Beauty
27

Chapter 27 Bailey

+5 Pearls

I rushed through the hospital doors, my heart racing, my mind full of worry for the man I had begun to grow some sort of affection for. My eyes settled on one of the pack doctors, and I smiled. politely, hoping they could help me. “Hi, is Harley here?” I asked.

“The warrior that was brought in?” he asked me, and I nodded, fearful he was about to tell me the worst. “Second floor, though I think he is still in the theater, but his parents are there.”

“Is he okay?” I asked.

“I can’t share any information, I am afraid, but I am sure if you speak with his parents they may be able to update you.” the doctor nodded toward me, before walking further along the corridor. I assumed in doing so, he was telling me he was done talking to me. So, I turned around and made my way to the stairs and tried to gather some composure to talk to Harley’s parents. I don’t even think I know them. I mean, yes, we are all from the same pack, but it doesn’t mean I pay to every family here. At social events, I did all I could to avoid people…

attention

“Bailey?” a shaky voice greeted me the moment I walked through the doors at the top of the

stairs.

I looked up to be greeted by a tall, dark-haired man, his features so similar to Harley’s there was no denying he was his father. I smiled. “Hi.”

“Thanks for coming sweetheart.” A smaller, dark-haired woman spoke as she stood from her seat at the edge of the corridor. Her face looked understandably drained. I cannot imagine the emotions she must be experiencing right now with her son in there. There is still no word from the theater.”

My heart dropped at her words. I hoped he would be out of surgery by now. Though, why his parents would have been out in the corridor if that was the case, I don’t know… I just hoped that they might know even a little something. Know that he would be okay. The wait is killing me, so I can’t begin to imagine what it must be doing to them…..

“What happened? Do they know? I didn’t know there had been any rogue alerts.” I said quietly.

Harley’s Dad raised his brows towards his mate and nodded at me. “No, me either. That is what makes no sense to me. But, that is what the Alpha boys said when they found him in the forest whilst on a run.”

The thudding of my heart must have been loud enough to hear, and I swear it became ten times. louder at the mention of the Davenport sons. The sons of our Alpha. Was this him saying Milest and Ellis found him? Both of them? They worked together to attack him… I would not put attacking Harley past Miles. In fact, my suspicion had been that it was likely that that was what had happened. He had seemed irate earlier when we were all together, though I had assumed hist had been more directed at me as usual. Perhaps I had misread it, and he was just as furious. with Harley or something else had occurred that I was unaware of. But, I thought better of Ellis. My mind once again drifted over the possibilities. No. I can’t believe he would do that. Surely not.

anger

“Miles and Ellis found him?” I stuttered, my voice more than a little shaky.

1/3

Chapter 27 Bailey

+5 Pearls

“It was a good thing too, or else he could have died out there.” Harley’s Mum tells me, and I can see the relief on her face. Hmm, I wouldn’t wonder if that was the plan….

“His injuries were so severe his wolf was struggling to heal him. Ellis rushed him here.” Harley’s Dad told me, and this was beginning to make a little more sense now. Was it that they had tried to teach Harley a lesson and Miles had taken it too far? Whatever it was, it seemed Ellis had been the reason he was still alive right now. Because I have no doubt in my mind that Miles would not have brought him here for help if it had been left to him.

I feel anger flowing through me, but try hard to look as calm as I can for the sake of Harley’s parents. They do not need to know the things going through my mind. They do not need to question if the person they believe played a part in saving their son may in fact be the real reason he was in fact laid her to begin with. I have had a block on mindlinks to Miles all day, but I am so tempted to unblock him to demand answers about what he had done to my friend. Just as I am about to, a door to the left of where we were standing opens and a doctor in scrubs walks out, he looks to Harley’s parents with a concerned expression and a sense of unease passes over me.

He is gone, isn’t he? Harley has had his life snat ched away from him all because he was friends with me… I feel tears pric kling in my eyes, while I see the doctor move a little closer to Harley’s parents. It feels like time has slowed down. Like it is moving in slow motion. A sense so horr end ous I wish I could stop it. I feel sick. Why do things like this happen?

“I am pleased to say we have managed to control the bleeding both externally and internally. The next 24 hours will be critical. But I hope we have done enough.” The doctor tells Harley’s parents, and I see his Mum sobbing, throwing herself into the arms of her mate, relief etched across both of their faces. I hated that I was the cause of their pain. I imagine they would not want me here if they knew their son had been injured because of me. Because, no matter how else I viewed this, Harley had been injured by Miles because of his connection to me. It had to be….

“Can we see him?” Harley’s Mum asked.

“Of course, we have taken him up to a room in the ICU.” The doctor tells them, and I smile at her.

“I will leave you to spend some time with him. I am glad he will be okay.” I said, at barely a whisper.

“Oh, no, Bailey, you must come and sit with him, he would be happier knowing you are there. too.” She tells me, reaching for my hand like she needs reassurance. I would feel bad if I didn’t go now. So I smile, and do the decent thing and follow the two of them into the room the doctor leads them to.

It feels as though my breath has been knocked from my body as I see Harley’s battered body laid within the hospital bed. His handsome face was now covered in bruises and deep cuts. Bandages adorn various parts of his body that could be seen above the blanket that lightly covered his body. He looked like he had been through a war. Not attacked by a rogue. I heard Harley’s Mum gasp as she burst into tears, and I too had to fight the tears that were threatening. He did not deserve this. He looked broken. He may be a warrior, but an unsuspected attack, and one I believe came from an Alpha, and he would stand no chance.

“Oh Harley!” his Mum was holding his hand, leaning over the bed, as she sobbed, softly stroking his hair back from his head. “What did they do to you baby?”

Harley’s Dad stood quietly observing. His face a mask of bravery. He, too, a warrior, was likely used to seeing severe injuries, but I doubt nothing prepares you for seeing your own son bruised. and broken, lying in a hospital bed close to death.

‘Bailey?’ my Dad suddenly mindlinked. ‘Where are you?”

‘At the hospital visiting Harley. He had been attacked. Why?’ I responded, feeling a little rude when Harley’s parents were clearly struggling to see their son this way.

Jordan just messaged while stopping for fuel. Telling me to talk to you urgently. I am in my office if you want to drop by?” he tells me. ‘Or do you want to leave it?’

I looked to Harley lying in the hospital bed. The damage that I know Miles had to have played a part in. And see his parents barely keeping it together. I knew what I had to do. ‘Ok.’ I responded.

“Erm, I am sorry, I am struggling right now.” I explained to Harley’s parents. “And I think it is important you both have some time alone with your boy. So, maybe it would be better for me to give you some space for a little bit. But, do you mind if I come back a little later? I still want to spend time with Harley. Make sure he is okay. Let him know I am here for him.”

“Of course sweetheart.” Harley’s Mum glanced up from next to his bed with a sad smile. “He would appreciate that.”

I nodded, and walked out of the room, knowing now I had something important to do. I just hope that Jordan was right, and that my Dad believed me. If not, I didn’t know what I was going to do. But, one way or another, Miles needed to be made to pay for all the wrongs he had done…