To Come Together

Chapter 14

Ashley's POV

I walk into the house with Jared, and instantly spot Layla. I haven't been ready to talk to her just yet, but I think I am now.

"Can I talk to you for a second, Layla?"I ask, nervous that she'll say no. I don't want to be embarrassed in front of everybody. She nods and stands up, stopping for a moment. It almost looks like she's in pain, but I brush it off as an attention thing. I walk into the kitchen and turn around to face Layla.

"Why?" I ask. She asks me what and I instantly feel my blood start to boil.

"Why did you speak to me like that? Why did you leave us?" She gives me some lame excuse about not being ready and then starts leaning on the counter. She looks like she's having a hard time breathing. Ugh. Why does she need to pretend all the time? Ever since I met her, shes never told the whole truth. What could be so bad that she can't tell me?

"Really,"I scream, not able to hold myself back. I can see everybody in the living room turn our way, but I don't care. "You're not ready? That's a lame ass excuse. I want the truth now or I will never talk to you again." Okay maybe that was a little harsh. I'm practically fuming and Layla takes a step toward me, but stops. Her face pales and all my anger goes away, replaced with worry. She doubles over and I ask her if she's okay.

She opens her mouth and an agonized scream escapes. She falls to the floor, unconscious. 

"Layla,"I scream, not able to do anything but stand there. Everybody rushes over and Nick picks her up, yelling at everybody to move and to call the pack doctor. They all leave the house, leaving me standing there, tears streaming down my face. What did I do?

Nick's POV

When I heard Layla scream, my heart stopped. She was literally coughing and throwing up blood when we brought her in. I thought she was dead and the last update we got was that she's in surgery. She could be dead. I might never talk to her again or feel her lips on mine, lighting something in me that I've never felt before. A sob escapes me and I plop down into a chair. I spot Jared trying to get Ashley to talk to him, but she just sits there staring into space.

I know that she thinks it's her fault, but I can't talk to her. Not when Layla could be lying there dead. She felt so lifeless in my arms. So unlike her. A hand touches my shoulder, making me jump. It's just Mackenzie. She crouches down in front of me, knowing how much I'm hurting.

A few years ago, before she left, her mate, Eric, died. She had already been having a hard time because she found out she couldn't have children and then Eric was murdered right after. His body was never found, but we were sent a picture of his dead body. We still haven't found the killer yet, but I vowed that I would one day. 

"How are you doing, Nicky?" Her old nickname for me makes my walls break, letting a dam break through. I fall into her arms and sob. I don't know how long we stay like that, but we pull apart when the doctor shows up.

"What's the update Darla?"My father asks. I stand up and almost break again when I see the sad look in her eyes.

"She's alive and will be fine."I breathe a sigh of relief. "But I have a question. Did you know that she was being abused?" My breathing hitches when she asks that. I think of how we could have missed the signs. They were right in front of us. The way it took her a while to stop flinching every time that someone went to touch her. That's why she tried to stay away from me. Her father, that son of a bitch.

"I suspected,"my mom says. I turn my head sharply her way. Of course she would see the signs. She was abused too.

"She has severe damage to her ribs. Several are broken and have been for a while. The trauma from it caused some internal bleeding. Her stomach was severally swollen where her ribs are and she never got it checked out. She was also coughing up blood, which you probably noticed when you brought her in." I nod as does everybody else. "We were able to get to it in time, but since she didn't get it checked out sooner, she's in critical care."

"But she did. Kind of,"Henry says.  "She went to the pack doctor." Darla nods, taking it in.

"Why did she go get checked out in the first place? I'm guessing that it wasn't for her ribs."

"She had a horrible cough,"my mom tells her. Doctor Silverston lets everything sink in for a moment before speaking.

"Your pack doctor should have realized what was wrong. New doctors might make that mistake, but someone as educated as Ryan Lingley would never. So why didn't he notice or say anything?" That's a good question.

A/N- I'm so sorry I haven't been able to update in a while. I've been super busy. I hope that you guys enjoy the chapter. I don't know how long I'm going to make this story. I kind of feel like I'm dragging it out. I would love to hear any complaints that you have or ideas.