I'm Dying, Mate

(5) New Change

IONA

I got discharged out of the hospital, the next day that I woke up from my medically induced sleep. Doc seems keen on making me change my mind, but how could he change it now? Uncle Ross was given a punishment by the system he, Fredo, Raven and Arthur have.

The four have separate packs that they lead, but as brothers, their alliance is so well placed that it seems they were just running one unit. The system they have since being mated to their Alpha females is foolproof, apparently but I have no idea what his punishment was.

No one was willing to tell me anything, not even Mammie who tells me everything. I have also noticed the tense atmosphere that comes whenever Mammie and my uncles face each other. It feels as if the two weren't welcoming each other.

The room given to me by Uncle Fredo was more significant than my apartment, I didn't know what to do with so much space, and I even had my own walk-in closet and bathroom. I chose to hang out with the others in the playroom where all of my cousins decided to congregate.

Doram sits, still and adequately like a doll with his book on the table by the corner. Wires dangling from his ears to drown out the noise of the older kids playing with the consoles. Michael decided to stay with Doram as the little boy refused to go home with their parents. They're staying with here for now.

Keith starts shouting at the plasma TV, his grin from ear to ear while Airo, Arthur's son, looked grave and even pissed. I see Airo's twin, Manuel, grinning at the game but also talking to Jared beside him.

"He's going to lose" Jared's monotone voice seems bored, but I can see the glint of amusement in his eye.

"You'll see" Manuel looks relaxed, confident even.

I sit on one of the bean bags facing the TV. I feel multiple pairs of eyes on me, I knew it was the newcomer's interest that made them stare holes on my skull. Raven's sons, Frier, Mark, and Skylar, was just a meter behind me, sitting on the couch.

It's evident that they weren't watching the game. At least Manuel and Airo are polite enough to put their attention elsewhere rather than stare at me. My bruised arms in full view since it was too hot to just wear long sleeves.

"Are you feeling okay?" Jared asks, nudging me softly with his foot. I hear the hint of concern in his always controlled voice.

I nod and turn back to the game. It seems Airo is finally gaining on Keith and is close to winning.

The identical twins cheered when Keith lost. The two smiling and mocking the pissed Keith and I was a bit concerned that he'll explode at any moment.

I admire the identical blonde twins with green eyes that strike anyone. I've heard them causing a lot of trouble from the rumours around the packs. They were the reason why only a couple of people visit their packhouse. They weren't really welcoming to strangers hence why Uncle Arthur and his mate, Aunt Cara, were the only ones living in their packhouse.

Frier was the tallest person I have ever met, he towered over everyone, and I think he is close to being 7 feet. His dark stormy eyes made me flinch when we met. His brown hair swept to the side in a lazy manner.

"When are they going to finish?" I find myself asking Frier.

He raises a perfect brow at me with a blank expression. "Excited to get rid of us, already?"

I frown "t-that's not the reason why I'm asking."

He grunts and looks at the TV. Jared rolls his eyes at him while giving me a comforting nudge of his foot. "They'll be done with their little meeting soon."

"Thanks" I smile a bit before looking at the TV again.

There was a tense silence in the room again. The only sounds were the video game they were playing, but even the players weren't making any sound. I could feel the heavy beating of my heart as I realized my cousins hated me.

Their eyes on me can be considered glares, and I can't take it.

"Okay, that is it!"

Keith stopped the game and threw the controller on the floor. Jared looks questioningly at the now broken controller.

"You're going to buy a new one, right?" Jared asks

"That's not important right now" Keith answers, not looking at Jared or the controller. "it's time we address the elephant in the room."

"You mean, we're going to talk about the fact, you really do suck at games, and you should really stop playing them?" Skylar was the one who said that. I see him on the farthest side of the couch, his long legs tucked near his chest. He has the same brown hair as Frier, but his eyes were the softest green, he always reminds me of Aunt Fiona. He is the youngest brother of Frier and Mark

Keith scoffs "No, not the f*****g point right now."

"Well, we're not going to talk if it's about anything else," Mark says, the 2nd born. He was the only one to inherit Raven's black hair with his grey eyes.

"We are going to talk about it. Now, this is Iona, our long-lost cousin" Keith says inching closer to me and petting my head like a dog. "anyone with any questions or reactions—"

"We're not going to talk about it," Skylar says

"—can speak up after I talk" Keith throws Skylar a dirty look.

"Talk about what? This little human who left us? Are you even considered f*****g family after leaving for that long?" Frier says, his grey eyes glaring at me.

"She didn't leave!" Keith shouts

"You don't get to say that, you fucker" Jared stands on his feet ready to leap at Frier. I didn't notice my own feet carrying my body to come in between them.

"Please, no fighting" I put my hands on Jared's chest and push him back. He relents for my sake to step back a few strides while I cautiously look behind me to meet Frier's raging eyes.

"You must like it, huh? Being spoilt by your family, even after leaving for that long", he sneers. It doesn't suit him, it looks unbecoming and unlike him to be hateful and sneering. "You must think so highly of yourself."

