11 - To Light A Match
ZARA
Pain was the harsh reminder of our undeniable presence in this world, our vulnerability laid bare amid the turmoil. Pain was the embodiment of tragedy, a cruel byproduct of chaos that demanded we confront our limits.
And it coursed through me.
The burning sensation spread through me like a wildfire, every inch of my body aching as I slowly emerged from my slumber. My eyes squinted at the harsh brightness of the room and my ears registered the steady hum of the machines beside me before my vision did. Glancing down, I noticed tubes snaking around my bruised arms.
I blinked once, twice, as I tried to get used to my surroundings and coming to the realization that I was in a hospital bed. The thought made me frown. I never liked doctors or hospitals or doctors, who seemed more content with providing complications than solutions.
I reached for the IV tubes, wanting to yank them out, when a voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Don't remove that,"
My head snapped in the direction and shock radiated through me as I saw the Alpha, my mate, seated by the door, idly fiddling with his phone. He wasn't looking at me when he said it, his brows furrowed as his gaze was firmly fixed on the device.
I had a few choice words for Mr Alpha but the strength to voice them now didn't come. Instead, I settled for a harsh glare.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded.
"Well, when a mate learns that their other half is severely injured, they tend to come rushing," he replied casually.
"You'll also find that locking up said mate won't win you brownie points either," I winced as I moved slightly, trying to get comfortable on the stiff bedding. Another reason to hate hospitals - poor choices in sleep material.
He said nothing else. Rising, he made a move to the door and called someone over.
"Yes, she's awake now," he said as he stepped back into the room. His eyes met my own briefly before he folded his arms and looked at the doctor.
"You're a doctor?" I asked incredulously.
The young girl laughed melodiously, a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. Her short curly honey colored hair swayed with her laugh and her green eyes showed her humor just as much as the bright white smile she wore.
"No, no," she said, "I'm just part time here trying to save for college. I'm Maya Collins. It's great to finally see you're finally awake! You gave Alpha Haden quite a scare. How are you feeling?"
At the mention of Haden's concern, my gaze shifted to him, momentarily surprised that the Big Bad Alpha cared what happened to me. If I wasn't so against the idea of Alphas, I would've warmed at the thought of his concern. Yet, I knew his facade had an expiration date - it always would. And let's not forget the blood that stained his hands; the blood of my friends whose lives he ended without a second thought. He was a monster.
Oh, admit it, you've softened a little bit, my wolf insisted.
"I... I'm feeling like I got run over by a train," I admitted to the doctor as my eyes shifted back to her. It was the truth. Weakness gripped me, my throat was parched, and this room was blinding.
"Yes, I can only imagine. The bruises you sustained were quite extensive. You walked in with three broken ribs, bruising on your forearms, legs, and stomach, and there's the matter of the swelling on the back of your head," the nurse reported.
"Those guys sure had a field day, didn't they?"
At my witty remark, Haden clenched his fists and his jaw tightened but, as usual, he opted for silence.
The nurse continued with her assessment, "the cuts on your face neck and arms seems to have cleared up quite well - very impressive. Your healing rate is unusually rapid. I've had wolves with less damage than you take twice as long to heal what you've managed to do in two days."
"Wait, I've been out for two days?"
"Your body needed the rest, trust me," Maya reassured, "and you'll be getting much more of it over the next day or so."
"Look - Maya - you're a really sweet girl but I'm not up for staying at Hotel White Walls for another day or so."
"Oh yes you are," Haden interjected.
"No," I tried my best to glare at him, "I'm not."
"You'll stay until you're fully healed, without question."
"It's your own fault I'm even here, thanks to those pack members you love so much, and now I can't get a say in my own healthcare?"
He opened his mouth to respond then snapped it shut, returning my glare before he turned to Maya.
"When will she be fully healed?"
"Normally I'd say another week or so but she's healing rapidly so maybe a day or two," she answered him before she turned to me with softer eyes as she pressed a button on the controller for the ivy drip, "plus most of the day you'll be asleep so you won't even notice the difference. You heal pretty fast, almost as fast as Alpha Haden, which is a shock in itself because he's an Alpha. Don't worry about anything okay, just rest up. I'll come and check on you in a few hours," she added as she pressed on the button connected to the machine close to me.
With a smile, she left the room and I grumbled like a child as I settled back in bed, slightly wincing at the movement in my lower abdomen.
I already knew I was a fast healer. I never knew or understood why but I definitely didn't complain about it. Fast healing came in handy as a rogue - each day being a reminder that only the strong would survive.
"It's not going to be that bad and -"
"Go away Haden," I muttered as my eyes closed, feeling the infusion of whatever Maya plunged into my system doing its job, "I don't want you here... and I need to sleep." With that, I fell blissfully to sleep.
