by LeAnn Mason
The last strap released, allowing the casing to fall away from my foot and ankle. I tentatively moved to put weight on the limb, each of us holding our breaths on the outcome.
The sole of my foot tingled as my weight settled onto it, and there was a bit of tenderness across the top as it moved to accommodate, but overall, it was a victorious moment. I lifted and lowered my foot a few times then took a cautious step. Then another.
Each step brought more confidence, and after a couple moments, I was strutting with satisfaction while Holden and my father watched on with awe permeating their minds.
“All right guys, you're making me blush over here. I'm not that special, just walking around.” I stopped and looked down at my shoes as I pushed up onto the balls of my feet a few times, testing the malleability of the injured foot. The toe took the flexion and weight without protest.
Nat, six days ago you were crippled by a twelve-hundred pound horse. I'd say you're pretty remarkable, Holden gaped.
I scoffed at my feigned modesty. Who was I kidding, I was just as transfixed as they were. A grin lit my face as I gave them my attention but continued moving up and down. “Yeah, all right. Maybe I am pretty special.”
Amused laughter escaped both men at my statement. “That you are, my girl. I'm sure the house will have questions… what are you going to say?”
My mirth fell away at the reminder that no one other than those of us in the room really knew the extent of just how miraculous this little recovery was. No one knew the true scope of the initial injury. They all believed I'd suffered a sprain, a bone bruise. Something painful but minor.
You going to tell the team? Holden inquired softly. A look of mild concern on his face.
I shook my head. I didn't plan to let anyone else in on this little secret. Didn't want to expose myself any more than I absolutely needed to. I'd been hiding so completely for so long that it scared the crap out of me to disturb that. Holden had taken it well, but would anyone else? I didn't think I could take that chance.
Not even Jade?
Jade. I really wanted to tell Jade, but was it smart? I shrugged, totally conflicted. “I don't know. I want to but…” I shrugged again. I felt helpless, again, a feeling I loathed.
“What don't you know?” My dad asked, his attention volleying between Holden and my face, a crease between his brows giving away his confusion. He hadn't heard Holden's silent question and was puzzled without context.
“I don’t know if I should tell Jade.” When my father’s look didn’t change, I added, “About my healing.”
“Oh. I thought you would have told her already.”
I threw up my hands in exasperation, now annoyed. “Seriously Dad? You practically drilled it into my head that I couldn’t tell anyone about it. Now all of a sudden, you’re fine with people knowing? I don’t get it. I can’t keep up.” I avoided more speech by leaning to finally put a shoe on my recovered foot. I took my time.
“I thought Jade would have seen something by now, and you’d have confided.” Dad had an air of innocence and confusion that did nothing to deflate my ire. I was right pissed off. What had changed? He’d been worried if I deviated from routine times, talked to new people or had any cause to exert my… differences. Made me fear what would happen to me if people found out. Made me think that exposure was certain forfeiture of my life, at least as I knew it, most likely relegated to nothing more than a lab rat. An experiment on what my ability’s limitations were. People died from overzealous science all the time.
And now he had the audacity to be surprised that I hadn’t told anyone about my ability? Just no. I get that Jade wasn’t just anyone, but damn; he’d drilled that fear deep. I’d have to really think about outing myself, even to my bestie. What would the fallout be if I didn’t tell her? I’d have to dwell on it later. Now, I just wanted to leave. The good mood I’d entered with had evaporated with the topic.
“Holden, can I have the keys please? I need to head back, and now that I have my foot back, I want to drive.” I held out my hand expectantly. Holden gently dropped the keys into my palm, wrapping his fingers around mine as they closed around the metal.
I’m sorry.
