Elora's POV
The first thing I realised when I woke up was that this wasn't what I imagined heaven to look like. The second things I realised was that this probably wasn't heaven.
Memories came flooding back, the shop, the bomb, the pain. Everything. I looked around, this wasn't the healers, which is where humans would usually go when they had any sort of injuries. But this room, this room was nothing like the healers. It was large, crisp white walls that seemed to glow due to the light. Two huge windows that seemed to take up most of the room. I could see the partly see-through curtains, but they had been pulled aside. The bed was unnecessarily large. A double bed assisted with a thick blanket and a mountain of pillows. Tones of space, you could probably fit over twenty people in here. I could dee a door on the left side of the room, I knew it didn't lead out to the hallway, did this room have its own bathroom?
While I had never been inside the Wolves hospital, I doubted their rooms would be like this. The strangest thing, however, was that I no longer felt any pain. I could feel the bandages up against my ribs, and some stitching on my back, but I couldn't feel any pain. Which was strange.
I looked down and immediately say the IV in my wrist. A clear liquid was moving from a plastic packet into my arm. I cringed but pushed down the temptation to take it out myself. I knew that it wouldn't help, probably end up making things worse.
I pulled myself to the edge of the bed, I swung my legs out from underneath the covers and gripped my hand on the machine that the IV was connected too. Carefully, I pulled myself up onto my two feet and took a couple of steps. I placed my hand on the windowsill and allowed myself to look out onto the view.
I bit back a gasp, the city looked so different from here. I could see the woods, the endless green trees creating an aesthetic contrast to the sheer white buildings of Gyabo. It seemed to stretch for ages. All I had ever seen of the wolves side was a market place, but now that I could see it, I could appreciate it properly. Tall, curved buildings that were once again, a blinding shade of white. The city seemed to stretch on for ages, I could tell that wherever I was, was near the castle, higher up on the mountain. If I looked far enough, I could see the grey, murky, broken down buildings of the human side. Though it was difficult.
Everything looked so different, so... peaceful. Never before had I seen Gyabo like this, and I loved it.
I could feel my knees wobbling, a sign that I should probably go back into the unreasonably soft bed. I took one last fleeting glance before turning back around to head back to the bed. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw next,
A man was in my bed, how I hadn't noticed it before was beyond me. He was lying face down, Thick, dark brown hair was sitting messily on top of his head, but I could tell that it was usually neat and styles. His face was perfect, a sharp jawline, plump pink lips that were opened slightly. His skin was tan, and his long frame was draped over the right side of the bed. Never before had I seen anyone that looked like him,
And I was terrified.
Long, sharp canines were poking out from the bag in between his lips. It was a werewolf, I could feel my heart beginning to speed up, I had shared a bed with a wolf.
There was no way I was going to lie back down there, not while the wolf was still inhabiting it, I walked back until I hit the wall. I slid down against it, my entire body against the wall, curled up in the corner. I couldn't take my eyes off him, for fear that if I did, he would suddenly be right in front of me, fully prepared to turn the white wall behind me red.
I watched him for hours, occasionally glancing at the clock. At not one point did I feel calm enough to try and close my eyes, in fact, for each minute that went past I seemed to get tenser. Then he began to stir, his body moved, pulling him up completely onto his side, his arm spread out as if he was trying to spread out. Then he began patting around and a worried frown appeared on his face. Suddenly his eyes opened, showing me the most gorgeous green eyes I had ever seen in my life, the colour almost identical to the one of the forest. He looked concerned, scared even as he sat himself up, realising that the bed was empty.
I froze,
He was looking for me.
He frantically scanned the entire room before his eyes found me, cuddled up against the wall. His face flooded with relief. He got off the bed and slowly walked around the bed, gently making his way towards me.
My entire body began to shake. He was tall, so so impossibly tall. I doubted I would even reach his chest. But here, as I was lying on the floor he seemed taller than anything I had ever seen in my life. My breathing became harsh and quick as I tried to push back further into the wall
As if he noticed my discomfort, he paused his footsteps, a look of confusion and sadness on his face. A smell filled my nose, I couldn't get enough of it. I had no idea what that smell was, all I knew was that it was the greatest thing I had ever smelt. The man took my sudden calmness as a signal and took a few more steps forward, and suddenly I was back in the position I was before, hyperventilating so hard that I couldn't even breath. My entire body shaking and pressed against the wall. He stopped again,
"Please mate, I won't hurt you." He mewled, the pain was evident. His words sent a shiver down my spine, like warm honey. Then it occurred to me, mate?
