Sioggard - The Runaway Luna

5.

"And after the CT scan we would also do an electroencephalogram to help us discover any sleep disorders or seizure syndromes that could have caused .." Dr. Bertram added but Arabella hadn't been listening to her for a while.

By the time the woman had started talking about attaching some kind of sensors to her head, her brain had refused to process the information.

Also because having spent the day going from one laboratory to another, subjected to dozens of tests and clinical examinations, she felt purely exhausted.

Not exactly in the mood to find out what an EEG was.

Stifling a yawn, trying not to be noticed, Arabella silently endured that boring litany, pretending to be listening to Dr. Bertram as the latter continued to talk about plans for the next day.

The woman's voice had a rather soporific effect on her senses and Arabella couldn't wait to go back to her room and allow herself a couple of hours of afternoon sleep.

In fact, she had the rest of the day free, having spent the morning being examined by a thousand and more experts in white coats, boring and not very prolific.

Stifling a second yawn, Arabella promptly straightened up and flatly denied it when Dr. Bertram asked her if she had any more questions.

"Not at all, thanks." Answered she, forcing the most neutral of expressions on her face. "You have been very kind and thorough with your explanation .." added Arabella, insisting forcefully on the second adjective. “Very thorough indeed but now if there's nothing else I'd like to go..” commented standing up, ready to take her leave.

"Do you want me to ask a nurse to accompany you, or I can have a wheelchair brought or..." Dr. Bertram offered her, with diligent concern.

“No!” refused immediately Arabella, perhaps a little too eagerly. “I mean…I'm sure I can find my room without help and there's no need to disturb anyone, I'll also take the opportunity to take a walk.” She explained in more subdued tones. "But thank you very much Dr. Bertram .." she added, trying to look grateful.

"Alright." Nodded the woman, returning the smile Arabella gave her, in an effort to be friendly. "I'll see you tomorrow morning then."

"Yes, see you tomorrow." Arabella nodded and then hastened to leave Doctor Betram’s office.

She breathed in relief once the door closed behind her but then remembered that the story would repeat itself the next day and couldn't help but sigh darkly.

Just another couple of days she told herself, shaking her head, trying to steel herself.

And at least in the last three days she hadn't had any unpleasant visitors.

Or at least Arabella hadn't agreed to receive unpleasant visits, but it was almost the same thing.

Her siblings must have understood that she wanted to rest and had never returned since the first time they had come, all together, to see her, the day after she had been admitted.

With luck, she could avoid them for another couple of days and enjoy the illusory freedom she'd enjoyed so far.

Even if then, when she would be discharged, Arabella would have had to immediately hit the road because the doctors had deemed it necessary to extend the duration of her stay in hospital from a couple of days to a week.

The tests and analyzes she had undergo were yielding no results, either positive or negative, and the doctors had yet not discovered the cause of her unusual fainting.

They looked quite worried, unlike Arabella who was enjoying her stay there more than she expected.

Despite the exams, the doctors, the smell of the hospital, and having to walk around in a hospital uniform and bathrobe.

Give to get.

Arabella supposed it was the price to pay for skipping workouts, not hearing Celestia's idle chatter all day long and above all breathing freely, without the constant and harassing presence of Theor Dewood by her side.

She felt like she was on vacation, she thought amused, but the smile quickly faded from her lips as she rounded the corner and caught the stares and soft whispers.

The other inconvenience she had forgotten about.

Her popularity seemed to have preceded her there as well.

And it didn't help that two deadly pack warriors, under orders from her father, shadowed her as soon as she stepped out of her room.

The day before, Arabella had had to give up a pleasant walk in the hospital garden because, having learned of her intentions, her zealous guardians had sent everyone away, evacuating the whole surrounding area.

For security reasons they had told her when Arabella had angrily confronted them.

Security reasons the hell.

Arabella was convinced Theor Dewood was the one behind the efficient zeal of the two, that at least followed her a few steps away so that she could ignore them as Arabella had done up to then.

Trying to ignore even the curious looks that followed her, so morbidly intense as to violate her privacy, Arabella hurried along the hospital's bare and inhospitable corridors, trying to focus her attention on positive thoughts only.

