Chapter 5
922 Words
Chapter 5
Ivy’s POV
The guards continued to drag me far away from the pack and then threw me across the borders as if I were nothing more than a discarded piece of trash. I landed hard on the ground as it sent a sharp pain through my body.
My hands scraped against the rough ground, my knees throbbing from the fall. I didn’t move at first, I just laid there, trying to catch my breath, trying to gather back some energy.
When I finally lifted my head, I saw them. The guards, laughing amongst themselves, already turning back toward the pack house.
From where I lay, I could hear the distant sound of music and celebration. My pack was celebrating while I was being cast out like I had never belonged in the first place.
A strange numbness settled over me as I pushed myself onto my feet. My body was weak, shaking, but I refused to collapse again. Step by step, I moved forward, having no direction, no destination. I had finally gotten the freedom I had wanted. No chains. No restrictions. I should be happy.
The exhaustion I had been pushing away suddenly overtook me. My vision blurred, and my knees buckled beneath me. My body crashed to the ground as I slumped.
When I opened my eyes again, a flash of light blinded my view as I blinked to adjust my view. It was sharp, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut. My head throbbed, a deep pain pulsing through my skull.
I lifted my hand to my head, feeling the dull ache. My fingers brushed against soft bandages. My mind struggled to process where I was. Slowly, I forced my eyes open again, squinting against the harsh light.
My eyes scanned around to realise I was in a hospital.
Before I could grasp at an answer to how I got here, the door to the room pushed open. A man in a white doctor coat stepped inside.
“You’re awake,” he said, moving toward the bed with a small smile. “You’ve been unconscious for forty-eight hours. We were beginning to worry.”
Forty-eight hours?
I tried to sit up, but my body felt heavy, sluggish, like I had been weighed down by invisible chains. The doctor must have noticed my struggle because he placed a hand on my shoulder, gently urging me to stay still.
“Take it easy,” he advised. “Your body has been through a lot.”
I swallowed, my throat dry, and tried to form words. Nothing came out.
The doctor seemed to notice and offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t force yourself just yet. I’m Dr. Henry, by the way. You’re in Stormhaven Pack’s territory. One of our patrols found you unconscious near the borders and brought you here.”
Stormhaven Pack?
Before I could dwell on it, the door opened again. This time, another man entered the room. He was tall, well-built, with short dark hair.
“I see she’s awake,” the man said,. He glanced at Dr. Henry before his attention settled on me. “I’m Nathan, Beta of Stormhaven Pack.”
Beta. That meant he was second-in-command.
He stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “Welcome to Stormhaven,” he said. His voice wasn’t unkind. “Your name?”
I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. I can’t seem to remember.
I tried again, forcing my lips to move, but nothing came out.
Nathan’s brows furrowed as he exchanged a glance with Dr. Henry. “She’s struggling to speak?”
Dr. Henry nodded. “It seems like temporary aphasia. Her injuries weren’t severe, but the trauma could have affected her ability to communicate.”
Nathan exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair. “Great.” He turned back to me, his expression softening, just a little. “Don’t push yourself.”
Then, without another word, he turned and walked out.
Minutes passed before he returned, but he wasn’t alone. A man whose appearance spoke of authority walked alongside him.
He was tall, towering, even with a broad muscular intimidating body. His presence was overwhelming, as if the very room shrank around him. Dark, intricate tattoos sprawled across his face, crawling down his neck and every part of his body.
But it was his eyes that froze me in place. They were cold and emotionless.
His hands remained buried in his pockets as he studied me in silence.
“She’s stable now but can’t seem to speak,” Nathan informed him.
The man didn’t respond right away. He simply continued to stare, dissecting me with his gaze. The silence stretched between us until he finally spoke.
“Can you remember your last encounter?”
His voice was deep. I shook my head slowly, signifying a no.
The muscles in his jaw tensed. He took a step closer, and instinctively, my body stiffened.
“I’m Damon. Damon Lucas” he said.
I wanted to respond, to say something, but my throat remained closed, my voice refusing to come.
Damon watched me carefully. His eyes were so intense as they searched my face.
When I still didn’t speak, he exhaled. “You don’t remember anything at all?”
I hesitated, then tried to reply and the words came but the voice wasn’t heard. More like my voice was cracked.
“The maids will get you something to eat and dress into.” He said, walking towards the exit. “Rest, we will talk later.”
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