“It’s fine. Let’s just get home. Dad I’ll see you Friday. Thanks for checking my foot.” I stayed civil and had to acknowledge my gratitude for taking off the boot, but I was still mad and wanted music to clear my head. I didn’t have my earbuds on me. I’d let them run down and had needed to leave them in my room to charge. I needed to remember to do that at night so I didn’t run into this problem, making the radio in the truck my best option right now. I gave my Dad a curt nod as I started toward the door, Holden falling into step behind me after giving my father a parting goodbye. He’d said it in his head, but I was sure there was an accompanying gesture from which my father could derive Holden’s intent.
We made our way back down to the intake area quickly, neither of us talking. Holden was giving me the space to ruminate without interference, for now, and his mind was a whirlwind of conversation. He wondered how hard it would be to hold a part of yourself apart from everyone around you - even a best friend – for fear of their reaction. Just as I cleared the doors of the entrance, I realized I didn’t hear Holden at all anymore. I turned back toward the hospital’s interior to see what the holdup was.
Holden was standing stock still, just feet from the doors, a look somewhere between nausea and hatred marring his gorgeous face. As I meandered back toward the doors, I realized the look was aimed at a woman standing before him. The next couple of steps brought me back into hearing range.
“Holden? What is that look?” the mystery woman spat.
I was facing Holden and only seeing the back of the woman, but her mind was spitting insults at my Primal while Holden's thoughts were a jumble, words and images overlapping and interrupting one another. It seemed to get worse as I watched, Holden’s mind nearly tripping over itself, and I just couldn't allow that.
Storming back through the hospital entrance, I stalked up behind the woman, stopping nearly on top of her. Holden's eyes hadn't registered my approach, hadn't deviated from this woman at all. She'd consumed him and not in a good way.
I stepped around to Holden's side, grabbing his hand with mine and wrapping my free hand around his arm, making sure to snuggle into his side before turning to face the unwelcome stranger.
When our gazes connected, I saw the same eyes I loved, those tapered bright blues, framed in thick black lashes. The resemblance was uncanny. This woman was definitely Holden's blood, and by the looks of it, this reunion was wholly unwelcomed by either of them.
“Hi, I'm Nathalee, and you are?” I couldn't keep the frostiness from my tone as I looked her over. She was tall for a woman – well, not for a Primal – with an athletic build and appropriate curves, but her face was stunning. Long, dark hair hung loose past her shoulders which only set off those piercing eyes, and her plush lips were bowed and accented with a wine colored gloss.
“I'm Elle James. The boy you're hanging onto is my son,” the woman answered coldly, turning her scrutiny from Holden to me.
Her son. This woman was Holden's mom, and apparently there was no love lost between them.
CHAPTER 14
“WHO ARE YOU? AND why are you wrapped around him like some harpy?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.
Nat, let's just go. Holden finally broke from his trance and started to move us around the woman, his mother, but she sidestepped to stay in front of us.
“I asked who you are. Apparently my boy here is still dumb and won't speak, so he'll not tell me anything I want to know.”
“Wow. That was an endearing speech from a mother about her son. Why in the world would I sit here and engage you after realizing the horrid shrew you were?” I was getting hammered mentally by both of them, my temples beginning to throb. I made sure to keep the wince I felt from my face. I couldn't show weakness around this woman. She was a shark and would smell blood in the water.
“How dare you speak to me that way?”
“Why? What makes you worthy of my respect? The vitriol you’re spewing about your son ensures you’ll get no such thing from me.”
She looked affronted. Defending herself, she scoffed. “I have said nothing. I am simply saying hello. It's been a long time.” She batted her eyes, her voice dripping with false sincerity.
“I'd say not long enough.”
Let's go Nat. She's not worth it. Holden began tugging me again, our hands like a chain keeping us together. But this woman wasn't going to let us go so easily, especially now that I'd insulted her.
“What do you know? Nothing, that's what.” Elle was striding right alongside me, her mental poison still spewing like a volcano, spitting globs of disgust all over me. I pulled us to a stop in the parking lot. I had no idea where we were in relation to the truck, but it didn't matter. I couldn't tear my attention away from the angry woman stalking us.
