Freedom Series: Chasing Butterflies

Chapter 23

Nova took in a shaky breath as she watched the doctors stabilize Nigel for the third time this morning. She wasn't sure however if it was the emotional damage from his condition or the fact that Anderson and Doctor Benzer has just finished explaining to her the truth about Nigel's "accident". They told her how Andy's psychotic ex, who she hadn't seen or heard from since last night, got her band of crazies together and forced him off of the road and then attacked him. However what really choked her up was that they thought it was her in the car and not her brother. They were trying to kill her and Lily was going to deliver the final blow, however, when her counterparts saw that they had the wrong Akecheta they panicked and ran.

They had gotten all of this information from two pack members that they had caught trying to flee the pack and country. They had also confessed that this plan had all stemmed from Lily's inability to have kids. When she had seen Anderson playing with Neil in the cafe it had apparently triggered her and she began to concoct wild ideas of Anderson leaving her for Nova. She had tried to tighten her reins on him but she had realized that by trying to force him to stay she was really giving him a reason to go. She had silently been going crazy for a long time, and then she just exploded.

So now, her brother was fighting for his life in a hospital with multiple fatal bites littering his body and it was all because of jealousy.

Thinking about it made her want to throw up.

"Are you okay?" Maddox questioned gently, as he stood next to her in front of a newly fixed hospital room window. Apparently, this floor was used to it getting torn apart by claws and teeth so they had a team of handy mean on call.

"What happened to Grace?" she asked, firmly ignoring his question because she wasn't "okay". A warm hand on her back drew her attention to Anderson who had walked up on her other side.

"I branded her a traitor and banished her." he murmured, pulling her in close to his side. She nestled her head into his t-shirt and relished the softness of the fabric that his stiff suits never would have provided.

"How, isn't your father still in control of the pack? Doesn't he make those decisions?" he smiled when he heard her say "our" pack.

"My father has relinquished 2/3 control of the pack to me as of this morning. So now I am head authority, which means I give out punishments to offenders of pack law now." he tilted his head to the side, in a very wolf-like manner, and sighed. "Too bad we're not in my grandfather's time period, because then we could've literally run her off the territory," he smirked.

"You're cruel," she mumbled, attempting the hide her smile fruitlessly since he catches every little action that she ever makes. "You don't think that's a little harsh though?" she asked, wondering if he really meant that he "branded" her a traitor.

Maddox suddenly made some bogus excuse as he walked away towards the elevator, leaving Nova and Anderson alone.

"My pack is no place for connivers and manipulators, Nova," he stated seriously. "My grandfather allowed the Ainsworths to stay in this pack because they were legacies, my father let them stay because they were friends, and I let them stay because I fell in love with a monster. I ignored the way that they treated people, heck I ignored the way that they treated me because I was scared of what it would mean for this pack if I let them go. I was weak, I am weak, but I'm trying to be strong, I'm trying to be strong for you Nova...but I feel broken, I feel broken beyond repair."

She watched as he practically ripped his heart out of his chest and put it in her hand, giving her the opportunity to either crush or cherish it. Seeing the look of utter defeat, loneliness, and fear in his eyes that he was so desperately trying to keep hidden she reversed their position and instead of him holding her, she held him. She held him in a way that he had never been held, with such warmth and innocence that he knew that there was not a deceptive bone in her body.

"I don't know what lies she has put in your head Andy but-" she paused and turned his face towards hers, "there is nothing weak about you. Your only fault was that you loved too strong. You are amazing and beautiful, and thoughtful and kind, yet stern and resilient at the same time. And I don't know much about Alphas and your world but, just know that you'll always be perfect to me."

Anderson watched as she spoke and all he really heard in his mind was kiss her. After, hearing that same thing over and over in his head since the day he met her he decided to act on that thought and, for the second time in his life and hopefully nowhere near the last, touched his lips delicately against her soft ones. She stood first not responding, seemingly shocked, but as he began to pull away, worried, she reached up and grabbed his head bringing them even closer together.

They pulled away and stared at each other, the whole time he hoped that she didn't think him a terrible kisser.

"Wow," Nova said, still feeling slightly dazed. She noticed his slightly far away look and recognized that as the look she wore when she had done something wrong in front of her dad. She raised her hand to his face and watched as he winced slightly and closed his eyes. She caressed his cheek and pulled him closer to her as she kissed him gently, embracing him as he practically leaned his weight on her. She pulled back and rested her forehead on his.

"You're so beautiful." He said, chuckling.

Almost the last chapter guys ;(

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