In The Pack

Chapter 6

I woke up who knows how much later in my bed with Ian, Lee, Nate, Xena and Jason around my bed.  There was a stiff bandage wrapped around my neck and stomach and my whole body was sore.

          I groaned and opened my eyes.

          The group around my bed crowded closer and Jason asked, "How do you feel?"

          "Like crap," I croaked.

          Xena handed me a glass of juice and a chocolate chip cookie.  "Eat and drink up, missy," she ordered.

          I smiled weakly.  "I feel like I just gave blood, only worse."

          "You did," Jason replied.  "To the ground."

          I started to chuckle but stopped quickly as pain ripped through my throat.  Ian's face tightened and noticing, Jason said, "I would like everyone except Ian to please leave."

          My friends were confused but did as they were told.

          Jason turned hard eyes on Ian and me.  We both stared back, not wanting to start the conversation.  "Well?" Jason prompted.

          "Well...what?" I asked innocently.

          He glared at me.  "Why don't you start with how Ian knew you needed help and then move on to how he knew those werewolves were trying to kidnap you, not kill you."

          "We were going to talk to you about it when we knew more, Jason.  It only happened yesterday," I tried to explain. 

          "What happened yesterday?" he growled.

          "Calm down.  We weren't threatened." I waited until he took a deep breath and visibly calmed some.

          "Yesterday, after Xena, Lee and Nate left for training, I took Ian for a run in the woods.  When we were done, he took my hand and the next thing I knew we were on the ground."

          Ian took over, feeling my throat getting worse.  "When we woke from the blackout, we could feel each other's emotions and hear each other's thoughts."

          Jason looked surprised and sat in the armchair next to my bed.  "Were you attracted to each other before you went on this run?"

          Ian and I told him we were, me blushing slightly.

          "Amazing," he breathed.  "I thought it was just a fairytale."

          "So you know what this is?" Ian asked.

          Jason nodded.  "It's most commonly called a mate bond.  There's a story about two werewolves who met by chance and went on a run together to get to know each other better.  At the end of the run, the male kissed the female and a bond formed, linking them together forever.  It's supposed to just be a story.  I've never heard of it actually happening."

          "Well, it did," Ian replied.

          I smiled at him and Jason chuckled a little. 

          "So it did," Jason conceded.  "It goes without saying that you aren't leaving this house for a while," he added, looking at me sternly. 

          I tried to speak, but my throat was seriously sore, so I had Ian complain for me.

          "Excuse me, Sir, but she said that that's ridiculous."