Alessia's POV
My head was pounding, and my entire body felt like I had been hit by a truck. I slowly opened my eyes, and the bright light in the room made my headache worse. I could feel my heart racing as I tried to remember what had happened. Suddenly, it all came back to me.
As I looked around, I noticed I was in the hospital. I hadn't been in a hospital since the car accident. After a few moments, I heard voices just outside the door. "So what are you saying that she can't talk? Did her mouth get r***d? Is her jaw broken that she can't recite a few words?"
"No, Luna, that's not what I am saying," I heard the Doctor tell Luna Helen.
"Well, since she can talk, the moment she wakes up, let me know she must become an official pack member, or she will be cast out," I heard her say.
I didn't want to be a part of this pack. I would rather be cast out and be a rogue than live among these self-entitled people. The weight of making a decision hung heavy on my mind. I had to choose between staying with the pack, knowing I would never truly belong, or leaving and taking my chances as a rogue.
Recovery wouldn't buy me any time since they could walk into the room at any moment and demand I say the words. My mind raced to come up with a plan as fast as possible. I knew time was of the essence.
As the day went on, I found myself unable to form a good plan to run away. As a child, I was always caught whenever I tried to run away. I went over every single time I got caught trying to fix the problem, but nothing seemed to come to mind. When the door opened, I saw a familiar face.
"Oh, my Goddess Alessia, are you alright?" Jackie asked as she rushed to my side.
As she gently grabbed my hand, I nodded in agreement. "I'm alive if that matters," I replied.
"I'm so sorry. It should be me on that bed. Alpha Markus had asked me to go and clean up the mess, but then I got caught up in the kitchen, and that's when he went to ask you. I'm sorry," Jackie said as tears streamed down her face.
Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, I smiled at her.
"It's not your fault, and it's not anyone's fault. It's just something that happened," I told her.
Jackie nodded as she sat on the bed. She wiped her tears away and looked up at me. I gave her a comforting smile and said, "Everything will be alright." She nodded and took a deep breath.
"Were you able to recognize anyone? Did you see their faces?" She asked.
I wanted to tell her who it was, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't want to risk her life if she said something to Luna Helen, or Alpha Markus. With a heavy sigh, I shook my head and cast my eyes downward.
" It was too dark, and I remember being hit on the head. I remember something like that," I confessed as I reached for the back of my head to find stitches.
"Yeah, you were in horrible shape. They had to do a blood transfusion. They said you had lost a lot of blood and been out for three days." Jackie said.
My eyes grew wide with surprise. Three days! I had been unconscious for three days. It didn't feel like three days had passed. It felt like I had just woken up from a long nap. No wonder Luna Helen was in a hurry for me to become an official pack member. That meant that Alpha Markus had given the role to his son Vince and Jared was officially the new pack Beta.
"W-what about Jared?" I asked, my voice just above a whisper.
Jackie got up from the bed and made her way toward the window. Taking a deep sigh, she turned back to me. "Jared had all your things thrown out of the pack-house. They moved you to one of the abandoned houses. I told them you could stay in my room, but it was useless."
"It's OK. I don't plan on staying here. Once I am to leave, I'll gather my things and go," I told her.
"Where are you going to go? There are dozens of rogues out there. It's dangerous," Jackie said as she approached me.
I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm basically a rogue myself. Without a pack or family, I don't believe I pose any danger to them. I'll find a new home," I told her as tears welled up in my eyes.
"I have to go to work, but I will come back and see you later," she said as she embraced me.
The tears I had been holding on to streamed down my face as soon as she left. All I could think of was that the past eleven years had been nothing but turmoil, one unpleasant incident after another. When was it going to end?
How much more would the Goddess throw at me until she killed me to end my suffering? I hated my life. I hated myself even more after what Jared and his goonies had done. He was right. No one would ever want me, and I sure as hell didn't want anyone.
Suddenly, Jared's voice rang from the door. "Look at the little orphan."My heart dropped at that moment. I was frozen in place. What was he doing here? Why would he even show up after what he did to me? I couldn't bear to look at him as he approached.
Standing at my bedside, he said, "Since I am the new Beta, it's my duty to take your statement." Suddenly, I felt his hand wrap around my neck.
"You know I could kill you right now, and no one would know. I could blame it on your injuries. You will go before everyone and tell them you were out there being a fucken w***e and that you gave yourself willingly to your mate, who was a rogue, and when you did, he turned on you. If you so much as say anything else to anyone, you won't live to see another day," Jared said, as his grip tightened around my neck. I gasped for air, unable to speak. Tears streamed down my face as I slowly nodded, agreeing to his demands.
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed through the room. "WHAT THE f**k IS Going on N here?"