621 BADUMP TOO MANY TIMES

23 FEBRUARY, TUESDAY, AFTERNOON

The last time I was in Bell's room, it was empty and dark. Even after Ki clapped and the lights came on, the room was still empty and Bell's scent was faint from months away at the fight dog cages. Even though the bed was made and the room was clean, the air smelled like it had been shut in for a while. Or maybe it was the difference between night and day, but I had not expected the sight that greeted me.

TBH, I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but it was not this:

Bell's bedroom curtains were drawn except for the day curtains so that the winter sun streamed into the white room in a diffused brightness. There were flowers and fruit baskets lined along the surfaces around the room. Bell himself was seated up in the middle of his wide bed.

A snow white quilt laid across his lap, and he had a light grey suit jacket draped over his shoulders, a crisp white shirt unbuttoned just enough to expose his collar bone. Who wore a suit in bed?

He didn't look like someone who had lost an arm, more like a prince in some kind of unrealistic fantasy. Seriously! Who wore a suit in bed?

I used to think he had a face of a god under the light of the moon, but in the light of the winter sun, or perhaps it was the pallor under his skin, his features looked more vulnerable. He was sipping tea from a delicate white teacup, his hair swept to the side.

BADUMP!

Why did my heart skipped a beat? I blinked, unsure what I was looking at.

With just one look, I was stopped at the doorway, just breathing in the scene before me, salted caramel and everything else, fruits and flowers included, mingled together in one perfect scent.

"Alpha Sam is here." Ben announced from behind me, reminding me to take a step in so that Ben and Harvey could come in too.

Bell looked over to us, his expression coolly bland like he was expecting us. I supposed he must have heard us outside. Did he hear his mum crying too? Was he just sitting here drinking his tea completely unbothered all this while?

I watched as he tilted his head an iota so that his lips touched the rim of his cup.

BADUMP!

I blinked again, I was staring, but helplessly to look away. They were my eyes, but I was unable to control them. What scoccery was this?

"Even though we managed to restore his physical arm, it is not responding." Alpha James continued as the adults came in behind us, "The stubborn boy refuses to say how he was injured, so it's hard for us to troubleshoot the irregularity..."

Alpha James' words faded into the background, and like a moth to a flame, I approached the bed. As I got closer, I noticed Bell's other hand, his right arm, wrapped in white bandages and bound by a black velvet sling, just under his jacket. I swallowed. They really did it, huh?

What should I say to him? The first words that sprung to mind was, "Does it hurt?" I pressed my lips together, remembering my Mum's admonision to be sensitive.

"In such a case where intensive healing had been applied for an extended number of hours, we need to give the patient bed rest to recuperate before we try again." Alpha James continued, "Or his body won't be able to hold out."

Bell raised a brow at me and our eyes met.

BADUMP!

I took another tentative step forward. Part of me wondered if I were dreaming.

"It's a good thing he is still young." Mum nodded, "He will recover quickly."

"If only it were true, Luna." Alpha James said wistfully, "We only hope he would regain some function from his arm."

And then Bell spoke, {Have you rescued Ki so quickly Princess?}

Eh? What? Okay, so technically he mindlinked.

Bell took another sip of tea. He wasn't even looking at me. Now that I was closer, I could see his tea was green and smelled grassy and bitter.

{I see.} Bell concluded as if only thinking to himself, {I would've thought he'd come whining to you.}

{What did you do to Ki?} Now I was a little alarmed. I looked around the room quite expecting to see Ki step forward with his usual smile, but if course he wasn't here.

{I did nothing.} Bell took another slow and careful sip from his cup.

BADUMP!

Was this how the prince felt when he saw Snow White lying lifeless in her coffin? My strong and proud mate had just been literally disarmed, and I dared not even think what the Lorents put him through to regrow it, and now he was in bed, blandly sipping on bitter tea, and looking perfectly beautiful.

I can't even say what had possessed me, but it was the most heart-moving sight in my life. I'm not sure if there was anything I would not do for him at this point.

Bell looked and me, a small smile playing on his lips, {So cute.}

I flared immediately. My heart suddenly speeding up. Wth was wrong with me?

Calm down, Sam. It was probably just his wolf. His wolf always thought I was cute. It's nothing new.

Oh, speaking of which... I leaned closer, just over the bed to check out his arm. I couldn't actually see anything, just a few fingers peeking out.

"If you shift into your wolf form, how many legs would you have?" I swear I had meant to mindlink that!

"Sam!" Mum gasped.

"Impressive. She is so young, at yet she knew at a glance." Alpha James shook his head, and then he sighed, "That's the most perplexing part of it. None of our healers have been able to connect the heal to his wolf."

"Oh." Mum gasped again.

"So this hand is fake?" I poked the fingers that peeked out. They looked so real, and quite healthy. With the nails in the right color and everything.

By now I had climbed up on Bell's bed. His bed was really wide and that was the only way I could reach him. Bell sipped his tea completely unperturbed, he didn't even bother to look at me.

Mum was very troubled though, "Oh, Sam! You're wearing a dress!"

A very short dress. I quickly kicked off the heels and slipped my legs under the sheets so that I was sitting side by side next to Bell. There! Problem solved!

Or at least the short skirt problem. Mum didn't seem to agree but Dad was still frowning over the first problem.

"The hand is real, but despite the fully developed nerves, it neither has feeling or reaction." Alpha James elaborated, "Absolutely no response to stimulus. I fear he would remain crippled."

Dad frowned, "How did this happen?"

I wasn't an expert in healing, but I would assume that if they were able to regrow his arm, his wolf should be equally healed.

