Grayson’s POV
Lukas’ hand left my back and I sighed as the relief faded away and the pain returned. I hate myself for seeking comfort in Lukas but the constant throbbing pain is pissing me off. It reminds me of my childhood.
I’m simply just using him.
Lukas left the room to go answer the front door and I waited on the bed on my stomach, staring at the wall. The stupid wall in Maine and not my wall all the way back in Oregon.
It’s not fair I had to come here just because I’m mated to the asshole. Why does my whole life have to change just for his benefit? What am I gaining from this? A mate? A pack? Love? Who said I asked for any of that?
I never wanted a mate. I never wanted love. I saw what mates and love did to a person and what it ends in. I experienced the aftermath of it first hand.
My mother died when I was 3. She died giving birth to my little brother, Taylor. I don’t remember her much since I was so young but I just remember things being good. My life being happy and filled with love and affection. I was the product of my parents undying love and they shared it with me.
My mother had a rough pregnancy with me and took a long time to recover from my birth but with a lot of time, she was fine. We both lived. I was their miracle child, the child they always wanted and were blessed from the Goddess above with.
After I was born, my mother was strictly advised to not have anymore children. She was too high risk, it was destined to turn out tragically. That advise was followed for 3 years before one drunken night when I was out with a babysitter, they conceived another child.
I was told my mother refused to abort the child. She didn’t have the heart to take his life even though it meant giving hers. She carried him barely to the third trimester, her body couldn’t handle the stress of a baby.
She went into labor unexpectedly and at the end, she bled out. She barely named Taylor before she died.
Taylor wasn’t expected to live either, being pre-mature. His heart and lungs were weak and they thought he wouldn’t last the night, even with all the treatment he was getting in the NICU. He stayed there for a few months to everyone’s surprise and grew strong enough to come home.
I bet he wishes that he never did.
Things started to get rocky after my mother’s death. My dad was struck with grief and vengeance. He wished Taylor was never conceived or born. He had no love for that baby. He only wanted his mate.
He turned to alcohol and drugs to numb his pain but it made him violent and cruel. He had no feeling of happiness anymore, only anger. He released that anger onto us. At first he would just yell, scream, and cry until he couldn’t anymore. Then he got physical. It started with some hits and some slaps here and there then it progressed to using knives and whatever he could throw. Next came the rape. My body being sold for money to pay for his addictions.
I ran away when I was 11. I went out the window one night and never looked back. I couldn’t do it anymore. My body was weak and used. I was in too much pain for a little kid to bare so I left.
How did no one notice our suffering?
I tried to take my brother with me but he got caught in the window by my father and I couldn’t risk staying. I was desperate to escape even if that meant leaving him behind.
Sometimes I still think about him. I tried to find him when I joined Alpha Quinn’s pack a few months later but there was no luck. They relocated again and changed their names.
Now I turn to alcohol as my medicine like my father did but I am not my father. I don’t think like him and act like him when I’m drunk. When I drink I can’t remember everything that’s happened to me. I feel warm and happy and outgoing and that’s all I want. Alcohol is all I need.
The pain I feel now is nothing compared to what I have felt but since I’ve been away from it for so long I forgot how to deal with the discomfort.
Lukas’ hands are warm and make all the pain numb so I’m just using my resources.
I hate being this weak.
My body feels as if it’s on fire and my head feels heavy. I plan on laying low the next few days. I’m going to take the time to fully heal so I am completely ready to go with no problems when I leave this place.
That also means I am going to have to be in Lukas’ constant attention and if some choice words come out of my mouth, that’s not my fault. It’s not like what I’m saying isn’t true.
I heard Lukas and another pair of footsteps returning to the room but I couldn’t see the door from the bed. Lukas’ room is ridiculously big and it makes me wonder how large this house is if just his bedroom is this grand.
The door opened and shut and soon Lukas appeared in front of me with a woman. Her skin was dark and contrasted with her hair that was in dozens of box braids, each a different color.
She wore a casual clothes and had a hot pink backpack slung on her back. She didn’t strike me as a doctor.
