Chapter 25 The Hospital Stay
When I woke up, everything felt distant, like I was floating underwater. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air, sterile and cold. A soft beeping sound echoed beside me, rhythmic and steady. I blinked against the brightness, my eyes adjusting slowly to the white walls and clean lines of what looked like… a hospital room.
For a few moments, I couldn’t remember how I got here. My body ached all over, heavy and sore, but in a quieter way than before. My head felt light, my mouth dry. When I tried to move, I realized there was a drip attached to my hand, clear fluid dripping steadily down into my veins.
I groaned softly, closing my eyes.
“Ah, she’s awake,” a voice said somewhere near the foot of the bed, smooth and teasing. It wasn’t Darius.
I turned my head slowly, and a tall man stepped into my line of sight. He couldn’t have been much older than Darius, mid to late thirties, maybe. His dark hair was a little tousled, his shirt half unbuttoned as though he didn’t care about rules or appearances. He had an easy, almost lazy smile on his face, but his eyes were sharp and assessing, scanning me in one quick glance that told me he noticed everything.
“You’re in the mansion’s private medical wing,” he said, pulling a chair closer to my bed and dropping into it with the casualness of someone who’d already made himself at home. “You scared everyone half to death yesterday.”
“Everyone?” My voice came out weak and rough. I swallowed hard, my throat stinging.
He smirked. “Well, mostly Darius. The rest of us were just trying to stay out of his way.”
I frowned. “Who… who are you?”
He leaned back in the chair, crossing one ankle over his knee. “Name’s Adrian,” he said easily. “Resident troublemaker and, unfortunately, Darius’s best friend since before either of us learned how to shave.”
I blinked, trying to piece that together. His energy was completely different from Darius’s. Where Darius was sharp, controlled, and intense, this man was all ease and warmth, like he found the world far too amusing to take seriously.
Adrian tilted his head, studying me. “You really don’t remember what happened, do you?”
I tried to think, but the last thing I clearly remembered was crying in that massive golden tub, then the crushing fatigue that followed. After that, everything went dark. “I guess I… passed out?”
“That’s one way to put it.” He chuckled softly. “Darius found you unconscious on the bathroom floor. You gave him a heart attack, you know.”
That startled me. “He—what?”
“Yeah. Big bad Alpha, completely losing his mind. I haven’t seen him like that since we were kids. I swear, he nearly tore down half the hallway getting you out of there.” Adrian’s grin turned crooked, but there was something sincere in his tone that caught me off guard. “You’ve got him wrapped around your finger, and I don’t even think you realize it.”
I shook my head, my cheeks warming despite myself. “That’s not true.”
“Oh, it’s very true.” He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. “Darius has a temper that could level mountains. Usually, the moment someone crosses him, it’s over. No one tests him twice.”
I glanced down at my hands, uneasy. “I don't care.”
Adrian sighed, leaning forward. "Look, I get it. He's not exactly the easiest person to deal with, I'm shocked he hasn't lost his cool with you yet."
I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"
Adrian shrugged. "He usually has a short fuse, especially when things don't go his way. But with you, it's like he's trying to be different. Trying to be patient. It's kind of funny, and weird actually. I've never seen him like this before."
I frowned, confused and frustrated. "Why would he care? He's the one who took everything from me."
Adrian’s expression softened slightly. "Look, I'm not saying what he did was right. I know it doesn't make up for anything. But he's trying. In his own messed-up way, he cares about you."
I scoffed, turning my head away. "I don't care. I hate him."
Adrian sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that. But just so you know, he really is worried about you so is everyone. And he hasn't slept since you started this whole hunger strike thing."
I felt a pang of guilt, but I quickly squashed it. "Good," I muttered. "He deserves it."
Adrian shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "You two are a real piece of work, you know that? I have a feeling this will be very entertaining to watch"
I didn’t know how to respond. My throat tightened as I stared down at the thin hospital blanket covering me.
Adrian’s tone lightened again, breaking the silence. “Anyway, you look like you could use something other than guilt and self-loathing for breakfast.” He gestured toward the small table by the window, where a tray of food sat, broth, bread, and a small glass of juice. “Doctor’s orders. Eat something, or Darius will personally come in here and make a scene, and trust me, no one wants to see that.”
Despite myself, I let out a small laugh, a weak one, but real. “You’re serious?”
He grinned. “Dead serious. I’ve seen him throw furniture over smaller things.”
I hesitated, then reached for the tray. The smell of the soup made my stomach growl embarrassingly loud. Adrian noticed and laughed under his breath, leaning against the wall.
“See? Your body agrees with me.”
I rolled my eyes but took a small spoonful anyway. The warmth spread through me almost instantly, calming some of the lingering dizziness.
He watched me for a moment, his expression gentler now. “You should take care of yourself,” he said after a pause. “If you want to go up against him you will need all the energy you'll need.”
The spoon stopped halfway to my mouth.
Adrian smiled knowingly. “ I’ve known him long enough to recognize when he’s not in control. You do that to him.”
My chest tightened. I didn’t want to admit that he wasn’t the only one losing control.
I finished the soup in silence, my thoughts tangled and heavy. When I set the tray aside, Adrian straightened and gave a mock salute. “Good. You ate. My mission here is done.”
Before I could respond, the door opened, and Darius walked in. His eyes were tired, and his face was etched with worry. When he saw me awake, a flicker of relief crossed his features.
"You're awake," he said softly, stepping closer to the bed.
I turned away, refusing to look at him. "I don't want to talk to you."
Adrian walked up to him before patting him on the shoulder. "I'll leave you two to it. Try not to kill each other, okay?" He gave me a wink before slipping out of the room.
Silence hung heavy in the air as he stood there, watching me. I could feel his gaze, but I refused to meet it.
"You scared me," he said quietly, breaking the silence.
I clenched my fists, my anger flaring up again. "Good. Maybe now you'll understand how I feel."
He sighed, moving to the foot of the bed. "I know you're angry. I know you hate me. But you can't do this to yourself. You're only hurting yourself."
I turned to glare at him. "I don't care. I'd rather die than be with you." I said ripping out the IV line they stuck in my vein.
His expression tightened, pain flashing in his eyes, as he looked at the blood dripping from my little puncture wound. "I can't let that happen. No matter how much you hate me, I won't let you harm yourself."
I laughed bitterly. "You already destroyed my life. Why do you care now?"
"Because you're my mate," he said, his voice strained. "And I can't bear to see you suffer."
Tears filled my eyes, but I blinked them away. "Then let me go. Let me be free. Don't you see this was a mistake?"
He reached out, gently taking my hand. "I can't do that. If your happiness lies in being away from me then you'll have to forgive me because I am not going to let you go little hybrid. The bond between us is too strong. You know that as well as I do, I know you can feel it so this is not a mistake."
I pulled my hand away, my tears spilling over. "I hate you," I whispered. "I will always hate you."
He looked down, his shoulders sagging. "I know," he said softly. "But I will keep trying to make things right. Even if it takes forever."
With that, he stood up and walked to the door, pausing for a moment before leaving. "Please, take care of yourself. If not for me, then for you, you will need energy to carry out your revenge."
As the door closed behind him, I lay back on the bed, my mind a whirlwind of emotions. I didn't know how to reconcile the hatred I felt with the bond that tied us together. I felt it. He was right. I was just harming myself. He was determined to never let me go even if I starved myself.