Marked By The Moon

Chapter 6 - Moonlight Intervention

Olive – POV

Warmth.

That’s what I noticed first.

Not pain. Not hunger. Not the cold bite of stone or the press of chains. Just warmth—thick, clean layers wrapped around me. My fingers curled against something soft, and the air smelled of herbs and polished wood, something earthy and kind.

For one blissful moment, I let myself believe I was safe.

Then panic struck.

My eyes snapped open, and the world swayed. I didn’t recognize the wooden ceiling above me, or the shelves lined with glass jars. My heartbeat roared in my ears. I tried to sit up, but pain lanced through my ribs and my vision blurred. The fire in my body ignited all over again.

A cry slipped out, sharp, broken.

“Easy, sweetheart. Easy now.”

A hand, warm and firm, pressed gently against my shoulder, guiding me back down. I fought it for a heartbeat, then gave in when the pain surged again. I blinked through the haze and met the eyes of… Nurse Jennifer, leaning over me. Brown eyes. Familiar in a distant sort of way.

“You,” I whispered, my voice raw and small.

“You’re safe,” she said. Her voice was calm, practiced—but my guard stayed up. “You’re in my care now. You’ve been asleep for almost a week.”

I couldn’t process that. “A week?”

She nodded. “We weren’t sure if…” She didn’t finish the sentence.

My eyes flicked around the room, trying to find something familliar. “How long, will I stay here?” My voice trembled, and I hated how desperate I sounded.

“For as long as you want to Olive.”

“I need to…” I tried to sit up again, but she pressed gently against me.

“Not yet. You’ve got a concussion, a broken rib. You need to rest.”

“I don’t need to…” My throat closed. I didn’t even know what I was saying. I didn’t feel like myself. I didn’t feel real.

The door creaked, and I froze.

Footsteps. A man stepped in, tall and damp with rain still clinging to the hems of his coat. His face lit up when he saw me. It was Dr. Melendez.

“Well, what do you know?” he said, voice warm and full of some kind of relief. “Sleeping Beauty awakens.”

I blinked at him. Dr. Melendez. His kindness, floated to the surface of my mind like something half-remembered.

“You gave us quite the scare,” he said, kneeling beside me. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I was hit by a truck.”

He laughed—a soft sound. Not mocking. Not cruel. Just… light. Human.

His expression shifted into something more serious. “You’ve got a broken rib, severe bruising, a mild concussion. And frankly…” He paused, eyes scanning me with a doctor’s precision. “Your body shows signs of long-term malnourishment. That worries me more than the rest.”

I looked away. Shame pooled in my stomach.

“You’re safe now,” he added, his voice quiet. “No one knows you're here except a very small circle. No one will hurt you.”

I didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to believe him.

He straightened, casting a glance toward the nurse Jennifer, placing his hand on the small of her back. “Let’s get her some broth. Maybe toast, if she can handle it.”

“I’m not hungry,” I said quickly.

“You will be,” he replied, like it was already decided. “You’ll eat, then rest. Tomorrow, we talk more.”

They left me then, voices drifting away into another room.

And I was alone.

The silence was thick, but not cold. I turned my head slowly toward the window. Rain had begun to fall—soft, steady, rhythmic. The same sound, I loved since I was a pup.

I sank deeper into the blankets, eyes fluttering closed. The pain dulled slightly. My body ached, but I wasn’t freezing. I wasn’t starving. I wasn’t bleeding.

That should have been enough.

Knock. Knock.

I flinched.

My eyes snapped to the door across the room.

A knock. Firm. Measured. No voice followed it. No footsteps retreated.

Someone was there.

Waiting.

I held my breath, heart in my throat.

Was it Luna Kenzy, was she here to finish me off?