“Hi, Alpha. My name is Marilyn and I’ll be your doctor from now on.” She smiled, exposing her perfect white teeth. “Now on” meaning until I ditch this hell hole. She better not get used to calling me Alpha either. I have no plans of being a figure in this pack.
“Hi? Can you just call me Grayson?” I mumbled.
“Ok! Let’s get started then, you can start by laying down on your tummy and I’ll just lift your shirt and look around, feel a few things. Is that okay with you, Alph—Grayson?”
I rolled from my side to my stomach and rested my head on my arms. I felt the bed dip beside me and a small pair of hands lifted my shirt just above mid back. Her hands were freezing unlike Lukas’ and didn’t bring relief. She asked me about my symptoms and whatnot as she worked.
“Mkay, Grayson. Can I get you to sit up for me?”
I said nothing as I pushed myself up and clenched my teeth, holding in any sign of pain.
“Alpha, please let him do it himself I am assessing his movement.” Marilyn said softly to Lukas who had moved to come help me up. I decided I loved Marilyn in that moment because she kept Lukas away from me.
I pushed through all the pain to get up as quickly as I could so I didn’t look as pathetic.
Once I was sitting with my back towards her, she instructed me to hunch forward a bit so my spine pressed prominently against my skin.
“Alpha, may I ask how you came upon this injury?” She asked lightly as she pushed and examined my skin. She called me Alpha again and it made me feel weird.
“I tumbled down a flight of stairs.”
“You fell?”
“No, I threw myself down them.” I answered monotonously, picking at my nails in my lap.
“Why did you do that?” Lukas’ voice cut in, confusion flooding his voice.
“To get a man off me.” I rolled my eyes at the explanation, over having to explain myself and having him listening.
He went silent at my words and I smirked. The bitch finally shut up.
After a few moments of examining and pressing on things that hurt a hell of a lot, she asked me to stand up. This was easier than trying to go from laying down to sitting up.
“This is going to sound weird but I am going to ask you to lift your shirt a bit to expose your hips. I am checking to see if they are even.”
“Why just my hips when you could see more?” I smirked and her face flushed red and she looked away.
“Grayson that’s not funny.” Lukas scolded me and I laughed.
“You’re just mad I didn’t say it to you, perv.”
“If you don’t bite your tongue right now—” He started and I cut him off.
“What? You’ll bite it for me? That’s a little kinky and you’d enjoy it a bit too much—” He pushed his hand against my mouth and glared.
“No more out of you.” He tried to scold me but I didn’t find him threatening in the slightest. Little does he know I can crank out sex jokes faster than he can crank one out. It isn’t very much of an accomplishment though because he seems strikes me as a dude that can’t last. Can’t relate.
“Jokes on you I don’t run outta cum.” I mumbled through his hand and he gripped my chin in his hand and got dangerously close to my face. I struggled against his hold with no prevail.
“I would love to test that pathetic theory of yours but now isn’t a very appropriate time.” He growled and his eyes locked with mine.
My body was turned on but my mind screamed no. The wolf within me wanted everything about Lukas but the human within me wanted anything but.
“Now watch your mouth and act nicely or I’ll demand it from you and we both don’t want that, now do we?” He threatened me with his Alpha ability and I ripped his hand off my face at last and scowled silently.
There he goes forcing me to act however he wants.
I stand and lift my shirt for Marilyn. She surveys something I have to bite back a joke about my abs. I think Lukas knew what I wanted to say because he shot me a warning look which made me glower.
“You have a spinal misalignment. Thankfully it can be fixed with chiropractic care which I am trained in so I can fix that now. That’s what’s causing the majority of your pain. The rest of it is just simply bruising from the impact and those are uncomfortable to lay on.” Marilyn broke the silence with her diagnosis.
“Will that effect him long term? Or is it you fix it and it’s over?” Lukas questioned.
“Makes me likely to get it again.” I mumbled as Marilyn guided me back down on my stomach
“How do you know that?” Lukas questioned me and I rolled my eyes. Because I’m a fucking genius?
“Already had one. I was already at a higher risk of it.” I say resting my head against the pillow, tempted to fall asleep.
When I used to live with my dad he would get me onto the ground and kick me in my back. I developed a lot of back pain and then during one beating he kicked me just right and my back was completely jacked up.
