Chapter 4 Two faces, Two men
JUSTIN'S POV
She still liked him, I could see it in her eyes and the way she blushed whenever she was around him.
″What is so special about Harridan? He is a low-rank Alpha, and I'm more powerful and handsome. So what does she like about him?″ I had asked myself multiple times in the past, but finally I gave in and admitted defeat. I'll never know the answer, to her, I was an annoying fly, a distraction keeping her from loving her soulmate, Harridan.
Back at the party, I knew that Harridan was looking at her in admiration, so I made it my sole priority to make him jealous, just like in high school. Harridan didn't have genuine feelings for Amber, he was just dating her to strengthen his family's bloodline and preserve their company. Everyone knew that his family was deep in debt, and they had no pack to govern.
I watched her car as she drove out of the exclusive garage, and though I'd vowed to stop interfering with her life, my curiosity got the best of me, and I entered my car, secretly following her from a distance. Suddenly everything turned blurry, and her car stopped in the middle of the road. I became concerned and quickly got out of my car to help, but before I could get to her, a trailer hit her car.
“Fuck! Lydia!” I exclaimed, running to her side as quickly as I could. I opened her car’s door and brought her body out. But it was too late, and her eyes closed in my presence. I held her bloody body in my arms, and I couldn't move or cry. I just stood there, my heart tightening and my brain wondering what I was doing…….
————
“Beep… beep… beep…” The monitor beeped steadily, and the nurse’s shoes squeaked against the polished floor. She held a small tray, having just set up the fourth blood drip. The soft hiss of oxygen filled the silence, and each beep felt like a countdown. The air smelled of disinfectant with a faint metallic undertone.
I tried to focus on the cold tile beneath my boots, but my eyes kept drifting to the rows of blood bags hanging like bloated, translucent fruit. Every time a needle pricked her skin, a sharp, icy sting shot up my heart, and I could hear the faint ‘click-clack’ of the IV line as it fed the drip into her vein.
This was my first emergency in a hospital. I rarely fall sick, and Amber has her personal doctor who visits us monthly.
“Is she ever going to wake up? It's been three days?” I asked for the umpteenth time, and the nurses looked like they'd had enough of me. Because I'd been asking the same question for three straight days.
“Very soon, sir, very soon,” one of the nurses whispered, but the sound was swallowed by the antiseptic hum. I tried forcing a smile, but it ended up as a grimace.
Suddenly, my phone rang, disrupting my attention. I reluctantly looked at the screen before deciding to pick it.
“Where the fuck are you, Justin? You haven't been to work in three days. Are you being held hostage by aliens?!” Amber's loud voice echoed from the other end, and I sighed, not in the mood to exchange words with her.
“What do you want from me, Amber? I'm busy, don't waste my time!” I replied harshly and cut the call. She might be my twin sister, but I'm slowly getting tired of her shouting.
“Wait a minute?!” A thought popped into my head, and I looked at Lydia's comatose face for clarity.
“You were alright when I left you at the balcony, so what actually happened? Does it have something to do with Amber and Harridan?” I wondered with arched brows, and at that minute, Amber's call came in again.
This time around, I picked up the call, curious to hear what she had to say.
“Dad has vowed to disown you if you don't get your head straight and come back to the company,” she informed me with a nonchalant voice.
I raised my brow. “What do you mean? Has he come back?” I asked.
Amber hummed. “Yes, he came back two days ago and asked about you. Reporters are unaware of his arrival, and we plan to keep it that way. So come here quickly, or else…” she lowered her voice and paused. I knew what she meant, and although I wasn't bothered about their empty threat, I knew I had to go to protect my company's interests.
I turned to face Lydia, who was still in a coma. Her bed was spacious, and the room was well-ventilated. I'd paid for a VIP hospital room, and I was impressed by how gorgeous it looked. “With this by her side, she'll surely wake up on time,” I reasoned, gently caressing her head. My phone rang once again and this time around, it was my mother. My mother rarely calls, so when she called me, I knew it was urgent. Reluctantly, I left the hospital, promising to come back in the evening.
I couldn't explain why I was helping Lydia or why I was worried about her. I guess it was for the same reason I secretly defended her back in high school. My wolf claims she's my mate, but we lived in a time when no one cared about the past traditions, so I vowed to keep this information to myself.
Lydia's POV:
My eyes slowly fluttered open and the sunlight seeping through the curtains pierced my sight like thousands of tiny sharp needles. I quickly closed my eyes, mentally preparing myself before opening them again.
I looked around the room, curious to know where I was. After another failed attempt at recalling my last memory, I sighed and sank into my pillow. My hands were raised, and I couldn't bring them down because different tubes were injected. My nose was covered with a white mask….I think it's for oxygen?
“My gosh, what is happening? Who am I? Where am I?” I couldn't remember anything. I don't even know my age, the only thing I remembered was my name and a face……a man's face.
I couldn't feel any pain despite the numerous injuries on my body, and I spent the entire afternoon trying to remember who I was.
Later in the day, around noon, there was a loud noise outside, and it sounded like a fight. After about thirty minutes of being unable to move or comment on the quarrel, my room door was pushed open and two men entered. One of the men, a tall man with tattoos and honey blond hair ran to my side, to check my well-being, while the other guy stood by the door, looking at me with teary eyes. I recognized him at once. Although I couldn't remember much about my life, this particular teary man's face was imprinted in my mind.
“Harridan?” I whispered, and his name came out gentle and sweet.
The teary guy furrowed his brows. “I'm Justin, he is Harridan.”