Shattered

C H A P T E R - S E V E N

I woke up groggy. So groggy that I barely registered the incessant beeping or the fly the landed and made home on my nose. It took a few moments before my body cooperated enough to allow me to shoo away the bug. My nose twitched, but the itch did not go away until I let out a soft sneeze. I'm sure the bug landed on my face, because I was dirty. I was about a day away from dying and starting the rotting process. The fly was starting early it seemed. Wait – the beeping. There should not be an unforgiving beep sounding throughout the entire forest.

I flickered my eyes open to find myself in a hospital bed surrounded by machines. There was an IV in my arm with a clear fluid traveling through. It took me a second to remember the two wolves who disturbed me in my make shift home. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that they were the ones responsible for my current state. My body still felt extremely weak, but stronger than when I couldn't support my own body weight.

My eyes traveled the room and the one thing that stood out, probably the only thing that separated it from a regular hospital room, was that this room lacked windows. It was clear that this room was reserved for people who they didn't want to escape. The beeping on the machine escalated. I could feel my stomach caught in my throat. I was trapped in a room at a pack who probably wanted me dead. I did recognize that the two men had saved me, but I had a suspicion that they kept me alive solely so they could get answers.

Wouldn't they be disappointed when they found out that I was no one? I was just an uninteresting wolf who left her pack in hopes of reprieve from the pain settled deep within my soul. I couldn't provide them with a helpful information other than that I was not a threat and that my death would be an act of mercy.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened and a frantic young wolf entered. She was obviously a nurse based on the dark blue scrubs contrasting her pale skin. Her brown hair was piled in a bun high on her head. Her cheeks were a rosy pink possibly from having ran into the room. Her wide brown eyes met mine and she seemed to release a breath.

"Oh, good! You're awake." She absentmindedly put a hand on her fast beating heart. I take it she heard the increase in my heart rate and thought the worst.

"W-who are you?" My voice choked a little bit coming out, so she motioned to the glass of water next to my bed. I grabbed it and guzzled it down.

"My name is Maya." She flashed me a bright smile before grabbing the chart attached to the end of my bed. She glanced it over before grabbing the pen attached and approached the monitors to my right.

"Where am I? I want to go home." This time my voice cracked for a very different reason. I held back tears. I was a prisoner here. Just when I thought my life couldn't get any worse, I was knocked down another peg.

"You're in the hospital." Well, no shit. I rolled my eyes at Maya irritated at her presence and if she refused to answer my questions, then she needed to leave.

"You don't say. And where is this hospital located?" I resisted the urge to rip the IV out of my arm as she did her assessment. If she wanted to give me attitude, I'd walk right out of here. Or well, I'd try. I haven't been through hell and back to be stuck in this room with a young wolf who did know respect if it hit her in the face. My wolf growled in agreement.

"Gyakusatsu Tribe. The Alpha will be here to speak with you soon. Now, stop with the questions and let me do my job." I rolled my eyes again. Maya wouldn't be any further help. I kept quiet while she finished assessing my vitals. With one final check mark on the chart, she set it back down at the end of the bed and left the room.

So far, Gyakusatsu was meeting all the rumors I've heard. They were never the friendliest tribe. I'm sure they had their reasons, but I hadn't done a single thing to deserve this treatment. They abducted me from outside their territory and now held me prisoner. Instead of feeling the ache in my chest that seemed to be ever-present, I felt angry. So very angry.

I sat there in that bed stewing in that dark feeling. My wolf and I wanted blood. I thought about getting up and seeking my revenge, but I knew better. The people in this hospital were innocent. The only blood that would be spilled would be the men who abducted me or the man who approved it all. So, I sat there for what seemed like hours letting them come to me. I was done letting the universe shit all over me. I was done being a weak girl filled with despair. It was time to take the reigns into my own hands and do something to make myself feel better. And if that meant a suicide mission of punishing those that had wronged me, then so be it.

Finally, the door slowly opened and in walked a tall man. He was at least double the size of the two wolves whom had snatched me from my den. His skin was a deep bronze that could only be achieved by spending most of his time out in the sun. His hair was a copper brown faded on the sides and slightly longer on the top. His eyes were a stunning blue with a grey rim that instantly sizzled the inferno raging inside my heart. His nose was slightly crooked like it had been broken and set back into place numerous times. I could vaguely see ink peaking up under the collar of his grey t-shirt. I let out a small gasp at how muscled his arms and legs were. He could easily crush every wolf in the building while barely lifting a finger.

Maya broke me out of ogling the handsome man by appearing behind him. I wanted to punch her in the face for being so close to what surely belonged to me. Eli became a distant memory and I slowly felt my heart healing itself. My wolf purred inside my head.

"Alpha-" Maya spoke, but was quickly cut off by a growl resonated deep within my chest and his. My eyes widened more.

"Mate." His voice was barely above a whisper, but the words wrapped themselves around my body incasing me in a safe cocoon.

Oh, shit.