FATED AND FORBIDDEN (THE LYCAN'S HUMAN MATE)

Chapter 1 Tears wouldn’t stop falling from my eyes as I paid the taxi driver who had just dropped me off at the hospital entrance. I turned to leave when his deep voice called me back. “Ma’am, your balance is—” I cut him off immediately. I didn’t want to hear anything from anyone except the doctor’s assurance about my mother’s health. A lump formed in my throat as I searched through my purse for his remaining balance. When I finally found it, I handed it to him and ran into the hospital building. My footsteps echoed through the halls, but I didn’t care. Eyes turned toward me, whispers filled the air, soft murmurs rising with confusion. “Where’s she running to when everyone is leaving?” The murmuring around me grew deafening. I stopped running as I got closer to the doctor’s office. The transfer had already been made to their account; now I just needed them to proceed with my mother’s treatment. My eyes widened as I reached the office and saw the doctor packing his belongings. He rummaged through his drawers without looking at me. He looked terrified, his lab coat clutched tightly in his right hand—so tightly that my heart began to race with dread for my mother. “I made the transfer already, doc… Can—can you proceed with the treatment?” It came out like a whisper, anxiety already creeping up on me. He didn’t answer. I stood at the door, watching him move from his table to the window, peeking through it nervously. “What’s going on?” I yelled angrily, feeling ignored, my body burning with frustration. “Sorry, miss… I don’t think your mom’s treatment will hold. There’s a problem in—” He breathed heavily, leaning on the wall to catch his breath. My jaw dropped in shock; I felt my legs freeze to the ground. “What… what are you saying, doc? You asked for three thousand dollars to be deposited, and I gave you my all—just for you to start her treatment.” I said softly, approaching his desk. I stared directly at his face, my trembling hands blindly tracing the surface of his table, desperate to hold on to something—anything. I wanted to beat the living daylight out of him. “We should get going, doctor. He’s here already, and he won’t hesitate to set us ablaze if he finds us here,” someone spoke behind me. Immediately, the doctor rushed forward without hesitation, brushing me aside so hard that I fell against his table. I gasped in disbelief and shock as tears streamed down my cheeks. My hands began trembling uncontrollably. “What’s going on? Who is setting people ablaze?” Questions clouded my mind as I scrambled to my feet and ran out of the office. I stood in the corridor, confused, my fists clenched as I stared at the workers and patients running to and fro nonstop. My heart raced, my chest tightened, and I felt the sudden urge to scream,to ask questions. But what was the point when no one was listening? I stood there, breathing heavily, looking around until I saw a slim, tall nurse approaching. I waited for her to get closer, then grabbed her by the neck. “What the hell is happening here?” I demanded, my eyes red with shaded tears, another one already falling. The nurse struggled to break free but couldn’t. “He lost someone special to him in this hospital… so he’s shutting it down,” she said in a trembling voice. I felt drops of something wet on my legs and looked down, shocked to see she was urinating. I instantly let her go, her body thumping against the floor as confusion devoured me whole. I watched as she dragged herself backward, then got up and ran off. “What’s happening?” I muttered, turning to leave, but my body collided with someone. My gaze dropped, scanning his appearance from the ground up. From his polished shoes, I could tell he wasn’t an ordinary person. My heart skipped, anger coursed through me, but I swallowed it down. Maybe he was the one. He didn’t move. I slowly raised my head to meet the man standing tall before me. His face was stern, his hands buried deep in his pockets. He kept glaring at me like I was some kind of insect, silent and cold. “Um… I think you’re the person who ordered the hospital shutdown?” I asked with a trembling voice, clenching the side of my dress, feeling the thick tension between us. He was so tall that I was barely half his height. But that wasn’t the point,he still said nothing, just stared at me. I stepped back slightly, crossing my arms as a subtle reminder that he owed me an explanation,because my mom needed those doctors he’d chased away. “You need to answer me,” I demanded. “And what if I don’t?” His voice thundered, sending shivers down my spine. Slowly, I tried to gather my courage again as he moved closer and hunched to look directly into my eyes. I could feel his warm breath brushing my face as he spoke. “Leave here before I crack every single bone in your body. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that to happen,” he whispered, his words dripping with threat. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I crumpled to my knees, my eyes cast to the ground. “Please… my mom’s health is important. Assign a doctor to treat her, please,” I pleaded, my voice breaking, my eyes shut tight as the tears flowed freely. When I looked up again, our eyes met. He said nothing for a moment, then took a step back. “Sort yourself out, young lady,” he uttered coldly before walking away, leaving me drowning in my own burden. I managed to get back on my feet, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. Memories of my mom came flooding back—her laughter, her warmth,and then the man’s face flashed before my eyes as I approached my mom’s ward. Reluctantly, I pushed the door open. “Mom?” I called softly, my voice weak as I walked toward her bed. Her face was turned toward the window. I smiled faintly to myself. “Mom, treatment will be given to you soon, okay?” No response. I reached out and tapped her gently, but her body was cold and stiff. “No!!” I screamed. I couldn’t stop the tears. I couldn’t stop screaming as I held her tightly, my world collapsing in my arms.