Chapter 19
~ NYSSA
I’d never given much thought to how I’d die. Mostly because I always thought I’d live a long and fulfilled life.
The only time I’d given thought to it, I’d assumed it would be in the pack house, surrounded by children I had with Henry. The thought sounded so far-fetched right now considering the reality I was facing.
I lay face down in the dirt, pain spreading up every inch of my body. I couldn’t tell if the battle around me had stopped raging because I couldn’t hear anything over the ringing in my ears. All I felt was pain and hurt.
I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t work. It felt like it wasn’t mine anymore, like I was a figure hovering in the air, watching everything happen to me.
The knife must’ve been silver because nothing else had the power to bring me to my knees like this.
“Are you still there?” I asked my wolf, desperate for a familiar voice.
Dying was terrible, but dying alone was the worst torture.
“I’m here.” Her voice was soft, barely audible.
She felt so weak… so unreachable. I could already feel her fading into the back of my mind.
I grasped onto her with whatever strength I had left. “Don’t leave p>
“I’m trying,” she managed out. “All of my strength is going into keeping you alive. I’m sorry, Nyssa, I have to p>
I felt her slip out of my fingers into the recesses of my consciousness.
As she faded away, so did the mental block she kept over me and I felt the full force of the stab hit me. I could feel the silver running through my blood, poisoning me… making me weaker.
“There she is!” a voice yelled.
I felt unfamiliar hands grip me tightly and suddenly, I was suspended in the air. I could hear words being spoken, but I couldn’t make them out. I could feel the darkness creeping on me like an old friend and the exhaustion began to weigh me down.
A light tap on my cheek.
“Stay awake! We’re getting you to a hospital p>
A curse.
“He’s going to fucking kill us p>
More cursing. More hands shoving my shoulders, trying to rouse me.
I tried to stay awake, I truly did, but the more I tried, the more I lost. I was never going to win the battle, not against such a powerful opponent.
The darkness claimed me finally, and everything went black.
A loud beeping sound filled my consciousness, dragging me out of the depths of the darkness that had swallowed me.
It was like a pounding in my skull that I couldn’t get rid of no matter how hard I tried. The sound continued to echo until it got so bad I thought my head would split open from the pressure.
I forced my eyes open, groaning as the bright overhead light hit me in the eyes.
I tried to move, but I couldn’t will my body to do as I asked. It felt like I was weighed down by a truck but upon looking down, there was nothing holding me. I lay on a hospital bed, there were wires hooked up to my arms, but nothing looked amiss.
“You’re awake!” a voice to my right exclaimed.
I turned to find a woman standing next to me. She wore a white nurse’s uniform, her red hair tied into a bun at the base of her neck. Her cheeks were tinged a light shade of pink and she looked scared… like she hadn’t expected me.
“I just came to check on your IV,” she explained. “You’ve been out for a few hours. Do you remember what happened p>
I managed a nod.
I wouldn’t forget that incident for a long time. If I closed my eyes, I’d still see the rogue’s face; his cruel smile.
“Who-” My voice cracked.
She rushed over to my side, pouring me a glass of water and bringing it to my lips. I hated feeling helpless, but there was nothing I could do. I still hadn’t regained full use of my limbs and was completely at her mercy.
Once I’d drank enough, I smacked my lips. “Thank you. Who brought me here p>
“The palace guards. They were practically losing their heads when they did. They burst through the doors and demanded a doctor see you immediately. They wouldn’t take no for an answer. It was kinda hot if you think about it p>
She must have realized she was talking to a patient because she cursed.
“I’m sorry. You being hurt wasn’t hot. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should call a doctor. Just stay here.” She squeezed her eyes shut and cursed. “Fuck! You can’t move. I… bye p>
I would have laughed if that wouldn’t have taken up too much energy. As it stood, keeping my eyes open felt like torture. I still couldn’t feel my wolf and although I could feel life starting to come back into my body, I couldn’t move my limbs either.
She was like an eager puppy. It was adorable.
If I had to guess, I’d say she was no older than me. Her aura screamed innocence and there was something almost child-like about her. She was probably fresh out of medical school.
She opened the door to leave and loud voices immediately filled the silence. I had no idea the rooms in the hospital were sound proof. Then again, before today, I’d never been in the hospital.
I was among the lucky population that never broke a bone, and werewolves never got sick. The hospital was merely for precautions and for soldiers who got hurt in battle.
She mumbled another apology and rushed to close the door when I heard a very familiar voice.
The last time I heard it, I thought it was cold and detached, but that was child’s play compared to now.
There was nothing but pure anger etched into each word. The rage wasn’t directed at me, and yet, it sent shivers down my spine and fear right into my heart.
“Where the fuck is she p>