Hybrid Lena

Chapter 9

-Lilian-

When I came to, my eyes fluttered open slowly. Everything was blurred at first, I could make out a high ceiling, pale stone stretching above me. As I shifted my hands, I felt softness beneath my fingers, and warmth around me, like I’d been wrapped in something protective, a light cocoon.

As my vision sharpened, panic hit. I wasn’t outside anymore.

I pushed myself upright instinctively, and pain ripped through my stomach so violently it stole my breath. I gasped and clutched myself, my hand colliding with thick bandages wrapped tightly around my torso. My tunic was gone.

I froze.

All I was wearing was a white plunge bra and matching underwear. Heat flooded my face as embarrassment tangled with fear. Someone had undressed me. Someone had seen everything. Who had bandaged me?

The memory slammed back into me, claws tearing into my stomach. Blue glowing eyes. The wolf. The second strike.

He had been terrifying.

“What happened after I passed out?” I whispered to myself.

Where was I? please, please tell me I was somewhere safe. Not taken. Not trapped by the thing that attacked me. I forced myself to look around. It was a bedroom. A large one. Too large. Everything was pristine, perfectly arranged, like a show room rather than a place someone actually lived in. Tall windows lined one wall, letting in pale light.

Royal.

My stomach dropped.

“I’m in a castle,” I whispered to myself again. I tried to reach for Lena. Nothing. She wasn’t responding.

Panic coiled tight in my chest. I hoped she was okay. The thought of what that wolf might have done to her made it hard to breathe. I didn’t understand why,but I could feel her distress trapped inside me.

It felt like there was a barrier, something stopping her from getting out, from reaching to me. The same barrier stoppingme from reaching her now. She needs to know I’m here. She’d be blaming herself. I need to assure her. I tried again. Nothing.

“f**k,” I whispered, “Please be okay.”

I glanced down at the bandage wrapped neatly around my stomach just as I heard a soft knock on the door. Then it creaked open.

My eyes flew up.

A tall dark-haired man filled the doorway. He wore armour, a long sword resting at his side. His right hand moved instinctively to the hilt, then relaxed. His brown eyes locked onto me. He didn’t look friendly. He looked pissed. He took a single step into the room.

I reacted instantly, scrambling off the bed and backing away from him. Then pain hit me like a train, nausea surged makingmy vision swim. I wrapped my left arm tightly around my stomach, confusion flooding in.

Why haven’t I healed properly?

“It will take time to heal,” he said calmly. I glared at him. Then it clicked. The barrier. If Lena and I couldn’t reach each other…then she couldn’t help heal me.

“I’ll inform the nurse to come see you,” he continued. “In the meantime, get back into bed. You must feel the cool air.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a faint infuriating smirk before he turned and shut the door behind him, leaving me alone.

My mind caught up with my body as I looked down. I was standing there in front of him still in my bra and matching panties. My cheeks burned. Oh god, why didn’t I notice sooner?

I spotted a wardrobe at the far end of the room and slowly made my way toward it; one hand pressed firmly to my stomach. I should be resting, moving like this clearly wasn’t helping, but I didn’t want to stay here. Wherever this was.

I opened the wardrobe. Dresses. Only dresses.

No other clothing. No drawers anywhere in the room. I grabbed one, a fitted blue dress that fell just above my knees, and carefully pulled it on, gritting my teeth as I worked it over the bandages. It fit perfectly, tightest around my stomach because of the wrapping. I couldn’t remove it though. Not yet.

At the bottom of the wardrobe, I spotted my shoes. Relief washed through me. At least they’d kept those. They didn’t match the dress, but that didn’t matter. I slipped them on quickly. Now I just needed to get out of here and back to…

Noah.

Oh god, Noah. He must be worried sick. Maybe even looking for me. I needed my phone. I looked to the bedside table and spotted a drawer. I pushed myself over to it, wincing, and pulled it open.

Empty.

I scanned the room which was bare. Nothing. Damn it, they must have it. I turned towards the door, hoping it wasn’t locked. I tried the handle.

Locked. Okay, let’s think.

Maybe if I wait, I can push past the next person who comes in, just as I turned away, I heard a key slide into the lock from the other side. I stepped back instinctively, bracing myself.

The moment the door opened enough, I shoved forward with everything I had. The figure on the other side lost balance and landed hard on their arse, I froze for a second.

A young woman stared up at me in shock, wearing a uniform similar to mine. She must have been the nurse that meant to be watching my stomach. She pushed herself upright, wincing slightly, one hand pressed on her lower back. Something inside me was telling me to trust her but I couldn’t, so I ran.

“Hey! Come back!” she shouted. I clutched my stomach as pain flared again and sprinted down the hall, searching desperately for a way out, then I found a set of stairs. I hurried down them as fast as the pain would allow me, checking quickly to see if anyone was around before continuing. Then I turned and froze.

They have guards?

They spotted me instantly.

“Stay where you are!” one shouted. The voice made me jump; Iturned and ran. Pain intensified with every step I took, but I couldn’t let it stop me. I needed to get out, and fast. I spotted a courtyard and bolted toward it. If I could lose them there, I’d have a better chance. The guards were hot on my tail.

As I ran, their footsteps began to fade. They were losing me. I just needed to get through to the other side. But then agony ripped through my stomach. I cried out, doubling over as the pain slowed me to a crawl. I reached instinctively for Lena again and Nothing. The barrier was still there, it was no use, soI pushed myself forward. Warmth spread across my arm that was protecting my stomach, I looked down.

Blood.

My body felt heavy. My legs gave way, and I collapsed to the floor, fighting the darkness that was closing in. No. I can’t. I can’t let this happen again. Through the blur, I saw a man rushing toward me. He didn’t look like one of the guards. He looked familiar. Concern was etched across his face, his movements careful, controlled.

“It’s okay,” he said softly, kneeling beside me. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but the darkness beat me to it.