"Put me down gently fool." I teased Steven as he laid me across the white sheeted hospital bed.

"You're lucky I didn't drop your ass." He laughed.

"Then I would have killed you." I frowned at him. Even though I was in pain, I was making light of the situation. I didn't want anyone panicking or overreacting about this.

The doctor walked in, clearing the room of everyone to exam me. She placed her hand against my side, causing me to flinch and hiss out in pain. She began examining the rest of my body, checking for any more problems that may have occurred that I did not notice myself.

"A few broken ribs Amira but you should heal fairly well. Give it maybe two or three days to fully heal." She smiled as she patted my shoulder.

"Thank you." I gave her a smile back.

"I will allow your guest to come back in for a few minutes then you need your rest."

"Okay, thank you."

After I slipped on a green hospital gown, she opened the door, allowing people to come in to see me for a moment.

Brittany ran in first, full speed in her step.

"Oh my god, I'm so glad you're okay." she wrapped her arms around me, practically suffocating me.

"Brittany, your grip." I choked.

"Sorry, sorry." She eased up before she stepped back.

"I'm so sorry you got hurt." A masculine voice spoke aloud. I peeked behind Brittany to see Steven standing there. A guilty look on his face.

"It's not your fault. Actually, I would probably be dead if you didn't come along." I reassured him, acknowledging the fact that it was originally a solo mission.

His eyes brightened up a little, erasing the remorseful look from his face.

"Oh my god, I'm so happy that you are okay." Angela flew in to my room, her eyes locked on not my own, but Steven's instead. She flew in to him, snaking her arms around his neck.

What the hell?

After Brittany and I shared a bewildered look, we remand silent as we waited to see what happened next. Steven responded, wrapping his arms around her waist, his objective not to let her go.

"Um excuse me; I'm the one in the hospital gown." I cleared my throat playful, pointing to the paper thin gown.

"Oh Amira I'm sorry." she flinched, releasing Steven before she ran to me, wrapping her arms around me for an embracing hug.

As much as the topic nipped at me, I decided to avoid the subject...for now. I watched Steven. I watched as he smiled at her, his eyes never leaving focus of her. That was until his facial features changed drastically.

"Steven, are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine. I'm going to have to excuse myself. But you get better." He rushed out the door before anyone could respond.

I wonder what got in to him...

******

STEVEN-

I stood there, watching as Amira and Brittany laughed and joked as if nothing had ever happened. I tried to feel better but I couldn't. She could have died in front of my eyes. She told me I was the reason that she was still alive because I joined her but it didn't put me at ease too much.

I was knocked out of thought when the door burst open to see a worried Angela.

"Oh my god, I'm so happy that you are okay." She rushed into me, her arms enclosed around my neck. Her presence, her touch, her aura was enough to enclose me in a fulfilling world of comfort. Anything and everything else seemed to disappear for a minute.

"Um excuse me; I'm the one in the hospital gown." Amira joked, knocking us out of our trance.

"Oh Amira I'm sorry." Ang took to her side, comforting her friend with a hug. She was always gentle. An easy going spirit who cherished the idea of making other's smile.

I tried to focus on them, despite the nagging pressure in my head. It was him. He was calling me, urging me to come to him. His signal was as if it was an emergency however I could tell it was nothing more than an angry bat signal.

"Steven, are you okay?" Amira asked me.

"I'm fine. I'm going to have to excuse myself. But you get better." I dismissed myself...

He was like an aching trigger. Like a mosquito buzzing in my ear constantly. He wouldn't stop, no matter how many times I assured him that I got the message. There was no urgency. What can be urgent inside of his private office?

I knocked on the door, my face sour as I thought about what this could be about.

"Come in!" He yelled from the other end of the door. It wasn't a voice that seemed happy to see me.

I walked in regretfully.

"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?" He spared no time.

"What?"

"You both have to be the stupidest most careless ones in this pack."

"Careless? If it wasn't for me, she would be dead. My 'carelessness kept her alive." I hissed through gritted teeth. "It was nothing we could do to avoid that situation."

He paused in the moment. A look of confusion crossed his face before it twisted up again, revealing nothing but anger.

"Just....stay away from the girl."

"Why?" I wanted to know the answer. I wanted to know why I, and every one else was required to treat the girl like a quarantine patient.

"You know why." He went soft.

"But does she know why?"

"I told her why."

"Did you tell her the REAL reason why? Not that 'I respect your father enough to keep you alive and safe' bullshit."

"Fix your tone or I will fix it for you." He snapped back, furry brewing in his tone.

I lowered my head. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. The wolf in me could not find the strength to disobey the wolf in him.

"Just... admit it. Save her from the pain she is going through by being isolated and ignored by the pack."

There was a moment of silence. A long pause in the room.

"Leave." he mumbled....