Comatose

[Chapter 8]

After quite a few weeks I'm finally more or less healed apart from the massive wound on my torso but I'm good to go and sent back to  Zaiden took pretty good care of me, He's actually a massive sweetheart once you see past the whole 'player' aesthetic. I finally get back into my office and I almost immediately start to go back to work. Gods, For once I was actually behind. After a few hours I hear a knock at my door and low and behold, It's  Zaiden. 'Hey Ash,' 'Yeah?' 'I got you flowers.' I watch as Zaiden puts a giant Boguette on my desk. 'I didn't know which flowers you like most, So I got all of them.' 'Oh my gods, Are you serious??' 'Well.. there's a giant garden on your desk I'd hope so. 'Zaiden-' 'hold on,' Zaiden grabs my arm and pulls me outside before he stares at me, staring over to the entrance where there's a bunch of flowers and stuff set up with a banner and a few of the animals I let roam here. "Will you date me?" I shake my head laughing before I lean over hugging him. 'Sure idiot.' 'Idiot? Look who's talking.' 'Takes one to know one which is why I have a say in it-' 'Fair point.' Zaiden grabs the side of my face before he kisses me and I flick him on the nose. 'Ow-! WHY??' 'Prove that You deserve it first.' 'You're so stubborn!' 'Nah, just making sure.'When I get home the house is eerily quiet so I start to look around. 'Hello..?' I feel a pull on my arm as I get dragged upstairs and into my room before the door shuts and someone pins me to the door. By the time my eyes finally focus on the person Zaiden starts to kiss my neck and I flinch slightly before relaxing more. Is this another nightmare..? Is he going to turn into my father again? No. It can't be. It's not a nightmare this time, right? At least.. It doesn't feel like it..

