Alpha Noah ✔️

Chapter Twenty Three

Word Count: 1565

~Abella

My first reaction is to run.

Despite my weakening limbs and clouding vision, I stumble into the club. The pounding music isn't helping, and neither are the lights, as I squint, looking around for the sight of the immortal. Instead, I see dancing bodies and alcohol being passed around. A parting in the crowd allows me to see Cian by the bar, holding the bartender by the collar of his shirt.

"Cian..." I call out hopelessly, although my voice is drowned out by the drowning pop music that is going to make me pass out any moment now. People stand in front of me, who I ruthlessly shove with all my effort. "Get out of my way."

Cian turns just in time to see me, as he lets go of the innocent bartender. He takes one look over me to realise something isn't right.

"What are you doing?" he asks, grabbing my arm as I nearly topple over completely. At this point, I can hardly see anything, moments away from losing myself. I don't want to die..."Let's get out of here, you can sober up back home."

"No, I was poisoned...by a man who-"

My words fail me, my last bit of energy draining out as I crumple down. Cian catches me, pulling me into his chest. His expression swims in my view, but I know he is concerned. I'm going to die. I'm going to die, and the last thing I see is Cian, my mate. We never had a chance to get to know each other, to see where our relationship could go.

"Abella, what man?" he questions, shaking me slightly. Opening my mouth to utter his name, my voice fails me. I can't give up now. The last thing I want is to die without him knowing who killed me. Maybe he can figure out why someone would do this to me.

Thankfully I can cough out enough intelligible words. "He was...tall and...magical."

"Stay with me...Please Abella. I can't lose you," I hear him say.

But it's too late. I take one last gasp, before everything goes black.

***

I wake suddenly.

My body jolts up, as if a surge of energy courses through my body, sending me into sitting positions. Blankets cover my legs, so heavy they weigh me down. Looking around, I see Cian sitting in a chair beside the bed, watching me intently. By the door, a girl, whose dark hair drapes down to her waist is also watching me, looking bored.

"She's awake," I hear the girl say. Whirling around to look at Cian, I see a mixture of relief and concern, which is honestly the first time I've seen him be anything more than cocky and arrogant. Something isn't right.

I feel as though I've woken from a wild night out, which honestly must be it. A headache pounds persistently at my temple, my memory from last night completely out of whack.

"Abella. How are you feeling?" Cian asks, moving from his seat onto the bed beside me.

"I feel fine," I tell him honestly, rubbing my head. I've been sweating, I can feel it on my palm. I don't drink often, but when I do, I don't typically feel this way. However, drinking what I assume is Cian's magic elixir, who knows how I'm meantto feel. "Aside from a minor hangover."

Cian reaches outward, brushing my hair away from my face in the most affectionate move that I could ever expect from him. "That wasn't a hangover. You died."

I blink. Excuse me?

"Dead? Pretty sure I look and feel alive," I tell him, looking down at my body. I'm dressed in an outfit I don't remember ever putting on, but at least I'm alive. When I look back up at Cian, he is looking at me with a sadness in his eyes that is impossible to fabricate. "Why are you giving me that look? How long have a been asleep?"