Alpha Damon's Hybrid Mate

chapter 2

April

Panic filled me as the man's body went completely limp on my thin mattress. My hands hovered uselessly above him, trembling so badly that I could barely keep them still.

"Oh God, what do I do? What do I do?" I muttered, my frantic voice filling the tiny bedroom. "Should I call 911? Yes, I should call an ambulance. But what if he's involved in something dangerous? Oh God… what do I do!?"

I pressed my hands against my burning cheeks and took several shaky breaths, desperately trying to calm myself down.

Calling the authorities was the sensible thing to do, but I couldn't ignore the possibility that it could bring trouble I had no idea how to handle. I had spent my entire life staying out of trouble. I couldn't suddenly afford to get involved with the wrong people.

"Okay, April. Think."

I forced myself to look at the man again.

He was still breathing. That was something.

Pushing myself off the mattress, I rushed into the bathroom and pulled open the top drawer of the vanity. Thank God I always kept a small first aid kit at home. Working at the diner meant I was constantly dealing with small cuts, burns, and other injuries, so Mrs. Wanda had insisted that I keep basic medical supplies around.

I grabbed the antiseptic, sterile gauze, some cotton wool, and medical tape before rushing back into the bedroom.

I dropped everything onto the nightstand and leaned over the stranger. His white shirt was soaked with blood, making it difficult to see where the injury actually was.

With trembling fingers, I began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Please don't die," I whispered. "Please."

I pulled the ruined shirt off his shoulders, and the moment his chest was completely exposed, I froze.

A horrified gasp escaped my lips.

There were deep, jagged scars covering his chest and abdomen. They were long and uneven, with several cuts crossing over one another as if something had torn into his flesh with enormous claws.

My stomach twisted.

"What the hell happened to you?" I whispered.

Those wounds were nothing like anything I had ever seen before. They didn't look like they had been caused by a knife or any other weapon I knew.

Had he been attacked by an animal?

A bear?

A mountain lion?

The thought sent a chill through me.

I quickly pushed it away. Whatever had happened to him, I didn't have time to figure it out. If I wanted him to survive, I had to stop the bleeding first.

I soaked a thick piece of cotton wool with antiseptic and carefully cleaned around the wound.

The moment the cold liquid touched his skin, his entire body jerked.

I pulled my hand back.

He didn't wake up.

"It's okay," I whispered, even though he couldn't hear me. "I'm trying to help you."

I continued cleaning the wound, working as carefully and quickly as I could. Thick blood covered his ribs, and I had to replace the cotton wool several times before I could properly see the injury.

Once I had cleaned it as much as possible, I pressed sterile gauze over the wound and secured it with medical tape. It was far from perfect, but at least it would slow the bleeding.

I soaked a clean towel in cool water and wiped the sweat from his forehead and the rest of his exposed skin.

He was burning.

Not just warm from the fever, but dangerously hot.

I frowned as I touched his forehead again.

"What is wrong with you?" I whispered.

I had never felt anyone this hot before.

By the time I finished, my arms were aching and sweat had gathered along the back of my neck. I dropped into the small chair beside my bed and let out a long breath.

For several seconds, I simply stared at him.

Even covered in blood and dirt, he was undeniably handsome. His dark hair was slightly messy, his jaw was strong, and a dark shadow of stubble covered his face.

Then my eyes landed on the expensive watch around his wrist.

It looked like real gold.

I stared at it for a moment before looking at his ruined suit.

This man was definitely rich.

I suddenly shook my head and let out a quiet, tired laugh.

"What are you even thinking, April?" I whispered, rubbing my face. "He's a complete stranger."

A complete stranger who had somehow ended up bleeding on my bed.

A complete stranger who looked like he could buy my entire apartment without even noticing the money was gone.

And somehow, I had brought him home.

I glanced at the clock.

My morning shift at the diner would start in only a few hours.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" I asked, staring at him.

He obviously couldn't stay here forever, but I couldn't exactly leave him alone either.

I looked at his chest, watching it slowly rise and fall.

"Please Just survive the night," I whispered.

I rubbed my tired eyes.

"The last thing I need is a dead body in my house."

Exhaustion finally caught up with me. I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes, telling myself I would rest for only a few minutes.

I didn't even realize when I fell asleep.

I had no idea how much time had passed when a loud, painful groan suddenly ripped me out of my sleep.

My eyes snapped open.

The room was dark.

For a moment, I had no idea where I was. Then I remembered the stranger.

I immediately turned toward the bed.

He was moving.

His body twisted violently against the mattress, his head turning from side to side as sweat poured down his forehead and soaked into my pillow. One hand was gripping his stomach while painful sounds escaped his throat.

"Oh my God."

I jumped out of the chair and rushed to his side.

"Hey! Hey, wake up!" I said, gently shaking his shoulder. "You're safe. You're okay. Just calm down."

He didn't respond.

His eyes remained tightly shut, and his entire body was rigid beneath my hands.

He was even hotter than before.

"Please, wake up."

I shook him again.

Nothing.

Fear tightened inside my chest.

Was he dying?

Was he slipping into a coma?

I turned toward the bedroom door, already deciding that I didn't care about the consequences anymore. I needed to get my phone and call an ambulance.

I had barely taken one step when a terrifying sound filled the room.

It started as a deep groan.

Then it changed.

The sound became a low, rough growl that sounded nothing like a human being.

I froze.

Slowly, I turned around.

His eyes snapped open.

My breath caught.

They were glowing green.

Not reflecting the light.

Actually glowing.

"What the..."

Before I could finish, his hand shot forward with frightening speed.

His fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist.

"Wait!" I screamed.

He yanked me toward him.

I fell onto the mattress, and his massive body immediately came down over mine, pinning me beneath him before I could even understand what was happening.

"Let me go!"

I struggled beneath him, pushing against his chest with both hands.

But he was too strong.

Far too strong.

His eyes were still glowing as he stared down at me. Then he opened his mouth, revealing teeth that looked far sharper than they should have been.

Fear flooded through me.

"What are you?" I whispered.

He didn't answer.

He lowered his head.

Then his teeth sank into the side of my neck.

A sharp, unbearable pain exploded through my body and a blood curdling scream tore from my throat.

"Let me go! Please, let me go!"

I slammed my fists against his chest, trying desperately to push him away, but he didn't even move.

The harder I fought, the tighter his grip became.

His teeth sank deeper into my neck, and the pain became so intense that I could barely breathe.

My vision blurred.

Dark spots began spreading across my sight as my strength slowly disappeared.

"Please..."

My voice came out as barely a whisper as tears slipped down my eyes.

The last thing I felt was the burning pain in my neck.

Then everything went completely dark.