Chapter 6
_Lisa’s POV_ Everything was white. At first, I thought that I was dead. The ceiling above me was so bright it almost hurt to look at. I blinked a few times, trying to focus my eyes. The blinding white slowly cleared, and I realized I was staring at a smooth ceiling. It wasn’t the sky. It wasn’t the forest. It was a room. I turned my head slowly. My neck ached. My whole body ached. Pain pulsed through me like fire under my skin. Where was I? I looked around with blurry eyes. The walls were pale. There was a window to my left with thin curtains blowing in the breeze. The faint smell of disinfectant and herbs filled the air. Machines beeped softly near my bed. A hospital? Yes. It looked like a hospital room. I was alive. I was… alive? A gasp escaped my lips as I tried to move. The pain shot up my side, making me cry out softly. My ribs hurt. My arms were bruised. My legs felt stiff. Everything throbbed. Then I heard a voice. “She’s waking up! Please call the doctor!” I blinked and turned my head to the right. My vision was still hazy, but I saw a shape—tall, dark-haired, sitting near my bed. His face came into focus. Those brown eyes. I knew him. It was the man from the forest—the one who had saved me. He smiled gently when he saw me looking at him. Relief spread across his face. He stood up and walked to my side. I flinched. I was still scared, but his voice was calm and warm. “Hey,” he said softly, leaning closer. “Don’t worry. The doctor will be here soon. You’re safe. No one will harm you.” His words sank into me like sunlight. For the first time in days, I didn’t feel hunted. “I’m glad you’re awake,” he said. “You lost a lot of blood. I was… I was really worried.” I opened my mouth, but my throat was dry. He poured water into a cup and held it to my lips. I sipped slowly, my hands shaking. “Where… am I?” I asked in a weak whisper. “And… who are you?” “You’re at the Frostbane Pack,” he said gently. “I’m Alpha Rylan.” His name suited him. He was strong, quiet and calm. I stared at him, trying to understand. Frostbane Pack? I had heard of them. They were powerful and distant. A pack that kept to itself. They didn’t get involved in other pack affairs. And yet… their Alpha had saved me? “What’s your name?” he asked. “I’m… Lisa,” I said. “From the Nightshade Pack.” He nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “What were you doing all alone in the forest?” he asked. “You were lucky I was returning from a meeting with my men that night. I heard your cries. If I hadn’t…” He didn’t finish. I could hear the heaviness in his voice. I swallowed hard. My eyes burned with tears I couldn’t stop. “I ran away,” I said quietly. His brows lifted just a little. “Why?” I hesitated, but I was too tired to lie. “My mate rejected me,” I whispered. “He chose my older sister instead. I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t take it.” Alpha Rylan looked at me for a long moment. Then he slowly sat down again. “I’m sorry,” he said. “No one should go through that kind of pain.” My lips trembled. “Everyone supported him. Even my parents. They didn’t care. I was… nothing to them.” “I understand,” he said softly. “Sometimes, the people who should protect us are the ones who hurt us most.” I looked at him, surprised. His voice held a quiet kind of sadness, as if he knew exactly what I meant. “You don’t have to go back there,” he said. “If you want, you can stay here. In Frostbane. We’ll keep you safe.” My chest tightened. Safe. No one had ever said that to me before. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them away, but my hands were too weak. He handed me a tissue. “Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you so much.” The door opened, and a man in a white coat entered. He looked to be in his late forties, with silver hair and kind eyes. “Alpha,” the doctor said with a nod. “And you must be our mystery guest.” I smiled weakly. “She’s Lisa,” Rylan said. “From the Nightshade pack.” The doctor nodded. “Let’s take a look at you, Lisa.” He checked my pulse, examined my wounds, and gently pressed my side. I winced. “Hm. Your wolf is strong,” the doctor said. “Some of your injuries have already begun to heal. That’s a good sign.” I blinked. “Sierra… saved me. I thought I would die.” The doctor smiled softly. “She’s still with you. You’ll be alright, Lisa. But you need rest. A lot of it.” He turned to Alpha Rylan. “She’ll need to stay here under observation for a few more days. Her injuries are healing, but she’s still weak. She lost a lot of blood.” Rylan nodded. “Do whatever she needs.” The doctor patted my hand gently. “Try to sleep, dear. We’ll take care of you.” He left the room. Rylan turned to me. His brown eyes were serious, but gentle. “If you need anything, just ask the nurses. You’re not alone here.” I nodded slowly. My throat tightened again. He stood up and brushed a lock of hair from his eyes. “I have some important matters to take care of,” he said. “But I’ll be back later to check on you.” I watched him turn to leave. Before he walked out, he paused at the door and looked back. “I’m glad I found you, Lisa. You’re safe now. I promise.” Then he was gone. I stared at the door long after he left. Safe. I whispered the word in my mind, again and again. I closed my eyes. For the first time in forever, I didn’t feel like running. I didn’t feel like hiding. I felt… hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something new.