Puppies, rainbows, the three massive guards at the doorway of her room…

What the hell..?

Wishing wholeheartedly that it wasn't Celestia, even though she didn't actually recognized the three warriors who bowed respectfully at her arrival, Arabella was almost afraid to pass them and enter her suite.

She was quite surprised when she recognized the unexpected visitor, even though he was giving her his back, intent on contemplating the view from her window.

"I have to admit that you are the last person I expected to see..." she commented dryly, observing his tall and imposing figure in the late afternoon light.

"Do I hear a note of annoyance in your voice?"

“What did you come here for, Ilyan Wayward?” asked Arabella, glaring at him caustically when he turned to answer her. “Or should I call you Alpha Wayward?” She added with a suggestive glance at Ilyan's three guards, still standing in her doorway. "Are you on an official visit or did you just stopped by for a greeting?" She asked him, heavily sarcastically.

“Both?”

"I don't have the time or desire to play riddles with you, Ilyan Wayward." Arabella informed him, annoyed by his indifferent air.

Even if in fact Ilyan wasn't the most hateful Alpha in the kingdom, in her scale of preferences, for what little she knew him, she still couldn't define that unexpected visit pleasant.

And if he had come to talk about their last meeting, on the evening of the ceremony…which she strongly doubted anyway but couldn't explain his presence otherwise, she hoped that Ilyan didn't wanted to stay much longer.

Arabella was certainly not in the mood to entertain him.

"Too bad." Replied he calmly, giving her a cold smile.

“How did you find out I was here and why did you come?” she asked him impatiently.

From what she knew, her father had kept her hospital stay a secret from everyone, Arabella was sure he had gone so far as to make anyone who saw her in the hospital sign some confidentiality agreement, however absurd it might seem.

On the other hand, if the news of her illness were to be spread, her father's position and the situation of the pack would have significantly worsened.

Because with her out of the picture, her father would be left with one less heir capable of taking his place and protecting the Black Moon in the future.

With no more Dragan on the horizon, the pack was in fact at risk.

Because neither Logan nor Gabriel seemed willing to take over the reins and neither of them possessed the same strength and the same charisma of her father.

And to lead the Black Moon, the future Alpha would have to win the trust not only of the most prominent members of the pack and its allies but also and above all, of its own people.

Not an easy feat when everyone had always believed that Dragan would succeed her father, treating him accordingly, as the future Alpha.

The news of his refusal had shocked everyone at the Black Moon who were now worried about what would happen to the pack.

Also for this reason her health conditions had to remain secret.

Arabella was already looked down upon by the Alphas of the Moon-seeking packs, despite her father's power and wealth.

Because of her manners, her rebellious character, and doubts about her legitimacy even if no one would ever admit it.

If it was discovered that she also had some physical problems, the suitors for her hand would have drastically reduced.

Not that at the moment she had legions of admirers ready to declare their eternal love for her but there was always the possibility that one day she would shift and maybe find a mate.

Preferably an Alpha.

Able to lead the Black Moon and protect its people.

At least that was her father's wish, for as far as she was concerned, Arabella was ready to run away the very day that she would shift.

If she would ever.

"Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me." reassured her Ilyan, distracting her from the considerations occupying her mind.

“For the last time Ilyan, not to be rude but what the hell did you come here for?” Arabella asked him, about to lose her temper.

Frankly, even if for the Black Moon, Ilyan Wayward and his Silver Horn, were precious allies, she had never liked him enough to pretend to be complacent when the only thing she wanted was to allow herself a few hours of sleep to recover from tiredness and think about the future.

As if she had no other worries in the world.

Ilyan and his improvisation was the last thing she needed to make her life even more complicated than it already was.

“Your father told me where to find you.” Replied Ilyan, catching her completely off guard.

"My father." Repeated Arabella, unable to believe him. “Amaze me then, why would he do that?” She asked him, considering that absurd twist for a second.

"Because I told him I intend to make you my Luna." informed her Ilyan, staring into her eyes with such intensity that she found herself suddenly shivering in panic.

Because damn it, Arabella didn't doubt for a moment what he had just said to her.

Ilyan looked too damn serious indeed.