I feel Jared step forward and even put his arm softly on my waist. He nudges me quickly to the side, and I fall on the softness of the couch. "I'm going to f*****g rip your throat."

Frier stands on his feet, glaring down at Jared who was a few inches shorter than him. "What's wrong with you? All for a human you'd show your belly like a common dog?"

"She's human and not at all worth it" Skylar gives me a cold look as he says this while flicking back his gaze at his eldest brother and Jared.

I feel the sudden coldness in me, the ruin and the pain my family went through because of me and my Mother. This is our fault. If only we'd reached out or tried anything to get to them. We didn't make any efforts between Mom and me getting beat up and locked, and us staying in the comforts of the hospital rather than at home.

It's one of the main reasons I wanted Mom to go to Africa because it meant she doesn't have to go home with Dad. She hides it, but I know every time she goes to that stupid house, he beats her till she was black and blue. I was safe in the hospital, and she had no one

"Why is our Dad's even conducting this emergency meeting?" Mark growls, the sound echoed inside my chest. He stood and made an imposing stride towards me "For this?"

"Let me remind you, she is our cousin" Keith steps in. "blood cousin."

"What kind of blood leaves for that long? Are you here for our money? I expect nothing less if so since you need to fund Smith's addiction, right?" Skylar says

I feel like I was slapped. Did they really think I was here for money? Did they really think I cared for the man who did nothing but hurt us? The frustration and hurt made my eyes blurry with tears, but I didn't dare let it fall, but it was evident

"Crying? Really?" Skylar mocks

"She didn't come here for the money" it surprised all of us when it was one of the twins who spoke. Airo roams his eyes to make eye contact with everyone, then he stops to meet mine.

"You know?" I whisper

He nods,

"How? We haven't told anyone else other than" I glance at Michael who was just behind me, he looks ready to lunge at anyone who dared to come close to us.

"We got curious," Manuel says, his eyes flicking from me then to the floor.

"And it was easy to track you down with our skills and sources."

"he knows what?" Frier growls, frustration evident in his eyes for being in the dark.

"What do you guys know that we don't?" Mark growls, he was chest to chest with Keith as they try to intimidate each other off.

"Smith beats them. I saw records of reported domestic abuse, but the victims kept denying it for some strange reason."

Hearing the words made me close my eyes. Memories of the past playing in my head, those days when I feel so helpless from seeing Mom's bruises or when I could barely move from the pain of his punches. People think it's cancer, but honestly, cancer was the perfect leeway for Dad.

He can't ever get caught beating me, and Mom relies on his insurance for my treatments. She can barely get a job without Dad knowing, so she needed a high paying job that would take her in a faraway place where Dad won't be able to march into the office and demand she gets pulled out.

"Then she could have contacted us, that is not a good enough reason. It's their own stupidity."

"She has cancer, and Dianna needed Smith's insurance for Iona's treatments" Uncle Arthur's voice cut through the tension in the room. But I still didn't open my eyes, the tears burn too much if I do.

"Dianna got killed in an accident in Africa while Mother and Iona's doctor changed hospitals to hide Iona from Smith." Uncle Raven says, his voice close to me. I feel warm hands that softly held my shoulders and pulling me to a warm chest.

The warmth of him seems so familiar, it was similar to Moms, and that made me tear even more. My arms all limp at my sides, not wanting to move in fear that the warmth would stop.

"How much did you endure, little dove?" Uncle Raven whispers in my ear

I smile, not moving or even opening my eyes. "I didn't endure anything."

"You did" he pulls me in his arms and carried me like I was a child again. A hand on my back and his arm around my waist. "We're so sorry."

I broke down, the pain and the misery coming out of me in waves. The lonely nights I went through as well as the painful memories of losing so much. I feel my arms finally moving to hug Uncle Raven's neck.

"There's nothing to forgive" I manage to say

"Apologies, now" I hear Uncle Arthur growl

"Let them be," Uncle Fredo answers "The boys know what they've done. They'll do it on their own, but I warn you three, you better do apologize until next week. Iona deserves to hear your apologies."

I open my eyes and finally ask Uncle Raven to put me down. My crying subsides a bit while Uncle Raven's loving gaze was directed at me. I see Aunt Fiona with her beautiful mahogany hair and striking hazel eyes glaring at her children.

"I-I need some air," I say, looking at the floor.

"Honey, if you feel anything—"

"I-I-I'm fine" I cut Uncle Fredo off, knowing he'll nag until I finally relent to whatever he wants. "I just need some air by myself."

Aunt Farah came into the room with a glass of water. She gave me a soft smile and a sad look "Your Uncle mind linked me that you perhaps needed this"

"Thank you," I say while drinking the water, calming the burning of my throat. "But I really do need air."

"Go on then" Farah wipes some of the remaining tears

"But Farah we shouldn't—"

"Let her be, she needs to lick her wounds" Farah admonishes Fredo gently. "She'll be fine, we would hear her, and this is deep in our territory."

Fredo sighs, "fine."

I smile gratefully and head to the backdoor of the house by the kitchen. Leaving them to discuss whatever they needed to talk about while I step into the backyard. There's nothing much in the garden except a few rosebushes with no buds.