“I know that Holden has never once mentioned you. He has not thought about you. I didn't know you existed, but with what you’re thinking about him, I can guess why. How could you think that your son is worthless, defective and useless?”
Elle hissed at me, rearing back and losing a step in pace. “You're a Sage!” she spit with malice, one of those lava globs aimed right at my face. She was quick enough to realize that I'd thrown her thoughts right back at her and must have realized that's exactly where I'd pulled them from. A twisted smile tugged at my lips in response.
“I am and more. I know how bigoted you are. How your family strives for perfection. Primal perfection that is. Anything other is worthless. Anything different is worthless. He—” I continued, pointing in Holden's direction, “is worthless. Well, let me tell you something. That man, your son, is the best damn man I've ever met.”
I was dizzy by the end of my rant. I wasn't sure I'd taken a breath until the end. My fists clenched, I stood mere inches from the other woman. It didn't matter that I was shorter than she was, that she had unknown physical abilities. Not at this moment. Right now, I towered over her with the height of my anger and disgust. It was taking all of my will not to unload on her physically.
She'd probably destroy me, but I had righteous anger on my side. Seeing her thoughts had me in a headspace I'd never occupied before. It should probably scare me, my reaction, but at this moment, I just didn't care. I wanted blood. “If you dare utter the words going through your head right now, I will kill you.” The words were eerily calm. Cold. The truth as I saw it.
She obviously took it as a challenge because she closed what little distance there was between us, blue eyes lit with a fire of contempt so hot I should have burned. “He is worthless. What good is a Primal that can't speak? No one can talk to him; he won't talk to them. He should be a beast of burden, nothing more. An animal used as a means to an end. A workhorse. A slave for his family. At least that way, they'd get some use out of h—”
My fist launched of its own accord. I hadn't made the conscious effort to move it, but still the clenched digits screamed toward the cheek of my opponent. My vision narrowed only to my target, but I never connected. Instead, I was floating backward at a fast clip. A heavy arm banded around my waist from behind as Holden carried me swiftly away from the entirely too undamaged woman who definitely did not earn the title of “Mom.”
“Put me down!” I screeched at him, legs kicking futilely. My fingers attempted to pry his arm from my body, but that was like trying to bend steel; ain't gonna happen.
Not until you're in the truck. You can't hit her. And now you don't get to drive.
“I totally can hit her! Put me down, and I'll prove it.”
The creaking sound meant we'd reached the truck, and a moment later, I landed roughly on the worn passenger seat. The door slammed shut before I'd recovered enough to scramble my way back out. Damn he’s fast.
Please, stay in the truck, Holden pleaded. The look of helplessness in his eyes the only thing keeping me from moving. I looked away with a reluctant nod, hating myself for being the cause of it. I hadn't lost my temper this badly since the Toby incident. My anger still scared me with its intensity, and today I'd seen my Primal side come out full force.
If Holden hadn't been here to pull me away, I wouldn't have stopped until Elle was bloody and broken at my feet. Or I at hers.
He was in the truck and backing out mere moments later, both our minds screaming about what we'd like to do to his mother at that moment.
Reaching forward, Holden turned up the radio. The song was one of my favorites with a catchy tune about handclapping. I was finally able to pull my thoughts away from the violence I'd craved. The red haze I'd been in moments before began to recede. The buzzing of energy and coiling of muscles all loosened until I was able to take deep cleansing breaths.
Finally relaxing, I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the headrest, focusing on the beat. After a moment, it won, and I began to clap my hands in time with the song, causing Holden's rich laughter to permeate my mind. I smiled in appreciation but didn't open my eyes or move my head. I couldn't look at him yet.
A warm, rough casement found my left hand and squeezed. I returned the gesture, allowing my hand to stay within Holden's larger one all the way to the farmhouse. Hopefully, no one would ask, and I could just head in to take a bath and calm myself further. Sometimes a girl just needed bubbles.
