Chapter 2 Chapter 2
Violet
I wanted to thank him, but my throat had gone dry. Thankfully, sirens started blaring outside, and paramedics rushed in.
I saw him stop one of the nurses and point in my direction, give me a brief nod, and leave the place with the rogue.
“Miss, you are bleeding.” I heard the nurse say as she gently helped me come out of my hiding spot.
“Thank God you are okay,” I heard Nate sigh in relief as he came running toward me, Nicole hot on his heels.
“You are hurt. Let us get you to the hospital,” Nate added in a concerned voice, his eyes flicking to my left shoulder with worry.
Three hours later, as I sat in the pack hospital after the doctor bandaged my arm, Nate asked.
“Are you feeling better now?”
I rejoiced at those simple words.
That was the softest he had spoken to me in months, the longest his gaze had lingered on me.
“I wouldn't be injured in the first place if you hadn’t picked your childhood friend over me.” I couldn’t stop myself from stating the obvious.
But he only shrugged it away.
“You have been trained in combat since childhood, remember? But Nicole? She can’t even hurt a fly.”
I felt giddy that he complimented me and also took a dig at Nicole in the same breath.
“What if the rogue had attacked me?” I wondered aloud, hoping to hear more comforting words from him.
He was about to answer me when his phone buzzed, and I saw the caller’s name.
Nicole.
Oh goddess, why her again?
He received the call immediately, and I strained my ears to hear their conversation.
“I want to discuss something, Nate. Please can you come and meet me?”
I thought Nate would politely decline, but he had walked out of the hospital already.
“It hurts, doesn’t it?” Rain, my wolf, asked when we heard the unmistakable sound of his car engine sputtering to life.
“It was just a scratch, Rain,” I answered, but we both knew that was not the pain she was referring to.
Morning came too soon.
Sunlight filtered in through the blinds as I tried to feel a familiar presence by my side.
“He didn’t return all night.” Rain supplied an answer to my unspoken question. Those words caused more pain than the tightly wrapped bandage around my arm.
Yet, I forced my heavy eyelids to open and looked to the side. The chair was empty, and the side of the bed was cold.
The silence pressed against my heart, suffocating me. I wasn’t a stranger to loneliness or silence, but it felt like a weapon poking at me, stabbing me where it hurt the most.
The door to the hospital room opened, and the doctor walked in, smiling at me.
“Glad to see you are awake. Your vitals look good. Just avoid doing anything strenuous for a few days.”
I nodded and slowly pushed myself up in a sitting position as he scribbled on his notepad.
“Did Alpha Nate stop by?” I asked the doctor hesitantly.
“I believe he has been in back to back meetings all day.”
Of course, he was working. He was always working.
“Thank you, doctor,” I said in a small voice as he changed my bandage.
I tried not to let the familiar pang of hurt cross my features again. Nor did I gather the courage to ask if he had checked on my well-being with the doctor.
He walked away shortly, leaving me to my own thoughts.
“Work is more important than you, I take it,” Rain spoke sharply.
“You know he has a pack to run, Rain. Our pack” I insisted.
She only scoffed. “Yes. He has time for everything else except you. And you are too blind to see it, which makes me sick. So starting today, Nate can receive three chances at most. If he fails all three, which I know he will, we are dumping his ass.”
“We have spent wonderful moments together, Rain. Our love deserves more than three chances,” I said desperately.
“He has already exhausted one.” Rain wasn’t convinced, but I clung to the hope like it was my last resort.
Not wanting to argue with her anymore, I decided to get some air and stepped out after I got discharged.
I had barely enjoyed a second of the cool breeze when my phone buzzed again. Luckily, it was a call from my mom.
“I heard of the attack today at the café and recalled how you had been gushing about your date. How was it? I hope you are okay,” she asked, voice laced with concern.
I lied. “I…am fine, Mom. Just got a few scratches.”
But she noticed how I avoided answering her question entirely.
“Fine isn’t the same as happiness, Violet. I really wonder how my smart girl fell for someone so stupid.”
“Mom!” I groaned, realizing that she was going to lecture me all over again.
“Nate is not worth your time or love. Several people spotted him with a random girl and informed me, but I wanted to hear it from you. Your silence proved that I had been right all along.”
“Mom, Nate is not like that…” I began, but she cut me off sternly.
“I still get an earful from your father for supporting your decision to date that loser. But I can’t see my daughter waste her life anymore. Besides, a war is knocking at our door.”
“Why? What is going on?” I frowned, feeling a stab of guilt at being so engrossed in my own life that I had grown completely oblivious to the things happening back at home.
“It is more of a political crisis, dear. We need to secure an alliance soon and even though I don't like saying this, marriage is a good way to secure it.”
“You are going to leave dad in such a crisis” I joked despite knowing very well she meant a political marriage between me and whatever alpha heir they wanted an alliance from.
“I am sending you a picture and details. Take a look at…” She began but I hastily disconnected when I saw someone approaching me.
“Hey Violet, I heard about the cafe incident and thought of paying you a visit.” Linda, one of the high-ranking she-wolves in Nate’s inner circle, smiled at me.
“Yeah, I am fine. Thanks for your concern,” I replied, and meant to turn away, but her next question made me pause.
“You two lovebirds can’t seem to get enough of each other, can you?”
“I am not sure I follow,” I replied.
What was going on?