When I awoke, the room wasn't as bright as before. Fluorescent lights gave the room a slight glow and beyond the glass windows I could see the evening sky. Involuntarily, I reached for my throat and grimaced at the sudden need for water. The chair in the corner of the room was empty, only the cold air occupying it now, and I couldn't say that I was surprised. I told him to leave and he did.
I looked down at my arms once again, noticing the bruises that lined them were gone, but the tubes remained. I was about to yank them out when I heard a shout from outside the door.
"It doesn't matter! She's your mate and you ought to give her some respect."
Was that... was that Conner?
I strained my ears to listen as another voice replied.
"You don't know anything about -"
"You need to accept what is, Haden, before any more damage is done. Those men attacked her because of what she is - what they think she is - a rogue and not your mate."
"I don't need to do anything and you better watch that tone. You're a friend but I am still your Alpha."
"Alphas lead by example, not by cowardice. Look, I know you had everything planned out with Natalia but she'll never be your true mate. She'll never be what you really need."
"Not everyone can be you and Abigale, Conner," I heard Haden say.
So the man didn't want to ruin his perfect little fantasy, yet he didn't want to let me walk out the door. Kinda selfish if you ask me. He needs to get over himself. I wasn't the one who asked to be here; to be his mate. Huffing, I turned my back to the door with a grimace and willed myself back to sleep.
The sound of loud cries and screams woke me up. It couldn't be morning already, mommy just put me to bed. I looked over at my Cinderella clock on the nightstand then clutched my blankie closer. Another scream came and I jumped up, grabbing Mr. Bosley. The air was all smoky and hard to breathe, it made me cough a lot as I walked towards the door. Were mommy and daddy fighting? No, they never fought. But I could hear things breaking and more screaming. I didn't like it at all. Daddy usually liked a quiet house, but tonight, it was all crazy.
I grabbed Mr. Bosley tighter and, with my blankie, and I peeked out of my bedroom door. The big flames were dancing around in the living room, I noticed, as I touched the railing, but it was too hot, so I quickly let go. The smoke was even worse than in my room. I had to cover my face with my blankie to stop coughing. There were grown-up guys fighting each other, not even noticing the flames.
I was so worried.
Where were Mommy and Daddy?
"Hey!" I called out when a woman almost ran into me.
They turned back in a panic.
"Zara, what are you doing?! It's dangerous, come on," the woman dragged me with her down the stairs and through the living room, the flames almost engulfing the room.
"Where's mommy and daddy?" I pulled on the woman's hand and asked but she wouldn't listen. She just kept pulling me along.
"No!" I finally shouted, pulling free of the woman, needing to find my mommy and daddy. I ran outside but there were so many people - they were all fighting, they were all angry. I looked around for mommy and daddy but I couldn't see anyone.
"Hey there little girl," a man with an evil smile approached me, "I know who you are. Why don't you come with -"
I screamed as he reached for me, thankfully escaping his grasp and running in the other direction and through the woods. I ran faster and faster, just like daddy taught me in training, and when I looked back I didn't see the scary man. I heard noises so I moved towards the sounds, hiding beneath the bushes. The closer I got, the louder the sounds were.
"You'll never get what you want,"
"You're wrong," the bad man laughed, "I always get what I want."
He grabbed mommy's hair tighter making her wince and the held the knife closer to her throat.
"Don't! I beg of you, please don't,"
Daddy!
I crouched down behind the bushes and looked at the scene before me, tears running down my eyes. A man was standing behind mommy with a knife to her neck. Two men were holding daddy up but I couldn't see them.
"I'm begging you!" Daddy cried out. I saw mommy shaking her head and tears running down her eyes but it didn't matter to the bad man.
"Look at you now," the bad man laughed loudly, "on your knees begging. Pitiful."
With that, he slashed mommy's throat and she fell to the ground.
"No!" I couldn't help but scream out. All eyes snapped to me. I cowered at the eyes on me.
"Well, seems like I might get what I want after all," the man who killed mommy said.
"No!" Daddy shouted then sprung free from the men who held him and shifted into his wolf. He kicked him down and turned to the two men who held him before. He growled at them. I never saw daddy growl like that, his growls were always playful to me. Daddy lunged at them, twisting the neck of one and ripping apart the other before turning to the bad man who killed mommy. Daddy stood between me and the bad man. Daddy would protect me.
"You want a wolf fight? So be it!" The bad man cried out then shifted. They both charged at each other, clawing and gnashing at each other. It went on for ages. I was so scared for daddy.
The man gripped daddy by the neck and twisted, forcing him to shift. When he shifted, blood was everywhere and daddy looked weak. He was flat on the floor when he turned to me then back at the man when he shifted back.
"You won't get what you want, Zachariah," daddy breathed out.
The bad man smiled evilly.
"I already have," he replied to daddy then he looked at me. Daddy looked at me too and I saw fear in his eyes. And sadness.
"I'm sorry sweetheart," he said then he pushed himself up and distracted the bad man with a punch before he turned to me, "Run!"