Awake

Lyla

I could hear voices, but I couldn't open my eyes to see who it was. I couldn't even move my hands to lift them.

"Why isn't she waking up, doc?" An urgent voice was saying. It sounded familiar but she couldn't place it. "You said the bullet went through and through and there was no permanent damage! Why isn't she waking up?"

"You must be patient." A calm, warm voice said. A woman, from the sound of it. "Her body is very frail compared to ours. She can't heal like we can. Human bodies will shut down when the they have been traumatized. Frankly, it's amazing that she survived at all. From my examination I can see that she has been quite abused for many years. She's had many broken bones, fractures, and there are scars all over her back from what looks like a knife and maybe a whip. This woman has been through hell and has survived a bullet to the head on top of it. This one's a survivor. She will wake when she feels safe. So, sit down and make her feel safe, Travis. That's how you can help her heal."

Travis. Now I remembered why his voice sounded familiar. He had been speaking to me before. When I was sleeping. I thought I had dreamed it. His voice had been so soothing as he'd talked to me. I didn't remember what he'd said, but his voice was what I remembered, because I did feel safe.

And then there was a sudden flash of memory. A man carrying me. He'd been blond, with blue eyes and a panicked expression on his face. I had remembered thinking that it was odd that the forest was moving so fast around me and realizing that he was running with me in his arms as if I weighed nothing. 

I heard footsteps as the woman left the room. A warm hand took my cold one and I felt soothed. Whoever this Travis was, he did make me feel safe.

I had to open my eyes and see this man. I willed my body to respond. Come on, Lyla. Just open your eyes! It's not like you have to pick up a truck! Open your eyes! To my surprise, my body obeyed. I blinked my eyes as the bright light hit me. My blue eyes tried to adjust to the white tiled ceiling above me.

I turned my head to look at the man that sat in a chair next to me quietly holding my hand. He had been staring at our hands so he hadn't noticed when my eyes had opened, but he certainly noticed when my head turned to look at him. He jumped up and stroked my hair while he grabbed the call button and pressed it.

"You're awake! I thought we'd lost you. How do you feel?" His eyes were so earnest as he stared down at me.

My mouth was so dry, I knew I wouldn't be able to speak. He seemed to understand this and grabbed a plastic cup and filled it with the ice water in the plastic pitcher on the side table before putting a straw into it. He then pushed the button to raise the head of my bed and put the straw to my lips. I gulped the ice cold water down gratefully. When I'd had my fill, he put it back on the table and continued to stroke my hair.

"Where am I?" I croaked. "What hospital am I in?"

You're in the Forest Moon Pack hospital. The doctor has treated you for the bullet wound to your head and for your broken bones."

"Bullet hole?" But then I remembered. Fucking Paul had shot me. Bastard. Well, at least I'd damaged his little jewels before he took me down.

The man beside me burst out laughing and I looked at him sharply, confused.

"Damaged his little jewels! Damn! That is cold! I love it!"

What the hell?! I stiffened and, feeling it, he immediately stopped laughing. "How did you know about that?" I asked him quietly. Although all of my being was screaming at me to trust this man, the fact was that life experiences had taught me that trust was dangerous and just got you killed.

His handsome face actually flushed. Flushed! I don't think I had ever seen a man actually blush before. "Well," He said sheepishly. It was actually kind of adorable.

Stop it, Lyla! Remember what happened the last time you let a guy sweet talk you.

"the guy that you, um, helped decide his future on children, had blood on his crotch and was screaming quite loudly when we came across all of you."

I guess that made sense but, "No, you knew that I was thinking little jewels. I didn't say that out loud and I know I didn't say it in the woods. So, how did you know about that?"

If anything, his face got redder. What was he so embarrassed about?

He sighed and sat on the side of my bed, taking my hand in his. "We have a lot to talk about but first you need to heal. There are things that you need to know about me and about yourself that will be... shocking to you. For right now, please believe me when I tell you that you are completely safe here. Those men won't hurt you again."

I flinched. I didn't mean to, it was just an automatic response. The trauma was going to stay with me I was sure, but right now it was fresh. I still hadn't processed the fact I had been shot in the head yet. I reached up and lightly touched the bandage on my head, wincing at how tender it was.

I put my hand back down and looked at my lap. "Yeah, Paul will find me. If not him then his goons. This isn't the first time he's hurt me, I can't imagine it will be the last." I hated that I was so certain of it, but I was. He would never let me go and while it was nice to get a little reprieve, I knew eventually he would catch up to me.

The man smiled at me. "I am Travis, and I can promise you that Paul and his goons will never come looking for you again. They breathed their last breaths just after he shot you."