CHAPTER 50: HER BEST FRIEND

(Amaia)

After a few moments, Healer TJ calls out. "Amaia? Can I come in?"

"Yes!" I keep lying down on my side when he enters carrying a glass bottle, IV catheter and tubing. The equipment is rare in our world because they are hardly made anymore, and having it is considered a luxury.

He hikes the bottle up on the IV pole and smiles down at me. "You are a lucky girl. We got a match for your blood, and now we need to quickly get it in your system. Glass bottles are not as effective at keeping blood as plastic bags used to be. But we hardly get plastic ones."

My eyes fix on the rich carmine liquid in the glass bottle that now hangs on the IV stand.

"Give me your hand," Healer TJ gently asks.

I obey but pose a question of my own. "Who donated the blood?"

He holds my right hand where veins bulge out and pierces my skin with a catheter. A prick, I feel, but then just a discomfort.

"Someone who has the same blood type as you," he answers ambiguously. "What matters is we got the blood." He places a Nichiban on my hand to keep the catheter intact and then connects the tubing, adjusting the flow of blood from the bottle to my veins.

Why won’t TJ tell me who it was?

"Rest and eat lots of fruits for the next few days. Apples, peaches, yoghurt," he instructs, smiling down at me, wisdom and intelligence drip from his expression.

"I will try," I quietly answer and he walks away with a slow nod.

Time drags for me as the blood drips down slowly, filling my veins.

Was it him? No, he hates me, why would he donate his blood for someone like me?

My thoughts are interrupted again when another scent hits me. The invigorating earthy scent of a fresh forest is hard to ignore.

I tense again, I don’t want to see him and hear his jabs or see the disappointment covering his face. All I need is peace for today.

"Amaia!" He calls softly from the other side of the curtain, not stepping in. I close my eyes, wishing he would just leave. I have no strength to do this.

"I won’t come in. TJ said you need rest. Just wanted to ask if you are alright? Kacir told me you hit your head really bad," Alnitak’s voice holds a tinge of concern.

I still don’t speak. My eyes waver towards the white curtain and I can see the silhouette of his large figure standing just on the other side.

He begins to pace and I just turn my head away, unable to look.

"Amaia!" He calls out again, notes of his voice regretful and soft.

The bond between us becomes alive with his remorse and I can sense his agitation. My heart turns restless, the bond tugging me towards him but I stay quiet.

Not today.

Hearing no answer from me, he lingers for a few more minutes before retreating.

An immeasurable ache descends in my heart, but I keep my eyes closed. A tear slips out and is buried in the pillow. I hug myself with my free arm. The tiny flower Rigel has tied to my wrist remains close to my heart.

I am not sure when sleep consumes me but I know it’s late when TJ’s comforting voice wakes me up.

"Amaia!"

The throbbing in my head seems to have lessened, and I noticed that the IV has ended. TJ removes the catheter from my hand and places a small bandage in its place.

"You need to eat something. Simple blood won’t keep you alive. Come on, I know you are a brave girl." He then points and I see Kacir holding another tray of food.

"Eat so I can give you some painkillers," he gently says before retreating.

"Hey! How are you?" Kacir asks, settling on the bed this time, right beside my curled legs.

"Alive!" I sigh.

"Eat and talk to me about whatever you feel like sharing." Kacir’s kindness finally makes me sit up. Like a gentleman, he places the pillow behind me so I can remain easy.

Picking up the hot soup bowl he hands it to me. I accept it, warming my hands against it. I feel like, from the moment that fog had hit me in the dungeon, I haven’t been able to get warm.

"What’s on your mind?" Kacir gently asks and I take a slurping sip of the hot soup. Tendrils of white smoke rise from the spoon as I slowly sip and let it warm my throat.

"One night, one rejection and I feel like my life has been screwed." I bunch my lips together, it feels like I am always in pain now.

Kacir sympathetically asks, "He never marked you, did he? Or did it disappear when he rejected you?"

I shake my head. The reminders of Tarian’s excuses return. "His father was alpha when I turned 18. Tarian already knew because he is one year older than me but he never approached. Only when I confronted him and his father forced him did he accept me as his mate."

I pause and take another sip of the soup. Kacir stays quiet giving me time to tell my story. "I don’t know if he was jealous of me because of how his father treated me like his own daughter or just ashamed because I don’t have a wolf. But after his father’s passing, he ascended the throne. And although he would keep me close, say affectionate words, they seemed hollow. It was like he only needed me for all the work I did around the pack. The way I reinforced the defences, killed the monsters that invaded our lands and held the pack together after his father’s death. Or to satisfy his needs."

Ditching the spoon, I placed the rim of the bowl on my lips and just drank up the rest of it.

"And then he rejected me, and I ended up here, but there is so much more. I wish I could tell you but I can’t." I wistfully sighed.

"I am sorry he treated you like that. You deserve better. I hope whoever your new mate is, he steps up and accepts you. But what it is worth, I will always vouch for you and be your friend–a friend for life." A small, rare smile he offers, which makes my heart ease, and some of that tension evaporates from my shoulders.

I never had a best friend after my brother Aziel. People in the pack didn’t want to be friends with a wolfless girl especially if she could defeat them in combat.

But here was this boy, not caring about how tainted my reputation was. He cared. He saw the real me.

"You are amazing, Kacir. I hope love finds you too. I would love to be your friend, if it’s possible best friend."

He extends his large but lanky hand towards me.

"Let’s be best friends."

I shake it and the relief of having someone on my side has my heart fluttering in my chest.