I took a breath, looking away from him so I could speak properly, "What did you call me?" It still came out as barely a whisper, but I knew he could hear it. The wolves heard everything.
He kept walking forward until he was right in front of me, couching down so he was at my level, "You're my mate, I haven't really thought of anything to call you yet."
I faced my head into the wall, "Please don't call me that,"
"Not call you what, mate?" He even looked like a dog, hi head tilting to the side as he asked.
I couldn't reply, I opened my mouth to say 'Mate' as a reply, but I couldn't. It just wouldn't come out. He waited, maybe I was going crazy but it even looked as if his ears had perked up while waiting for a reply.
"It's alright Elora," He quipped, "I'll find something else to call you, after all, mate is a very common nickname within our community. I'll find you something unique, don't worry." He gave me a toothy grin.
I tried to center myself, calm my breathing and return to normal but it didn't work. It only got worse. Finally, he seemed to understand that I was uncomfortable and took a step back, his lips forming into an adorable pout.
"I've mind linked the doctor, can you get back up on the bed for him to inspect you, or would you like me to pick you up and carry you there?" He asked kindly, his voice remaining soft.
Mind Link. Another privilege of being a wolf. It was similar to mind reading, but the wolf was able to control if they could be spoken to through the mind link.
I pulled myself up, heavily relying on the machine that connected to the IV. The metal was cold against my hand, yet it was the only thing that was sturdy. I straightened my back, trying to seem confident but probably failing. He was standing in front of me, only then did I realize just how tall he was. Wolves were usually taller and stronger than the humans, but he was taller than any wolf I had ever seen. I would be lucky to reach his chest at the very least. I didn't want to look up at his eyes, I didn't want to make eye contact. I push from this man and I would be dead, the muscles bulging from his shirt. Though he was claiming that I was his mate, he wouldn't do anything to put me in danger.
I began walking forward, moving around him as too avoid contact. My head stayed down, my gaze locked on the floor. A warm hand pressed into my back, I flinched and took a few hurried steps forward until I felt the hand slip away. I let out a sigh before pushing the machine back in its original place and climbed up onto the bed. The wolf was still standing back where I had left him. I didn't look at his face.
I couldn't.
There was a knock at the door. The man simply looked over and the door opened. Mind Link. A doctor waltzed in, a large bag at his side,
The doctor turned to the man, who still hadn't moved. He gave him a bow, "Alpha King Lancester," He then turned to me, "And Luna Queen Elora, it's lovely to meet you. I'm the Royal Doctor, I just want to check up on you and give you the all-clear. You gave us quite a fright you know, asleep for almost four days!"
Alpha King.
He referred to the main claiming that I was his mate as Alpha King Lancaster. I looked around the room once more, that would explain the grandeur of it. I looked over at the Alpha King. His jaw was clenched and his arms were crossed, but other than that, he looked completely neutral.
"Will she be able to come home today? Or does she need to spend another night here?" Lancaster asked, walking over and standing near the doctor.
The doctor placed his bag at the very end of my bed, sipping it open and looking inside, "We can never be sure Alpha, but I would say that she should be fine."
The King nodded his head, clearly pleased with the answer. "Doctor I'm not sure if she will be completely comfortable with you touching her, needless to say performing the actual examination..."
The Doctor chuckled, "I'm sure that she'll be fine, it won't take too long. If you feel as if you need to remove yourself from the room, go ahead. I will need to raise her shirt as to see her rib injuries but that's it."
He grunted, his eyes not leaving mine once. "You have my permission. Go ahead, doctor."
The doctor nodded, sliding his hand into a bright blue glove. "Luna, would you mind telling me if you feel any pain anywhere?" He addressed me, checking the bag attached to my IV.
