbane on a silver tip, but there was something else too, a poison we've never seen."

She pursed her lips and peeled back the blanket to look closer, shaking her head. "This is beyond first aide." She said, speaking more to Daisy than to me. "Maybe Eudora--"

"Eudora is not at the Black Crow," Daisy reminded her, "They left for Tennessee a few days ago."

She grimaced. "A doctor then?"

"There is the human doctor in town. Some of the smaller packs go to him."

While they continued to discuss medical options, the baby toddled around unattended. She had the most amazing blue-grey eyes, which smiled up at me full of innocence and love. She stumbled around her mother stood looking down and Heath with her fingers stuck in her mouth. She pointed a chubby finger at Heath's shoulder and glanced up at me. "Booboo?"

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I wiped at my cheeks. "Yeah... he's got a booboo." I whispered. "A bad one."

I watched as the baby dropped down to her hands and knees and crawled closer. No one was paying any attention to her, as the older women were discussing transport options. I was afraid to stop her, or to touch her, because I assumed she was the Luna's daughter, but I held my breath as she scooted closer and closer to my brother. What if she hurt him? What if she crawled on him and by accident smothered out that small spark of life that still held him on this earth? "We can't get a vehicle in here," the Luna was saying, "Maybe a four-wheeler."

"Who has a four-wheeler we can borrow?"

"We could just call some men to carry him, but it will take time."

"I don't think we have time." Daisy argued.

The toddler was looking at my brother with strange intensity. Then she took her chubby hands and placed them on either side of his wound. "Uh? The baby?" I tried to interrupt.

The Luna finally glanced down at the child. "Oh Raine, no honey. This one is too much for you." But she didn't reach out and stop the child.

Raine wasn't listening. She was strangely intense, and her little body began to rock. I felt a strange kind of energy pulsing off from her, but I thought it must have been my imagination. I was afraid she would hurt him by accident, and I made a move to take her off, but the Luna stopped me.novelbin

"Just wait."