War Dog

Chapter 64

The first thing I registered was a warm, calloused hand holding mine. The thumb slid across my knuckles. Then the soft hum of a familiar voice filtered through my ears and a blinding warmth spread through me as I realised it was Ghost speaking softly. My fingers twitch in his grip and I wake up fully, dragging myself out of the soothing blackness I'd been wrapped in. 

Ghost didn't respond to my fingers twitching, or when I opened my eyes, too focused on reading to me from the book he was holding. It sounded like some form of military tactical advice thing. Probably hoping it'll sink into my brain and make me better at tactics.

"Ghost." My voice is a leathery whisper so quiet. But it's loud enough that Ghost stops reading and looks up at me. 

"Wolf. Fucking hell, you scared everyone." 

"Not my fault," I retort. He puts his book down and grabs me a cup of water to wet my throat. 

"Slow love, can't have you drowning yourself."

I hum back in agreement and finish up the rest of the cup slowly. "It's not my fault Valeria found me and knew who I was."

"She knew who you were?"

"She knew my name, Ghost."

"...Fuck. We'll deal with that later. How are you feeling?"

"Foggy. I feel like death."

"Funny you should say that. You were dead. Not as long this time, but dead as a doorknob."

"Oh. I take it the doctors got me back?"

"No. You were dead, and then you just suddenly weren't."

"How does that even work?"

Ghost shrugged looking at me curiously. "You tell me. Alejandro has been speaking about you being a friend of death. Or perhaps not even death wants you, little Wolf."

I laugh then, a twinge of familiarity rushing through me at Ghosts words but disappears quickly. "Who wouldn't want me? I'm a delight."

"Either way, you are with us still."

"And I am quiet grateful for that. Though Ghost?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I stop waking up in the damn medical wing?"

"Can you stop getting injured or dying?"

"No promises."

"Well then, there's your answer."

My shoulders slump, irritation swirling through me. I fucking hated being constrained to the medical wing with a deep seated passion. 

"What were you reading?" I ask instead, trying to distract the pair of us from my predicament. 

"Spec Ops. I figured you hadn't read any of the suggested reading I told you about, so thought I'd cram it into your skull before you could run away."

"Does it count if I'm not conscious?" A soft laugh filters through the room, knowing Ghost is right. His suggested reading had sounded dry and not something I wanted to bother myself with even though I knew better.

"I'm hoping so. And seeing as though you won't be leaving this bed any time soon, I'm going to be ensuring you get the reading done one way or another."

"What do you mean?" My eyes narrow, glaring at Ghost in warning. "I'm not staying here."

"Wolf. We still have no idea what Valeria drugged you with." Ghost looked and sounded weary. "You're alive only because of a miracle. You will remain in bed until your doctors know you won't die again."