Queen, Alpha, Mate

Chapter 17

Diana POV

When I open my eyes, all I see is white light. I blink repeatedly in order to stabilize my vision, but it doesn't seem to be helping much. I try to sit up straight, but I'm held back by a strong pair of hands. Familiar sparks rush up and down my body at the touch.

"Calm, my love. Don't exert yourself right now." A voice says. It sounds like music to my ears. Two lips are pressed to my forehead. "Rest, Diana, you'll feel better soon." The voice says again and the two hands leave my shoulders. I whimper as the contact breaks. One of the hands lightly touches my cheek. "I'm with you", the voice says once again. "I'll be back very soon. Rest for now."

I close my eyes again and hear my wolf's voice in the back of my mind. 'Glad to have you back in the land of the living, Diana. I thought we were goners by the amount of wolfsbane they gave you.'

'Wolfsbane? Kysandra, you don't mean... That all wasn't a dream?'

'It was as real as can be, why do you think we're in the hospital? We've been on the verge of death for days!'

'We have? I don't remember.' And I really don't remember. The only thing I seem to recall is our car flipping over and something about a cabin, but the rest is vague. I try opening my eyes again. My vision seems to be improving a little bit already. I can make out some blurry objects in the room. I wonder what happened. Maybe rogues? My head hurts and I touch my fingers to my temples, rubbing it to provide some relief from the headache. It helps, even my vision slowly, but surely returns and I find myself hooked up to all sorts of devices.

I'm all bent and bruised and my body is sore. I must have taken quite a hit, whatever happened. I see a strange man sitting in the chair next to my bed. He looks serious. When I try to get up again, he ushers me to lay back down. "I'll go get him." The man says and walks out of the hospital room. I don't know him, do I? No, I'm fairly sure I don't.

A moment later, the man returns with Joshua in tow. "I told you she woke up properly." He says.

I turn to the strange man. "I don't know you, do I? Have we met?"

"No, I'm so sorry. My name's Alex. I'm Joshua's gamma. I was just happy you were awake, so I went to get Josh."

When I see my mate, I hold my arms out for a hug. I need to be held. My body hurts, my head hurts, I'm covered in bruises and I don't know what happened. He places gentle kisses all over my face and sits down next to me on the bed.

"How are you feeling?" He asks.

"Like I've been hit by a truck. How about you?"

Joshua laughs. "I'm fine, my princess and so will you be. You nearly died on me there. Please don't do that again."

"What even happened? I don't remember much aside from the car crash and the interior of a cabin. Can you catch me up, please?"

Joshua patiently recalls the events that happened. Apparently I've been unconscious for three whole days. Bless my wolf DNA for patching me up so quickly.

"Are any of them still alive? The rogues I mean." I ask Joshua.

"Just the one we kept for interrogation." He replies.

"May I speak with him?"

"After you've recovered. Not earlier." Josh says.

"I feel fine though. Look I can get out of bed easily." I try to sit up and jump out of bed as energetically as I can muster. Unfortunately, my legs have other plans as they give out under me. I begin falling to the ground and Josh catches me. It would have been so romantic, had I not been hooked up to a ton of needles that simultaneously ripped out of my arm and caused me to spout some blood on the floor. Also, Alex was there.

Graceful like a swan, I think to myself. In my head, Kysandra is giggling like crazy. 'Oh stop it. What am I to do with you?' I say to her and she laughs even louder.

Josh gently lays me back down on the bed and I smile at him. "Told you I'm fine." I say with a sh*t-eating grin on my face. Joshua laughs in my face and places a kiss on my nose. "Yes, you're absolutely in prime condition. I would put you on border patrol in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, doctor's orders are for you to stay in bed. That being said, you are recovered enough to come back to the packhouse with me tonight. A good meal and a soft bed will do wonders. You might even be able to stand again tomorrow." I stick my tongue out at him. At this, his eyes turn dark as he comes close to my face. "That magical tongue belongs to me. Keep it in your mouth for now." Surprised, I retract it back into my mouth and give him a wink. Possessive much? I think to myself.

Joshua pats my head and him and Alex leave to give me some time to get comfortable in my surroundings. Although, comfortable is a strong word. It is a hospital after all and honestly, those always give me the creeps. Not in the least because of the time I spent in the one back home when my mother was very sick. Those are bad memories and I don't like to think about that time much. I shake off the bad memories and focus on my current situation. I'm in a strange bed in a hospital I don't know on packlands I last visited when I was little and of which I have no recollection. I try to mind link Katie, but I can't reach her, so I mind link Joshua instead and ask him to send Katie over. I need to see my best friend, a familiar face or I might just go crazy.