I shook my head, I didn't feel pain, but I also couldn't talk. His large canines were poking out, his face scruffy and eyes wild. I was waiting for him to lose control, lose control and tear me to shreds.
He stepped towards me, "Luna do you mind just lifting your shirt? I just need to check your ribs and then we should be fine." He asked calmly, now standing at the edge of the bed, patiently waiting for me to follow his command.
But I couldn't.
All I could see was his teeth, his large frame, the hands that could so quickly change into claws,
"Luna if it's easier, I can raise the shirt myself. I understand that you are still healing..." He offered, trailing off with a spare glance to the King.
What was wrong with me? I couldn't even move my head to say yes or no, or move my hands so that I could prevent being hit. I screamed at myself, at my muscles to do something but they wouldn't respond.
"Leave her. She's not comfortable. Check her other injuries, and then leave." The Alpha commanded, his voice stern. The doctor bowed his head and leaned over and grabbed my wrist.
I can deal with that, I told myself, A wrist isn't as bad. He'll only be a second.
The doctor pressed into the skin, not really causing me too much pain. His brows furrowed in confusion,
"Luna, you do not need to be so nervous. Your pulse is unreasonably fast,"
"I'm sorry," I said underneath my breath, I knew that they would still hear it, no matter how quietly I talked.
He placed my wrist back down on the bed and slowly moved his fingers up my arm to the Iv, carefully, he pulled it out of my arm, pressing a cotton swab over it to stop the initial bleeding. Then he moved down to my ankle, again, doing the same thing he had done to my ankle. I repeated the mantra in my head, but I could see that the reason for the doctor's firm grip was to keep me still so he could actually inspect my ankle. Finally, he stopped, breathing out a sigh he picked up the bag that was at the end of the bed,
"Based off of the healing in her arm and wrist, I would say that she is well enough to be taken back to the palace. However, I only say this because I feel that she may be more comfortable there, and I know that all of your staff are equipped to help her if she hasn't made enough progress." The doctor explained.
"Alright then, thank you so much for coming in, doctor. Both my mate and I appreciate it." Alpha Lancaster replied before the doctor giving a curt bow and exiting the room.
However, one thing was still playing on my mind. Why was I really here? It had been drilled in my head that the Alpha King made no mistakes, but in this situation, I think that he had. Humans weren't mated to Alpha King's. They were mated to guards, maybe one of the merchants. But not ever someone of status like the Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilons, nevertheless an Alpha King.
It just didn't happen.
I took a breath, the sooner I asked, the sooner I could go home. Elijah and Isaiah would be worried sick. I had no doubt that the doctors here hadn't bothered to call them and alert them of my situation.
"Alpha King Lancaster, can I ask you something?" I whispered faintly, my words coming out stronger than I had expected them too.
His head whipped towards me, he took a step forward, but still didn't come close enough to the bed for me to start being nervous. "Maddox. Don't call me Alpha or Alpha King Lancaster, Please, call me Maddox." He replied breathlessly, the plea evident in his tone.
I nodded, looking down, "I just wanted to ask, why am I really here? Humans don't get treated at places such as this..."
Maddox's eyes saddened as he once again took another step forward. "Because you're my mate. I can't let you go. You can't feel what I feel Elora, at least not until I mark you. I swear on my throne, you'll be happy. You'll be safe." He insisted,
I could hear the truthfulness in his words, and yet, my heart still faltered. The wolves couldn't be trusted.
"What about my brothers?"
"Completely provided for. They'll be receiving heft allowances for as long as they need it, and we'll be moving them somewhere close to the castle soon. For your own benefit of course." He replied quickly.
I didn't ask when they would be coming. That would be too much.
"It's still daylight," Maddox pointed out, "I'll call in someone to pick us up since you can't shift."
I just nodded my head absentmindedly, only half-listening to his words. I was his mate. Mated to the Alpha King. He would mark me, he would shift in front of me as if it was the most normal thing in the world. It all sounded too much, but I said nothing. I didn't ask him if I could go home, I didn't demand him to court me as I had once heard a woman did.
No. I sat in bed, listening to Maddox try and make conversation.
And not once did I reply.
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Chapter five! And they finally met!
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See you in the next chapter,
Eryn.