Cupcakes Book 01 Ch. 06 - End

Georgia sighed as the pain melted away. Her head felt heavy and sore but dull. From somewhere in her pelvis she felt an ache, and didn't want to move anymore than was necessary.

"Georgia," Karen leaned toward her, "I know this isn't the ideal time, and this isn't a conversation you probably ever wanted to have, but we need you to talk to us."

She focused on Karen, feeling euphoric from the pain medicine. "Am I going to die?"

"What?" Karen sat back, startled, "No, of course not, you only have a concussion and a cracked tailbone."

"No." Georgia gingerly shook her head,"From you."

Will and Karen frowned and shook their heads. "Georgia you are in no danger from us." Will used what he hoped was a reassuring tone.

"I know the movies paint a terrifying picture of werewolves, but if you'll give us a chance we'd like to share the truth with you."

Georgia closed her eyes for a long moment. This was all crazy. There was no other word for it. Will and Karen seemed like normal, harmless people, but they were offering her information that would continue to change her world in ways she didn't want. There was no going back after this.

She thought of Rig and felt a stab of physical pain in her chest. Whatever would happen with him she couldn't bear to think about it right now. The feeling of betrayal was overwhelming.

There were tears threatening to spill when she opened her eyes to focus on the Smiths. "I don't feel like I have much choice."

"I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did, but now that you know, you should know everything." Will smiled reassuringly.

Rig stumbled through the double doors and into the waiting area. His family jumped up as soon as he appeared, rushing to guide him into a chair. "What happened, are you ok? Is Georgia ok?"

He shook his head, resting his elbows on his knees. "She told me to get out." He voice sounded strangled.

"What?!" His family responded nearly in chorus and started peppering him with questions.

"Hey!" Ray's voice cut through the din. "Stop with the questions."

They all apologized quietly and found seats around Rig, giving him a moment to compose himself.

"When you are ready son, tell us what happened."

Rig cleared his throat and scrubbed his face, "It's pretty straightforward. She woke up. I tried to explain, tried to talk to her. She said she didn't feel safe, told me to get out."

His family murmured around him. "She's just scared Rig." Karen offered, "She's not rejecting you."

"Are the Alpha's talking to her now?" His mom asked, laying a comforting hand on his arm.

"Yeah, they suggested I give her some space."

"They will reassure her and answer all her questions. I'm sure she'll be ready to talk to you when they're done."

Rig shook his head again. He rubbed at his chest where it ached. He'd never experienced heartbreak like this before, he physically felt as if his heart was being torn out.

"She's so scared, not just of the whole situation, she's scared of me. How do I fix that?" He looked up at his dad.

"I don't know son, I don't have an answer here. But I have faith that you wouldn't be fated a mate that would reject you. Trust in Georgia. She's a strong, intelligent woman. Trust that she can process all this and find a way to accept it."

Rig sat up straighter, drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Georgia was strong and smart, she had handled the weirdness of the past couple of days and she could handle this. It make take her a bit to process it, but she'd be fine. She needed him just as much as he needed her, of that he had no doubt.

"I know you didn't eat anything earlier," His mom pressed a sandwich into his hands, "Eat, that's an order."

Georgia stared across the foot of her bed, focused on nothing in particular as she thought about what Karen was explaining to her. It was a lot to accept. Basically everything she'd ever believed was called into question. Things she wouldn't have ever thought were real were, which quickly led to a rabbit hole of what was real and what wasn't.

Pretty much all werewolves were born that way, Karen explained, and they lived together in packs like the one here. They were led by an Alpha couple and for the most part were peaceful and tried to blend into society. They didn't go around biting people and turning them into werewolves, in fact it was extremely rare for someone to be a turned wolf as opposed to born.

She'd asked a few questions to clarify but for the most part had just listened as they explained their community structure and that they had an agreement with local authorities.

Georgia closed her eyes, she was missing something important. It was hard to focus with the drugged fog her brain was working through. She teased at the tangle of information, looking for the loose thread. What was it? Something important.

"Wait." She looked at Karen, "Why am I here?"

"Well." Georgia didn't miss the look that passed between them, "That gets a little complicated."

