Chapter 2

• CHAPTER TWO
• BELLA
• “I’m sorry but she’s going to have to be here for a while”. The doctor’s words flew over my head as I watched my mother laying almost lifelessly on the bed. After she had collapsed in my arms, I froze, unsure of what to do. I wasn’t sure if Alpha Moonbare was back home and I knew the quadruplets would rather she died than help me get her to a hospital.
• ‘Mom?” I had tried to shake her awake but she remained impassive, slightly foaming in the mouth. After I got over my initial shock, I picked up her phone and called the alpha who was back in a matter of minutes.
• He rushed her to the hospital and I followed wordlessly behind him. She was immediately wheeled into an examination room to be tested. Alpha Moonbare sat with me in the waiting room while we waited for the doctor to give us a status report.
• She was taken to a new ward not long after, confusing both the alpha and I. Due to his influence, we were allowed into her room and I stood by her bed. There didn’t seem to be any changes between when she had collapsed in my arms and now.
• I realized what the doctor had said when the alpha responded. “What do you mean? What the hell is wrong with my wife?”
• I turned to look at both of them to see the doctor awkwardly staring at me. He must be reluctant to discuss what was happening because of me. Alpha Moonbare followed his gaze before turning back to him. “That’s her daughter and she deserve to know whatever the hell is wrong with her mother”.
• The doctor nodded and glanced at the clipboard in his hand before clearing his throat. “According to the tests we ran, there isn’t anything medically wrong with her”. He bounced his gaze between both of us before continuing. “This is strange since we can obviously see that she isn’t well but every test we ran came up negative which tells me this is beyond medicine. In all my years of working, I have never seen a case like this”.
• In a tone that is quiet but aggressive, the alpha responded; “You were employed to find out what is wrong with people, so do your fucking job”.
• The doctor nodded several times, probably used to distraught spouses shouting at him. I hadn’t said a word since mom was taken here and I could see the alpha watching me with barely concealed concern. I ignored them both, focusing on my mother. Although she had been cleaned up, I could still see a slight dribbling on the side of her now purpling lips. It wasn’t very noticeable unless you were looking really hard.
• The doctor had mentioned that she had a stroke which made her unable to use most of her limbs but I could see her hand twitching every few minutes, almost like she was awake and wanted to grab at something. I was still watching her when I noticed she was taking short panting breaths, like it was tedious for her to take a full one.
• “What’s happening to her?” I asked, grabbing the attention of both men in the room, as they scampered to her bed side. The doctor immediately grabbed an oxygen mask, placing it on her nose as we all watched her settle back in the bed.
• “It’s a lot worse than we thought. Alongside the paralysis and the purpling lips, it seems like she has respiratory issues. I’ll keep running tests and I’ll inform you the very moment I find out anything. In the meantime, you should take care of the child. She looks like she needs some rest”. I started to shake my head at the doctor’s words, not wanting to leave my mother’s side but I knew I was fighting a lost battle when the alpha turned to me.
• “Let’s go, Bella. I promise you’ll be the first person to know if anything changes”. With one last glance at her, I left the room and the hospital, back to the house where the guys were waiting. They didn’t know exactly what happened since we left the house in a hurry and I watched as they looked for signs whether I had told their father what had happened earlier.
• To be honest, he had tried to get it out of me but I had stubbornly remained quiet. There was no use in bringing that up when my mother’s health was at risk. He had eventually given up, telling me once more not to hesitate to reach out to him, if anything changes.
• “Boys, I’ll need you to watch your sister for me. Take care of anything she needs and asks for. I have to leave for the hospital again. Your mom is very sick right now”. There was an obvious flinch when he called her their mom and I knew the hatred wasn’t just for me alone, they hated my mom too.
• “Sure, Dad. We’ll make sure our little sister is well taken care of”. Raymond sneered and from the tired smile on the alpha’s face, I was the only one who heard the obvious threat in his tone.
• “Great. Thank you”. He turned to me, his gaze softening. “I promise she’ll be fine, Bella. She’s a strong woman and she’d be back to running this house in a matter of days”. Even as he said the words, I knew he didn’t totally believe in them. I could see the fear in his eyes but I nodded regardless before walking away to my room.
• I heard him giving instructions to his sons but whatever he was saying was cut off when I shut the door. I stood there, rooted to the very spot where she had collapsed in my arms. It felt unreal that my mother was in the hospital, and with an unidentifiable illness at that.
• What had happened just dawned on me as I felt the tears running down my cheeks. I swiped at them with the back of my hand but it kept falling until I was full-on sobbing. I couldn’t afford to lose my mother too. Not so soon after my father. I crouched to the floor and sobbed, eventually tiring out and laying on the floor. I was still in that position when the guys walked in and found me.
• My first thought had been to ask if they have to compulsorily walk together but I knew this was the wrong time for such humor since it didn’t look like they had come in here to keep me company. I managed to get my tired self to a sitting position.
• “Oh, she’s all curled up and sad because of her mommy”. I knew Raymond had meant for it to be scatting but it just reminded me of her.
• “What do you want?”, which again was the wrong thing to say. They crowded around me, the room seemingly smaller than it actually was.
• “Nothing actually. We just came in to check up on you and ask what you’ll like to have, like dad had asked us to”. Ryan said as they made themselves at home. They were technically at home but my personal space was being invaded.
• “I’m fine, I can assure you. You don’t need to babysit me”. My words caused them to laugh even though I can’t see what was funny about what I had said.
• “Very funny”. Richard said, deadpan. “Your mother’s dying. Don’t you feel the need to follow in her footsteps?”
• The shock that went through me was instant. I knew they hated me but I never expected it was to the extent of wanting me dead. I stayed mute, knowing there was nothing I could say that would be as biting as what he had said.
• “Nothing to say?” Ryan said, smirking. “That’s funny given how eager you usually are to say something to our dad”. For what was the umpteenth time in less than four hours, tears sprang to my eyes.
• Before they could go further, we heard the front door open. I pushed away from the door, hoping it was news about my mother. We filed out to see the alpha at the door. His face told me what I needed to know. It was news about my mother alright but not one I had been hoping for.
• “I’m sorry, Bella”. He said as he walked towards me. I stepped back instinctively, backing away into my room.
• No. No. That’s not possible. Mom had to be alive. I saw her a few hours ago and she was breathing.
• I didn’t bother to check the tears that ran down my face. The faces of the quadruplets came to mind and I felt a surge of fury. This was all their fault. If mom hadn’t come here, she would still be here. If only they hadn’t stressed her as much…
• I ripped open my bag and began to pack. There was no way I would be here for a day longer. I can’t bear to se their faces. I knew I had to leave but first, I had to wait for nightfall.
• I would be back to ruin them as they have done to me.