"It's baffling. I had the best of every type of Lorent healer here to see him." Alpha James nodded toward the rows gift baskets, "Even though we planned to keep this misfortune under wraps, but as you can see, the news had already gone out."

"The restorative attempts only yielded a superficial limb. Purely aesthetic in nature." Alpha James said with no small amount of frustration. Then he sighed, as if finally defeated, "Even if we continue trying to cure him, we expect that there will only be very little improvement."

"I've failed as a father." Alpha James concluded, "Now my useless son is really useless. He won't even be able to shift, lest he shamefully shows the world his three legged wolf."

That was kinda harsh.

"But rest assured, Alpha Kingsley, I will not short-change your daughter." Alpha James continued, "I understand if you wish to call of our children's engagement. But might I propose something in exchange."

Wait what?

I looked at my beautiful mate, we were sitting shoulder to shoulder, but if what Alpha James had said were true, Bell wouldn't have felt my arm against his?

Bell didn't say a word. His face remained perfectly unmoved. Was this what he wanted too? Well, if he thought this kind of lousy excuse was going to let him off the hook...he'd have another thing coming.

"What do you propose?" Dad asked.

Wth? I flared, "Dad, I am NOT breaking off with Bell."

Bell stilled for just a moment. And then he continued sipping his tea. Stooopid Bell. Stooopid Dad. Stooopid Alpha James.

"I have another son." Alpha James offered.

"No!" I pretty much yelled now, "Bell is mine. MINE!"

"Please Sam, calm down!" Mum cried out, "You're going to hurt him."

I looked around, my hair had pretty much zinged metallic and wrapped around Bell. Oh, opps. I carefully unwound him. He continued sipping on this tea with his good hand as if he hadn't noticed.

I studied him carefully. His hair was still perfectly in place, his jacket was still pressed and arranged artfully across his shoulders. He hadn't even spilled a drop of tea. I should have known my hair knew what it was doing.

Alpha Lorent was still looking to my Dad, "What do you think, Alpha Kingsley?"

{Dad say no!} I ordered, but I was this close to begging. I suddenly felt desperate.

Dad nodded, so I took it to mean I should leave it to him?

"I've always treated Bell as my own son." Dad began, "So perhaps I should also be blamed as his father."

Say what? Since when did my Dad speak bull?

Dad continued, "There is no healing pack that can rival the Lorents, and I'm a black wolf myself, who only knows how to fight..."

And talk bull, apparently. Just tell Alpha James "NO"!

"But back in Black Forest, we do have a very old healer." Dad said, "This healer had cured many incurable maladies and still owes me a few favors. Perhaps it is about time I call in on them."

Wow, my dad could also speak native Lorent! Who knew he could spin Lorent style narratives too? But it seemed to work.

"I've heard of this healer." Alpha James said, nodding his understanding, "It's a healing style radically different from anything we know in the plains. My brother had ever told me that there was a healer in Night Forest who was an original wolf from the Colored Mountains."

Which made me feel conflicted because we all knew that Beta Lorent was a bad guy now.

"If there is a chance that this boy can be healed, I am willing to try it. It doesn't matter what the cost." Alpha James declared, "Up to half the Lorent's private fortune, I would be willing to pay for my son's recovery."

Dad nodded and turned to me, "Sam, I will write a note to your uncle. This weekend, you are to take your mate with you when you go to Night Forest. Make sure your Uncle Louis takes you and Bell personally to the old healer in the woods."

Eh?

Dad continued, "Lucas, arrange another car and let Felicity know to give Sam time off."

"If we have another car, can we take more wolves along?" Ben asked.

Dad nodded, "Good idea, Ben. Take Ki with you too."

"Yes, yes." Alpha James agreed, "Take Ki. Ki is the only one able to manage my useless son's temper. Besides, he has the ability to stabilize his recuperation without drips or medicinal teas."

Oh, was that what the green stuff was? Wait, but if that's the case, why wasn't Ki here?

"Alright, Ben. Why don't you arrange your own entourage?" Beta Lucas said, "I'll give you one car and 3 rooms. You can figure the rest out on your own."

"Only three rooms?" Ben complained.

"Two rooms." Beta Lucas answered mercilessly.

Ben opened his mouth, and then shut it again, because he wasn't stupid.

"Three is fine, Lucas." Dad said. "I'm sure Bell would appreciate his own room."

Why? Was dad worried bell would bunk in with me? Hahaha.

"Understood, Alpha." Beta Lucas said.

To Alpha James, Dad said, "Don't worry about Bell or the pack. I'm sure between the two of us, we will find a solution."

Luna Edith's tears started to flow all over again.

Alpha James nodded solemnly, "You are indeed a noble and honourable alpha. I will not forget this."

"Th..thank you..." Luna Edith whispered, bowing. Mum quickly stopped her at mid-bow, and handed her fresh tissues.

I frowned, so they didn't want me to break up with Bell either? Then why did they suggest it in the first place?

"But I cannot help but worry about young Sam." Alpha Lorent continued, "She is kind and gentle, now her mate is crippled and may remain so for life. Our packs are merging and soon we would be one of the great packs of this continent - this is too great a burden for a young girl."

Dad's lips pressed into a firm line, "We will manage."

I crossed my arms, "I can take care of it! I can take care of Bell and everyone and everything else too!"

Nobody looked convinced.

"Nevermind that for now," Mum decided to gently push aside the issue before anyone (mostly me) blew a fuse, "For now, let's just take things one day at a time."

Tbh, I think the adults were really making the entire situation sound worse than it was.

Actually, even Ben and Harvey looked serious. Wth! I was right here! I was the Alpha! I would protect everyone's happiness!

But truth to be told, the only one who looked calm was Bell. He took another sip of tea.