0007

{ Grace }

My eyes slowly opened and I immediately recognized my surroundings.

Could it be a dream, wasn't I in the dungeon? A heat of confusion settled in my mind as I stared around to be sure I wasn't hallucinating.

“ How did I get here?” I tried to get off the bed but a hand held me down.” Don't put pressure on your injury, it's the doctor's advice.” She said and my eyes went up.” Doctor?” Was I in the hospital?

“ Zoe?” I asked as if I didn't believe what I was seeing. “ Your injury is yet to heal. “ She said with a relieved expression on her face.

My foot was covered in a white bandage with a white pillow placed underneath it.” What happened to me?” I asked because the last thing I thought I remembered was fainting on the floor in the dungeon.” You fainted after bleeding so much.” Zoe explained.” Bleeding?” I frowned.

“ It's okay if you don't remember, just focus on recovering first.” She handed me two pills, and I grabbed them after hesitating for a while.” This will help with the pain,”

I gave her back the glass of water after swallowing the pills.” Is there anything you want to eat?” My gaze landed right at the window, and I noticed the cold atmosphere outside.” How long have I been sleeping?”

“ For the past twelve hours,” Zoe replied casually and I wondered if what I saw was just a dream.

“ Thank you, Zoe.” I said as she was about to leave.” It's the alpha who brought you here and instructed the pack doctor to take care of you.” Zoe explained and I bit on my bottom lip.

It wasn't a dream, he did come for me. The cold expression on his face when he carried me in his arms displayed in my memory but why would he care about me?

“ Alpha Cronus isn't as bad as he seems.” What did she mean by that?

“ Get some rest, I will be right back,” she said as she left the room.

I felt pain when I tried to lift my feet. How did the pain become this unbearable?

Zoe returned with a bowl of soup, and I took a few spoons before taking the other drugs. “ Why am I not healing?” I asked Zoe.

It has been a few hours since I got injured, but instead of healing, it seems to be getting worse.

I didn't shift on my eighteenth birthday; could it be that I have no wolf?” Sometimes healing takes time, especially for someone who hasn't yet shifted.” As if she were reading my mind, I immediately relaxed my back on the bed.” The pack doctor will come over to change your bandage.”

The pack doctor arrived a few minutes after Zoe left and he was an elderly man around his late forties. He first checked my leg before lifting it, which made me hiss in pain.” You are recovering, pretty face, keep it up.” he said after looking at my face. “ I will only change the bandage for now, but don't hesitate to call me if you have any usual pain.” I nodded again as he looked at me.” It will hurt a little,” he warned and I found his action a bit weird.

There was no reaction on his face as he slowly took off the bandage and replaced it with a new one.” It's done,” he said as he took the gloves off his hand.” I will advise you to rest more.”

“ Thank you, doctor….” I pause and bite my lip, not sure how to address him.

“ Callous,” he said and I looked up at him.

“ Doctor Callous.”

" Good" he smiled at me.

The rest of the day was as boring as possible. I have never felt this bored in my life before.

Zoe would bring me food three times a day, which was very frustrating; all I did was lie in bed doing nothing.

I tried convincing Zoe to at least let me help her in the kitchen, but she wouldn't listen; she would say, ‘ I don't make decisions around here.’

What did she mean by that? I wanted to know what she meant by that but I knew she would say much.

It has been three days, and I haven't left the room; Callous has shown up twice in those days to change my bandage, and every time he does, he engages me in a conversation. I got to know he was the head pack doctor, and then there were other doctors aside from him.

He didn't seem as strict as he appeared, but I must say he was a bit strange. For example, when I asked him if I could go for a walk, he simply said.’ I'm not the right person to ask.’

What was with the shallow replies?

Was I expected to spend the rest of my days in this huge room?

I didn't understand what was happening.

“ Careful.” Zoe helped me back to bed after taking a shower.” Can I at least take a walk in the garden?”

“ You don't put pressure on your foot, remember?” The same reply I have been getting for the past few days.” But my foot is almost healed.” I protested and she shook her head.” Don't look at me like that because I can't give you what you want.” She places the dryer back in the closet.” What do you mean by that?”

“ Alpha Cronus gave the orders before he left,” Zoe explained, and I bit on my bottom lip. Was I his prisoner?

Wasn't a prison better than myself?

“ Don't be sad, he has your best interest at heart.” My sad eyes stared up at Zoe.

How could someone like him have the best interests?

He hates me so much because of my father, and now that my father is no more…

I felt tears in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

He was going to force me to pay for whatever my father owed him.

Maybe it was better if I hadn't been saved.

Days went by, and my foot was healed even though it wasn't completely healed. The bandage was taken off because, according to Doctor Callous, I wouldn't need it.

I felt good to finally walk on my own without being supported, though I was still not allowed to leave the room.

I figured I had to talk to Cronus because everyone listens to him around here, but how? I haven't seen him for the past few days.

The night was cold, and the sky bright; my eyes stared up at the faraway sky, and I couldn't help but miss my father.

I pulled the red hairpin in my hair and stared at it with so much sadness blazing in my eyes. It was the last gift I received from my father before he died, my fingers clenched around it like a treasure.

“ What if my father owned him?” I whispered, staring up at the bright sky before me. I had always wanted to be free, free like the birds, but he guessed that wasn't possible.

I gulped when the hairpin slipped through my fingers and dropped down below the balcony.

I stared down at the distant ground, fearing that I had lost it forever.

I can't possibly lose it; it was the only thing I have left of my father.

I turned towards the door, barefoot. I walked slowly down the stairs through the quiet living room and finally out of the building.

I walked around the building and to the back. I wasn't sure how I was going to find it, considering how dark the place was, but I must look for it.

“ Who allowed you out of the room?” The sudden, deep voice made me freeze, and my back stiffened.

Why was he here?