Chapter 61 Hurt Arm
ADRIANA
I didn’t even know I had fallen asleep until I fell down from the bench with a painful thud that jolted me awake.
“Ah!” I fell on my arm with so much force that pain shot through me like lightning.
When I noticed the sun was coming up already, I ran back into the hospital. I must have been out here all night, sleeping on a cold bench.
Last night after the doctor had left us, Elijah had turned to me with an expression I’d never seen on his face before, pure rage mixed with devastation.
“You don’t deserve to be here.”
“Elijah,” Hazel had wanted to say something but he raised his hand to stop her, his palm facing her like a physical barrier.
“Leave, it’s all your fault this happened. My son is in the hospital fighting for his life because of you. It’s all your fault. Get out!”
I had covered my head with my hands and trembled and I didn’t even realize I had fallen to the floor until I felt the cold tile against my knees. It reminded me of my dad when he wanted to beat me all those times, so many times.
He’d be so angry that he’d just keep shouting and shouting and I’d use my hands to cover my head so he wouldn’t hit me. Sometimes the blows would come anyway, raining down on my back, my arms, my head, wherever he could reach.
He hit me and sometimes he didn’t. But the fear was always the same, always suffocating.
“Please don’t hit me. Please.”
I couldn’t even look up at him because I was so scared about what he would do. My whole body was shaking uncontrollably, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. I was back in that house, back with my father.
Hazel had knelt in front of me and pulled me into her arms, her embrace warm and solid and safe.
“Hey, don’t worry. No one will hit you. Nobody will hit you here.”
She held me like that until I stopped shaking, her hand rubbing soothing circles on my back, whispering reassurances. When I finally looked up, Elijah was still standing there looking at me. The way his eyes were trained on me, filled with anger and blame, it made me feel suffocated so I stood up and ran out of there.
Even though Hazel called for me, I didn’t go back. I couldn’t. I couldn’t face the accusation in his eyes. His blame weighed heavy on me.
But then again, I couldn’t leave the hospital because I didn’t know what Leo’s condition was like. I needed to know if he was going to be okay, I needed to know he would survive.
I found a bench outside the hospital and I just lay there and cried for what happened, for everything.
Why was Lisa so bent on destroying my life? Why did she feel the need to come all the way here, to follow me even after I’d left? Why did she hate me so much?
She had succeeded in taking Landon away and making Dad her personal servant and I was fine with that. I’d left everything behind. I’d given her the life she wanted. But she should leave me be.
I’d left the pack for them and now she had followed me here, invaded Elijah’s territory, saying I had ruined her life.
She had been the one to ruin my life! I hated her so much! The hatred burned in my chest.
Why would she do this to me? I had taken everything she had done to me over the years but this time around, I couldn’t take this alone. This time she’d hurt an innocent child.
Leo didn’t deserve this.
I hated myself for not being smart enough to protect him, for not being strong enough, for not having a wolf.
Even though the night air was freezing, I barely felt it. I was numb from everything.
As soon as I stood up, I rubbed the dirt off my arm and quickly dashed into the hospital, making my way up to the floor where Leo was being kept.
I wanted to straighten my arm but it hurt like hell. Something was definitely wrong with it but I didn’t care. All that mattered was Leo.
By the time I got there, I could see Hazel standing in the hallway and Elijah was still awake. He must not have slept at all.
He was pacing back and forth like a caged animal and when he finally raised his head to look at me, his face hardened into stone.
I suddenly lost my courage and was about to walk out, to run away again, when the doctor came out, saving me from having to decide.
“Alpha. He’s out of surgery and he’s fine. Everything is fine.”
I saw Elijah’s shoulders visibly relax and I couldn’t help but feel so relieved. Thank God. Thank God Leo was okay.
“Thank you. When can I see him?” Relief flooded Elijah’s voice.
“We need him to rest for now but you can see him in a couple of hours. The surgery went very well. No internal damage. He was very lucky.”
He thanked the doctor and started walking toward me. For a moment I thought he might say something, might acknowledge me.
“Excuse me, miss.” The doctor touched my arm and it hurt so bad I nearly screamed out loud.
“Is everything okay?” He was looking at my arm with growing concern.
“Oh, I just fell. It’s fine. Really, it’s fine.” I tried to turn so he wasn’t seeing the hurt arm.
Elijah turned back to look at us, his expression unreadable.
“What is it?”
His voice sounded very harsh, impatient, like we were wasting his time.
“Oh, her arm doesn’t look good at all and,” he touched my forehead with cool fingers, “you’re burning up. And you’re shivering badly. We need to get you a room immediately.”
My eyes widened in panic.
“No, we can’t do that. I mean, I’m fine. I just need a hot bath and I’m going to be okay.”
I didn’t want to get Elijah angry because the way he was looking at me made me scared and I thought he would shout at me if the doctor said there was something wrong with me. Like I was causing more problems.
“No, a hot bath won’t solve this. Your arm is broken. Can you stretch it for me?”
I tried to stretch it to prove to him he was wrong but it was a scream that followed, sharp and agonizing.
“You see? How did you break your arm? This is a serious fracture.”
I looked down. This damn doctor was making things worse, drawing attention to me when all I wanted was to disappear.