48. Elena is awake.

ELENA.

I have been suffering from burning and aches in my bones. I had brief moments of consciousness but my kept dragging me down quickly to oblivion in a means to protect me from all my trauma. I could sometimes feel a caring presence watching over me while I seemed to be out of it and I could not help but wonder if it was my mother who had come to take me away from the cruel world.

My mind created a vacuum where my fantasies come to life. In my unconscious mind, I dreamt of myself in an alternate life where mother was still alive. In this world, there was no Salvatore to torment and ridicule me. My mother just took good care of me and even doted on me, in this world too, father was a kind and gentle man who treats me like his queen and princess. Our lives was being lived without any tragedy befalling us.

A tiny part of me wondered if I was dead but the thought was squashed just as quickly before doubt could take root in my mind. As the Ibgrew older here, my mom started to talk to me about boys and how they behaved. The two of us share jokes about the male gender while father was in the kitchen cooking us a very a nice lunch while contributing sometimes to all we were talking about in a humorous manner.

Mg mother told me how annoying men could be and how quickly I would get sick of them. I was laughing and while I did, a memory niggled at my senses. I tried to ignore it but it just did not go away.

My countenance changed and my mother noticed, asking me what was wrong. I excused myself, claiming a light head and them I went to bed wondering what was wrong with me. Finally, the memory started to shake loose and I remembered that I did not belong in this world.

Iremembered Diego and Mia; and an Alpha that makes my blood run hot and cold at the same time. I also thought of Camila and her mother, Mrs. Cali and the rest of the Ferrari pack. A voice told me to open my eyes and I did. The first face I saw clearly was Camila smiling down at me and then I bursted into tears.

DEANGELO.

I woke up to find myself in bed surrounded by my children. Mia had her head rested on my shoulder and Diego had clung tightly to a piece of my shirt. It was the only thing that was in fact keeping him from falling off the bed. His thumb was in his mouth and he was sucking while deep in sleep. This was an habit that Jules had worked so hard to help Diego break and seeing him relapse reminded me of the past.

I remembered the late nights we used to have and how we would all laugh and play together. Jules was free spirited and did not pass up an opportunity to have fun. Even on school nights, she would gather the children and we would all watch movies till it was late and they were all passed out.

On other days, we would all sit on the floor in a circle to play board games of Scrabble or chess. Diego would not leave his mother's side while Mia was always on his side.

I was so immersed in the memory that almost seemed so real to me. Then Diego sneezed and brought me out from my reprieve. I calmly pulled myself away from the children so that I do not wake them up and then, I went upstairs to my room, only to meet Camila on the way, ir looked like she had been coming from Elena's room and the expression on her face was of someone who had just seen something good.

"Alpha! She is awake... Elena is awake. She woke up just now." She informed me and I was deeply pleased and elated by the news such that I immediately started to head to her room because I wanted to see her so badly but then I did not want to seem over eager especially in front of Camila so I decided to act aloof.

"Oh.... okay. Does she seem okay and have you called on the pack today to reply the news to him, he should be here to check up her her." I said calmly like her waking up was not that much of a big deal even though I was feeling otherwise deep inside me.

"I plan on doing that now, alpha. I just want to get her soenthing to eat first." She responded and I nodded.

"Alrighy then. Do that." I simply said and then I went into my room instead of Elena's.

After some hours, when I could not take the suspense anymore, I got off my bed and stormed into her room, she was a bit startled at the sudden barge in and I felt sorry too.

"Oh... I am sorry for that. How are you feeling now?" I asked as i moved closer to her bed and I was glad that her pale skin was starring to gain back its colour.

"I am fine now, alpha. Thank you so much for uh... saving me and taking good care of me." She said as she looked down at her fiddling fingers. It was as it it was taking some willpower for her not to burst into tears.

I take a seat beside her bed and then I looked into her tired and swollen eyed, "it's okay, Elena. What I did is my obligation for any of my pack, my pack is my family which means you are now my family too and I will always protect you in anyway that I can." I said to her and she nodded briskly.

She then started to attempt to get off the bed and I looked at her, confused, "what do you think you are doing? Where are you going to? The restroom?" I asked.

"Uh... yes... but before that, I need to see the kids and make sure that they are okay, maybe also tuck them in and tell some stories to Diego. It's almost bedtime." She said and I glared at her, annoyed at her zeal.

"You're so not doing that. As a matter of fact, you are not doing anything until I am sure that you are okay. All you need to do is freshen up, not check on the kids." I said.

"I am strong enough now, alpha. I need to do the job that I am being paid for properly, plus I am sure the kids miss me, I miss them too." She said as she staggered up only for me to pull her down gently.

I secretly found her stubbornness extremely attractive but I knew that I had to stop her because she definitely needed to rest, "you need to listen to me, okay. Do I need to let you know that I am the alpha here, not you? The kids are asleep already,, they slept very early today and even without having dinner. So just get yourself into the restroom or else,, I would chain you to that bed until I am satisfied that you are well again." I threatened.

The threat seemed to stun and arouse her at the same time because I could smell the arousal on her and can see her pupils dilate and before I could say anything nor make any move, she hurried off the bed and rushed into her bathroom.

And I smiled.