I wake up with a pounding headache and I sit up to see Zaiden sleeping next to me. I start to stare, trying to puzzle together what happened before it starts to flood my memory again. I lay back down groaning. How the fuck.. did I just sleep with this guy? I guess I did deserve it after asking him to prove that he deserves it. I eventually get over it and head over to the bathroom to get ready. While looking in the mirror I notice a couple of bruises running along my neck and then my eyes fall onto a mark on my collarbone. An Alpha's mark. He Maekred me! No fucking way this is happening right now.. While staring in the mirror I notice Zaiden walking over and he hugs me from behind. 'Like it?' 'Well I guess I kinda have to don't I?' 'Not if you don't love me back anymore. 'Right, Like that's going to happen overnight.' 'You never know.' I turn around and face him while he leans down to kiss my neck again. 'You're such an ass-' 'I know, I'll go get ready we're late. I check the time and he's right. We are late so I run to get ready before I run downstairs and wait for Zaiden who's taking his sweet time. 'And now we're early.' Zaiden laughs and I bring him over to the car driving us both to work, and when we get there the workers aren't even there yet so I open the doors anyway and start with some of the morning tasks while the staff slowly but surely started to show up. Eventually, I head back to my office and It was just a lot of paperwork left. I decide about halfway through to go to the gym and release some steam. When I get there there's unfortunately a bunch of people. I just try to ignore them and continue with my regular old routine. And when I tell you I was out of shape. Seet cheese and crackers, was I out of shape. By the time I'm more or less over and done with my first routine I notice a guy walk over to me and he starts to put a hand on me and I flinch nearly dropping one of my weights on myself. 'Hey! Don't fucking touch me.' 'Why not??' 'Because it's fucking perverted.' 'Oh really?' I lower my ears and growl as he starts to back away from me. 'Woah, Okay chill, I didn't know you were marked by him..' 'What?? That's what you're concerned about? I can take you right now!' 'Look, I really don't think that's a good idea.. We can just forget this happened.' I watch as he backs away and I try to calm down but I'm still pissed. Fuck, it sucks to be small.. The next thing I know a girl comes jogging over before she hugs me and I flinch a bit before she jumps back looking offended. 'Are you scared of me?? C'mon! We're dating remember!' Oh ew, I'm going to be physically sick. I push the girl away and I start to walk away but she follows me all the way back to my car. 'Look lady I don't even know you, I'm Gay.' 'You don't recognize me?? Seriously? Ash it's me Truce!' I stare at her blankly before I click. 'Truce, after highschool, where do you think I went??' 'To college, To find a better job so you can support us-' 'Truce, I left. We never talked again. What do you think that possibly could mean??' 'That.. You were focusing on college.' 'No! Truce, I'm Gay. I only dated you to please my father.' 'But..' 'No buts Truce. We're done. We have been for years.' 'But our son-' 'Our what??' 'Our son! He's been waiting for you to come home for so long-!' 'Truce what are you blabbering about?? We never even..' 'Don't you remember that day we hid in biology class?' 'You mean you got pregnant after forcing yourself on me, Now expect me to be responsible for that child!?' 'Yes!' 'How do I even know he's mine??' 'Because he's 3 and a half years old.' 'I haven't seen you for 4 years Trace. Do the math would you?' I get in my truck pissed off and Trace just stares looking dumbfounded. When I get home I tell Andrea about it and she stares at me. 'If you see her again tell her I want to talk to her.' 'Andrea-' 'No! She can't just fucking charge towards you in public claiming that her son is yours.' 'What is he is..?' 'I highly doubt it. Didn't you see her 4 years ago?? If he's only 3 that is someone else's.' 'But he's 3 and a half..' My sister sighs and leans on the kitchen counter. 'Look, Let's try and ignore it. If it comes back up, Then sure we'll try and do something about it. But as of right now, it's better to ignore it as much as possible.' I lean on the counter too holding my head in my hands. Why can't life just get normal..?' 'Normal how??' 'I can get happily married to Zaiden who's basically my perfect match and flawless to me, and he can just take care of me while I mope at work with probably like 3 adopted kids running around and nobody to bother us-' 'Hate to break it to ya, But even those people have Karens. You just have a like-Aged Karen.' I look up and stare at her. 'Really?' 'Yes really.' We hear the doorbell and I sigh walking over to the door. Nobody is there so I walk over to the mail box and I notice a letter so I grab it and open it. "Dear Ash, As I've mentioned I did have a son and he IS yours. If you do not come to see me and start helping me with him, I will have no choice but to sue you. This is a warning, I will have a copy of this letter to prove you do have a notice. Truce" I pin my ears back and head back inside before I look up at Andrea. 'Andrea..' 'Yeah?' 'She knows where I live.. And she sent a letter.. She's threatening to sue me for the kid..' 'What?? You sure you didn't give her your address??' 'Yes! I'm positive.' 'Did she follow you..?? She's a stalker..' 'What am I supposed to do??' '.. I think we should call for a paternity test.' I nod and stare off to the side. What if Zaiden finds out..?  What if she says I raped her?? People will believe her over me any day... Andrea must've noticed I was starting to panic because she started shaking me. 'Ash, Calm down. You'll be fine I'm right here.' I hug her and we share a moment before we head upstairs to go make a call. Well Andrea does anyway. I find myself just staring at my contacts list, trying to figure out what to tell Zaiden.. I don't have much time though as he comes inside the house. 'Ash? Andrea?' I run downstairs before I stop in my tracks. 'Hey Ash, This lady says she knows you.' 'Hi,' Truce greets me and I start to back up hugging myself again and shaking my head. I pull my ears back starting to shake when Zaiden steps over to me almost protectively and he hugs me which helps me calm down. 'What the hell is going on??' 'Ash, Is my-' 'not you.' I sigh trying to take deep breaths. 'That's Truce.. she's my ex.. She claims that she has a kid... and that he's mine..' 'What..?' ''He's 3 and a half and I haven't seen Truce for 4 years..' 'I-..' 'She forced herself onto me when we were 19..' 'Excuse me!? You forced yourself onto me!' 'I didn't-! Why would I do it!? I wouldn't think-' 'Ash, Look at me.' Zaiden lifts my head and stares at me. 'You didn't do anything wrong. I believe you.' I sigh and hug him still shakey before Zaiden stares at Truce almost with a growl. 'Where is your proof??' 'I don't have any. He needs to own up to what he did!' 'What he did?? What did he do exactly??' 'He... he raped me now he's trying to play victim but I let it go because I thought he'd help me raise the kid when I found out I was pregnant..' 'You can shut up now. You're lying. You wanna know how I know?? Because he's nervous to, even when it's with me. Meaning he didn't do shit to you.'  'Oh c'mon! You can't believe that!' 'Yes actually I can! I've seen his past which is more than I can say about you. Get the fuck out before I remove you myself.' 'I will sue you-!' 'Sure, bring the proof first.' Truce turns and walks out slamming the door behind her. I just sink into Zaidens arms and lay my ears down flat. 'Are you okay..?' 'Yeah.. Can we just stay like this for a while..?' 'Yeah.' I hear Zaiden laugh and he drags me over to the couch continuing to hold me. I think I fell asleep because I wake up in bed and as I go to sit up I realize there's an arm around my waist. Before I can panic, I realize it's Zaidens. 'Where are you going..?' Zaiden mumbles behind me. I just lean over and kiss his head before I shuffle back down and into his arms with my head against his chest. I think this is the first time.. I'm not afraid to sleep. Even though I didn't want him to wake up and leave, I still wanted to wake up to him, still being there and I knew he would be.