Chapter 5: Bedridden

CHAPTER FIVE- BEDRIDDEN

GABRIELLA

I could hear gasps from the crowd and I strained my ear to be sure I heard properly. That voice sounds familiar.

Isn’t that Alpha Waylen’s voice? But he’s supposed to be dead. What the hell is going on here? My head hurt as I began to think of what could be happening behind the darkness of the blindfold.

“How dare you tie an innocent person and try to execute her. Release her at once!” I heard Alpha Waylen’s voice roar like an angry Lion.

I felt pressure over my eyes as my blind fold was taken off. I squinted my eyes as it came in contact with the piercing bright street lights.

My vision was slowly starting to get clearer. My eyes weakly darted around and I could see a bunch of people holding a wooden stick with fire burning on top of it.

I could see someone walk towards me; and as he got closer, my brows curved in surprise. Alpha Waylen is alive and well, and he saved me!

“Are you okay?” He moved towards me and crouched, examining my face.

A drop of tears fell down my face as I looked at him. I didn’t know why I was crying. Was it because someone cared enough to stop this? Or the fact that I’m alive?

Suddenly, a wave of darkness hit me, and I found myself slipping out of consciousness; then everything went black.

***

I could hear the sound of voices echoing around me. I couldn’t make out who was talking or what was being said. I realized it was because my eyes were shut and slowly made an attempt to open them.

The room was dim, so my eyes didn’t hurt too much as I slowly opened it. I could faintly see Alpha Waylen’s shadow a little distance away from me; he was having a conversation with someone I couldn’t make out their face.

I wanted to sit up, but my body was too weak to move. I let out a frustrated groan and luckily, they picked up the sound and looked in my direction.

“You’re awake,” I heard Alpha Waylen say and they both walked towards me.

“Hello, I’m your doctor, Bailey,” The woman close to him hovered over me, a faint smile appearing on her face as she examined me.

My eye met with his, and I could see something in there. I didn’t mistake the concerned look in his eyes as the doctor checked my pulse and other areas of my body.

“She’ll be fine. All she needs is to rest and take her medication,”

The doctor left shortly after and I was left alone with Alpha Waylen. I could hear the sound of my heart beat as the deafening silence in the air hung like a thick cloud.

I did not expect such a powerful Alpha to care so much about an ordinary chef to give her a private room and go ahead to hang around. I met his gaze, and I could see him staring intently at me. I wanted to look away but I couldn’t.

Those brown eyes, staring at me like I was a puzzle had a soft look to them. He had an unreadable expression on his face so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Wait a minute! This man saved my life, and I haven’t even appreciated him for that.

“Thank you,” I muttered, my voice coming out softer than I intended it to. “For saving me,”

“I should be the one thanking you,”

I was taken aback by that statement. But I didn’t have to wonder for long because he continued speaking.

“Your soup….it tastes exactly like my mother’s. But it’s even more special. I like yours better,”

My eyes widened in astonishment, and I could feel my cheeks grow warm. My soup is special to Alpha Waylen? I feel so honored.

“That means a lot, Alpha Waylen,”

“Please, call me Waylen,” he said to me, an unreadable expression plastered on his face.

“Yes, Waylen,” I dragged the word, because it felt strange in my mouth.

However, I still had unanswered questions to ask and as if he could read my mind, he dove straight to speaking about my unanswered questions.

“What happened was a misunderstanding,” he sighed, his jaw clenching tightly. “After I tasted your soup, I felt something stir up within me. I was being healed from the inside, and something in me was tamed, but in a much peaceful way,”

I looked at him in surprise, not sure of what he was talking about.

“I won’t go into details,” he said flatly, the edge of his lips twisting uncomfortably.

“But anyway, I was healing, and my body had to rest for that to happen. I’m perfectly fine. Somehow, they assumed I was dead,”

“So does that mean I’m free of all charges?” My eyes were laced with curiosity.

“Yes, of course. If anything, your special soup helped me and you should be rewarded for that,”

I went silent, only because I didn’t know what to say. Alpha Waylen; I mean Waylen suddenly sat on the bed beside me, and his hand reached for my forehead.

I froze as his hands came in contact with me. I could feel electricity surge through my veins and I didn’t know why.

“You’re cold,” he murmured, more to himself than to me.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,”

The door opened, and I saw the girl who didn’t like me from the first day we met. Jada told me her name is Olive.

She walked in with a tray of soup and tea, looking surprised to see me lying so comfortably with Waylen seated beside me.

“Alpha Waylen,” she gave a light bow.

“Your soup is here. This would help you stay warm and relaxed,”

“No, I’m fine,” I sat up, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the way Olive was staring at me with dagger looks in her eyes.

“I think I should go back to the servant quarters. I’m fine,”

“I shall escort her!” Olive added sharply as if she had been waiting for me to utter that statement.

“That won’t be necessary, because you’re sleeping in my room tonight,”