The rest of the evening went off without a hitch. Holden and I went our separate ways in order to decompress. He headed to the kitchen to make dinner while I prepared my bath. Everyone had things that calmed them, allowed their troubles to melt away. Cooking was one such thing for Holden, and we all benefited. He was an amazing cook.
I emerged from my bubbly, melody soaked haven to a favorite meal. Holden had taken the time to make chicken fettuccini alfredo, and it smelled divine. After Jade's inquiry about my foot, no one said much. She could feel my emotions and Holden's, but other than asking mentally once, she didn't bring it up.
I was sure everyone could feel the tension which hung thick in the air, the lack of conversation was equally due to that as well as the deliciousness before us. I expected some smart ass comment from Devlin or Steve, but it never came. Or maybe it did, and my earbuds did their job, allowing me to ignore it in favor of the furious violin and bass tunneling into my ear canals, broken intermittently only by the feathery sounds of piano keys. I'm guessing the headphones gave away my mindset as well: Don't want to talk.
After the meal was over, Steve and Trent were relegated to cleanup duty, and everyone veered off to their evening tasks. Jade’s plans were to take a moment to visit her family… and introduce Dane. Bold. The Davenports were firmly in the divisional mindset thinking of Sages as superior to all others. Thus, they were not going to condone a relationship with a Primal, especially one whose lightbulb was a bit dim. I hoped they’d see his worth in how he treated Jade. The man adored their daughter and would protect her fiercely. They couldn’t find fault in him for that. I sent a silent prayer for their acceptance and headed out to the porch seat in the couple's wake.
It had been a while since I just sat and got lost in the nature of this place. Well, nature in one ear, music in the other. I was feeling angsty and conflicted, making it a night for rowdier music. I scrolled through my playlist to the alternative songs, flicking my finger to start the one about nothing being here for me, being way away. The drums, screaming guitar and assaulting lyrics were all punctuated by the tremulous violin lingering beneath it all. It was perfect for my mood.
I stared out over the bright orange and pink sky, watching as the sun sunk beyond the horizon, allowing the moon to take her place of prominence in the night sky. This was my favorite time of day. I loved watching the sun say its last goodbyes and the way it painted the sky such searing and bold colors as it did so. I basked in the warmth, and once the colors began to mute, I let my eyes fall closed, hoping my tension would evaporate with the radiant light.
; The slapping of the screen door gave away that I was no longer alone, pulling me out of my peaceful retreat. The sun had fully set, the fireflies, crickets and frogs now serenading the night and anyone lucky enough to be in the thick of it. The flowing and pervasive melody was a perfect accompaniment to the manmade harmonies still pulsing from my earbud. I’ll carry you home.
You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to disturb you.
I gave Holden a small smile of appreciation, “Thank you. I needed it.” I stalled looking up into my boyfriend’s piercing eyes. Eyes that saw so much more than people realized. Caught intheir thrall, I stumbled over my apology. “I-I’m sorry. About this afternoon. I can’t believe I almost hit your mom.”
That had been crazy. I mean the woman was a total bitch, but my reaction was… extreme. It’s not like I’d never heard thoughts of the like before, never met just plain crappy people. But this had been different. Maybe because it had been a mother about her child, a relationship that should never have such animosity? Maybe I related it to my mother and me? Maybe it was because someone was talking down about Holden?
I shook my head in defeat and distaste. I couldn’t lose it like that. Hadn’t I just berated the rest of the team for losing their tempers? Maybe something was in the water. We all seemed a little on edge right now. Everyone was losing their composure, except for Steve and Jade— the Sages, the grounders. Maybe their antipathy was good to have around so many volatile personalities. Huh, lightbulb moment. This was just another reason why integration of the Enhanced should be embraced. I’d bet if we all weren’t at each other’s throats constantly, we’d make a great balance— in every way possible.