*Melian POV*
Loki just got up and left without a word. After our conversation about what I needed from them to heal, and be able to move on with them, he got super quiet. I just assumed he was processing what we discussed. Maybe it's going to be too much for him. Maybe I'm too damaged for him, and he is rethinking his decision not to reject me. So many what ifs and whys and it's making my head spin. I hadn't felt well for the past couple of hours. My head hurt, and my body was achy.
Liam encouraged me to lie down for awhile and get some rest, and I made myself comfortable and tried, but I couldn't get Loki's abrupt departure out of my mind. Liam bent over and kissed my forehead and whispered, "Baby, don't let Loki get you upset or worried. He will be alright. He doesn't deal well with emotional things, and sometimes can get overwhelmed. He isn't angry with you at all, but with the monsters that did this to you." I thanked him for explaining and shut my eyes.
I felt him stroke my hair a few times and then go sit on the couch with my brother. I could hear them talking and Rebecca was sitting in the chair next to me. She was on the phone with her aunt who was taking care of Trinity. I couldn't wait to get well enough to play with my niece again. She was my favorite person ever. No matter how crappy my day was, Trinity always made things better. I was almost asleep when I heard a voice say, "It's almost time, Melian. We will meet shortly." My eyes shot open and I looked around the room, but it was still the same people that were there before.
Could it be? It had to be her. My wolf, Ruby, was finally speaking to me. Confirming it was her, I felt my heart start to race, but she told me to remain calm so not to worry my mates. Calming down, I started to drift off again, this time letting sleep take over.
I was sleeping peacefully until the most agonizing pain shot through my body. I sat straight up in my bed and released a scream that sent shivers down my own spine. I went to fall back onto the pillows, but ended up hitting the floor instead. I pulled my b
ody into the fetal position thinking it would help, but I had never been so wrong. I screamed again as another pain jolted through me. Rebecca was immediately by my side trying to comfort me and find out what was wrong. Tears were falling from my eyes and I pleaded for help. "REBECCA! HELP ME!" I cried. Worry displayed on her face told me she wasn't sure what to do. The door flew open and Jason and my mates ran in. Liam was kneeling beside me trying to get me to remain calm.
I tried my hardest but the pain was too much. I heard him say that I was burning up and was probably going through my first shift. Rebecca agreed with him and told Jason to go find the doctor. I could feel Loki in the room, but he wasn't coming too close, and he wasn't speaking. I needed him closer, but I couldn't get the words out to tell him. Liam got a cold washcloth and was wiping the sweat off my face, and trying to cool me down. I kept trying to get Ruby to tell me what was happening but she was just as silent as Loki.
Jason rushed back into the room and explained that Dr. Flores was in surgery, but the head nurse was going to help us. Liam picked me up and put me into a wheelchair, and we rushed out of the room. I could feel fur starting to sprout up from my skin, and the pain was getting more intense. While Jason pushed the wheelchair, Loki finally came and held my hand. Liam followed suit and helped the other one. It felt good to have them both with me finally. It eased the pain only slightly, but again, anything was better than nothing.
Rebecca was urging them to push faster as the nurse led us towards a canopy of tree limbs. It would give me enough privacy to finish the shift, but it was still close enough to the hospital in case of an emergency. I still had bones that hadn't healed and needed surgery, and I wasn't sure how the shift would affect the injuries.
I screamed out again as more pain shot through me. This time it felt as if all my bones were starting to break. I pulled myself up into a ball, and my whole body broke out into a sweat. It became harder to breathe, and I could feel Ruby trying to come forward. She kept begging me to relax, that she would help me through this, but if I didn't relax it would take so much longer. I felt my mates pick me up and lay me on the ground. Loki was rubbing my back and was so close to me that I could feel his breath on my skin.
"Relax babe, we are here with you and aren't leaving you. Let your wolf help you through this. Don't fight it." He begged. Liam had my head in his lap and was in my other ear whispering words of encouragement also. I was so scared, but wanted it over. I did my best to relax and as I did, things moved a lot quicker. I could feel my bones contort and stretch. My snout and fangs extend. Within moments, a bright light surrounded me. The next thing I knew, I was sitting on my hind legs, fully shifted. The gasps I heard from everyone worried me. Was there something wrong? Liam and Loki were the first to approach me, and I went to step forward towards them.
I stopped immediately and yelped in pain. I couldn't put weight on two of my paws because of my breaks. My mates came to me and nuzzled their noses in my neck and it was the most comforting feeling I had ever felt. I licked both of them in the face and everyone gave a laugh at it.
Jason stepped forward and said, "Sis. Mel, you are amazing. You are the largest and most unique she-wolf I have ever seen." I started to whimper and my sister-in-law came to me and asked if I needed to shift back. I nodded my head and her and my mates talked me through shifting back to my human form. Liam was holding a blanket that the nurse had given him so that I could have privacy. As soon as I shifted back, he wrapped me up in that blanket. As Loki helped me back into the wheelchair, I heard a voice I thought I never would have to hear again. Lisa Montana.
"I knew it! I knew that stupid bitch wasn't dead!"
It was right then, I knew things were about to get a million times worse than they already were.