Wolf at Heart

Chapter Forty Six: Bandages

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I opened my eyes slowly, my head pounding. Turning my head, I winced as the world dipped and spun around me.

"You're finally awake."

I tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. I couldn't make out who was speaking.

"Do you know how worried I was?" The person asked. "You almost died."

Blinking, I saw the figure come into focus.

"Ash?" I said. Or tried to say. My voice came out scratchy and rough.

"Yep" he replied lightly, but I could see the conflict in him. "It's me."

"Where am I?"

"We're at your friend's place."

Looking around, I saw unfamiliar dark wooden walls. The small room with a single window and a door that presumably led to the rest of the building. I let my gaze recenter on him.

Ash was sitting on a rickety chair, his head resting on his fist. His gray eyes locked on mine and I saw how angry he was. He might've been able to hide his emotions from me before, but now it was evident to me that he was upset.

"What's wrong?" I asked, then regretted the question the instant it left my mouth.

"What's wrong?" Ash repeated, putting his head in his hands and letting out a low chuckle. "I should've known you would've gone to the Raven's Claw."

That...doesn't really answer my question.

He looked up as I got into a sitting position, my back against the bed's headboard. I glanced down at myself, trying to recall what had happened.

"Wolves," I said suddenly. "They attacked."

"Yeah," Ash said quietly, straining to keep his voice calm. "They did."

I lifted a hand to my neck. Bandages were wrapped around all the way to my left shoulder. My arms were also covered in white cloth. And my right leg.

"They didn't heal?" I asked, surprised. Usually, my wounds disappeared or healed within hours. Perks of being a super human-wolf person.

Ash furrowed his brow, glancing at the cloth. "No."

His voice told me that he didn't know why either.

I focused all my attention on him, really checking to see what was wrong. He was less talkative than usual, and it worried me.

Or...was he worried about me?

He must've seen the question in my face and let out a slow breath.

"I found you," Ash started, his voice trembling with concealed emotion. "On the ground outside of town. There were these shabby bandages wrapped around your body. You were bleeding from so many different places..." He paused and collected himself for a moment. "Your friend was next to you. He was knocked out and injured too. He woke up and told me the directions to his place before he passed out again. And...yeah."

He was worried about me. Why?

You know, I answered myself. You just don't want to think about it right now.

I looked down, clenching and unclenching my hands to judge the pain. Maybe I was doing it to distract myself. I didn't know. I didn't know anymore.

Then Ash put his hand on my arm, stilling me.

"Don't," he said.

My heart was racing again, but not from adrenaline. "Huh?"

He elaborated. "Don't hurt yourself."