Held For Ransom

Chapter 32

"Come on, Hannah, or we're going to be late. And we're supposed to be the first ones there," Cole groans, standing in the doorway.

It's a week after I woke up from my temporary coma, and today is Marie's funeral. To say the past seven days have been hectic would be an understatement.

I feel like I'm a burden to everyone, with all my injuries, several of which are internal, and very severe. The man who attacked me, whose name I've come to learn was Zachary, had stabbed me multiple times in the abdomen and once in the chest. He only barely missed my heart. Stitches cover my entire stomach and chest. My thigh was also victim to his attack, with several fractures in my femur bone. I'm on crutches now. Lastly, I have a major concussion, from when he clubbed me in the temple with a tree branch the size of my entire body.

It was a miracle I survived. Marie had only been bitten in the stomach and died, yet I'd gotten much worse and I'm still here, alive. Cole said it was our mating bond that kept me alive. After shifters mate, it's so hard to kill them that they're almost immortal. Cole's father, Marie's mate, died years ago.

My only consolation to her death is that now she can join her mate, wherever shifters go when they die, and be together again there.

"I don't see you trying to help me," I mutter, struggling to put my feet in the small white sandals.

Begrudgingly, he sighs and walks over and guides both my feet into their designated shoes. Then he straightens up and walks back over to the door again.

"Thank you," I say quietly, a bit offended.

Ever since I woke, he's been acting really odd. I can't do much by myself because of all my wounds, and he's supposed to be here helping me when I need it. Instead, he's often distant and irritated when I ask for help. Such as just a moment ago.

Lucky for me, being a shifter means you heal much faster than humans. Normally, it would take months for these types of injuries to heal, but I'm going to back to normal in probably a week's time from now.

Thank goodness.

"Let's go," Cole says, more forcefully this time. Not wanting to cause any more problems, I stare at the ground as I walk out of our bedroom.

~

"Hannah! How you doing, sweetheart?" Hadlee greets, running up beside me and linking her arm with mine.

"Just fantastic, and you?" I smile at my best friend, and her ability to cheer me up no matter the situation.

"I'm doing great! Last night, Jared made this really good homemade lasagna and brought it to our room to eat by candlelight. It was so amazing and sweet of him! How are things between you and Cole, since, you know.." she trails off, not wanting to upset me by saying it out loud.

I'd told her two days ago about how Cole was acting, and asked if she had any ideas about why he was. She didn't, but promised she'd ask Jared about it. Then last night she called me to tell me that Jared had no clue either.

If Marie was still here, I could ask her.. She's not though, so I guess it's up to me to deal with her stubborn son.

"Nothing has changed," I sigh, scanning the crowd to try and find my mate. He'd left me as soon as we got here, telling me he had to go talk to Jared. He didn't say about what.

"Oh. Don't worry, I'm sure he's just super stressed about everything that's just happened. Not to mention, trying to cope with Marie's death at the same time," she tries to assure me. I just nod, pretending that it's helping.

Finally spotting Cole near a group of other pack members, I turn to Hadlee. "I'm going to head over to Cole now and see what's up, okay?"

Nodding, she replies, "Alright, good luck."