Chapter 3
1621 Words
The morning sun gleamed through the hospital windows. But the new day did little to dispel the weight pressing on Zephyr's chest. As a caretaker, his days were long, thankless, and filled with reminders of what he had lost. Today was no different. He had just passed a patient’s room when the sound of muffled sobbing caught his attention, bringing him to a halt.
The sound was raw, laced with desperation. Zephyr hesitated, his hand resting on the doorframe before stepping inside.
“It can’t be true. Please, save me. I don’t want to die,” a frail woman sobbed, clutching the sleeve of the doctor standing by her bedside.
Zephyr’s throat tightened as he took in the scene. The woman lay on the bed, her cheeks hollowed and her skin pale. Her eyes were swollen from crying. She looked like she had the weight of the world on her, and Zephyr could feel her agony like a dagger to his heart.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Reynolds,” the doctor said, his tone clipped. “There’s nothing we can do now. It’s terminal.”
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. Her trembling fingers clung to the doctor’s coat. “Please. I have a ten-year-old son. He has no one else. You have to save me. You have to.”
The doctor’s expression didn’t change. He pried her fingers away with care and stepped back. “If there were something I could do, I would. But it’s beyond our help now.”
Zephyr’s hands curled into fists at the doctor’s detached tone. His chest constricted, making it hard to breathe as he gazed at the woman's frail form.
His eyes stung, hot with unshed tears, and he gripped his vinewood bracelet. "Please,” he muttered, his voice breaking as his thumb traced the ridges of the bracelet. “If there’s anything left in this… anything that can help her, show me. Don’t let her die.”
For a brief moment, he thought he felt warmth radiate from the bracelet, spreading up his arm. His breath caught in his throat, and the room seemed to shift around him. The air thickened, heavy with something he couldn’t quite grasp. He blinked, shaking his head. Was it his imagination? But the flood of clarity that surged through him didn’t feel imagined.
His eyes snapped open, and he shifted his gaze to the doctor. “I can help her,” Zephyr said, his voice steady but silent.
The doctor turned to him sharply, his brows furrowing. “And who exactly are you?”
Zephyr lifted his chin, trying to appear confident under the doctor’s scrutiny. But when their eyes met, recognition flickered across the man’s face.
“You’re that omega,” the doctor sneered. “Zephyr Sinclair. The one who was stripped of his title and demoted to caretaker. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be mopping floors or something?”
Zephyr’s jaw tightened. He felt the burn of humiliation creeping up his neck, but he refused to look away.
“I can help her, just give me a chance,” Zephyr repeated, his voice firmer this time.
The doctor laughed, shaking his head. “You? Help her?” He gestured towards the tray of used medical tubes on the counter. “You can start by taking out the trash. That’s all you’re good for.”
Zephyr didn’t move. His gaze flicked to the woman on the bed. Her tear-filled eyes met his, and for a moment, he saw something there, hope, fragile but alive. It was enough to stir the fire in his chest.
“Now,” the doctor barked, his voice sharp.
Reluctantly, Zephyr grabbed the tray, his fingers trembling with suppressed anger. He glanced at the woman one last time before turning and leaving the room, her quiet sobs echoing in his ears.
The elevator doors slid open, and Zephyr stepped inside, his mind racing. As he reached for the button to close the doors, a foot shot between them, forcing them open.
“Look who it is,” Ryker said, stepping into the elevator with a smug grin. Lily followed with her arm looped through his. Her smile was radiant and sickeningly sweet.
Zephyr’s chest tightened at the sight of them. He tried to avoid their gaze, his grip on the tray tightening.
“Back to playing nursemaid, I see,” Ryker taunted. “How’s life treating you, Zephyr? Still clinging to whatever scraps they toss your way?”
Zephyr said nothing, his claws digging into his palms.
“Oh, come on,” Ryker continued, leaning closer. “You should be used to this by now. After all, you’re just an omega. Barely even worth the air you breathe.”
“Ryker, that’s enough,” Lily said softly, almost teasing. She tugged on his arm, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she pulled his face to meet her eyes. “He’s not worth it. We are all that matter, remember?”
