Chapter 4

She gasped loudly, and when she opened her eyes, blinding light invaded her view, making her squint.

The pain she felt was bearable, but she didn't let slip a few groans and winces.

After taking deep inhales, she took her time observing her surroundings.

She was lying on a hospital bed with a heart monitor device beating in rhythm with her heart.

Glancing around, the room was narrow and small, quite bigger than her closet-sized room. It felt peaceful, and I liked its cleanliness.

The pungent odor of the medicine in the room didn't alarm her; the effect is quite the opposite with the other werewolves, which she finds comforting.

Blinking three times, she tried getting up from the bed but was fruitless, leaving her wincing from her abrupt movement.

On cue, a man wearing a long white coat and a stethoscope hung around his neck entered the room.

"You’re awake. How are you feeling, Miss Zainne?" The unfamiliar doctor spoke with a warm voice.

"Water…" Her throat was dry, sounding raspy.

The doctor immediately provided her with a glass of water. He guided her to sit up and handled her to properly drink the water. The doctor spoke again.

"I’m doctor Ryan, I was recently transferred into this pack four weeks ago," he smiled warmly at her.

He is about thirty years old, according to her observation.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Ryan. I’m feeling sore all over, but it's manageable. Thank you," she said back with the warmest smile she could muster, not knowing how she had stunned him. It took him a few seconds to answer.

"That’s good to hear. Do you remember what really happened before you passed out?" he simply asked in his serious tone.

He knew she was abused, he just wanted to hear it from her to confirm it.

She was a bit confused at the moment, rubbing her temples to soothe the emerging headache.

Later, all she recalled was misery.

She was afraid to share the things that happened to her, afraid that he could be an unscrupulous doctor like the others.

Zainne doesn't realize the time, it took her three minutes to ponder, whether telling him her story is a good idea. She feared the worst.

He might be one of them.

She judged, although it is unlikely for her to do so. She was just being cautious now that she doesn't want her wolf to suffer with her.

~How would you know that?~

~I don’t. I’m just being cautious. I know what they are capable of.~

"Ah, yes," she said in a low, sweet tone and acted as if she was okay with it. "I’m very sorry for the inconvenience, doctor. I’m just not ready to talk about it," giving him a sad smile, hoping he would drop his question.

Dr. Ryan was saddened by her reply.

"Your presence is not of inconvenience, Miss Zainne. I’m a doctor doing my duty." He paused and thought for a moment. "I know you have a reason. I will not pry further then," he said.

She felt guilty for not cooperating well with him, gnawing at her inner cheek to not spill the beans.

"Thank you for understanding," she said, then gazed blankly at the square window beside her. The sun's rays were now heating the forest. "How long was I unconscious?" Her voice was like a whisper; a normal person couldn’t hear it if it weren’t for the sensitive hearing they possess.

"Three weeks, to be exact. I checked your condition earlier. Some of your wounds are healed, and the pain and fatigue you are feeling right now will disappear if you continue to take the medicines, I'll prescribe you. Also, due to a lack of proper nutrition, you were healing quite slowly, leaving you with scars. I didn’t mean to offend, but you miraculously survived after losing too much blood for a person who’s wolf-less." A pensive sigh escapes his lips.

She didn't bother looking in his direction, knowing that his pity would reach the sky, making her uncomfortable.

"My apologies," he added after a long line of silence. He cleared his throat once, breaking the silence in the room. "Don’t worry, I will provide you with a cream to soothe your scars," he offered, although it was unnecessary for her.

Before her wolf, scars were already evident. It would elevate her healing this time around, but she wouldn’t have survived today if not for her wolf.

This year was the most severe torture she had encountered.

I wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t have a wolf.

~Oh, hush it. You survived this long~ her wolf chided.

~Luckily.~

She buried her negative emotions behind her. Her wolf was right. At least for now, she is alive, but that does not mean she will continue to suffer from Williams.

Huh...I don't know how to feel anymore.

Her head swiveled in his direction, and she was now giving him the most gracious, warm smile she could offer.

"Thank you again, you’re very kind."

Doctor Ryan was again flabbergasted by her beauty. Even though she has pale, chapped lips and sunken eyes, she still charms him. He forgot how to react.

"Anytime. You are free to go, Miss Zainne. And if you are feeling any migraines, you can approach me freely at my office on the fourth floor. I can give you more medications to lessen the pain. Please take more time to rest, do not exert a lot of force, your stitches might reopen." He soon left the room.

