Nine
1201 Words
Savannah
The morning air in the mansion was still and quiet, but a storm raged in my stomach. A car had just pulled into the driveway, and I knew, with a certainty that made my hands go cold, that it was the doctor.
My mind spiraled into worst-case scenarios. I imagined needles and machines designed to fix a memory that wasn’t even lost. Clutching a pillow to my chest, I held it like a shield.
What if they gave me something? A medication that loosened my tongue and made me spill every secret I had buried deep inside?
My last experience with being drugged had cost me everything. The thought of undergoing something similar, now under the guise of treatment, was terrifying.
And I knew, from the look of resolve in Xavier’s eyes, that he would spare no procedure in his mission to "fix" me.
Xavier appeared from the foyer, where he had gone to welcome the doctor. He came to me, his presence immediately filling the room, and gently took my hands, pulling me to my feet.
The height difference was dizzying. I was about five-foot-three, and he had to be well over six-foot. He wrapped me in a hug, his solid frame both comforting and suffocating. My thoughts began to spin.
“Don’t be afraid, honey,” he murmured into my hair. “We just want to find a solution, to help you come back to your normal self.”
He pulled back, his eyes searching my face. “The doctor is the best in the territory, I promise.”
A middle-aged man with kind eyes but an assessing gaze walked in. He exchanged pleasantries with Xavier, his eyes flicking toward me repeatedly, scrutinizing and diagnosing.
“She looks scared,” he whispered to Xavier, loud enough for me to hear. Then he approached carefully like someone would approach a frightened animal.
“How are you feeling today, Luna?” he asked gently.
“I’m fine,” I mumbled, staring at the floor. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”
He and Xavier exchanged one of those glances again, the kind that made me feel like a specimen under a microscope.
The doctor began his questions. Was I sleeping well? Eating properly? Having nightmares? To each one, I gave a shake of my head. He jotted notes in a small book.
“Is there any chance of a full recovery?” Xavier asked, his voice lined with concern. “Any treatment plan, whatever it takes.”
The doctor brought out a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and a small light to check my eyes. He recorded my vitals and scribbled more notes.
“After we run a few more tests, we’ll have a clearer picture,” he said calmly. “But for now, it presents as a classic case of dissociative amnesia, likely triggered by severe trauma.”
He checked my arms and legs for bruises, searching for signs of an accident. My heart skipped a beat, but he found nothing and didn’t seem suspicious.
“We must not place any pressure on her,” he told Xavier. “The mind needs time to heal.”
Then he brought out several containers filled with large, chalky pills. My stomach turned. Now I understood how Jermaine felt.
He asked me a few more questions, which I ignored.
“We’ll need to monitor everything,” the doctor concluded. “Her food intake, her movements, her sleep patterns. We must rule out any swelling in the brain.”
He performed a few quick neurological tests, asking me to follow his finger and checking my reflexes. When he was finally finished, Xavier thanked him and walked him to the door.
Then we were alone again.
He stood quietly for a moment, his eyes tracing a slow path from my neck to my chest, then to my stomach, before returning to my eyes.
I was wearing a tank top, and under his intense gaze, it suddenly felt too revealing. I crossed my arms over my chest. His eyes darkened with unmistakable desire.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me. I won’t ask for anything you aren’t ready to give.” He stepped closer, his gentleness almost disarming.
“Although,” he added with a faint, boyish smile, “I wouldn’t mind if we slept in the same bed. I just want to sleep next to my wife.”
He leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead. The simple gesture sent a shockwave of heat through my body.
“I’m a very busy man,” he said, pulling away reluctantly. “There are countless responsibilities. A council meeting this morning, then one with the mining guild, and later the youth representatives.”
He sighed. “Sometimes I just want to run away from it all.” He smiled again. “I’ll be home as soon as I can to spend time with you. And don’t be bored. If you need anything at all, just ask. Oh—and your mother and stepdad will be joining us for dinner tonight.”
I nodded, my thoughts spinning. Her mother and stepdad. Tonight.
Just then, hurried footsteps approached. A tall, lanky man with brunette hair and the most striking blue eyes I had ever seen appeared in the doorway.
His eyes were so pale they were almost transparent, the kind that was hard to look at for long. He glanced from Xavier to me, then broke into a wide grin.
“Luna Sasha!” he exclaimed, rushing forward and pulling me into a too-eager, slightly awkward hug. I stood stiffly in his embrace.
He pulled back, noticing my discomfort, and apologized. “I’m sorry, it’s just... you’re alive! We were all so worried.” He looked confused when I didn’t respond, and his smile faltered. “Is she okay?” he asked Xavier.
Xavier placed a hand on my shoulder. “This is Gregory, my Beta,” he whispered to me like a parent reminding a child. “One of your closest friends.”
He turned to the Beta. “She’s been through a trauma,” he said vaguely. “She doesn’t remember anything right now.”
Gregory looked both shocked and pained.
“Oh, Luna, I’m so sorry,” he said, his pale eyes full of pity. I felt an immediate wariness.
He was trying too hard. Maybe it was his eerie eyes, or maybe my own instincts, but something about his sympathy felt odd.
I knew, with sudden certainty, that this was someone I had to be careful around. His type could see through a lie.
“We’ll do whatever it takes to help you get back to yourself,” Gregory said.
I mumbled a quiet thank you.
“We have to go,” Xavier said, glancing at his watch. “If I want to be back in time for dinner, I need to move now.” He gave my hand a final squeeze. “I’ll see you soon.”
I nodded and watched them leave—the powerful Alpha and his disturbingly observant Beta who'd turned to glance at me before leaving.
How long could I possibly keep this up?
- Writer