“You didn’t say anything? That’s some good medical information to know.” Marilyn added and I shrugged the best I could while laying down.
“Forgot.”
“No worries though because we got you diagnosed anyways! I’ll just realign your spine real quick then we can move on!”
She placed cupped her hand on my upper back. “So you’ve had this done before? You know what to expect? Or should I run you through the procedure real quick?”
“Just get it over with.” I grumbled and I felt someone flick the bottom of my foot making me jolt from surprise. “…Please.”
“Perfect! Now breathe in…” I did so. “Breathe out.”
As I was breathing out she pressed down quickly on my back and a loud cracking sound rang throughout the room. I groaned at the feeling of my back loosening up. I love chiropractors.
She did another motion on my lower back before flipping me onto my back.
She had me cross one of my legs in a 4 shape across my other leg and cross my arms across my chest. She uses one hand to hold my arm and the other hand to gently reach under my back, tilting me to the side.
“Breathe in and relax.” She instructed and I did so. “Breathe out.
She pushed opposite ways with her hands resulting in the loudest crack I’ve ever heard. The groan that left my lips might as well been a moan of pleasure it felt so nice. My back felt like a million tons of pressure has been lifted off of it and I could already feel all the pain melting away.
She did a few more wrap up movements before letting me sit back up and this time with ease.
“How do you feel?” Marilyn asked and I grinned.
“Amazing. That is some miracle work right there. It barely even hurts anymore!” I exclaimed in amazement.
I caught Lukas’ face in the corner of my eye and I could see him smiling softly at me. Ew. Moment ruined.
“I heard you were also having head pain, did you hit your head when you fell? Pass out?” Marilyn continued her assessment.
“Uhm, yeah I think I hit my head on the floor at the bottom. I didn’t pass out once I hit the floor. I got up.” I mumbled, growing incredibly tired in such the short time I’ve been awake. My head felt stuffed and now that I wasn’t in excruciating pain I wanted to go back to sleep.
“That’s good you didn’t pass out. I am going to perform a test called the SAC test, basically I’ll just ask a bunch of questions and depending on how you answer is how I will diagnose you. Please memorize these words and I will ask you to recite them later. Truck. Cabin. Spoon.”
I scoffed. This test is stupid of course I’m going to remember. These words are easy as hell.
“Grayson, be nice.” Lukas warned lowly and I rolled my eyes at him. Now that I was facing him I could see his eyes go dark at my blatant disrespect towards him.
“It’s all good! This test is super easy if nothing is wrong with you so let’s hope that’s true!” Marilyn said cheerily, breaking the tension and stare between Lukas and I.
“Ok, first question. What is today’s date, day of the week, and current time?” She asked as she pulled a neon yellow notebook out of her hot pink bag.
How the fuck am I supposed to know that? I stared at her for a moment as I tried to rack my brain for answers.
“Uh… It’s… October? I know that much. It’s around 10 in the morning right now…this isn’t fair I never know the date.” I complained and Lukas looked at me worriedly. I’m not going to drop dead because I don’t know the fucking date.
“It’s okay we can move on. For your own reference today is Tuesday, October 18, 2022. The time is 10:24–”
“It’s Tuesday?” I cut her off and she blinked at my sudden outburst.
“Yes?”
“I have a soccer game tonight against Oregon’s state champions and I’m all away across the fucking country.” I seethed, my body burning in anger. This is all I have been training for and I won’t even be there.
“Watch you mouth, Grayson. It’s not like you would have been able to play anyways, you’re injured.” Lukas warned me and I glared at him.
“You can’t control how I fucking talk. And since when has an injury stopped anyone? You couldn’t wait another day to kidnap me? You just ruined probably the most important game of my season.” I blew up and Lukas fired back.
“Don’t test what I can and can not control, Grayson. Injuries stop athletes all the time because it’s not worth it to ruin your body just for one game! You don’t go to that school anymore so it shouldn’t even matter to you.”
“The hell it doesn’t matter! I trained endlessly for this and I can’t even play! That is my team. Those are my teammates. Whatever happens in that game tonight matters to me.” I yelled, barely able to think with how much my head hurt from yelling and being talked out.
