Chapter Six

The man nodded quickly and shouted to someone behind him. Two more figures emerged from the back seat of the car—a man and a woman.

They were both dressed in simple, casual travel clothes and were coming from the same direction as Andalia and her mother, so it was obvious they were probably returning from a trip.

She couldn’t tell if they were just normal people or hunters, because they moved fast. Each step they took showed strength, especially the woman. Andalia was sure she was a brunette with brown eyes, but aside from that, she couldn’t make out anything else.

"I'm calling the pack medic," the second man said as he knelt beside Andalia’s mother, assessing her injuries. "She’s still got time, and she’s breathing well too. We just need to stop the bleeding."

The woman hurried back to the truck after checking on the driver. She wasn’t done with the check-up and was already moving to grab the box.

She jogged back to the man, handed the box over, and moved to the truck driver, who had a deep cut on his forehead. His eyes were wide open, and he was breathing through his nose.

The poor man tried to stand up to check his car, but the woman pressed hard on his chest to keep him calm.

She tore her shirt and wrapped the wound, ensuring it was covered properly before lifting him up. She carried him to the car and placed him inside before hurrying over to Andalia.

Andalia swayed, her body growing weaker by the second. She managed to stand up with the help of the first man and turned to go meet her mother, who was still lying lifeless.

She tried to fight back her tears, knowing if she did, her vision would be completely blocked, since she was already barely seeing. Coupled with that was the terrible banging in her head that didn’t seem to stop.

“Sit down before you pass out,” the woman told her gently, trying to get her to sit, but Andalia shook her head and took another step.

"No," She shook her head, “I—I need to stay awake,” Andalia mumbled, blinking hard to keep her vision focused on her mother. “If I close my eyes, all her hard work would be in vain.”

That was one of the things going through Andalia’s head. Despite the banging, she couldn’t afford to close her eyes for even a second, afraid she would relax too much and eventually die.

She also wanted her mother to live, but a part of her told her that if she lost her, then she must continue living so it wouldn’t all be a waste.

The woman stared at Andalia for a while, then shook her head gently. "She’s really strong," she said to the man supporting Andalia. "Maybe we should put her to sleep?"

The man shook his head. "She’ll pass out soon," he replied, and finally moved in front of Andalia. "Hey, why don’t you sit down while we help your mother out?"

Andalia nodded weakly, barely hearing the sound of sirens growing in the distance. The forest around them spun slowly, and everything was turning foggy, with blotches of black in the air.

Her thoughts slowly drifted far. She lost the strength to move, even when she tried to force it. She just leaned back against the woman, and her eyes fluttered closed.

However, one thing remained clearly in her mind, it was those eyes.

---

Andalia stirred on a small bed in a white room, the scent of antiseptic and the metallic scent of blood thick in the air. Her entire body felt heavy, her ribs down to her waist wrapped tightly in white gauze.

She blinked, forcing her eyes open when she realized the weight wasn’t a dream, but quickly shut them again as the bright white light above burned into her retinas.

By the time the nurse noticed she was awake, they assured her that the pack’s medics had stabilized her mother and the driver’s condition before they got admitted to the hospital. But Her mother was still unconscious.

However, that word, safe, felt like a lie. Blurred images of the same scenario from the past flashed through her mind. And just after the nurses had said those same words, the person they claimed was safe had died.

Nevertheless, she chose to remain calm, her hands clenched tightly underneath the cover. She could barely move due to how much blood she had lost.

Andalia heaved a sigh. 'My head hurts,' she thought, leaning back into the bed slowly, letting the wave of relief finally wash over her.

Even though she wasn’t comfortable being away from her mother, there was nothing she could do about it.

The door then opened without a knock.

Andalia turned her head slowly and saw the man who had helped them. A smile appeared on her face almost immediately.

"Hey there," the man greeted with a small wave as he made his way over to her bedside, without closing the door.

Andalia didn’t let herself ponder on that for too long, simply assuming he forgot. He sat quietly at the foot of her bed while she managed to drag herself upright.

"How are you feeling?"

She gave a small nod and a smile. "A bit better." She paused and lowered her gaze to her bandaged arm. "Sorry for the trouble we caused you."

"It’s alright," the man smiled warmly, staring at her with a flicker of warmth in his eyes. "I heard your mother is doing fine as well."

"I’m aware," she replied, then raised her head. "Do you know what room she might be in?"

The man raised a brow, tilting his head slightly to check if she was serious. When she didn’t say anything else, he let out a sigh. "You really have to stop worrying too much—"

"Andalia... Andalia Finley."

He smiled. "That’s a really beautiful name. Anyway, your mother is fine. You should rest too. If anything goes wrong, I’ll make sure to inform you."

Andalia slowly averted her gaze as she uttered, "Thank you." He was right. She couldn’t let herself worry too much, because that would only make her condition worse.

But then, how could she sit still and not even look at her mother to confirm for herself? To avoid what happened last time from happening again.

Silence came just as fast as it left when the man walked in. Andalia was trapped, contemplating whether to force herself to move or trust the nurses, while the man watched her with worry in his eyes.

Unknown to both of them, there was a figure standing by the door, watching with quiet intensity. Once they were satisfied with their observation, they pushed the door open slowly.

The door creaked, causing Andalia and the man to both turn toward it.

There stood a tall, broad-shouldered man in dark casual clothing, cut finely to fit his body. Cold green eyes, the same ones that had once only existed as the symbol of her nightmares.

Andalia’s breath got stuck in her throat the moment they made eye contact.

'Why is he here?'

Unlike the hallucinations and nightmares, the man standing before her didn’t look at her like he knew her, instead He looked at her with curiosity and concern.

“Miss,” he said plainly, his voice low, sending chills down her spine. “I’m Grayson Devon, Alpha of this pack...” He trailed off when he noticed the look in her eyes. Tilting his head slowly, his eyes softened, and then he smiled.

"Have we met somewhere?"