“You’re right, babe. You’re right.” Ryker grinned. Without warning, he pulled Lily into a kiss, his hands gripping her waist as if to prove a point.
Zephyr’s stomach churned, but he refused to look away. He wouldn’t give Ryker the satisfaction of seeing him hurt.
The elevator ride felt like an eternity, and finally, it dinged, the doors sliding open. Zephyr stepped out in a hurry, but Ryker wasn’t done. He stuck out a foot, sending Zephyr sprawling to the floor. The tray clattered to the ground, the contents scattering in every direction.
Laughter erupted from Ryker as he leaned against the elevator wall. “Oops,” he said, feigning innocence.
“Really, Ryker?” Lily muttered, pulling her arm free. She shot him a disapproving look before storming out of the elevator.
“What?” Ryker called after her. “It’s not like he doesn’t deserve it. Come on, Lily, wait up,” he said and followed her out.
Trembling with anger, Zephyr pushed himself up with care. He ignored the humiliation and gathered the broken glasses. His movements were deliberate as he tried to steady his breathing.
Minutes later, after gathering the glasses, he left to dispose of them. But as he reached the hospital lobby, his eyes fell on Ryker once more. This time, Ryker stood by the exit, stroking Lily’s hand as she smiled and walked away.
Ryker's gaze lingered on her retreating back. Then he turned, his eyes scanning the lobby until they landed on Zephyr.
Zephyr looked away, gripping the trash tightly. A swirl of spite curled up in his stomach. The cool air in the lobby and the peaceful atmosphere did little to calm his nerves. He couldn't take a step. The reception desk was just around the corner. It was opposite the sitting area for patients and family members. A few nurses were also present, making it a terrible place to create a scene.
Zephyr scanned the area, searching for a place to hide when Ryker's voice cut through the air. "You again," Ryker snarled, his expression darkening. He marched across the lobby, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
"I don't want any problems, Ryker," Zephyr said in a gentle tone. “You have Lily now so please leave me alone.”
Ryker scoffed, a light smile spreading across his lips. "Leave you alone?" he repeated, raising his voice to draw the attention of the people in the lobby.
"Everyone, pay attention. The thief who stole my work is asking me to let him be. The scumbag thinks he can get away with this... Look at him," he pointed his finger at Zephyr's face. "Recognise his face. His name is Zephyr Sinclair, and anywhere you see him, know that he has no integrity. He is a crook and an impostor, telling lies for self-gain."
Zephyr's face burned with anger, his fists clenched at his sides. The air around him seemed to vibrate with tension as his hands slipped to the bracelet around his wrist.
Ryker's smile grew wider and he leaned in, his voice taking on a threatening tone. "You are nothing, Zephyr. Nothing! I'll make your life a hell until I no longer see your face, and that of your treacherous mother, in the Crescent Moon pack's territory." He whispered the words in Zephyr's ear and waited for a reaction. But Zephyr did nothing.
“That’s right. You can't fight me because I'd have to beat you all over again,” Ryker scoffed. He turned on his heel and strode towards the main floor.
As Ryker walked away, heat flared in Zephyr’s hand. His body was shaking now, but not from fear. No, this was something else, something deep inside him that demanded release.
Without thinking, Zephyr whispered a phrase, one he didn’t know he knew. His fingers emitted a soft glow beneath his skin. In that instant, the chandelier overhead shattered with a deafening crash. Glass shards rained down on Ryker. Ryker yelped in pain, stumbling back to avoid the falling debris, but it wasn’t enough. The sharp glass cut through his skin, drawing blood, as he scrambled to get out of the way. He collided with a caretaker carrying a large trash bag. They both fell, and the trash spilled across Ryker's face.
The lobby fell silent, all eyes fixed on Ryker. But Zephyr stood shocked, lost in the thought of what had just happened.
Everyone else kept staring at Ryker, who scrambled back to his feet, his face flushed with shame. He glanced around at the sea of staring faces, his eyes finally locking onto Zephyr's. A frown flickered across his face, and he held his bruised arm, quickly rushing out of the lobby.
- Writer
