Chapter 62;
Warmth.
That was the first thing Rhianna felt.
A soft, heavy warmth resting over her body. She wasn’t in water anymore. She wasn’t cold. She wasn’t drowning. She wasn’t running.
But she didn’t know where she was.
Her eyelids felt heavy, like they were filled with sand. She tried to open them, but they barely moved.
She heard a voice.
“Mother… she’s moving.”
A soft gasp.
“Call the healer.”
Footsteps rushed out of the room. Rhianna forced her eyes open just a little. Everything was blurry at first, only shapes and shadows. The ceiling above her was white, carved with dark patterns she didn’t recognize.
She blinked again.
This time she saw a face.
A woman with long silver hair tied neatly behind her head. Her eyes were soft and warm, but filled with worry. The woman touched Rhianna’s cheek gently.
“Can you hear me, child?”
Rhianna’s lips parted, but no sound came out. Her throat hurt. Her chest burned. Her head pounded.
Another voice spoke from somewhere to the left.
“It’s okay. Don’t force her.”
Rhianna turned slightly. A young girl, maybe sixteen, sat beside the bed. She had long black hair and kind brown eyes.
“I’m Lyra,” the girl whispered. “You’re safe. Please don’t be scared.”
Safe?
How?
Where was she?
Who were these people?
Rhianna tried to speak again. A dry rasp escaped her.
“W… where…”
The older woman leaned closer.
“You are in the Black Night Royal Castle. I am Queen Maelia. This is my daughter, Princess Lyra. You were found in the ocean.”
Rhianna stared at her.
Found…
In the ocean?
She swallowed, confused. Her mind felt empty, like someone wiped everything away.
A man entered the room quietly. Tall. Strong shoulders. Calm eyes. His presence filled the room immediately.
Lyra whispered, “That’s my brother. Prince Kairo.”
Kairo walked to the bed and looked down at Rhianna with a serious expression. Not cold—just careful. He looked like a man who watched everything.
“Do you remember your name?” he asked gently.
Rhianna opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Nothing.
Her mind was blank.
She blinked quickly, panic rising.
Her heart pounded.
Her breathing sped up.
Lyra held her hand. “It’s okay! It’s okay! Breathe slowly.”
The queen touched Rhianna’s forehead. “Calm, child. You are safe.”
The healer walked into the room with warm herbs and bowls of medicine. “This is normal,” he said. “She has been through something traumatic. Her mind is protecting her.”
Rhianna squeezed Lyra’s hand tightly.
“I… don’t… remember…” she whispered, voice shaking.
The healer nodded. “It will come back with time.”
But Rhianna shook her head weakly. Tears filled her eyes.
“No… nothing… nothing is there…”
Her chest felt like it was closing. She didn’t remember her name. Her pack. Her family. Her past. Nothing.
Just water.
Cold.
Pain.
Running.
And then nothing again.
Queen Maelia sat beside her and rubbed her hand softly.
“You do not need to know anything right now,” she said. “You only need to rest. We will care for you until your memories return.”
Rhianna let out a shaky breath. Her vision blurred again. She felt small. Lost. Like a child with no home.
Kairo turned to the healer. “Will she remember soon?”
The healer shook his head. “I cannot say. Trauma can block the mind for days… months… or longer.”
Kairo’s jaw tightened. “She was hurt.”
“Yes,” the healer said. “That girl suffered before falling into the water. Her injuries… some were done before she drowned.”
Lyra looked at Rhianna with glassy eyes. “Who would hurt you so much?”
Rhianna didn’t know.
Rhianna didn’t remember.
She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Lyra wiped it away gently.
HARDIN — REALIZATION
Far from the castle… Hardin stood inside Alden’s living room, staring at the empty bed where Rhianna had been resting.
Tia shook her head over and over. “No… no… something is wrong. Rhianna would never just run off.”
Alden was checking the ground for any tracks. “There are signs of a struggle outside. Someone took her.”
Hardin’s face changed completely.
His calm expression disappeared.
His jaw clenched.
His eyes darkened.
“They came for her while I was gone.”
Tia wiped her tears. “Hardin, we have to find her. She’s weak. She can’t defend herself.”
Alden nodded. “We will search the whole territory.”
But Hardin already knew.
Already felt it in his bones.
Someone attacked her.
Someone dragged her away.
Someone tried to kill her.
And he wasn’t there to protect her.
Hardin felt something burn inside his chest—anger mixed with guilt.
“Whoever touched her…” he growled, voice low, “…is already dead.”
Tia grabbed his arm. “Hardin, please—”
He pulled away.
“No. I’m finding her. Today. Now.”
He shifted into his wolf form, huge and black, eyes glowing with fury. Then he shot into the forest, running faster than he ever had in his life.
BACK TO RHIANNA — IN THE CASTLE
Hours passed.
Rhianna slept again.
Lyra stayed by her side the whole time, watching her chest rise and fall, whispering calming things whenever she moved.
Queen Maelia sat near the window, reading reports about missing people from other packs. None described a girl like Rhianna.
Prince Kairo stood at the wall, arms crossed. He wasn’t relaxed. Not at all.
He kept watching the door.
Like he expected danger.
When Rhianna woke again, she blinked around the room slowly. She seemed calmer this time, but still confused.
Lyra smiled softly. “Hi… you’re awake again.”
Rhianna swallowed. “Where… am I?”
Kairo answered, stepping closer.
“You are safe. In our castle. We found you in the water.”
She closed her eyes.
The water.
The cold.
The feeling of sinking.
She whispered, “I don’t remember anything.”
The queen spoke in a warm voice.
“You don’t have to. Not now. You will stay with us until you heal.”
Rhianna opened her eyes and looked at her hands. They trembled slightly.
“Do I… have a family?” she asked quietly.
Lyra’s heart broke a little. “I’m sure you do.”
Kairo said nothing.
He didn’t believe the same.
Not with the marks on her body.
Rhianna looked at him.
“You don’t think so,” she whispered.
Kairo stared at her for a moment before answering softly, “I think someone hurt you. Someone chased you. Someone wanted you gone.”
Rhianna’s breath trembled. “Why?”
He shook his head. “We don’t know.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Who am I?”
Silence filled the room.
Lyra squeezed her hand. “You’re someone who survived.”
Rhianna started crying again, softly, quietly. The queen sat and brushed her hair gently.
“You are safe now. We will protect you.”
For the first time since she opened her eyes, Rhianna let her body relax. Not fully. But enough to breathe without shaking.
She didn’t know her name.
She didn’t know her past.
She didn’t know the danger behind her.
But she knew one thing:
At least, for now…
She wasn’t alone.