~We should lam out of this pack…we can find our mate on the way~ she suggested.

Despite everything that had happened to her, having her wolf encouraged her to flee.

The feeling of immense strength gave her the courage to be independent. Thinking that being a rogue for a while might not be a bad idea.

~A little bit more patience. Please?~  her wolf pleaded.

~Alright. I’m sorry.~

~No, it’s okay. From what you have been through, I would have thought the same. I just felt like our mate would find us. I'm feeling anxious right now, so it must be a good sign.~

~I hope so.~

Zainne limped her way down the hall towards the exit.

She was about to close the main hospital door upon dragging herself out when she was bombarded by the most intoxicating scent: cherry, her favorite fruit.

The scent was so comforting that she closed her eyes and savored the feeling. She took all the time in the world to savor the scent she was starting to crave.

With her eyes closed and her nostrils slightly flared in action. She snapped out of her stupor, surprised when a she-wolf purposefully pushed her shoulder, making her wince and stumble a few steps back.

"Move it. B*tch!" eyeing her with a virulent glare and intently flipping her long golden locks directly at her face.

What’s her problem?

Instead of returning the glare, she smiled at her, unknowingly annoying the bitchy she-wolf she just encountered, and heard her scoffing on her way.

Huh...life is full of surprises.

~You're sighing a lot.~

~Must be a good sign.~

~Ha, ha. You're funny.~

Soon, she ignored the smell and thought it was nothing. For now, she is worried that the family she lived with had planned something more sinister for her arrival.

Along the way, her head started to throb in pain, but she insisted on discharging herself first, otherwise, she would face dire consequences for taking so long. She knew their house would be a mess when she arrived.

Three weeks was the longest time she woke up, not like last time, which was only four days. Who knows how much she will endure the torture next time? She shivered slightly at that thought.

But why would she let herself be harmed by them again?

Looking at the house she lived in, the simplicity of its structure sheltered three twisted minds that were supposedly her second family.

She took a step forward, but the ominous vibe the house emitted was like that from a thriller movie, making her stop in her tracks.

Viewers would say she’s stupid if she goes any further, but to her, it would mean cowardice if she didn’t.

Looking around the house, the front yard wasn’t trimmed, and dried dead leaves squandered their way onto the ground.

And the backyard, I think, is no different.

She deeply sighed again.

Upon staring at the unkempt house, it gave her an epiphany about the family she was adopted into.

She was never really part of any of them. Truth be told, she was their slave.

An outcast.

I never understood why I still put up with their family. Was I dumb? Or was I just playing stupid? Maybe the fact that I wanted to feel loved by someone’s family was keeping me from seeing the reality I was in.

I could have bailed out of this pack long ago… But for some reason, I never thought that way. I could have stayed with Miss Dayanne, but I don't know if she’d want me to stay with her. I’ll never know if I haven't tried.

But I didn’t…I wonder why?

While she was having an internal struggle, her wolf was oddly silent, which she shrugged off and thought she must be in such lassitude from healing her injuries. She couldn’t blame her, nor anyone else at the moment…but herself.

How can they still live with such little conscience?

A frustrating sigh was released from her breath yet again.

Oh well, it’s better than having none.

Taking another step forward, her stomach churned with an equivocal feeling of dread, but she thought otherwise.

Reaching her right hand on the fake golden doorknob, she twisted it open. She walked inside the house, and she was immediately greeted with a slap on the face. Her lifeless, straight black hair veiled her from the stinging sensation.

"What took you so long? Do you know how dirty the house is? Isabelle’s friends won’t even get inside this house," her mother spat.

She was bowing her head in shame, bracing for another impact, while Isabelle and her father were sitting idly on a couch watching TV.

"I’m sorry. I won’t upset you further," she said in a low tone, bowing her head in submission.

"You should punish her again, father. Mother is too soft on her. Who knows, maybe she has been faking it all this time," she asserted, smirking at her.

She didn’t know what made Isabelle hate her this much—was it just her being b*tchy.

She looked at them with a panicked expression. Taking a step back. She thought of outsmarting them.

"The house is a mess, if I can’t clean today, who will?" She said it in a low tone.

She is currently looking down at the hem of her shirt. Her doctor was kind enough to provide her with comforting clothes. She wore a large white T-shirt that ended above her knee and gray sweat pants.

"Fine. After you clean the house, you will get what you deserve," she smirked.

She wasn’t escaping her demise.