Kapitel 9: Chapter Nine
(Trigger Warning: Excess Blood and Death Later on in Chapter)
"Okay, so... want to talk?" Venus said as she flopped onto the king-sized bed beside Serena, who was still staring intently at the door.
Serena continued to stare, completely ignoring the woman next to her.
"Hello?" Venus waved a hand across Serena's face, snapping her back to reality.
"Oh, sorry. I was just..." Serena faltered, her eyes flicked back and forth between the door and Venus' smiling face.
"Staring at my brother, I get it. He's super attractive." Venus teased.
Serena laughed.
"No. Well, yes, but no. He just said something I know is wrong but refused to tell me what actually happened if that makes sense."
"Not really, but I'm sure that Atlas had a reason. He always has a reason for everything he does. What exactly did he tell you?" Venus shifted and directed herself toward Serena, placing her face gently in her hands.
"Well he said that a light-colored wolf was the one that attacked me, but I know what I saw. It was a massive black one."
"Well, you were having a hard time earlier remembering what happened, maybe this was just another instance? Or maybe he saw wrong?" Venus waved her hands dismissively.
"I don't think so..." Serena mumbled. "But maybe it could have been... It was getting later in the day..." She trailed off and looked down at her twiddling fingers.
"But Serena, darling, are you doing okay? You just found out your dad died... do you need to talk? I'm here for you. I know we started on the wrong foot, but I know it's hard to lose a parent." Venus rested a hand gently on Serena's arm.
Serena looked up and smiled softly.
"Thanks, but I just need some time to process things."
"Okay... if you need me, I'll be sleeping here." Venus moved to the other side of the bed and snuggled under the covers.
"Thanks." Serena softly responded, shifting further into the soft furs.
The crickets chirping and the soft hooting of owls filled the night leaving little room for anything else. Serena drifted into a fitful sleep filled with nightmares of all varieties.
A full week went by and each night Venus and Serena stayed in the same room and talked about their days.
"How's your side doing?" Venus asked as she lifted the hem of Serena's shirt to see the bruise roping her ribcage.
"Doesn't hurt to breathe anymore so that's good!" Serena chuckled, pulling her shirt back down.
"That's good... We could probably go outside and you can meet my son and enjoy some sunshine tomorrow. Atlas finally gave his approval." Venus rolled her eyes as she spoke of her brother. Serena laughed.
Venus continued to blab about all things Atlas and the pack as she changed for bed. How Atlas had been keeping Serena's presence a mystery until Eli had to let it slip. Now everyone was wanting to meet her. Atlas, of course, refused as she was on the mend and he was concerned about her and her mental health. She entered back into the room from the side bathroom, her dirty clothes draped across her arms. A solemn look on her face.
"It's been a week, are you sure you don't want to talk about anything?" Venus prodded Serena, poking her side gently. "I feel like I talk all the time and you never get a chance to sort out anything 'cause all I do is talk."
"No. Not really..." Serena pulled away from Venus. "I enjoy listening to you."
"Okay... I know you don't sleep at night. I may be a hard sleeper but I know when someone I'm with isn't sleeping. I have a husband and a pup. Tell me what's wrong. I promise you'll feel better." Venus shifted and looked directly at Serena's ragged face.
Serena sighed and flopped onto the bed, her long hair loosely falling on the pillows and furs. She stared at the ceiling and refused to answer.
"Fine..." Venus mumbled gruffly as she turned onto her side and turned out the light, plunging the room into black. "Goodnight then..."
The two lay in awkward silence for what felt like hours. Finally, Serena spoke.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"What?" A hushed reply.
"Thanks for checking up on me every day and telling me all about what's happening with your pup and Atlas and Eli. It makes my mind less anxious... and busy..."
"Oh. You're welcome."
The two sat in silence, unsure of what to say, if anything, next. Venus broke the long silence.
"My mom died when I was a little kid..."
"I'm so sorry. What happened?" Serena turned to look at the woman beside her.
"She died... giving birth to me." Her hushed voice cracked.
"Oh my god. I am so sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I'm so sorry, Venus." Serena scrambled to find words to comfort her newfound friend.
"No, no. It's okay. I need to talk about this with another girl and now orphan. Eli has both of his parents still and they're great people, and Atlas, well you know him, he doesn't quite get the whole feelings thing, and Eli... just doesn't cover it, you know?"
"Okay, I'm here to listen."
A few shaking breaths filled the room before Venus continued.
(Trigger Warning)
"It was a hot early fall evening. The whole summer had been hot and that just made my mom's whole pregnancy hard. She was a thin woman, to begin with, and there had been a minor complication with Atlas when he was born a few years earlier. She had been bleeding a bit too much, but the midwife had helped her with some sort of treatment. My father never really said.
"That day, mom had been watching my dad train Atlas in the yard and her water broke. My dad came running and belted out instructions for a midwife to come. My dad had a thing against hospitals as we are werewolves, the doctors might ask too many questions, you know. Anyway, Eli's dad went and got her and soon mom was in active labor. She had been doing fine according to all tests. But she complained of being dizzy and nauseous. My dad didn't think too much of it as I was mostly born apparently. Once I have been cut and taken to another room, he finally took notice of how pale his wife was and how she kept swaying in her sitting position on the bed. The thick, red blood flowed all over the sheets and mattress, soaking them through. It wouldn't stop and according to the reports, she soon lost over 30 liters of blood. Most of which was from my birth, but there was a lot of excess blood that shouldn't have been there, even with minor complications...
"My dad yelled at the midwives to do something, but at that point, there was very little they could do. They gave a massage as they had been trained, which essentially, that just helps the muscles contract and stop the bleeding. But the blood continued to flow and my mom complained of blurry visions. They tried medications, but soon there was too much blood loss to do anything. My dad offered a blood transfusion, but he didn't have the right blood type. He ordered everyone to leave the room and held my mom on the bed as she bled out. That was the only time he cried."
Venus took in a shaky breath and Serena moved closer to hold the quivering woman tightly. Venus gently rest her head on Serena's chest and continued,
"My dad was covered in her blood and his hot tears when Eli's dad was finally able to enter the room. My dad had refused to let anyone in for hours but finally relented when his friend barged in and refused to leave. He refused to leave her side even after the midwives had ruled her deceased and tried to take her away. She was his entire life... Atlas and I would never be able to live up to his expectations. After that day, he became another person. He refused to look at me or hold me when a midwife came back to hand me off. For the first full year of my life, I was a strange being to that man. I was instead raised by Eli's parents until my dad could stand me again. Even then, it took years because I look like her."
"I am so sorry, Venus. I'm sorry about your mother. It wasn't your fault, I hope you know that..." Serena comforted softly. She rocked gently back and forth, her arms wrapped tightly around her friend.
"I know... Doesn't make it any less hard..." Venus mumbled into the arm wrapped around her.
The two sat there for a long time, the presence of each other bringing the other comfort.
"I don't really know how my mom died..." Serena began with a shaky breath.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein