The Ivory Queen

5. Frozen

*** Oliver's POV***

     Carter brings me a change of clothes as I am still only wearing a pair of basketball shorts and have become annoyed by the several unwarranted looks I'm receiving from the female medical staff.

     Hours creep by before I am given an update on Aurora's condition. Her surgery is a success and Meghan finally takes Carter and I to her room. Before entering, Meghan stops us.

     "Alpha, Aurora was severely beaten, not just today, but on multiple occasions. Probably daily, from the looks of it. My team found a lot of older bruises throughout her body and the amount of scar tissue she has…" she pauses, shaking her head. "It may to be difficult for you to see her like that."

    "I want to see her."

     "Alright," she answers, leading me inside the large hospital room. 

     Aurora looks so small in bed. Several tubes are attached to her frail arms and chest while the heart monitor reveals a slow and steady heartbeat. Her head is wrapped in bandages and her once beautiful eyes were severely swollen shut. A large ventilator tube enters her mouth through bruised and swollen lips. I grab a chair and sit beside her, kissing her small hands.

     "I'm right here, baby," I whisper softly.

     "We’ll give you two some privacy," Carter says quietly. He leans over my shoulder and whispers, "Alpha, don't worry. Erin is locked up and we've disposed of Andrew's body. I'll take care of your Alpha duties until you are able to return."

     I mumble a quick Thank You and I hear the two exit the room, leaving me completely alone with my mate. I sit by her side the entire night, never falling sleep, in case she wakes up.

---

    In the morning, Carter drives me home to shower and change my clothes. I decide to head over to Erin's room and find out what she knows.

     Erin is sitting on her bed, looking pitiful when I walk into her room. Her appearance is disheveled and there are bags under her eyes.

     "Why am I locked up?" she demands. "Where's that b***h, Aurora? I'm going to kill her!"

     I remain silent. I know Erin and she loves to talk. All I had to do was stay quiet and she'd reveal everything to me. I lean against the door and wait.

     "Not in a talking mood? Fine. Then you can hear all about the things that slut did," she hissed. "Andrew came to pick me up yesterday morning. I saw her flirting with him, playing hard to get, before they both ran off into the woods together." An evil smile stretches across her face. 

    I clench my jaw, but say nothing.

     "They were gone a really long time," she continues. "I was getting tired of waiting, so I went off to go find them. That's when I saw what she did." She pauses, waiting to see my reaction.

     I remain emotionless.

     "She made the earth move and snapped his neck with weeds. f*****g weeds! That b***h is a goddamn witch! She's dangerous! You need to stay away from her or she'll hurt you too! She'll hurt the pack! We have to kill her!" she pleads.

     I grow tired of her useless stories and grab her by the throat.

     "What did your brother do to her?" I command, using my alpha voice.

     She tenses up under my grip and answers obediently, "I don't know."

     "Listen very carefully," I snarl. "Aurora Montenegro is my mate and your Luna. If you or any other pack member every lay a finger on her again, I'll kill you. I'll tear every limb from your body. Do you understand?"

     She nods forcefully. I release my grip on her and she falls back on her bed.

     "How's your shoulder?" I ask.

     "It's fine."

     "Good. You will remain here for the following week as punishment for hurting your Luna. Touch her again and you'll be joining your brother." And with that I leave.

     I run back to my room and pack a bag of clothes and toiletries, before driving back the hospital.

     Aurora is still asleep. Around lunchtime, Carter comes to drop off a hot meal. I'm not hungry, but he sits with me for a while anyway. He leaves after about an hour to go deal with some of my Alpha duties.

---

    The next four months are a blur. Everyday Carter would come, drop off work files for me to look over, sit with me for bit and then leave to take care of business. My little sister, Rosalie, would also come and visit, often bringing snacks and changes of clothes for me.

     "You need to eat!" she'd scold. "You don't want your Luna to wake up to a walking skeleton do ya?"

     "You are the most annoying brat in the world!" I'd scold back.

     "But you love me," she'd retort.

     My parents refuse to visit. After I explained to them that Aurora was my mate, they stopped speaking to me altogether. I remember the argument we had vividly. 

*FLASHBACK*

    I had gone home to grab some more clothes and necessities. When I walked into my bedroom, both my mom and dad were waiting patiently on my bed.

     "Nice of you to come home," my mother said drily.

     "What are you doing in room?" I asked.