"Please explain." That foreboding feeling was back, she wasn't going to like this she could tell.

"Relationships, romantic relationships I mean, are very different among werewolves." Karen started, clearly uncomfortable. "We only have one true mate, and we recognize them by scent when we meet each other."

Georgia frowned, "Two werewolves you mean."

"Yes usually." Karen replied tentatively, "But every once in awhile one of us will have a human mate. It's very uncommon but considered a blessing because they bring genetic diversity into the pack."

Georgia closed her eyes again, integrating this information with what she'd already learned.

"Are you saying Rig thinks I'm his mate?"

Karen couldn't help a small smile. Even drugged and injured Georgia was sharp enough to put the pieces together. She was more than a worthy mate for Rig.

"He doesn't just think that Georgia, you are his mate. I know you've been experiencing some strange things over the past couple of days. The dreams, the strange compulsions, the missing time, those are all proof that you are his mate."

"How do you know?"

"For one because Rig came to speak to us after he met you, but more importantly I know exactly what you've been going through because I was human too. I went through the same things."

The monitor beeped again as Will and Karen heard Georgia's heart speed up. She swallowed loudly, "What do you mean you were human?"

Karen raised her hands, "It's ok, stay calm Georgia. Remember you are not in danger and nothing will ever be forced on you. I simply mean that I was human, but I chose to have Will turn me after I fell in love with him. It was my choice."

Georgia felt her head throb dully with her racing heartbeat. She didn't want to know anymore right now. She was confused, scared and her body hurt and if she was perfectly honest she just wanted to curl up against Rig and sleep.

She thought about Rig, feeling the sharp pain in her chest. He'd led her on, fooled her. Hadn't he? She reviewed the time since she'd met him.

How could he have lied to her about being a werewolf? She never asked him if he was, because why would you ask someone that. And look how she'd reacted when confronted with proof that werewolves were real. She had, quiet reasonably she thought, freaked out. If she was honest she couldn't blame him for not leading with that information.

But she couldn't quite shake the feeling that she had been deceived.

Karen watched the emotions play across Georgia's face. "Let me help you Georgia, I have a unique insight into what you are going through."

Georgia nodded, then glanced at WIll, "Could we talk privately?"

"Yes, we most certainly can." Karen made shooing motions at her husband. "Why don't you go check on Rig. Tell him Georgia is doing well."

Will headed for the door.

"Wait." Georgia said it so softly human hearing wouldn't have picked it up, he turned back toward her. "Tell him. . . " she looked so lost Karen wanted to hug her, she settled for taking her hand and squeezing it. "Tell him I'm not mad, I'm just scared and confused."

Will smiled "Yes ma'am, I'll tell him."

Rig sat staring at the floor, making patterns in the speckled tile. Suddenly he sat up and looked toward the back of the clinic.

"Rig?" His dad asked, "Everything ok?"

"I think so." He rubbed his chest again, this time in relief as the sharp pain had suddenly eased. "I know this is going to sound weird but I feel like she just smiled at me."

Claudia and Ray caught each other's eye, Ray shrugged. It did sound weird but their son had a human mate, everything about this was weird.

Alpha Smith came pushing through the doors with a smile on his face. Rig jumped up.

"She's ok?"

"Yeah she's doing better than I might have expected. That's quite a girl you've got their Rig." Will grabbed a sandwich from the still generous pile. "She asked me to tell you that she isn't mad, she's scared and confused but she's not mad at you."

"Will I be able to see her soon?"

"I have no doubt, I think she's starting to realize that she needs you. She probably didn't evern realize she was doing it but she kept looking toward the door in the general direction where you are."

Rig nodded, looking toward where he knew Georgia was. Not just because he'd seen her room but because he could feel her in that direction. Will watched him carefully.

"Rig walk with me for a minute." He strode toward the front entrance. Once outside he looked around and spoke in a low voice. "RIg tell me what you are feeling."

Rig rubbed at the ache in his chest that was now barely there, "It's almost like sonar, I've been playing around with it while I'm sitting and waiting. I can kind of reach out with my mind and bump up against her, and I know exactly how far away she is."

Will looked thoughtful. "What about this?" He touched Rigs chest just where the ache was.

