Chapter 6 - Voices And Orders

• Cassie -
• Questions seem to be chasing each other around in circles inside my head. Muffled voices, who is that? Odd smells, is that disinfectant? Strange sounds, what is that beeping? I can't seem to focus on or keep anything straight, and why won't my eyes open? Why can't I move or make a sound? All of this hits me in the span of about two seconds, the questions repeating themselves over and over. I try to concentrate on one specific question and manage to grab ahold of one, whose voices? I recognise those voices. The memory of the voices tickle my brain as other details try to push this thought aside, but I cling to it, hoping that by answering one, the other answers will follow. The voices, what are they saying? And who are they? This is driving me crazy, I try to focus on what is being said rather than who is saying it, but the voices stop and another voice speaks, this one I don't know, but I can understand what is being said so I pay attention.
• "Malnourished, and exhausted, she needs rest and peace and quiet, she needs to stay here, at least overnight and most of tomorrow, after that I will run more tests and decide what is best"
• "Of course Dr, whatever you think best, poor Cassandra looks like she has been living in a 3rd world country" there is that voice again, I know I know who it belongs to, I know it. "We will come back first thing tomorrow to see how she is doing." Retreating steps indicate that the owners of those voices are leaving.
• "I wish I had had the strength to help sweet sweet girl, I wish I could have done more" the one who called me malnourished whispers and I feel him stroking my hair, but I still can't move or speak, I slip into sleep with that man soothingly stroking my hair.
• The next time I wake up the beeps and smells are still present but there are no voices, and this time my eyes open, I glance at my surroundings and take in the sterile walls, the heavy looking machines beside me and the dimmed lights above me, and realize I am in the hospital. As this realisation hits me, one of the machines beside me starts to beep louder and quicker, 'heart monitor' I think as I begin to panic. Still unable to move, my heart rate increases even more, and a nurse runs into the room looking flustered. When she sees my eyes open, she breathes what seems to be a sigh of relief, and without a word, she leaves the room. Before panic can really settle in, the door opens again, and a handsome fatherly figure steps into the room.
• "Hi there, Cassandra," he says with a soft smile.
• "Cassie," I croak.
• "Cassie," he corrects himself, "you gave my nurse quite a scare there. We are under strict orders to ensure that you are well cared for, that we are here for you and care for you as though you were our own child." This is said with a gentle almost loving glow in his eyes and I am beyond confused, who in this pack would dare order anyone that way when Ace would be murderous if he knew, Ace, my mate, everything comes back to me in an instant and hatred boils inside me.
• "Water," I croak, and the man quickly brings me a cup of water, holding the straw to my dry lips. After taking a couple of sips to moisten my throat, I let the straw go and try to speak again "Who?" I manage.
• "Forgive me, I am Dr Thorne, I have been treating you since you were brought in yesterday." YESTERDAY? I've been here that long? The shock must have shown on my face because he chuckles, "it is 3am you have been here around 20 hours, you fainted while making breakfast for the pack house, probably due to being injured, malnourished and overworked" I frown, and because of Ace and his treatment of me I think to myself, though I don't voice that thought.
• "Who?" I try again, wanting to know who placed the order and who was here before.
• "Who what dear?"
• "Who…before…voices" I manage, and he seems to understand and comprehension dawns in his eyes.
• "The Alpha and Luna returned last night and as soon as they got back they wanted to check on the patients here, upon hearing of your condition they ordered you into my care, giving explicit instructions on your treatment here." He explains.
• Alpha? Luna? They're back? What wonderful news for the whole pack, but what will it mean for me? They have ordered care and treatment for me, they were always kind leaders but they were never close to me, I didn't think they knew who I was, and how long will the care last for, how long before I am forgotten again?, and what will this mean for Ace?
• "Sleep, Cassie, you need to rest, I will be by in the morning to check in with you, run some tests, and make sure you get a good breakfast." He winks at me and lowering the lights even further he leaves the room, closing the door softly behind him.
• While I'm trying and failing to organise my thoughts, I drift off into another dreamless sleep, and I don't wake up until the sun is streaming through the thin pale blue curtains.
• Ace -
• Alpha and Luna have returned, and they are questioning why Cassie is in the hospital, they know she isn't a fighter so there is no real reason for her to be there. When they arrived the summoned me to the Alphas office so I can update them on pack matters. We go over everything that has occurred in the last 6 months, of course I don't mention Cassie at all. Once we are done they dismiss me and I leave, but I stop just outside the door and don't close it all the way so I can listen in.
• Their conversation is bland, boring, completely unimportant, so I saunter away to find Maddie, I need a release. I find her close by and we go to my room.