     "We came here because there was growing concern over your leadership skills, Oliver. No one has seen you in week. You're sister has been worried sick about you. You're not eating. You're not sleeping. You're not here. You don't tell us anything. So where, might I ask, have you been all this time?" demanded my father.

     "I've been at the hospital with my mate. She's in a coma," I replied.

     "Oh yes, we know all about your little mate. It's that crazy girl who murdered her father in fit of rage!" my father snarled.

     "And what's more, she killed someone from our own pack!" my mother added.

     "She didn't kill her father and Andrew's death was in self-defense!"

     "That’s not what Erin says," snapped my father.

     "And you really want to believe that b***h?" I asked.

     "Erin and her family have been loyal members of this pack. They are not cold-blooded killers capable of murdering their own flesh and blood!" my mother responded coldly.

     "GET OUT!"

    I’d had enough. Aurora had been through hell, and did not need this slandering.

     "You'll kick out your family for that b***h?"

     "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

     They swiftly got up and headed toward the door. My father spoke once more. "You are no son of mine so long as that b***h stands by your side."

     "Trust me, you stopped being my father a long time ago." I slammed the door shut, anger boiling through my veins. I punched the wall, putting hole through it and screamed out my frustration. Once I composed myself, I mind-linked Carter to call a pack meeting. I went outside and waited for everyone to gather around.

     "I know many of you are concerned about my whereabouts these last few weeks and I am sorry for having kept you in the dark so long. The reason for my absence is simple. You're future Luna is currently fighting for her life, laying comatose at the pack hospital. Carter has been bringing me all of the administration work for me to look over and stepping in for me at Alpha and business meetings. I guarantee you, I have not abandoned my duties and responsibilities," I declared.

    "Alpha, who is our Luna?" an anonymous voice asked.

     "You're Luna is Aurora Montenegro of the Lluvia Blanca pack," I replied.

     I heard several gasps and exasperations. I could feel Michael snarling at them.

     "The murderer?" "Did he say Aurora Montenegro?" "We're gonna have a crazy Luna!" They whispered.

     "Silence!" I commanded and waited until the crowd went silent. "Your Luna is Aurora Montenegro and I expect every one of you to show some respect to her when she arrives. You are not to mistreat, insult, or abuse her in anyway. Anyone who does will answer directly to me. Is that understood?"

     "Yes, sir!" they responded.

     "Good, meeting adjourned."

 *END OF FLASH BACK*

     My parents haven't spoken to me since that night, but that didn't matter. I just need Aurora by my side. I was shocked to find out they no longer spoke to Rosalie either as she too defended Aurora. It warms my heart knowing my sister still has my back. She didn't know Aurora all that well, but I could tell she already loved her. Sometimes while I slept, I'd hear Rosalie telling Aurora how excited she was to have a sister. She’d even plan double dates for when she woke up. Every time she'd visit, she would brush Aurora's hair and let me practice braiding her own hair. 

     A knock interrupts my thoughts.

     "Come in," I answer.

     Evan, Aurora's gamma and future guardian, walks in. "Hey, Oliver. I came to ask if you needed anything. Food, clothes, toiletries?"

    "I'm ok for now, thank you."

     Evan looks over at Aurora. "How is our Luna today?" he asks, closing the door behind him.

     Evan, Carter and I have been best friends since we were pups. We've stuck by each other's side through thick and thin. When Evan found out Aurora was Luna, it activated his gamma bond with her and he immediately went into protective gamma mode. He'd stop by every day to read to her.

     "Healing."

     "She's looking much better, man. I'm seeing less and less tubes on her. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before she wakes up!"

     Last month, the doctors removed her ventilator as she showed signs of proper breathing. Over the course of the past few days, several of her other tubes had been removed. Now she just has an I.V, a feeding tube, the heart monitor and her catheter.

     "I hope you're right," I say.

     He sits down on the side of her bed and pulls out a book from his pocket.

     "So what's the book of the day?" I ask, reaching out to grab a business file on the coffee table to look over while Evan reads.

     "Today, I've brought a Classic." He raises up the cover to show me. "Pride and-"

     The sounds of groaning stop Evan and I in our tracks. We look over at Aurora, who's shifting in her bed. Suddenly, she winces at the bright light as her eyes open. She lifts her tiny hand to shade her beautiful honey eyes. 

     She's awake!

    I meet her gaze and her eyes immediately widen. They are full of fear.