Claimed For Christmas

Chapter 6-Waking Up

Brooklyn

“Brooklyn, sweetheart, you need to wake up.”

Mom? What was my mom doing here?

“We have to go right now.” She rushed, the scene so familiar.

“What-what’s going on?” I could hear my voice ask, but it sounded much younger.

“He’s here.” Mom’s words wrapped around me. The fear of them crawling in my throat as I tried so hard to open my eyes. My mom couldn’t be here. She’s been gone for eight years. Locked away in the West Hill Hospital, a psychiatric hospital.

Blinking my eyes rapidly, I looked around the room, realizing I was back in that apartment where we had last lived together.

That was the fourth apartment we’d lived in that year alone. It was always the same. Just as we finally start to get all settled, Mom would get that urge to run away all over again.

“Grab your stuff, we don’t have much time.” My mom’s frail figure darted across the room and started to pull everything from the closet. “He’s coming. I know he’s coming.”

My body slowly rose from the bed, almost like I was floating, and I began drifting towards her.

I watched as she hastily shoved everything we owned into a single suitcase. Her long black hair was hanging down in her face. I could hear her mumbling to herself as she made quick work to get us packed up.

“Grab your shoes Brooklyn.” She rushed, and I shook my head no. This wasn’t right. I shouldn’t be here. This can’t be happening again.

Suddenly a low growl rumbled from somewhere behind me, making my eyes widen as pure terror trembled up my spine.

No…this isn’t real. The monster was never real. It was all in my mother’s head.

She was crazy. That’s what everyone called her. They said whatever she was always running from didn’t even exist. All those times she believed it was coming for us, and yet nothing ever came…

The sound grew closer, and closer until I felt something hot breath fanning across the back of my neck. That’s when the image of a black wolf with sharp teeth, and gold eyes flashed across my mind.

Oh god…I had seen it.

“Run Brooklyn! Run!” My mom’s voice pierced through my ears and I found myself jolting awake.

My body sprung up into a sitting position, and I began gasping for some much needed air.

“It’s okay, everything’s going to be okay.” A deep voice rushed beside me before I felt a warm hand sliding up my arm, making it tingle along the way.

I blinked my eyes rapidly, looking around the room in confusion. Where was I?

“You’re safe now.” That deep voice spoke again, making a shiver run through me this time.

“W-what–” I tried to speak, but my throat was too dry.

“Here, drink this.” The voice rushed. A cup appeared in front of my face with a large hand wrapped around it. I took the straw into my mouth and drank slowly.

I felt like everything around me was spinning. As hard as I was trying to focus, I couldn’t. Then I felt my head start to pound.

“Ow.” I hissed, reaching my hand up to touch my head.

“They had to give you a few stitches.” The voice explained, and that’s when I finally turned my head to look at who it was that was speaking.

I peered up, feeling my heart stop the second I laid eyes on the most gorgeous guy I had ever seen in my entire life. He had wavy brown hair that was pushed back from his forehead. His face looked like it belonged in a museum with how perfectly sculpted it was, with a slight stubble accentuating his perfect jawline even more. Then there were his eyes. The most breathtaking brown eyes I had ever seen with flecks of gold shining within them.

“Are you in a lot of pain?” He asked, drawing my attention to his lips next. The way they moved so smoothly had my throat drying all over again. I dared not to look at his body, because I had a feeling it was even better than his face, if that were possible.

“Do you need the doctor?”

“What?” I mumbled, totally missing his question. What the hell was wrong with me?

Suddenly, the guy smiled, making my stomach somersault.

“Does your head hurt alot?” He asked, the softness in his voice causing another somersault to hit my stomach as I tried to figure out what the hell was happening right now.

“No…a little.” I mumbled and began shifting on the bed.

“Here, let me help you.” The guy offered and took my hand, causing butterflies to flood through me. He gently pulled me forward, helping me sit up a little before tucking a pillow behind my back.

