Chapter 33: Flora General Hospital

Damien's POV

The last thing I remembered, while chatting with the business partner, was being hit in the head by something. It was quickly followed by an explosion. I felt something like sweat trickle down my face inside the helmet, which felt loose on my head. After this, darkness engulfed me.

I was not sure how long I was out, but I slowly opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was the familiar ceiling. I was inside one of the VIP wards, inside Flora General Hospital. The next person I saw was my father, he was sitting on a chair, his arms folded across his chest, staring at me with a frown. My head ached badly, and I could feel there was something on my head. I touched it and it was a bandage.

"You are finally awake. Good!" my father said to me, his voice laced with anger.

I may be 28 years old, but that wasn't the reaction I was expecting from the man I called father after a near-death experience. I wondered what he was mad at me for. The fact that I didn't die or the fact that I was involved in an accident?

"This is no accident, Damien." he quickly followed his statement with his next sentence, staring at me furiously. 

He leaned forward, staring at me like I had committed a crime. I remained calm and collected despite the pain I was feeling in my head.

"If not for the fact that you have an Alpha blood running through your veins, you would have been dead. The protective helmet broke and pierced your skull," my father said through gritted teeth, while he stared at me angrily.

"Whatever it is, I will find out," I replied calmly, despite my headache. 

I tried to sit up, but the headache got worse, so I lay back down. I moved my hand to my head as the pain got worse, but it appears my father was blind to my current plight. 

"This is the work of Alpha Demitri. The longer you delay this marriage, the more time you give him to make a move on you. If we are family, he can't harm you," my father continued to talk. 

I moved my hand to the side of the bed and pressed the bell for a nurse. My father continued to talk, confident that the accident was the work of Alpha Demitri, my mate's half-brother, and I could have prevented it by just marrying Victoria.

Dr Francis strode in, together with a nurse. 

"Good afternoon, Alpha Leo," I heard Dr Francis greet my father, and my father replied with a gentle nod.

Dr Francis shifted his attention to me. "Are you getting severe headaches?" he asked me, and I nodded. 

"You're in pain?" I heard my father ask, and I just ignored him.

Dr Francis attended to me by giving me an injection. 

"The injury was a bit deep, but you are healing very fast. I have given you something to help with the pain. It will be good to rest," Dr Francis said, and I nodded. "I will take my leave now. Excuse me," he said and headed for the door with the nurse he had come with.

With my father sitting on the chair, refusing to move for Dr Francis to attend to me, there was no one he would allow me to rest.

"Oh, Damien! Thank God you are awake," Victoria cried upon entering, right after Dr Francis and the nurse had exited. 

She headed straight for my bed, and I knew, if I could get half rest listening to my father talk about fixing a date for my marriage, that possibility went out the window with Victoria coming in.

"For a couple of seconds, I thought I lost you," I heard her say, using her irritating voice, which sounded like a bird choking on seeds.

She made herself comfortable on the other side of my bed, since my father had the chair placed on the right side facing me. She grabbed my hand and placed it on her lap. I lay down in silence as she continued to talk. At this moment, I wished Dr Francis had given me a sedative instead of a pain relief injection.

"You had blood everywhere. Even with a helmet on, you got hurt," she said, and I frowned.

My mind went back to the scene. I heard a voice, a female voice, but it wasn't Victoria's. That I am sure. I heard the voice before darkness covered me.

"I heard Victoria was the one who saved you," Alpha Leo said, and I shifted my gaze in his direction with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes," Alpha Leo continued. "You need to fire all those guards, they stood there like robots awaiting a command before they will move. If Victoria had not gotten there ontime, we will be standing at the morgue," my father completed his statement. "Victoria cares for you, and Demitri cares about his sister. This is more reason why, you need to marry her asap," he added.

"What were you doing at the mining site?" I asked with a frown, my voice almost a whisper, but my facial expression still carried that authority.

"Damien, she saved you. Is that all that you can say to her?" Alpha Leo chided, as Victoria stared at me like I had offended her, with both of her hands resting on her chest.

"Dad, I am not buying that crap," I said to my father, raising my voice a little as my headache has subsided with the medication.

I shifted my gaze back to Victoria. "What were you doing at the site?" I asked again.

"I just came to see you, concerning what we agreed on last night," Victoria replied, shrugging her shoulders. "When I woke up, you had already left," she added. "I called one of your guards, and he told me you are heading for the site. So I followed. When I got there, you were on the ground motionless, so I helped bring you to the hospital," she narrated, and I stared at her with a frown, because I knew she was lying.

"Damien, enough!" Alpha Leo interrupted. "The least you can do is appreciate her. She risked her life to save yours," he added.

"I am glad you are fine," Victoria said, sounding like she had been offended.

I just stared at her. Since I found out she was my mate, the relationship between us has not been that good. Today, it's worse. I don't know why, but whatever made me tone down for her was no longer in me. I know she likes to exaggerate or tell lies sometimes. This wouldn't be the first time, but this time, her lies are getting on my nerves. 

"Victoria, get ready as soon as Damien is out of this place, we will have a simple court wedding. A grand one will come later," Alpha Leo said and I shifted my gaze towards him.

"Yes, Alpha Leo," Victoria replied. 

"Dad," I began, but my father interrupted me.

"I am doing this for your good," he said and stood up.  "I will leave you two," he said, and exited my ward.

Victoria rested her head on my chest while sitting on the bed. I didn't believe the story they had just narrated to me. Somehow, I was wondering if Ariana was okay. She was at the scene and I don't know what happened after I blacked out. 

"Hey, bro, I am glad you are still alive. If it wasn't Victoria, you would have lost your life," Adolf said, making me shift my gaze in his direction. 

Adolf was standing at the door, with the door open. He walked in, and left the door to close on its own. Victoria raised her head from my chest and smiled at Adolf, and he smiled back. 

"Hey! sister in law, thanks," Adolf said with a boyish charm smile.

"What? You were at the scene too?" I asked, staring at him.

Just then, Dr Francis entered. 

"Sorry to interrupt the family reunion, but Alpha Damien needs to get some rest. The blow to the head was very heavy," Dr Francis said.

"Glad to see you alive. Eve sends her love. She is at home, taking care of some girl," I heard Adolf say, and I knew he was talking about Ariana. "I'll see you later," he added and headed for the door.

"I will stay with him," Victoria said.

"Victoria, please," I said, and she shifted her gaze to me. "Go," I added, and she didn't have an option but to leave.

"Where is Michael?" I asked Dr Francis as soon as the two of us were alone.

"I am not sure but I can call him," Dr Francis replied. "You get some rest, I will get him here," he added and I just nodded. 

I wanted to be sure, Ariana and my pups are fine. That was what I told myself. Dr Francis exited the room.

I felt a sharp pain within, forcing me to grab my chest. 

"Our mate is in trouble," Kai said.

"Victoria?" I asked, my voice sounding like I was choking.