“Calm down.” Lukas demanded.
“Stop belittling me!” I barked back.
“I’m not belittling you. I’m just telling you the truth—” Lukas started to explain but Marilyn politely cut him off.
“Sorry to interfere but Alpha you are becoming increasingly pale and sweaty. I suggest bringing the volume down and calming your mind. Do you need a bucket or anything?”
Lukas eyes snapped from my eyes to my whole face. His face softened and left the room.
Maybe he realized he’s only fucking me up and left for good. I prayed to the Goddess above that I was right but I knew it wasn’t. I could only dream of such paradise.
The vomit rested at the bottom of my throat and I wanted this test to be over. I want to be in my bed, in my home, in my state, prepping for my game. Not be babied and asked for remember meaningless words and treated as if I am on the verge of death.
“He’s a bitch isn’t he?” I asked Marilyn, trying to distract myself from my lurching stomach.
“Uh—well I can’t say that about my own Alpha.” She stuttered and I snorted.
“He’s not here? I say it to him all the time don’t worry ’bout it. He can’t get mad about the truth.” I rolled my eyes and she laughed.
“You definitely got spunk kid.” She laughed as she complimented me and I grinned.
“It’s a gift. Okay can we finish this little test? I’m tired as fuck.” I groaned and she laughed again.
“Yeah, no problem. Repeat these numbers backwards. 60842.”
“24086.”
She scribbled in her notebook and smiled softly. “Close. You switched the 0 and the 8.”
“Oops. I’m no good with numbers.” I shrugged and she asked another question.
“Recite the months of the year backwards.”
I stared at her and blinked. “You couldn’t have picked easier questions?”
“Sorry just standard questioning.” She chuckled and I groaned.
“Uh December. November. October… September. August. June… July. May… March. April… February. January. Easy money.” I recited confidently.
She wrote in her notebook again and nodded. “Mixed a few up but close.” I scrunched my eyebrows, I did? “What were the words I asked you to remember?”
My mind was blank as soon as she asked. I barely remember her telling me the words in the first place. “Uh… Truck. Yeah that was one. The other one was a utensil. Fork? No. Spoon. And the last one…”
I trailed off trying to think of what the word was and as I was thinking, Lukas walked back into the room carrying a plastic water bottle and a bucket. “I’m making you food so that’ll be done in a bit. What’d I miss?” He asked as he put the items on the bed beside me.
“None your buisness—” I started but Marilyn cut me off.
“Just finishing this last question then we are done here!” She replied cheerily and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Suck up.
“Uh yeah… About that… I don’t remember the last words?” I chuckled nervously. I really thought this was going to be easy. Stupid man. Stupid stairs. Stupid memory loss.
“That’s totally okay, Grayson. Just by your immediate results from this testing I would say you have a grade 2 concussion with symptoms of short term memory loss, headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Does that sound about right?”
“Yeah that pretty much sums it up.” I shrug and she continues.
“Perfect! Since you are a werewolf and you have your mate, you’re healing rates will be elevated and you’ll be good as new in no time. I recommend just sticking right by Alpha Lukas for a few days, lots of physical contact.
For your head, get plenty of sleep, drink loads of liquids, limit screen time, bright lights, and loud sounds. Also consume plenty of nutrients through your diet. For your back, stretching is important to strengthen your muscles again after injury and massages will help with any tension you may experience.
Don’t do anything to physically demanding and really just lay back and relax for a while. Of course if any of your symptoms worsen come get me immediately but I don’t see that happening. I want you to see you again in a week straight perhaps to check back up on you, maybe work on your back again. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect. Thank you so much Marilyn.” Lukas thanked her for me and I just nodded. I just have to make it through a few days of Lukas then I’m set and ready to go. It can’t be that bad, can it?
Who am I kidding yes it can.
Marilyn packed up her things and Lukas showed her back through the house, conversing lowly with her so I can’t hear as they left. I let my eyes shut after the exhausting session and I was happy to find that I could sleep without my back keeping me awake.
Hopefully I can just sleep for the next few days straight.
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