"Oh, my chest was hurting, felt like I was being stabbed. About a minute before you came out it suddenly eased. Now it's just a dull ache."

Will took a couple bites of his sandwich, staring off into the dark surrounding the clinic.

"It's not normal is it? I don't remember ever hearing my parents mention anything like this."

"No Rig, it's normal, just not common. I know we already stressed the importance of not discussing the peculiarities of having a human mate but let me ask you again to not discuss any of this with anyone. Once Georgia is healed up we will have a conversation with both of you."

He could tell WIll was holding something back. "What aren't you telling me?"

Will chuckled, "Cool your jets young man. Concentrate on your mate right now, there's plenty of time for everything else."

He watched Rig out of the corner of his eye while he finished his sandwich. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He stood for a minute looking agitated.

Rig started to object that he deserved to have the whole story before realizing he wa disobeying a very direct order from his Alpha. He wrestled with himself for several minutes as Will casually ate as if nothing was amiss. Finally he cleared his throat, "I'll be honest, I'm not happy to wait, but I'll respect your wishes."

Will clapped him on the shoulder, "That is a very diplomatic answer. I know exactly what you are dealing with right now Rig and I appreciate your patience. Let's head back in."

Georgia lay calmly, her eyes closed, drifting and letting all the new information swirl around, making connections. Some of it fit into her experiences, some of it was frightening in it's newness.

"Georgia," Karen hated to push her farther but there was one more thing she needed her to do. Georgia looked exhausted and pale, but her gaze was steady when she opened her eyes.

"More?" She asked with a lopsided grin.

Karen laughed softly, "I'm afraid just a little bit more. You are handling this better than we could hope, and we have absolutely no right to ask more of you, but I'm afraid we must." She held Georgia's phone up, "Your sister was worried when she couldn't get ahold of you and she went to the police. They tracked your phone and saw that you were here."

Georgia took her phone, frowning as she imagined her sister's panic. Sam did have a flair for the dramatic. "What do you need me to do?"

"I took the liberty of texting your sister, as you, and reassuring her you were injured but ok. I'm sorry to have presumed but we didn't want the police sending out a search party."

"I see." She intellectually understood why but it was still an invasion and made her distinctly uncomfortable. "So you need me to continue the farce?"

Karen winced but nodded. "Again I apologize but if you could call her and let her know you are ok it would help settle her mind and protect our pack." She handed Georgia her phone and stood to leave. "Thank you Georgia, we recognize that we are asking a lot of you and we appreciate your help."

Georgia pulled up the text app and scrolled through, reading her sister's frantic messages and the phony replies. Well, they'd done a good job sounding like her at least. She took a deep breath and hit the button to dial Samantha.

As the phone rang she glanced at the door, grateful they'd trusted her enough to give her some privacy.

"Georgia!" Sam answered sounding relieved, "I have been freaking out."

"When are you not freaking out? Drama queen." She was way too tired to deal with her sister for more than a few minutes.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Rig and I spent the day out by this gorgeous lake, apparently I had no cell service sis, I'm sorry I was having so much fun I didn't even notice."

"Oooooooh." Sam made her own guesses as to what kind of fun they were having. Georgia rolled her eyes and let it go.

"We stopped back by Rigs house and I can't even explain the level of klutziness but I ran into the mirror on the side of his truck and took a tumble in his driveway. I managed to crack my tailbone and give myself a mild concussion." In truth she didn't know how severe the concussion was but it seemed best to downplay it for Sam while still telling the truth.

"Oh my god! Georgia! That's crazy! Are you serious? Which hospital are you at? I'm coming to see you right now."

"No, no, I'm fine Sam, I'm at the community clinic out here. . . geez I don't even know the name, it's like an hour outside of the city. I just want to rest right now. They said they will keep me overnight for observation and send me home in the morning. Would you come see me tomorrow at home?"

Sam was silent for a moment and Georgia knew exactly what was going through her sister's head. She was put out not to be part of the drama. Not that she didn't care, but Sam fed on excitement and was itching to be in the middle of this.

"Ok," There was a pout in her voice, "Will you call me as soon as you get home?"

