CHAPTER TWO : WHERE HEALERS LIVE
1433 Words
TWILIGHT'S POV
Light hit my face first. I groaned and turned away.
“Morning already? How long did I sleep?”
Then the memories came back like ice water.
The escape. The woman in white. The portal. The pretty boy with worry in his eyes.
I shot upright. Something tugged at my wrist.
A clear pipe was taped to my skin, running up to a bag hanging on a metal pole.
“Hospital,” I whispered.
That’s what the boy had called it before I passed out.
“But what is a hospital?”
“What if this is a trap? What if he brought me here to hurt me?”
I kicked the blanket off and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My head spun. The floor looked too far down.
The door opened before I could move.
A man in white clothes stepped in. Something shiny hung around his neck. He smiled when he saw me.
“Oh, you’re awake,” he said. He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. His hand reached for my forehead.
“Let me check your…”
I flinched and knocked it away. “Don’t touch me.”
He didn’t look offended. “Okay. Sorry. How are you feeling?”
“Where am I?” I asked, looking past him at the white walls and the sunlight in the window. “What is this place?”
“You’re in the hospital,” he replied.
“Hospital?” The word felt strange in my mouth. “What is a hospital?”
His eyebrows pulled together. “It’s where we treat sick and injured people.”
“Oh.” I nodded slowly.
The door opened again. The pretty boy walked in.
“Hey. Good morning, doctor,” he said easily. He held out his hand, and the man shook it.
“How was your night, Mr. Aiden?” the doctor asked, smiling.
“It was good,” Aiden said. That smile— gods, that smile made him even prettier.
He looked at me. “Is she okay?”
“She’s stable,” the doctor said, gesturing at me. “Vitals are good. The ankle is sprained, not broken. She should rest, but she can go home later in the evening.”
He patted Aiden’s shoulder and left, closing the door softly behind him.
“They know each other,” I muttered.
Aiden came closer and sat in the chair by the bed. I could smell him. Clean. Warm.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
I turned my face away. He was close. Too close.
If I had a wolf... no, I did not have a wolf.
“I’m fine,” I whispered.
He didn’t answer right away.
“So,” he said. “Who are you? What’s your name? Where are you from? You wouldn’t tell me yesterday, and then you passed out.”
“My name is Twilight,” I said quietly.
“That’s a pretty name.”
I didn’t look up. “Is it?”
“Yeah.” He paused. “Twilight, can you tell me where you’re from?”
If I told him Frostveil Pack, a werewolf kingdom hidden in the mountains, would he believe me? The elders said humans laughed at our stories. They called us myths. I’d sound crazy.
So I dropped my eyes to the floor and bit my lip.
“Is that all you remember?” he asked softly. “You don’t know where you’re from?”
I nodded without looking up.
He sighed. “No problem. Probably the impact from the fall. You might have amnesia. The doctor said you can go home soon.”
He stood. The chair scraped. “Rest, okay? I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?” I asked before I could stop myself.
“To get you something to eat,” he said. “Then one thing: you’re going to be following me to my house in the evening, since you can’t remember your house. Is that fine with you?”
I nodded slowly, and he left.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“Everything here is strange,” I whispered. “But I have to learn. I have to pretend.”
Someone brought me bread and tea. Later in the evening, I was in a car with him. The seats were soft. The windows were clean. We moved fast, faster than any wolf run, and the world outside blurred.
The car stopped in front of a house. No. Not a house. A palace.
“Towers. Glass. Gardens...”
“Welcome home,” Aiden said as the engine died.
I followed him inside on shaking legs. The air smelled like flowers and money.
A beautiful woman was waiting in the entryway. Her dress looked expensive.
“Oh, son!” She rushed to Aiden and cupped his face. “You didn’t come home yesterday. And you went out without your guards! What if something had happened to you? Your father and I were so worried.”
“I’m not a kid, Mom,” Aiden said, but he didn’t pull away.
The woman turned to me. Her eyes swept over me, sharp and assessing.
“Is she the one you texted me about?”
I bowed my head. “Good morning, ma’am.”
“Morning, dear,” she replied. Then softer: “You need a bath and clean clothes.” She clapped once. “Sophia?”
A young woman appeared almost instantly, head bowed. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Help her shower and find her something to wear and eat,” Aiden’s mother ordered.
Sophia looked at me and smiled gently. “Come with me?” I nodded and followed her.
In the bathroom, Sophia turned a handle and water came from the ceiling.
“Is this... magic?” I whispered.
Sophia laughed. “No. It’s a shower. Like rain, but warm. Here, I’ll help.” She washed my hair and dressed me in soft clothes and shoes.
“You’re really pretty,” Sophia said. “Don’t be scared. They’re good people.”
After I was done showering, she gave me nice clothes. “This is fine,” I said, checking it out in the mirror.
“You can’t even compare that to the clothes they wear,” Sophia gave a short laugh. “They’re wealthy.”
I blinked. “No wonder everywhere looks like a palace,” I muttered, sitting down on the big bed after Sophia left.
She came back with a plate of rice and something in a cup she called juice.
“Eat up,” she said, sitting on the bed with me.
“Hmm,” I chewed slowly on the rice. “This is nice.”
Sophia nodded. “I knew you would like it.”
I ate fast and lay down and drifted to sleep.
It was early morning when Sophia called me to come downstairs for breakfast. I had already brushed and finished bathing.
When I came back down, a girl of about fifteen was sitting on a huge chair that looked like a cloud. Aiden and his mother sat on either side of her. I hovered near the doorway.
“Brother, is that her?” The girl jumped up and came to me. “You’re so pretty. I love your hair.”
She reached out and touched a strand.
“Summer,” their mother warned.
“What? I’m making a friend,” Summer pouted, but she smiled at me. “I’m Summer. What’s your name?”
“Twilight,” I said quietly.
“Twilight! That’s so cool. Can I sit by you at the dining table?”
“Let’s eat first,” the mother said and led the way.
The dining room was massive. The table could have seated my whole pack. Servants brought out plates of bread and steaming cups.
I sat stiffly and took a sip of the tea. It was sweet. The bread was warm and soft.
“This is... really good,” I said before I could stop myself.
Summer grinned. “Right? Mom’s chef is the best.”
No one spoke for a while. Just forks and breathing.
Then Aiden’s mother set her cup down.
“We’re enrolling you in school,” she said, looking right at me. “I already discussed it with my husband last night, and he suggested it. Being around people will help you remember. And you need to start somewhere.”
The tea went down wrong. I choked and grabbed for water.
- Writer
