Chapter 9: Three Things

Willa's POV

The first thing I understood was that I was warm.

It was a real warmth, the kind that comes from outside. A blanket heated to body temperature lay over me, and my arms were wrapped in padded cuffs.

I turned my head. The room was white and quiet.

My father was asleep in the chair, with his shoes off.

He had two different socks on again. I looked at them for a long time.

Then I noticed the monitor.

My heart rate was seventy-two. Steady. Calm.

Someone knocked at the door.

The monitor jumped to one hundred and forty.

I stared at it. I hadn't moved. I hadn't felt anything.

A nurse put her head in. "Ms. Rook? The Alpha of Westridge is outside, asking if he may come in."

My father woke with a start. His eyes went to the monitor and then to the door.

He didn't need to ask me.

"No," he said to the nurse.

"Let him stand there," I said.

My father turned. "Willa?"

"Let him stand at the glass, Dad. I'll say it once."

It took them five minutes to wheel me to the window of the family room, where Kellan waited.

My body knew him before I did. My heart tripped over itself, and the nurse watched the numbers and said nothing.

He looked terrible. He had not changed out of the funeral suit.

The bruise from my father's fist had gone yellow. His hands hung at his sides.

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