Beauty and

Chapter 181 – Asher

I paced around the room once Morgan and Marc had left. The room was deathly silent despite the occasional buzz from the machines in here. I had tried desperately to get some sleep in the chair next to Bailey’s bed, but let’s be honest, hospital chairs are most definitely not designed for taking a nap in. Zion was pacing too, but within my mind. As strange as it seems for me to say it, I was missing his snarkiness right now; and usually that drove me crazy. I would do anything for things to return to normal.

The doctors had switched shifts, and another doctor had come in to do a check on Bailey, though little had changed. He said her stats were stabilizing, which he felt was a good sign; so I could only hope that may mean her wolf could be helping her now. That was what we needed. If her wolf could help her heal, she stood a better chance at recovery.

Morgan had been on my case, much like Eden at potentially marking Bailey. But, I was still adamant on the point I would not do that without her permission. As much as I would love nothing more than to make Bailey my chosen mate, I could not be sure if she was feeling the same, or even if she did have similar feelings for me if she was in the same place as me right now. Things were complicated. She had been through a lot, and I wanted to respect that. I would not take her choice away.

‘Ash, just to let you know, spoke to the rogues in the cells. I am sorry to say, they were not the ones that hurt her, I don’t think. And it was not involving Miles Davenport either from the information they gave me. The rogues I spoke to did attempt to

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chase her and Morgan, but it seems it was because they were inexperienced, lacking females, being rogues, Marc being with. Morgan, protecting her meant they went after Bailey then and continued to chase her.’ Caleb mindlinked me, and my heart sank.

Marc would always instinctively protect his mate. I would expect nothing else, and I don’t think anyone else would either. He had done nothing wrong. But, I could only assume as he did, the rogues had used that as an opportunity to separate Bailey from them. Easy hunting tactics. But it was not what I expected to hear; and if I am being honest, a small part of me is thinking it wasn’t what we wanted to hear either. I had genuinely thought Miles would have been involved. It would have made so much sense. Given a purpose and reasonable explanation as to why my beautiful girl was laid so badly hurt in a hospital bed right now. But, instead, it seems this was nothing more than your standard rogues out on the hunt, after vulnerable she-wolves.

‘But why hurt her?’ I asked, knowing that it still didn’t give an answer for attacking her. What terrified me is, if they wanted her for that, then they could have assaulted her. And that thought sickened me…

‘Thankfully, Bailey must have thought she was closer to the pack than she was, she shifted to her human form, and was shouting for help.’ Caleb began, and while that explained while she was in her human form, the thought of her doing that breaks my heart, knowing that nobody would have heard her. That nobody came for her… ‘They panicked. Obviously not expecting her to yell. Terrified help might come. So they ran. But, they did say there was another rogue around as they left. All they could say was he is bad.’

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My blood ran cold at his words. There had been another. And for rogues to consider him bad had to mean he was not good news. But, it still begs the question, why had he left Bailey? Could we have been right, and her former mate had enlisted rogues to help him, now we knew he did not have the support of his pack to assist in looking for Bailey? That could be the only way he would have help to find her before she got home. But again, why did he leave her if that was the case? He would want his payday if that was what had occured. Maybe I was just being paranoid…

‘Why did he leave her?’ I asked, desperately in need of an

answer.

‘That I can’t say, and the guys in the cells wouldn’t know either as they were already fleeing by then, likely to where our warriors caught them. Look, I have been called to the gates to speak to someone, f**k knows why at this time of night, and the guard won’t answer me now, but I’ll call in at the hospital before heading home, okay?’ Caleb linked, and I was puzzled why he’d be needed at the gates this late.

‘Thanks bro.’ I responded, moving back to the chair, and dropping myself into it. Just as I do, I look across to Bailey and I realize her eyes are no longer closed. Her big brown eyes are looking back at me. My girl is awake! My heart races within my chest as I quickly stand back up.

“Bailey!” I stuttered.

She smiled, with a slight wince of pain.

‘I have been trying to tell you for the last few minutes that Akira and I were talking!’ Zion suddenly interrupted as I sat myself on the edge of Bailey’s bed, careful not to catch her, desperately not wanting to hurt her, but desperate to be close to her as Zion

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Chapter 181 – Asher

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continued. ‘But you and that friend of yours talk more than two teenage girls gossiping about your latest crush!’

‘Pi**off.’ I responded, but secretly glad he was back to normal.

“You are awake!” I exclaimed, gently stroking Bailey’s face, knowing I was stating the obvious, and again, she attempted a smile, as I realized I needed to get help. “I should let the doctor know!”

I jumped up from where I was sitting, and rushed from the bed to the door. “Doctor!” I called, nearly falling over my own feet in my hurry, as I opened the door, almost smacking myself in the face with it as I did from trying to move so quickly. “Doctor! Doctor, she is awake!” I yelled down the corridor, and once I could see the doctor was walking in our direction, I moved back toward Bailey in her bed. And she was smiling at me again, affection in those amazing eyes of hers.

“Could you not just have mindlinked him?” she asked, her voice a little h**se, and I paused, feeling a little silly.

But, I grinned before shrugging. “Ah well, I fancied making a fuss.” I winked, making her giggle lightly. “Admittedly, I may have forgotten at that moment to mindlink, I was just so pleased to see you awake! My first thought was you.”

“Yeah?”

“Hell yeah! I have been so worried, Bailey. You have given us such a scare.” I whispered.

“Hmm, I heard.” She looked at me, her gaze intense, making my heart flutter as I wondered suddenly if she may have heard everything going on in here while we thought she was sleeping…

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