Chapter Two

Author's Note- I know that it has been a long time, but it took me a while to figure out how I wanted to write this chapter. Thank you to all of the people who have read and commented on my story so far.

Florence

I watched as my blood began to run like a river out of my neck and on the bed where I am lying down. The vicious wolf that had bitten me before was gone now, and I was all alone.

As I grew more lightheaded from the loss of blood, I thought about how right after my parents died, I felt like I died too. So this wasn't really what killed me. I had not been alive for a while now.

I just wished that it wasn't so painful. That I could just die already, and do whatever happens to us afterward if anything at all.

To distract myself, I thought about my grandmother. Before both of our lives changed drastically after the loss of our loved ones, I enjoyed coming to her house. Sure, sometimes we went on big trips to San Francisco or Disney World, but it wasn't those things that I remembered the most.

It was the little things that I couldn't help thinking about like how we used to hold hands as we gently flung the chicken food/scratch out in the yard for the little birds to eat. Or how we use to go out in the garage and dance along to the Beach Boys and Bon Jovi whenever there was a thunderstorm.

She was the one who made me realize how important family was.

"Family is all that we have," she used to say as she softly patted the side of my face. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Me neither.

After a while, recalling the past was too much. I couldn't help but worry that if I did pass away, which seemed more and more likely as time continued to tick away, that my grandmother would be crushed without me. Besides me, she didn't have anybody else.

Instead, I thought about Stiles, Scott, Liam, and Theo. I knew that it was wrong to have a crush on four guys at the same time, but it doesn't matter anymore. It's not like I am going to live long enough to get my first kiss or get to know any of the guys like I would like to.

Each one of them was handsome. There was something about their eyes as they looked at me the first day we met. I was so sure that it was only the beginning of something great and not the end of one.

It was like I had this connection with them. Even now, it was like I could feel them, crazy I know. But when I had been around them earlier today, it was like I could breathe for the first time in a long time.

I wished that I could have gone out on a date like I planned to with Scott. I wished that I could talk to all of them right now, but I my arms and legs were numb and I couldn't reach out to get my phone. All of the guys had given me their phone numbers at some point during the school day.

I was so caught up daydreaming about my guys-my guys, gosh I am really losing it- that I smiled as my eyes began to close even though I knew that this was the end. Dying was strange. I should have been sad or scared, but I was felt neither of those things.

I was oddly at peace.

"Sweetheart, I am home!" I heard my grandmother sing as the front door opened

with a loud screeching sound.

Then everything went black. I didn't hear or see anything, but I was calm. Every now and then I could make out small pinpoints of light in the blanket of darkness that surrounded me. I felt like I was swimming in the nighttime sky, completely at ease.

It felt like I had been gone forever when, suddenly, everything changed.

Somebody had put wheels on my bed because I was still lying on it as somebody pushed it through grandmother's house. What was going on? Was I still dreaming? It was very loud here. I wanted to open my mouth to say something, but I couldn't. It was like my lips and my eyes were glued shut. I tried to move my arms or legs, but all I managed to do was wiggle a couple of my toes.

I was really confused and frightened. I thought that I was supposed to die today, I thought to myself.

"Not yet, sweetheart," an older woman's voice said.

My grandmother calls me that. Wait, did she just read my mind?

"No, I didn't read your mind," the strange woman said.

I must be talking out loud and I don't even know it. I have to be careful about what I say. Who is she?

"I'm Melissa McCall, a nurse at Beacon Hills hospital. Your grandmother called a 911 after she found you in your bedroom. A couple of EMTs were able to stop the bleeding and give you a blood transfusion while they transported you to the hospital," she finished as she continued to wheel me to a hospital room in what I now assumed was a gurney.

Funny. She has the same last name as Scott.

"You know my son, Scott," Melissa stated rather than asked. "That's right. He was talking this afternoon about a new girl at school named Florence. Just by the way he talked about you, I could tell that you were special. I am so glad that you are okay."

Please, don't let her tell Scott that I am here. I don't want him to see me like this.

I guess I was thinking that to myself that time because she didn't respond. Suddenly, the bed stopped moving. I guess I was in a hospital room now.

Sure enough, she gently picked me up and placed me on a larger, softer hospital bed. I sighed with my eyes still closed because they were stubborn, but at least it felt like I was laying on a cloud.

"You can rest now," Melissa said as she brushed a strand of hair away from my face. It reminded me of what my mother used to do when I was stressed out. "A doctor will be here in a couple of minutes to check your vitals, but since you are hooked up to a machine that records your heart rate and blood pressure, he shouldn't have to wake you up. Also, your grandmother will be up shortly. She is filling out paperwork at the front office. She didn't know that you would be awake yet."

I wanted to say "okay" or "Thank you," but I could feel myself drifting off to sleep. At least this time, I knew that I was fine and that I would be back.

I awoke to loud voices. I yawned and opened my eyes as I sat up. I was still exhausted, but I felt better.

"Where is she?" I heard Scott say. "Why didn't anybody tell me about this?"

"Probably, because we knew that you would be freaking out like you are now," Stiles said. How many people were here? Were they looking for me?

"I think that I am reacting appropriately, considering that my mate was attacked by a wolf last night," Scott said in the same loud voice. "Besides, you cried in the car the whole way to the hospital, Stiles because you were worried about Florence."

"Yes, I am concerned about her because she is my mate too! I may not have the same wolfy connection as the rest of you guys, but Lydia had a crazy vision that made it pretty clear that I complete the soulmate bond," Stiles ranted, speaking very quickly.

