Chapter 4

Tyler's POV:

As I drove to the shore of the sea that was situated in the heart of Nightshade Pack, I couldn't help but feel uncertain. I was blindly relying on my dreams and instincts but there was no harm in trying anyway. I am the Lycan King and I'm strong enough to defend myself in case of any danger.

Staring at the vast ocean, I began to question my decision. How would I find someone I barely recognized? But I could strongly feel her presence, she is here and somehow, I have to find her. 

As I stepped out of my car and onto the shore, my boots sinking into the wet soil with every step I made, I felt the salty sea breeze fill my lungs. My eyes scanned the expansive beach, hoping to catch a glimpse of my daughter, Veronica. She had been lost for so long, and my heart yearned for her every day.

But as the hours ticked by and the sun started to dip below the horizon, my hope began to fade. I was about to turn back, the weight of defeat heavy on my shoulders when I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye.

There, lying motionless on the shore, was a figure that I could only assume had washed up with the tide. My heart leaped into my throat as I sprinted towards the figure lying on the sand. It was a young woman, her blonde hair tangled and matted with seaweed. But as I got closer, I realized that this person had the same face as the girl I saw in my dreams. Could this be Veronica?

The figure was in a coma, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. I had no idea who she was, but I knew I couldn't just leave her there on the beach to die. I quickly checked her pulse, relieved to find it steady, I carefully lift her up and cradle her in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder. Her skin is cold to the touch, and her breathing is shallow. 

I carry her to my car and began to drive to the nearest hospital. I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I sped down the highway, my heart racing with fear and anticipation. The wind whips through my hair, and the sound of the engine roars in my ears. 

The road ahead is a blur as I weave in and out of traffic, desperate to get to the hospital as fast as I can. I can feel the sweat on my brow and the tension in my muscles, and I know that I need to stay focused if I'm going to get there in time. 

The whole time, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something special about this girl who lay lifeless in the backseat. Something that connects her to me and my long-lost daughter. Who is she, and how did she end up on the seashore?

As I approached the hospital, I could see the bright lights flashing in the distance, calling out to me like a beacon of hope. I pulled into the parking lot and sprinted into the building, my heart pounding in my chest. The smell of antiseptic and the sound of machines beeping fill my senses. I rarely went to the hospital since I had the ability to self-heal as a werewolf.

I rushed to the reception desk and frantically explain the situation to the nurse. Seeing me, she quickly called other nurses and they ran to my car with a stretcher. Immediately, they wheeled the limp figure into the emergency ward.

"Get the defibrillator!" I heard the doctors yell.

"Turn it on to 150 joules. 1,2,3… go" I could hear the buzzing sound from the machine and the frantic motions of the doctors.

I felt weak and my legs began to tremble. "Could this be my daughter?" I asked myself over and over again.

"Tyler, Tyler" I heard a familiar voice call out my name. 

It was Malia's voice.

Slowly, I opened my eyelids which suddenly became too heavy to carry. 

"Malia, I found her. She's alive" my voice weak from exhaustion.

"Tyler, can you just pull yourself together? You're the Lycan King and you don't want your subjects to see looking dejected because of a strange girl you found on the beach" Malia whispered, her eyes darting to and fro the hallway.

"She's my daughter. I knew it the moment I saw her. I hope she makes it alive—"

My conversation with my wife was briefly interrupted immediately after I saw the head surgeon emerge from the emergency ward. The glum look on his face was a sharp contrast to the white lab coat he wore. Slowly he walked to where I and Malia sat and took a seat beside me.

"I think it's best if we talk in my office. I hope you don't mind" he said, bowing briefly.

"Is she alive?" I questioned curiously immediately we stepped into Dr. Grooves' office.

"Yes Sir, the girl is alive but you see she is currently in a coma, and she has sustained several injuries as a result of the incident that caused her loss of consciousness. She has a minor cardiac injury involving a contusion to the heart muscle, which has led to a temporary impairment in its ability to pump blood effectively. This is causing a reduction in blood flow to vital organs, including the brain"

Dr. Grooves took a deep breath and continued, "All I'm saying is that the chances of her waking are pretty slim. It entirely depends on her will to live. But for the time being, we'll closely monitor her recovery rate and hope that she wakes up soon enough so—"

Dr. Grooves was yet to finish his statement when a nurse rushed into the office, panting heavily as though she just ran a mile.

"Doctor, the girl…the girl…she's awake" her voice coarse.

Impulsively, we all ran to the emergency ward. Lo and behold, she was awake. Her eyes were weak and barely open. She stared at the ceiling and the doctors' faces in confusion.

"Where am I?" She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"You're at the hospital, my dear" Dr. Grooves smiled, checking her vitals. "Do you remember the last thing that happened before you lost consciousness?"

"No," she said faintly.

"Ok, do you remember your name?" Dr. Grooves peered into her face inquisitively.

"My name…my name is…" she hesitated.

"Veronica" she replied as her eyelids shut close as she slid into yet another abysmal moment of unconsciousness.