ALPHA(38)

He rested his cheek on the top of my head, and breathed in my scent as I tried to conjure the right words to say to make this whole situation better. It turned out he managed to get there before me though.

“He’s going to be okay.”

My heart stopped beating - literally stopped - as I tried to process what Jackson had just said. I pulled away slightly, looking up in to his face with wide eyes, terrified that I’d read in his eyes the truth; that Blake is gone.

“He’s sore, and he’s going to be a lot quieter due to damage to his throat and voicebox; but he’s alive.”

I cried out in elation, and threw myself in to his arms, wailing in to the crook of his shoulder with joy.

“I thought he was dead!”

Jackson continued to hold me, using one hand to softly stroke the back of my head.

“A few people came in to try and talk to you about what was going on, but they didn’t have much luck.”

I laughed but it came out as more of a sob. “I was kind of lost in my own world, I’m so sorry! He’s really going to be okay?”

“Apart from the pain, he’s going to be absolutely fine sweetheart.”

My heart rejoiced as my mood did a complete 180 from where it had been just five minutes ago. I’d already begun grieving for Blake, when he was going to be okay!

“I’m so happy,” I said in to his shoulder, as he squeezed me even tighter.

“It will take more than that to get rid of Blake. He said about five minutes ago that he has to stick around to keep annoying us.”

“He’s awake?!” I jumped out of Jackson’s arms, and rushed towards the door. I heard Jackson’s laugh following me down the hall as I headed towards the bedroom at the end of the long hallway. Noah, Jasmine, Isaac and Ethan were all standing outside the door, and they smiled at me as I bounded towards them.

“Can I see him?” I said, as Jasmine came over and gave me a big hug.

“Of course, he’s been asking about you too.”

As I headed towards the door, Ethan grabbed me and pulled me in for a hug, kissing my forehead at the same time.

“Good to have you back in the land of the living, pickle.” He ruffled my hair, like one might a child.

“Hey!” I pulled away, smoothing my hair back down. “Isn’t pickle what you call Annabelle?”

“It’s really a universal name.” He laughed, and I slapped him playfully on the chest, my heart feeling so light I couldn’t help but smile. I opened the bedroom door, and I started to cry again as I saw Blake sat up in bed and tapping away on his mobile phone; proof that he was going to be okay. He spotted me in the doorway, and I ran over to the bed, pulling him in for a hug before I remembered his injuries and loosened my grip. I pulled back to see him smiling at me, and perched myself on the edge of the bed.

“I thought you were dead!”

“Please,” he scoffed. “Gonna take more than those mutts to put me down.”

I winced when I remembered how he looked on the floor of the street, and my eyes widened when I saw that he was pretty much fully healed, bar from a few bruises. The bruises were all across his chest and neck and looked painful, but the gaping holes I saw just hours ago were completely healed.

“How the hell?”

“Accelerated healing comes in pretty useful sometimes.”

“I’ll say.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Epic. Shifting was not fun, but it really does help in the long run. I ache a bit though. I’ll probably need a massage if you fancy it?” He winked and I laughed when I heard Jackson’s growl through the bedroom door.

“You’ll have to get through the big, bad wolf first.”

“Jackson? He’s a pussycat.”

“You know he can hear you, right?”

He laughed and I felt elated at being able to hear it. I never thought I’d hear his laugh again, and the world would definitely have been a darker place.

“Exactly! Told you I couldn’t leave this place. Who else would take on the role of winding everyone up?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“How are you, anyway? Did those mutts get their hands on you? I kind of spaced out after a while.”

“They didn’t touch me. You protected me.”

“Well,” he said, with a smug grin on his face. “What else are big brothers for?”

I leaned over and gave him a quick hug, before standing next to his bed.

“You’re the best big brother a girl could ever ask for. Now, do you need anything? Food or drink?”

“Nah, I’m good thanks. A guy could get used to being waited on hand and foot though.” He winked and I laughed, feeling on top of the world that Blake was fine. Oh yeah, with comments like that I know he’s back to his old self already. My mind conjured a vision of how different today would have been, had we lost Blake, but I pushed those thoughts away. Blake was alive and with us, and that was all that mattered.