“Better?” He asked softly, and I just nodded, feeling more shy than I ever have in my life.

Looking around more, I realized I was definitely in the hospital.

“Do you remember what happened?” The guy asked, and I scrunched my brow up in confusion.

What happened…I tried to go back, and that’s when everything hit me.

Tyler. The kiss. Driving off and crashing into the ditch. Then there was…

No, that had to be a dream. Just like the one about mom. I must’ve hit my head and passed out.

The image of that black wolf creature flashed through my mind. It was just like she had described…it must’ve been a hallucination.

“I-I crashed my car. There was a deer.” I whispered, my voice barely coming out.

“Good, that’s right.” The guy said, nodding towards me encouragingly. “Anything else?” He asked curiously.

There was no point in bringing up the wolf, considering it wasn’t even real.

“Well, I remember visiting my boyfriend–” I mumbled, noticing how the guy stiffened beside me as I realized just how close we were to one another. Why do I feel so hot all of a sudden? “I mean, he’s not my boyfriend anymore.” I blurted, before staring down into my lap, and began fidgeting with my hands nervously.

“Not that it matters.” I added lamely, wishing something would just put me out of my misery at this point. I’m guessing this guy had to work here. He probably thinks I’m so weird.

“I think it matters.” The guy finally said, making my gaze dart up to his. At that moment, something strange happened. Like a part of me I never knew existed was suddenly there. I don’t even know how to explain it…but the emotions I was starting to feel, I had never felt them like I did at that moment…so deep.

Who was this guy?

“Carter Hayes.” The man suddenly said, making me blink my eyes rapidly. Oh god, did I just say that out loud?! “And you're Brooklyn, right?” He asked, and the way he said my name caused another round of butterflies to flood through me.

I nodded my head yes before lifting my hand up, and tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

“Are you a nurse?” I asked curiously.

“No, I’m actually a volunteer.” He explained.

A volunteer? Wow, that’s so sweet of him to volunteer at the hospital. I wonder if he goes to Bridgeview too. He looks around the same age as Tyler.

The second Tyler’s name crossed my mind, I felt my stomach drop.

Right…Tyler. The image of him kissing another girl made that sick feeling come back. Had he been cheating on me this entire time?

“Do you happen to know if they found my phone?” I asked, wondering if Tyler was even aware I had been in an accident.

“They did. Someone from the tow company dropped it off a few hours ago.”

“Hours? How long have I been here?” I asked, sitting up a little more. Jillian’s probably worried out of her mind because I never even texted her I had gotten there.

“About ten hours. It’s a little after seven now.”

“So…it’s Christmas.” I breathed, feeling my heart break just a little bit more.

“What’s wrong?” Carter asked, his hand brushing along my arm and making those tingles happen again.

I looked down into my lap, hating how pathetic I probably seemed right now but couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down my cheeks.

“I just thought this year was going to be different.” I confessed, hating how much hope I had put into this. “I really believed I was going to have the best Christmas ever…and now look at me. I’m stuck in the hospital, my boyfriend cheated on me, and now I don’t even have a car to get back home.” I ranted before letting out a sad laugh.

Carter shifted beside me, making me realize I shouldn’t be unloading my emotional baggage onto some random guy. He probably thinks I’m insane right now.

“Sorry, I usually don’t over share like this.” I rushed, and began swiping at my tears.

“I don’t mind.” Carter said softly, making me look up at him. “Can I be honest with you?” He suddenly asked, surprising me.

“Yeah, sure.” I rushed, feeling flustered by how intently he was staring at me right now.

“Sounds like your asshole of an ex didn’t deserve your best christmas.” He said, and I blinked up at him. I didn’t think about it like that. “But the day is just starting, so let’s not count it out yet.” He continued.

“Maybe.” I whispered, trying to seem somewhat positive.

Truthfully, I don’t think there’s anything that could make this day better.

“Challenge accepted.” Carter suddenly said, making my brow furrow.

“What challenge?”

"You'll just have to wait and see."