"Yes I promise. In fact let me sweeten the deal by promising I'll call you quickly enough that you can come meet Rig."

"Yes!" She could practically hear Sam pumping her fist, "Ok then I'll let you rest for now. Love ya George."

"Love you too, bye" She hung up and set the phone on the bedside tray.

Machinery hummed around her, she could hear the nurses talking quietly out at their desk. She was so tired, mentally and physically she couldn't take any more today. She wanted to sleep, she wanted to feel safe. She wanted. . . she wanted Rig.

She thought about waking up in his arms by the lake this afternoon. She'd felt so content and comfortable, like she was exactly where she should be. Could she feel that way with him again, knowing what she did about him?

For the first time she let that thought take over, in stark black and white. Rig was a werewolf. As ridiculous as it sounded that was the truth. What would that mean for them?

It was scary, he was some kind of mythical beast that fiction painted as bloodthirsty and violent. It was also weirdly romantic, exciting. Something out of fantasy. That stirred up a fresh wave of insecurity.

She wasn't some kind of sexy heroine out of a werewolf romance. She wasn't the kind of girl a supernatural creature would lust after. But he did. There was no denying Rig wanted her. She thought about what Karen had told her about mates. Did he really want her? Or was he confused, thinking she was his mate? Was he only pursuing her because he mistakenly thought he had to?

Her head throbbed dully and she felt a sharp stab from her tailbone as she shifted to get more comfortable. It was all too much at the moment, she didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to figure it out, she wanted her big, strong, sexy werewolf to come wrap her up in his arms and keep everything else away while she let the exhaustion take over.

Tears sprang up in her eyes as she smiled, the situation was ridiculous.

Rig paced back and forth in front of the doors, everyone in the waiting room watching him, knowing any minute his control would snap. His parents and Alpha's grinned at each other, they remembered the craziness of new love, the overwhelming need to be with their mate.

He'd felt like she was calling him for several minutes, surely that was more than wishful thinking? It really felt like he needed to go to her, she needed comfort and protection.

He glanced at Will and raised his eyebrows in a question. Will hadn't even completed nodding before Rig was through the doors.

"Hey." He approached her bed nervously, afraid to be rejected again, needing to see acceptance and not fear in her eyes.

The look of relief on her face when she saw him made his heart sing.

"Rig." She held out a shaky hand and he took it, kissing it as his eyes threatened to overflow.

"Georgia I. . "

She stopped him, shaking her head. "I don't want to talk about it right now, I'm so tired. Just hold me, keep everyone else away and let me sleep where I feel safe."

He nodded mutely and they spent several minutes arranging themselves in the hospital bed so he was holding her comfortably. She was asleep almost as soon as her head rested on his chest.

She still felt safe with him. He kissed her hair, letting her scent fill him up.

When Georgia left the clinic she was weak and sore, clutching an inflatable donut shaped pillow and a bottle of pain medicine to keep her comfortable. Rig had gotten her out to the truck and on the road as quickly as possible, pausing just long enough for his mom and sisters to hug her gently and wish her well.

The ride back into the city was quiet. George kept her head turned for most of the trip watching the scenery go by, lost in thought. Rig watched her from the corner of her eye. She was sending out clear "give me space" signals, and he was trying to respect that.

In the space of just a few days her whole world had been turned upside down. One day she was a lonely graphic designer, getting by as best she could but always feeling an emptiness inside. She thought about what Karen had told her about fated mates. Rig filled that emptiness, he had from the very moment they'd met.

Werewolves were real. That was pretty big. She sat with that thought for awhile as the forest gave way to the suburbs surrounding Denver. Werewolves were real and she was in love with one.

She sat up, looking over at Rig.

"What?" He asked, alarmed by the look on her face. "Are you ok? Do I need to pull over?"

"No, No," She slumped back against the door, "I was just thinking."

"That must be some pretty serious thinking." He prompted gently but she just nodded and watched the traffic as they came in to the city.

"Are you going to stay with me?"

His heart sped up, he had prepared himself for her dismissing him at the door, it was too much to hope for that she still wanted him to stay.

"If you'd like me to. No pressure, but I'd love to be with you to help any way I can."