So they were talking about me since I heard Scott say "Florence," and they are also conveniently standing outside of my hospital room. I eyed the I.V. that was injected into my arm and the bag of fluids hanging near my head on a pole thingy. What exactly was in the fluids? Was I hearing Scott and Stiles right? What did they mean when they kept referring to me as a mate? What did Stiles mean when he said the soulmate bond?

Maybe I really had died. I never that I would be just as crazy in my afterlife. I pinched myself. Nope, I was alive, unless you experience pain after you die.

"You two, quiet down! She needs to rest, and she doesn't need to wake up to this. She doesn't know about werewolves," Melissa tried to tell them in a hushed voice. I was barely able to make it out, but I did. Maybe, your hearing improves after you go through a near-death experience. Crazier things have happened before. Wait, back up! What did she mean when she said werewolves?

God, they were all nuts! Werewolves exist in stories like my favorite book series ever called the Twilight saga.

I had to get out of here ASAP. I just have to find my grandmother who is always missing when I need her the most.

I attempted to get up because one like I mentioned before, these people were off their rocker, making me think that first impressions really are not all that, and two, I really, really had to pee.

Of course, as soon as I got up, I tripped over the metal thing that was carrying all of my fluids, and I fell face down on the ground. I groaned. First, I get attacked by a wolf that appears to be stalking me after it murdered my parents, and then after that big scare, my clumsiness still knocks me on my ass.

I just want my mommy, I think to myself and then I begin to cry to myself when I realize that I will probably never see her or my dad again.

I am distracted when I hear the door slam open, and I swear I heard Scott growl. Stiles was next to him as they rushed over to where I was lying on the floor. Melissa was behind them.

I knew that it was her because even though I didn't get to see her last night, her face somehow matched her voice.

Stiles was the first one to reach me. He looked unsure about whether or not he should touch me or help me up.

"Florence, what is wrong? Are you okay?" he asked, looking very sincere.

We barely knew each other, so why were they so concerned about me?

"I'm okay," I said, not really wanting to tell him that I had to go to the bathroom.

Stiles looked relieved as he pulled me halfway into his lap as he gave me a bear hug. I wanted to cry again because I loved the feeling of being held, especially after what I went through. Even though I only met Stiles yesterday, I kind of knew him already. He was a kind boy that was concerned about some strange girl's safety just like Scott.

Scott did that strange growl again, eying Stiles arms wrapped around me with a strangely feral expression on his face. Was he jealous?

"Scott," his mother said, exchanging an intense look with him that screamed you need to freaking chill out right this second.

Scott calmed down slightly when I smiled at him.

"I'm glad you guys came here to check on me," I said to him. "It's nice to know that I have friends already."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Scott said. "Except out on that date that I promised you. I wish that you never got hurt in the first place."

I began to shake as I thought about that damn wolf again and what happened last night. I tried to shake it off and Scott's kind words helped.

After Stiles reluctantly let me out of his embrace, Scott insisted on a big hug as well. Before he pulled away, I swear that he kissed me on my temple, but I will never know.

As Melissa checked me out to see that I was okay, my grandmother raced into the hospital room with a McDonald's bag in her hands.

"I'm sorry that I was late, sweetheart," my grandmother said as she kissed both sides of my face. "I had a feeling that you were going to wake up soon, and I thought that I had enough time to get you something good to eat besides that disgusting cafeteria food."

"It's okay, grandma," I said, smiling up at her. After Scott gave me a hug, he insisted that I lay back in bed and get better. Even though I was a little tired, I felt much better and thought that his overprotective side of his personality was sweet for now.

My grandma began to tear up as she continued to talk.

"You really scared me," she said as she grasped my hand tightly. "After the loved ones we lost, I don't know what I would do without my baby doll."

"I'm not going anywhere," I told her. "I'm not little red riding hood. It'll take more than a little wolf bite to kill me."

Melissa and my grandmother laughed as the latter cried a little, but Scott and Stiles exchanged a look, appearing unhappy. They were still very upset over what happened. Honestly, I was too, but sometimes humor helped me cope with all of the craziness.

"I like your friends," my grandma said, winking at me. "I ran into them while I was rushing out to get breakfast. They are very cute boys."

"Grandma, please!" I said, rolling my eyes as even Scott and then Stiles began to chuckle. I wasn't really annoyed with her. Actually, at this moment, I was content.

Like a wise man once said: Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light.

Right now, I was happy. Later, I might freak out more about the animal attack last night, and I will continue to grieve over the death of my parents, but I will continue to live for as long as I can. Already, I have made good friends, and I somehow I had the feeling again that this was only the beginning.

"Uh oh," Stiles said. "Liam and Theo texted me. They are not happy with me because I didn't tell them that Florence was in the hospital. They are on the way over here right now. I can't believe even have Theo's phone number. He is a psychopath."

"Why do you say that he is crazy?" I asked.

"It's a long story," Stiles and Scott said at the same time.

I shrugged. I was sure that I would find out eventually.

Right now, everything felt oddly complete with Stiles and Scott, but it still felt like something was missing. Little did I know that there were two men who I never met before who were sitting out in the waiting room. They were waiting to hear back from Melissa that I was alright because even though I didn't know it yet, I was bound to them just like I was to Liam, Scott, Theo, and Stiles. They would all become very important to me.

Author's Note- Thanks for reading. Review this chapter and tell me what you think. Who do you think the two mysterious guys are? Did you like my Harry Potter reference?