Cody
Some how I was the one who got put in charge of telling Ashlynn what had happened. The Alpha elected to stay in town at the hospital to wait for Dawson to wake up. He said I was the only one who Ashlynn really knew from the group, so he thought it should come from me. We had rolled in around two in the morning, everyone completely exhausted. I saw that all the lights were off at Ashlynn’s, so I just went to bed. I woke up around seven feeling like I hadn’t slept at all. The worry was toying with me, and the responsibility to tell Ashlynn was weighing heavy. I got dressed and walked to the main house first. I thought Carolyn should be there to support Ashlynn.
All the lights were on downstairs, the Luna coming to the door as soon as I knocked. She let me in and offered me coffee and breakfast. That sounded amazing. I walked into the dining room and Carolyn was sitting there, finishing up her food and sipping her coffee. “Hey, she smiled. “So good to see you this morning, but why do you look so tired?” I looked over at Jenna and she gave me a look, she clearly hadn’t told Carolyn what happened last night.
I took the chair next to hers, and filled up my plate with the food on the table. One of the Omega’s brought me a cup of coffee and then hurried out, after picking up Carolyn’s empty plate. “It was a long night. The Alpha is in town at the hospital.”
“What?“, Carolyn nearly shouted and looked over at Jenna. Jenna sighed and sat down at the end of the table, her hands folded.
“It’s not what you think. The Alpha is fine. He’s there with one of the pack members. There was an incident last night as they were leaving the Godsend Pack. Alpha is waiting for them to wake up,” Jenna told her.
“Oh. Ok.” Carolyn was quiet a minute. She looked at me,“Something feels off. What’s going on Cody?”
I set my fork down. “Dawson was shot with a wolfsbane dart, he’s still unconscious. I came here to ask you to go with me to tell Ashlynn.”
Jenna cut in, “Maybe you should wait. He could wake up soon. I know she has a lot of work to do today. There are mares coming in at ten.”
“She’s already up. I saw the lights on in the clinic. It won’t be long before she starts asking where Dawson is, or looking for him. I can’t just keep it from her,” I tell them, looking back and forth between the two women.
Carolyn placed her hand over mine. It was clenched on my thigh in a tight fist. As soon as she touched me, I relaxed and gave her a small
smile.
“I know my daughter. If you don’t tell her, she’s going to be pissed. She’s strong, she can handle it. It’s not like you’re telling her he’s dead.” Carolyn looks at me and I don’t say anything. “Right Cody?” It’s a question and a statement at the same time.
“We actually don’t know what’s going to happen. We don’t know how much wolfsbane was in the dart.” I chugged my coffee down and stood up. “I’m going to get this over with.” I turned and walked out of the house.
By the time I got to the clinic it was almost eight in the morning. I just walked right in and found Ashlynn at the desk reviewing files for todays incoming horses. She looked up from her work and smiled.
“You look busy,” I said. Of course she was busy, but I was trying to decide how to tell her about Dawson.
“Just getting a jump start on the day. I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been in here since five. I have most everything done, just waiting on the inbound mares.” She set down her pencil and pushed her chair back to stand. “I was actually going to make some coffee.”
“Well I have something we should discuss first, if you don’t mind.” I lean against the wall, my hands in my pockets.
Ashlynn gives me a funny look. “You’re acting weird Cody. You usually just waltz right in and say what you’ve got to say a She crosses her arms across her chest. “Tell me what this is about.”
k back out.”
I take a deep breath and proceed to tell her exactly what happened and where Dawson is. The second I say he’s in the hospital, she’s rounding the corner for the door. “Where the hell are you going Ash? I’m talking to you.”
