The Alpha and the Mistake novel Chapter 13

I sat down on a picnic table at the small truck stop. The cold rubber covered bench made a shiver run down my spine. I hunched up and leaned over, resting my head on my arm as I waited for nausea to pass. I replayed everything that happened this morning in my mind. A shiver of fear ran down my spine remembering how Mike and Ryder fought each other.

After a while, I lifted my head and rested my chin on my arm, feeling the loss of Mom's presence hit me deep in my soul. I had to stay positive. It wouldn't be forever, but a few days or weeks. Harry and she would join me in California. I would finish school, go to college and everything would be perfect.

"Are you alright?" A girl about my age asked, startling me.

I jumped to my feet, making me lightheaded. The girl rushed over and took my arm, steadying me. "Uh, hi, yeah I'm fine," I said offering her a smile, realizing what I must look like an accident victim with my hoodie splattered with blood. "It's not as bad as it looks, really."

She gave me a half-smile tossing her pink-streaked blonde hair out of her face. "I don't know. You looked like you're ready to fall over there a minute ago. I think you should go see somebody."

Panic hit me. I couldn't go to the hospital. It would be too easy for them to find me. "No. No hospitals. I mean...it's okay. I'm alright now."

The girl gave me a knowing smirk. "Right. Of course. I'm Kara."

Confused, I gave her a wary stare. "I'm Brook."

"Brook, I'm going to be blunt here. It's obvious you're running from something. I get it, but girl, right now you'd make a ghost seem bronzed if it stood next to you. I got a friend. She's really cool about these kinds of things. She's a nurse down at Saint Mary's Hospital and would be happy to make sure you're alright. I bet she'd even cut through all the red tape crap so you can keep your anonymity."

"Why would you do that?" I hated to admit it, I was feeling pretty bad, but why would she help me when she doesn't even know me.

"Because that's what people do or it's what they should be doing. I'd like to think if I were looking like you do now someone would stop and help me out."

I chewed my lip, not sure what to do. "How far is it?"

"Five miles southwest of here."

"Uhm alright, I'll follow you in my car." My luck had to change at some moment right?

"Actually, I think you should let me drive you there. I'll get my guy to pick up my car later."

I sighed, rubbed my forehead only to hiss in pain as I get the bump where my stitches were. "Okay, let's go."

"Great. I'm going to call my friend and tell her we're coming."

I nodded, leaning back in my seat. A wave of nausea made had me taking slow deep breaths. I did not want to throw up in front of a stranger.

"Hey Misses W. So I'm bringing in someone for you to a check-up. We need the red carpet treatment. Yep. Okay, we'll be there in a few." Kara flashed me a bright grin when she hung up and started Mom's car. "She'll have everything ready when we get there."

I admit I was a little surprised when she pulled into the large, crowded parking lot of the Hospital. Looks like my luck was indeed changing. We walked into the hospital, but instead of going to the reception or a waiting room, Kara led me through a mass of identical halls. We went into an empty examination room, and once again Kara called her friend.

We weren't waiting long when a woman, maybe mid-forties but very good looking, walked in. She looked familiar. I swore I'd seen her somewhere, but I had no idea from where. "You must be Brook," she said as she walked up to me "I'm Emily, and it's a real pleasure to meet you."

She smiled at me brightly as she put on a pair of latex gloves and my stomach knotted with nerves. Emily was friendly but too friendly. It was odd.

"I'll stay and help out if it's all right with you and Brook."

"She can stay," I said, not sure I wanted to be alone with this nurse, but then again that meant I was outnumbered.

"Alright, let me take a look." The nurse brushed my hair away from my face as she looked the cut on my forehead. "It appears to be good, but I'd like to run some tests to make sure the inside looks as good, okay?" Emily took off the gloves and handed me a paper gown. "I'll need you to take your top off."

I started to pull off the hoodie when I heard them both gasp. Realizing my mistake, I quickly tried to pull down the t-shirt under my hoodie.

"No, let me see." Both the nurse and Kara looked horrified.

"It's okay. It's really nothing."

"That's nothing. Please, I just want to make sure you're alright."

I sighed and lifted my shirt until it was below my chest. Both looked at me with a horrified expression. My whole torso was filled with bruises of various ages and colors. Not being able to stand it any longer I pulled my shirt down. "All that's old stuff. It's no big deal." I looked up at the nurse and froze. Her expression was angry, and her eyes were an icy blue, almost glowing. Werewolf. I scrambled back on the bed to get away from her.

"Woah, easy Brook," Kara said, stopping me before I crawled right off the bed.

I flinched and went to move away from her, but she held onto me. "You're..."

"Yes, we are," Emily said, looking much calmer now. "But we're not here to hurt you. We want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm not going back. You can't make me." Who was I kidding? They could so make me. I was just a human.

"Of course you're not," Kara spat, sounding angry.

"What?" I glance at them, not sure what to think.

"No one wants you to go back there. Not your mother, not me, and especially not Ryder," Emily said.

I sucked in a breath. "You know Ryder?"

"Does she know Ryder?" Kara said with a snort and a laugh. "She's only like his mom."

I managed to free myself from Kara and get off the bed, but they were blocking the door.