Chapter 222

Nathan

First, everything was dark. But then, my eyes fluttered open to the disorienting brightness of artificial lights shining above my head.

An immediate sensation of coldness and stiffness ran down my spine. The scent of disinfectant mixed with an underlying metallic tang was the first indication that I was in a hospital.

Panic welled up inside of me; why couldn’t I remember how I got here? Why was my body in excruciating pain?

There was a murmur of voices close by, gradually becoming clearer as I tried to adjust to the situation. The soft beeping of machines accompanied them, rhythmic and consistent.

I turned my head, wincing at the unexpected pain. Beside me, lying on another bed with white sheets drawn up to her chin, was Olivia.

Bruises marred her otherwise fair face, and the steady rise and fall of her chest indicated she was still in the realm of dreams—or perhaps nightmares.

“Nathan?” The voice belonged to a tall man in a white coat, the familiar badge of a doctor. He approached, peering at me with deep-set eyes, creased with lines of concern.

I swallowed, my mouth dry. “Doctor...what happened? Why are we here?”

He exhaled, choosing his words with care. “I don’t know many of the details myself, if I’m being honest,” he said. “But from what I’ve gathered, you and Olivia were in a car crash. She carried you, even with her own injuries.”

“She… carried me?” I murmured. It hurt even to speak; my throat felt like it had been raked over hot coals.

The doctor nodded.

“Yes,” he said. “A man, I believe his name was Derek, was with her when you arrived. He said he found you two lying on the side of the road. She had carried you out of the forest and at least half a mile down the road before she collapsed. Thankfully, he showed up just in time and drove you two here.”

My heart clenched, guilt gnawing at the edges. “Olivia...” I whispered, stretching my arm out towards her, though she remained distant.

The doctor continued. “She’s been slipping in and out of consciousness, but mostly she’s been asleep since the accident. She’s stable, but I won’t lie to you, it was touch and go for a while. The next few days are going to be critical for the both of you.”

It didn’t make sense. A car crash? How had that happened? But then, like a torrent, the memories came flooding back…

The car’s engine purred softly as the countryside rolled past us. Olivia and I had given up on the witch, who had tried to coerce us into handing Aurora over in exchange for Olivia’s wolf.

We had planned on coming up with another solution. Another way to keep Elliot with us, and to keep Ryan from attacking our pack at the same time. I remembered feeling hopeful that everything would turn out.

But then, out of the darkness, a figure materialized, standing squarely in our path. An enormous wolf. It was familiar… It was all too familiar. I remembered thinking his name: Alvin?

I swerved, trying to avoid it, but the wet road and reduced visibility sent us careening off the road.

For an eternal few moments, the car whirled noiselessly through the air. The trees flipped the wrong way around, the earth coming toward us like the sky was crashing down. And then, in a cacophony of metal and blaze, we crashed.

I didn’t remember much after that. I remembered the smell and taste of smoke, and Olivia’s voice. I remembered her hands on me, pulling me out of the wreckage.

I remembered a figure approaching the car, its ethereal nature becoming clear as the fog around it seemed to originate from her. The witch.

"Nathan," Olivia whispered, gripping my hand as she tried to maintain her composure. I could hear the fear in her voice, though she tried to hide it.

The witch's voice was raspy yet powerful. I only caught the tail end of her proposition, but I knew what she was implying. “...there is a way to save him.”

Aurora. She wanted Aurora.

My vision blurred, pain searing through me. I tried to speak, choking out the words. “Olivia…”

‘Go... leave me,’ I wanted to say. ‘Save yourself.’ But no words would come out. The lines between reality and dreams were blurring, hurtling me into a dark abyss.

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. But she wasn’t talking to me. “I will never give you my daughter,” she said to the witch. “Not now. Not ever.”

The fog grew denser, obscuring the witch, but her voice was clear. “It’s your choice. Your lover’s life…”

The cool tone of the doctor’s voice snapped me back to the present. “Nathan? Nathan, can you hear me?”

I blinked, shaking my head to dispel the remnants of the memory. “Yes...yes, I’m here.”

He studied me intently for a moment before speaking. “You drifted off for a moment there. You probably experienced a flashback due to the trauma. It’s not uncommon. Did you remember anything important?”

I nodded slowly, not entirely willing to share the supernatural details. “I remember the crash, but I’d rather not talk about it, if that’s okay.”

He sighed. “Of course. All you need to do is rest now. Thanks to Olivia and her unwavering strength, you’ll both be alright.”

“I know,” I whispered, my voice filled with emotion.

Over the next few hours, various nurses and doctors came in to check on us, adjusting drips, taking blood samples, and updating charts. But I barely noticed them, my focus firmly on Olivia.

At one point, an older nurse with silver hair tied in a neat bun entered. “She’s a fighter, that one,” she remarked, nodding at Olivia. “Reminds me of my daughter. The will to live and protect is a powerful thing.”

I merely nodded, words failing me.

The room turned dusky as evening settled, casting shadows on Olivia's still form. I reached out, my fingers grazing the back of her hand. It was cold, but I held on, hoping to lend her some of my warmth, my strength.

“She saved me,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.

She had been my anchor, my savior, and yet, even now in her vulnerable state, I could see the strength in her. The resilience that told me she wouldn’t give up without a fight.

Hours turned into an endless night, my thoughts a whirlwind of regrets, gratitude, and love. The quiet beeping of machines became a background lullaby, and as the first rays of dawn peeked through the window blinds, sleep finally claimed me.

When I awoke, it was to Olivia’s fingers twitching in my grip. Her eyelids fluttered, and I leaned in, eager, desperate for any sign of her returning to consciousness. But she remained in her deep slumber.

“No more witches, no more bargains,” I whispered to her, my promise carried on a breath. “Together, Liv, we’ll face it all.”

She may not have heard me, but I felt a change. A palpable shift in the room, a sensation of hope and strength. And I knew, deep in my core, that as long as we had each other, we would overcome any obstacle.

Even if that meant confronting the shadows of our past, all on our own.