Feeling the air, I shivered but didn't move back in to take a coat. I don't need a coat. I just need some time alone and the memories to stop coming back to me while it ruins whatever that's left of my sanity.

I breathed in through my stuffy nose and exhaled through my mouth. The nerves getting to me, and somehow outside helping. I look out at the sun that was setting, painting the sky orange and yellow. The large rosebushes without any buds or roses rustle against the wind.

"I found you" a melodic voice snaps my attention to the tall rose bushes.

"Wh-who's there?" there was a warm sensation on my torso that I don't understand. I made sure to wear thick sweatshirts that are long enough to reach my mid-thigh, so the others wouldn't know.

"Mate" he whispers

A chill went through my whole body. It made every hair on my body stand, and goosebumps protruded from my skin. "What?"

"You're beautiful."

I didn't know why, but I couldn't control myself to say "Show yourself."

I hear rustling, and the rosebushes are set aside as a very naked man steps out of them. I see small cuts on his perfectly tanned skin and little droplets of blood escaping it.

"G-Go back! Go back!" I cover my eyes, my face flushed with embarrassment.

He chuckles "You said to show me."

"I didn't think you'd be naked" I try to erase the image of his…thing out of my head. He was prominent in every aspect of his body.

In my mind, I see his ripping muscles again and his strong jaw. The way his blue eyes seems to glow in the dimming light of the day and how it looked at me. I think he's about 6'5" with such long and lean legs.

I didn't have a chance to look at Damiano the same way I am looking at this one. I was too busy running away and panic, and he was too busy rejecting me.

"What are you doing on this territory?" I ask, remembering the tattoo of another pack on one of his shoulder.

"Business, then I smelled you."

"You're not from here" I frown "You're not someone who lives near here."

He chuckles "No, I'm from Europe. Italy to be exact."

It was his accent that makes it seem like his voice was melodious. It sounds like singing, but it was also a bit faint. "I have a mate."

"Of course. I'm, here, aren't I?"

"No, I have another mate" I took the courage to open my eyes and avoided to look down from below his shoulder as a precaution.

He growls, his eyes darken and his nose flare "What? You mated with another werewolf?"

I shake my head "Not in a forced way. He's also my mate" I raise my shirt for him to see the mating tattoo. I see his shock as he reads his name and then Damianos.

He lets out a low growl probably from frustration. He glares at the sky as if cursing the Moon Goddess that the werewolves worshipped then he glares at the ground. He looks aggravated now "No, I don't want to share. I don't think I can do this, Tesoro."

"You don't have to. I'm not going to force you."

His eyes flicker to me, he shows me his raw emotions. The hurt in them as he takes a step back. "I have to reject you."

I shake my head "I understand. Now go"

He leaves, and I feel my heartbreaking for the second time. The mating bond is intelligent enough to know without words that I was rejected. I feel my knees give away, and I drop to the ground. I was ready to curl into the earth when I think an arm wrap around me.

"Iona" I recognized him from his voice because my eyes were too blurry with tears to make sense of the image in front of me.

"Frier" I whisper, a small smile on my lips. Have you ever been in so much pain that it was physically hard to smile? This is one of those kinds of pain.

"Come on" he pulls me to his chest and carries me back to the house. He walks to the direction of the living room where I know the others might be.

"Wait" I fist the collar of his shirt. "I just feel tired, I swear. Just put me on the bed, and I'll be fine in the morning."

"But—"

"Frier, please. I don't want to go back to the hospital anymore" I beg

He sighs, "Fine."

He changes directions and follows where my scent is the strongest, which was my room. I was too tired or fatigued to even point where it was, and honestly, this house has a lot of places. I wouldn't know where either.

Pulling harshly at the covers of my bed with one hand, he then gently puts me in my blankets. Tucking me in like I was a child. I can see the worry set on his eyes and the guilt.

I smile "I'm sorry for leaving"

"Iona, I should be the one apologizing. I was wrong, I didn't know."

"It's okay just as you said you didn't know."

He sits on my bed. His shoulders drooped, and his eyes look like he wants to say something. I beat him to it first

"Can you please warm my hand?" stuck one of my hands out for him

He takes it without saying anything. His sizeable warm hand immediately enveloping my small cold ones. I wonder if my body temperature bothers them, but for now, that's not what I brought up.

"I'm sorry for leaving and me having to leave again."

"We're not going to let you die, Iona."

I ignore him "I know it hurts you that we were gone. Your pain was evident earlier, and I'm sorry for that, but you know, someday you'd find your mate, and I know she'll never leave you. You'll finally find someone who didn't leave you."

"Iona, please this isn't why I'm here."

"you're here to apologize, but there isn't anything to say sorry for" I smile while using some of my energy to squeeze his hand. "I'm with my family again, and I'm home."

"You need to understand that we're not going to let you die. We're going to try everything that is possible."

I feel my eyes droop, sleep tugging them down. This is my body's way of saying that it's slowly giving up. I have never felt this kind of exhaustion before. I feel incredibly lethargic that I feel some numbness on my legs.

"I…don't doubt…you won't" I say as I drift off to sleep.