Claws

Chapter Twenty-Six

As I walked along the narrow trail, the soft crunch of fallen leaves beneath my feet created a soothing rhythm. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, creating dappled patterns on the forest floor.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves overhead, carrying the earthy scent of damp soil and pine. Birds sang in harmonious melodies over the midday sky, their cheerful tunes echoing through the tranquil forest. The trees stood tall and proud, their branches adorned with fresh blankets of snow and vibrant green leaves that seemed to dance in the sunlight.

I couldn't help but smile at the familiar view. It was nice to get some fresh air after being cooped up for more than a week at the infirmary, despite the pain I was in.

Not long after I abandoned Zale in the middle of the pathway to his old house and took a stroll down the winding trail, I reached the Ailswood residence. My ribs ached, and I was beginning to get lightheaded, but at least I had made it in one piece without passing out.

It was about midday, so it wasn't snowing as it would be in the mornings or nights.

When I made my way up the stairs, I instantly picked up the scent of my mom and dad, as well as Linda and Robin. So they were there. Thank heavens. I didn't walk all the way here for nothing.

I sighed in relief, reaching for the doorknob and twisting it. The moment I walked through the entrance, the house went quiet. So they were having a meeting behind my back. I figured something like this would happen. Ever since I'd woken up, I felt like Robin had been hiding something from me, and my mom and dad always acted tense when they came to visit. Not that it was extremely obvious or anything, but it showed. Even Zale was acting strange. When I heard he'd been visiting me while I was sleeping, it was mind-boggling. Everything just seemed off. I wondered if I should've confronted everyone straight up, found out what was happening by myself, or just waited for them to tell me what was going on.

"Hello?" I sighed, sluggishly walking into the house and heading to the living room.

Before I could get there, Robin stumbled into the hall with a shocked look on his face, rushing towards me. He helped me take my jacket off as carefully as possible, then gently hooked his arm around mine so I could lean on him a little bit. "Maemae! What on earth are you doing here? Come sit down!"

I raised my eyebrows as he came and helped me walk to the living room where my mom, dad, and Linda were. When I walked into the cozy room, I glanced over at the lively fireplace, then the three adults—who were looking at me with the same confused and shocked expressions as Robins.

"Why on earth are you out of the infirmary? Just look at your neck! You just got your brace off today, didn't you?" Linda gasped, standing up with worried eyes. My mom and dad did the same as she carefully tilted my chin up to examine my bruised neck. "Oh my gosh. It's so swollen. You must be so hoarse."

"She's right. You aren't supposed to be out of the infirmary yet, sweetie. What are you doing here?" My mom stood next to Linda, her eyes growing wide. My dad just stood there with an angry face as he looked at the bruises around my throat.

"I was released. Angelica told me it was fine as long as I took it easy," I shrugged, smirking as Robin helped me over to the couch, prepping a pillow for me to lay down on my side. "Seriously, you guys are treating me like I'm a child. I'm fine. It's better than it looks."

"Maybe, but you're still hurt...And is taking it easy walking all the way here from the infirmary by yourself?" My dad frowned, helping me lay down on my left side. "Stop acting tough and lie down."

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, being hoisted down into the couch. The pillows were plushy and soft beneath me, and the velvet fabric tickled my skin. "I had help most of the way if that makes you feel any better." A sudden rush of pain came over me. The pain meds I got from the hospital were wearing off. "Hey, Linda, do you happen to have any pain meds here?" I asked, closing my eyes.

"Of course." Linda's voice was gentle and quiet. She almost sounded more worried than my parents. "Let me go get them. They should be in the kitchen cabinet. I'll be right back." I briefly opened my eyes to give her a thankful smile, then closed them again when she left the room. The light hurt my eyes.

"So, who helped you on your way here? Was it Beck?" My mom asked, sitting on the floor next to me, stroking my hair. It felt just as comforting as it always had been when I was a child. Her fingers were thin, and her nails were fairly long, sending a soothing tickle on my scalp every time they brushed across my hair.

"No...I ran into Zale. He stayed back a little while down the hill. He said he was headed up this way, but I don't know if he was lying or not," I winced as I shifted deeper into the couch to get more comfortable. "Mom...He told me his pheromones are good for me. Do you know anything about that? At first, I thought he was just trying to mess with me, but the more I think about it, the more confused I get because it makes sense." I finally opened my eyes and looked at my parent's hesitant faces. Robin was just looking down, a hint of irritation on his face. I knew that face. It was the exact face I pictured him giving Zale when he found out what happened between us that night. I hoped he wouldn't have known, but in the end, I was glad I didn't have to tell him myself. "Why did I act that way towards Zale the night I was assaulted? Did his pheromones really help me calm down?"

"Honey, there are some things that you need to--," my dad began but was interrupted.

"I found the pain meds!" Linda sighed, rushing into the room. A wave of relief washed over my parent's faces at the interruption. Their reaction just made me even more irritated. I hated not being involved in whatever was bothering them. "Oh, I forgot. You need water. One second." 

"Thank you," My mom smiled at her friend as she stood up and took the box from Linda's hands. She turned it around to look at the labels, biting on the edge of her nail as Linda headed to the kitchen again. "How long ago were taken off your pheromone stabilizer drip?"

"I think last night, so almost a day. Why?" I frowned, forcing my eyes up to the pale-faced adults. "Why? What's wrong?"

"You should be on pheromone stabilizers and strong inhibitors twenty-four-seven. I'm shocked you haven't broken down into a hysterical fit yet," my dad sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Seriously, I'm going to have a talk with Angelica. She shouldn't have been in charge of you. You were released way too early and not properly taken care of."

"Wait, you met Zale? When?" Linda frowned, walking in with a glass of water. Her eyes immediately focused on me.

"He was the one who helped me some of the way here, but he stayed a little ways back after we fought a bit. He said he was on his way to your house," I explained. "I don't know if he was telling the truth or not. He's an exceptional liar."

"He has been coming to the house more often ever since you were hospitalized, so I wouldn't dismiss the idea," Robin shrugged.

"Really?" I raised my eyebrows, shocked. "I've heard he's been hooking up with a bunch of girls recently, and I mean more than usual. I thought he wouldn't have time to visit you guys. It's not like I'm not happy for the two of you to have him keep in touch more, but still. It's surprising."

Robin shrugged, looking behind him as his mom handed me a glass of water. "Those are some strong painkillers left over from when Robin broke his arm a couple of years ago, trying to break up one of Zale's fights. These should do the trick."

"Thanks, Linda. I really appreciate it," I smiled at her warmly. My parents helped me sit up so I could swallow properly, then helped me lay back down. I looked at Robin and smirked. "You broke your arm? You told me you were sent to the hospital for a long time, but you never told me you broke anything."

"Ah, yes. My first broken bone," Robin wistfully sighed. "I wish you were there to see how brave I was, Maemae. I didn't even shed a tear. I was such a man."

"Yes, you acted like a man, alright. You let out a bunch of horrific profanities. I've never heard such vulgar words in my life," Linda scoffed, rolling her eyes. My parents just smirked. "Now, hush. We should let you get some rest, Mae. Your head probably still hurts from the concussion, so just close your eyes and take a nap, at least until the pain meds kick in."

"I'm pretty worn out, I'm not gonna lie," I admitted, shutting my eyes as my mom started to stroke my hair again.

I passed out the moment my eyes shut despite the pain and the gentle voices telling me to rest well.