赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Bell and Galen were both admitted for the night. Galen had a concussion and several minor injuries.

Bell had yet to wake up after being brought in by Saul. But the doctors all felt that it was simply a response to the renewed trauma and her body’s natural way of protecting her mind and the baby from the stress.

They felt there was no reason to be concerned but kept her closely monitored.

Wyatt had Galen’s bed moved into the same room as Bell, so he wouldn’t worry about her too much.

Caleb had been seen and cleared, just a few small injuries, nothing spectacular. Fortunately, the same was true of Axel.

Corrine fussed over them all, calling them fools for not sounding an alarm or sending for help.

“I’m going to be sticking around for a few days,” Caleb said. “I know Galen got a little behind in setting up the security system due to some complications at the southern border. But I can help him get that all squared away. So it will only be a few days until it’s up and running instead of another week or two.”

“Thank you,” Axel nodded. “Roman may not be able to enter Winter, but I guarantee that won’t stop him from sending anyone he can to come for Bell.”

“Are we sure he can’t come back?” Caleb asked.

“If it was a Priestess who said it, then it’s a guarantee,” Corrine replied.

Caleb nodded, accepting her word. He had only ever heard what Ashleigh had said about the Priestesses.

“So, what do we know about Roman, anyway?” Caleb asked._.

“He’s Bell’s mate,” Corrine said.

“And Tomas’ son,” Wyatt added.

“What?” Caleb asked. This was the first he had heard about it.

Wyatt nodded.

“He also gave me this,” Axel sighed, pointing to the scar on his face.

“What?” Ashleigh jumped up from her chair.

She had remained quiet since arriving at the hospital, just trying to think through all that had happened.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean, he is the one that gave me this scar,” Axel replied.

“I thought you didn’t remember what happened?” Ashleigh asked. “You said it was all a blur, that you only remembered bits and pieces, and none of it made sense.”

“That’s true,” Axel nodded. “Until a few months ago, I didn’t remember much of it.”

“What happened a few months ago?” Caleb asked.

Wyatt and Corrine gave each other a look and then glanced at their children.

Axel sighed and looked at Ashleigh before answering.

“I met someone at my ceremony,” he said. “My mate, Alice.”

Caleb’s eyes widened, and he looked at his wife. Ashleigh clenched her jaw and turned away from them.

“I found out that I had been treated with Bitter Night.”

Ashleigh didn’t say anything, but she listened.

“Peter helped me recover my lost memories,” Axel continued. “I was ten. It was the first Blood Moon I had ever attended. While I was there, I met Alice for the first time.”

Ashleigh furrowed her brows and looked back at her brother. He nodded sadly before continuing.

“She was eight, and we recognized our bond as a sweetness in the air,” Axel smiled. “We knew each other for only one day. And then I was given the Bitter Night to forget her.”

Ashleigh swallowed and turned away.

“Shortly after, Roman found me. He said he wanted to play a game with me. It turned out that game involved him hunting and maiming me. Likely, killing me if Alice hadn’t come along and distracted him.”

Axel clenched his jaw and paused for a moment.

“She… got him away from me by becoming his target. She survived, of course, but not before he hurt her.”

Ashleigh felt a swirling of emotion. A lead ball firmly settled into her stomach.

“So…” Caleb sighed, processing everything he had just heard. “Roman is Tomas’ son, Bell’s mate, and the person that scarred you. And Alice… is your mate….”

“Yes,” Axel replied.

Caleb sighed and closed his eyes.

“She was made to forget too, wasn’t she?” he asked.

Axel and Ashleigh both looked at him with an expression that clearly demanded an explanation

He took a deep breath.

“When I met the Alpha of Burning Ember, I learned some things… about Alice,” he said.

Ashleigh scoffed and turned away again. Caleb felt a painful grip on his stomach, knowing she was upset with him.

“I was told that Alice is known as the Spring Doll,” he continued. “She is never the same person, only who she has been programmed to be.”

“It’s been that way since she was eight years old,” Axel said softly. “Over and over, they have erased her and made her into something she’s not.”

Axel put his head in his hands, and Corrine came to offer him comfort. Rubbing his back gently.

Ashleigh tried to wrestle with the idea that Alice could possibly have been a victim of something she had no control over her entire life. She might have no memory of the things she had done or been a part of.

The heavy feeling in her stomach was growing. She hesitated to speak, afraid of what she might say. Instead, she huddled further into herself.

“And you actually believe that?” Ashleigh asked.

Surprised by her own voice, she touched her mouth.

“Ash…” Caleb whispered.

“You truly believe that she has been made to do these things? She is just a poor victim, waiting to be rescued by you?” Ashleigh said, looking at Axel with disgust.

“Ashleigh!” Corrine said, giving her a disapproving look.

‘I didn’t say that!’ Ashleigh cried out, but her lips didn’t move.

“I know it sounds hard to believe, Ashleigh, but I have also met her. I have seen the change. She is not faking this,” Wyatt said.

“It is clear that Alice and Roman have worked together to orchestrate the events of this afternoon,” Ashleigh said. “Probably even what happened when you were children.”

“Alice was the one that warned us about Roman in the first place!” Axel growled, lifting his head to look at his sister.

Ashleigh turned to look at him, and Axel drew back as he saw the slightest hint of moonlight at the edges of her eyes. He shook his head, but when he looked again, it was gone.

“If that were true, if she were truly concerned about the threat Roman posed, why did she not warn you that he was coming?” Ashleigh demanded. “She told you that he was a threat, to make herself seem as though she were concerned, to say she has your interest at heart. But when the real threat came around, she was silent. Likely, she assumed that Roman would get the better of us all.”

“Ashleigh!” Corrine scolded. “We don’t know if she can even send a message. When your father saw her, she could barely speak to him. And from what Axel said, it is very likely she would have been even more restricted simply for speaking with Wyatt.”

“Convenient,” Ashleigh scoffed.

‘Stop!’ Ashleigh shouted.

“Ash,” Caleb whispered, grabbing her elbow and turning her to face him. “I know you don’t trust her, and I understand. But don’t you think you’re being a bit aggressive right now?”

Ashleigh pulled away.

“The Alpha of Winter is allowing himself to be fooled by a woman that is a well-known liar,” Ashleigh replied. “A woman who is clearly carrying on a relationship with the monster that destroyed one of our own.”

“Stop!” Axel growled.

‘I didn’t mean that! I didn’t!’ Ashleigh cried out, her voice never escaping her lips.

“Should I just stand back and let this happen? Let him destroy all that we built?” Ashleigh growled, turning away from them all as she moved to leave the room. “I won’t do that.”