A painting is not a picture of an experience.

It is an experience.

-Mark Rothko

***

Daisy hands me her coat. Like a caretaker, she pulls it over my head, careful with the fabric, and making sure it does not hit my face.

Then she helps me up.

"My father?" I whisper out my question.

"Unconscious," Daisy says.

I nod and we silently walk out of my prison.

I look around, taking in what looked to be a shed. My father's body is there, unconscious and tied up.

Daisy still has her arm around me as she pulls out her cellphone, pressing it to her ear.

She waits several seconds before I hear the other line click and the sound of Jay's voice faintly coming through.

"Little Moon, where are you?"

Daisy smiles into the phone, but it's a sad smile.

"Hey, hot stuff. We found her."

There is a pause. I hear a shuffling on the phone before a sob reaches my ears, "You found her? You actually have her?"

Atlas.

His voice breaks my heart as I take in the desperation of it.

"Yes, Atlas."

"Is she hurt?"

Daisy pauses and looks down at me, her face showing all too well that unanswered question.

"Yes," she whispers.

I feel my knees tremble when the sound of Atlas's broken sobs come through.

"Thank you, Daisy. Thank you."

A faint red appears on Daisy's cheeks. She glances down at me but I am too far gone. I'm swaying, barely able to hold myself up, if not for the help of Daisy.

"She needs medical attention. We are not far from the pack. I'll bring her to the clinic and meet you there."

Before Atlas can respond Daisy is hanging up.

I gasp when she leans down, picking up my knees.

She's strong.

Not like me.

I wasn't strong.

After all my efforts, chants and steeling myself in. I still wasn't able to stop him.

If Daisy had not been there. If Daisy had not been there.

I feel fresh tears make their way down my face at the cruel reality.

"Shhh, Stay with me, Lexie. Stay with me."

Daisy's soothing words have me clinging to her as she continues to walk through the forest.

We stay like that, in silence until we reach the main road.

There, a truck is waiting.

"How did you find me?"

Atlas didn't find me. Jay didn't. The pack didn't find me. So how did Daisy?

Daisy gives me a grim smile.

"Let's just say, the Moon owes me many favors."

I'm to confused by her words to ask what she means.

Instead, I sigh and sink into the seat of the truck.

She turns the heater on, letting the warmth wash over me.

"Lexie I don't want to ask this but I have to...did...did he...?"

I shake my head, "Thank you, Daisy."

I look up to see tears trailing down Daisy's face. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

I continue to stare at her, awed by this woman's power.

It's another twenty minutes or so before we reach the border.

The patrol guard stops Daisy, but upon seeing me runs to the door, "Luna!"

I don't have the energy to raise my head, and instead, I look away, ashamed.

"Let us through. She needs to see Dr. Schulman."

The guard eyes Daisy with suspicion, "I need to call Alpha Atlas first. Does he know you have the Luna?"

Daisy's eyes flash a bright blue. It's eerie and has both me and the guard gasping as she bares her teeth at him, "Let us through."

Without a word he steps back, his throat bobbing in fear and hands raised in defense.

Daisy spits out a parting threat before continuing.

"I don't want Atlas to see me." My confession is said out loud.

Daisy doesn't growl. She doesn't threaten me. Instead, she softly reaches forward and strokes my hair, "Let your mate comfort you. And let the sight of you comfort your mate. You are not alone anymore Lexie. You don't have to face this alone."

A sob rips from my throat as I take in her words.

We pull up the clinic and- there he is.

Atlas rushes to the door and stops at the sight of me.

I look away. I look away from those blue eyes.

He touched me Atlas.

I want to look over and say those words.

He touched me and I let him. I let him put his hands on my body. A body that should only be touched by you.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Atlas gently, carefully, raises me from the seat. I close my eyes to the feel of his heat. To the sensation of flames burning at my skin.

He walks me slowly inside, careful the whole way.

Daisy follows him, and I see Jay waiting in the hall.

His shoulders fall in relief when he sees me, but his whole frame crumbles in pure reassurance at the sight of Daisy.

I manage to hear his whispered words to her, "I thought you had run away little moon."

"Never."

I almost want to smile at the interaction, but my face can't seem to form the shape.

I look up when I hear the comforting sound of Dr. Schulman.

"Here Atlas set her here."

Atlas gently places me on one of the beds.

Dr.Schulman looks at me before calling out, "Daisy."

She appears in the doorway, nodding to Dr. Schulman in acknowledgment.

"Will you take care of Lexie?"

Daisy's eyes soften at his words, "Of course doc."

Dr. Schulman slowly, with his age showing in his trembling fingers and walk, reaches for Atlas.

"Come Atlas."

Atlas's eyes flash gold, and a low growl emerges from his throat.

I whimper at the noise. Shudder at the sight.

He flinches from my sound, his eyes growing wide as he takes me in.

His shoulders fall in defeat as, wordlessly he trails behind Dr. Schulman, closing the door to seal Daisy and me in.

Daisy rushes to the door, opening it just a crack.

She turns to me, her eyes wide.

"I know."

I sigh in relief. She knew.

We don't say a word as she brings me to the bathroom. As she strips me of my clothes and sets me in a steaming tub of water.

She hums softly, the sound comforting to my soul as she washes away the blood, leaving me bathing in a water of pink.

"Let's fix that nose," Daisy whispers after I'm dried and dressed in clean sweats and a jacket, with my cuts wrapped.

She gives me pain medicine, apologizing beforehand for the discomfort before she quickly jerks the bones back into place.

"It will take longer to heal, but you'll be okay."

I look up and meet her dark blue eyes.

"Will it be okay?" I whisper.

Daisy bends down, letting herself be eye level with me.

"It hurt didn't it?"

"Yes," I say, the word faint and soft.

"But it's over now. You'll still feel that pain. But it's the aftershocks. And you'll have scars. But you will be okay."

I nod fresh tears in my eyes now.

"Thank you."

Daisy hesitates before she slowly embraces me.

"I heard you fighting Lexie. I heard you fighting like hell for yourself. Thank you."

A barrier breaks inside me at her words. I cling to her. This female. This female whom I had looked at and questioned. This female whom I avoided and never really knew what to say too.

This female.

She had saved me.

Update: I am still sick.

(But thank you to everyone who wished me to feel better! I think it worked for an hour or two before it went downhill from there....but Iloooooovveeeedd the love ♥)