And Then She Was Gone

Recuperation

Elizabeth was laid up in the hospital recovering from the injuries of battle, more specifically the injuries she had personally received to her form from Jason. She had been placed in a medically induced coma to aid in her healing and help speed up the process, but time seemed to move at a slow pace almost to a halting point, as she lay sleeping within Pinecrest's medical facilities.

The surrounding violence had stopped and slowly but surely the packs began to withdraw and return to where they came from, but negotiations were still clearly needed among all the Alpha's who were involved. This being necessary, in order to calm the troubled waters and be able to move forward without any one of them holding grudges. These meetings could not formally be held until she was awake and able to transfer the Alphaship to Alex who was clearly wanted by the members of the Pennsylvanian pack, and this notion not being contested by the opposing winners of the war.

It went unspoken that Shaded Mountain and Pinecrest pack had entered into friendly territory, and would stay within that peaceful realm, as Jason was given the finest accommodations with his stay during Elizabeth's recovery. These features going mostly un-utilized , as he spent once again every minute by her bedside waiting for her condition to improve.

Alex would visit and watch her progress, but his romantic affection never returned for her, he treating her as a doting older brother would in its absence. He spent his time trying to fix the damage to the territory and rebuild the strength of what was once his fathers pack. The soon to be Alpha of Pinecrest was also rapidly trying to fix the damage done with his own mate, the woman named Allison, who he had previously rebuked and ignored. She however, was unwilling to venture down that path with him until the blonde with hazel eyes was no longer within reaching distance of him, having no faith in his words that things were different and the situation had dramatically changed.

All in total, it would be eight days until her body had recuperated enough for the medicinal hold to be lessened. Something Jason had eagerly waited upon and anxiously watched, while keeping his Betas aware of her progress through text, as they all had returned to maintain the pack in his absence. When her eye lashes finally fluttered open and he could see those beautiful hazel eyes look about in their haze, he felt as if he could breath oxygen again for the first time, since the last time they had shut.

"Hey baby..." he whispered over to her in his deep voice, as her eyes winced against the low lighting of the room. "Long time, no see." his body leaning over hers so a gentle hand could run its fingers against her soft cheek.

"Is it over?" She croaked out weakly with her dry lips and throat, finally landing her eyes on his as they began to focus.

"Yeah, it's over." He said with a soft warm smile accompanied by a nod, before his lips pressed a firm kiss to her forehead, an action he had done many times prior but now she was awake to recognize it.

"Oh, thank god." She said in relief as tears began to well in her eyes.

"What about me?" He smirked, showing a playful bit of his arrogance.

"You too." She said before her eyes fluttered over to side, taking in the beeping machines, something she had seen one too many times for her liking. "I don't ever want to be in the hospital again..." she sighed out before looking back at him, a weak smile still holding her sense of relief.

"Well.. we'll keep you out of them from now on." He said, slowly sliding onto the bed next to her, something he had already done previously many times as well, as he was able to fit snuggly along her side. "You know, since I won't have to fuck you up again." He said with a small laugh, as he nuzzled his nose into her neck and breathed in heavily her scent which only seemed to get stronger with each moment she laid awake.

"Did I hold my own at least?" She replied with her own small smirk.

"You fight terribly. I don't recommend it as a career." He said grinning back into her neck, before he began to place kisses in her crook, directly on his mark.

"It was kind of hot though right? Turned you on a little bit?" She said weakly, closing her eyes and rolling her head to the side, giving him more free access so he could continue to warm and electrify her body with the sensations of his soft kisses.

"I much prefer fucking you up in different ways." He whispered lowly as his hand glided across her abdomen and gave a firm grip to her hip.

"I've been conscious for like five minutes, Jason." She said with a small laugh and a shake of her head.

"Okay. I'll give you like three more." He said providing a nip to her neck, he obviously teasing her with his words, but his want was also obvious. "Then we'll reassess."

"Is everyone okay?" She questioned quietly, her mind faltering from their warm greeting of each other, needing to know how everyone else was fairing in light of her own circumstance.

"Everyone is fine. They're just worried about you. They all can't wait till you come home... they're already preparing the biggest reception for you." He said as his grip on her hip softened and he began to smoothly slide his hand up an down her curves in a soothing manner.

"The Luna ceremony thing?" She asked with furrowed brows, trying to recall if she remembered it accurately.

"Yeah." He said with a laugh. "That thing." He finding it humorous how her unknowing of their ways, made her respond to things so important as if they were so trivial.

"And they're actually excited? Nobody is bitter about the war?" She questioned in skepticism.

"They're ecstatic, practically singing it to the hills. You're quite the commodity, Elizabeth. The pack is not only relishing the win behind my lead, but bragging about the strength of character of their soon to be Luna. The Helen of Troy among werewolf's, that's what everyone is calling you. The beautiful she wolf who managed to hold her own strength against Mathias." His firm grip returning to her hip as he swelled with male pride, knowing that his mate was the most desired female Lycan amongst all others. And the fact that everyone knew she was his, and the power he would exude to keep it that way.

"But I didn't hold my own strength.." she said with a sigh and a shake of her head. "He took over and you had to help me."

"But you did fight him.. you were strong. Everyone can see that. It takes a strong person to go through what you went through. The news spread like wildfire. Not many people could have done it..." he nodded into her, placing more kisses on her neck. "In fact, those before you proved unsuccessful... but then again, they didn't have me in their corner either." He said with another smirk. "We make a good team."

"Maybe I just got lucky, and ended up with the right mate." She said quietly, not seeing what he was saying he and everyone else saw.

"Oh, shut up. Get some more rest... I need you recovered. I've been patiently waiting for some good old victory sex." He said with a smirk before he relaxed against her, his own eyes closing as he felt his own fatigue kicking in.

"That is literally all you ever think about." She rolled her eyes with a light scoff, before she closed them with his in unison.

"Yup.." he said airily, before quickly drifting off to sleep.