A Fate So Cruel

Chapter 8 - Red Room, White Room

Sterile white walls loomed around me. My limbs felt sluggish and heavy.

I blinked, lifting a hand to shield my eyes from the harsh stab of the fluorescent lights. But my efforts were thwarted by the resistance of bound wrists tethered to the hospital bed.

The distant sensation of panic surged forward as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings.

A nurse hovered by my bedside, her movements drawing my attention as she drew nearer.

"The Luna is awake," She called to someone over her shoulder. Her words a cryptic puzzle that my disoriented mind couldn't comprehend. "Call the Alpha Supreme and get Dr. Erikson."

"No!" A new wave of fear flooded my body. The heart monitor at my side beeped angrily in response.

She placed a reassuring hand on my arm. "It's okay, Luna. There's no need to worry. The Alpha Supreme will be here soon," she said calmly. Her words barely registered as I strained against my restraints with mounting desperation.

A Lycan doctor in a crisp white coat entered the room accompanied by two beta nurses who quickly got to work buzzing around the room.

"BPM is 150. BP is 160/90 and rising," the nurse at my side reported crisply.

"Push 2 milligrams of Ativan," the doctor calmly ordered.

"Wh-what are you doing? What's going on!?" My voice teetered on the edge of hysteria. I pulled desperately on the restraints, my muscles still sluggish and weak despite my anxiety.

"It's alright, Luna. You should be feeling better shortly," the doctor said.

The third nurse swept across the room, a syringe in her hand.

"No! Don't!" I pleaded desperately as the needle drew closer.

My protests were ignored. I watched in horror as the liquid was entered into my IV port. It only took a minute for the drug to work its way through my bloodstream before my already weak limbs once again grew heavy and limp, and drowsiness overcame my agitation. The fear was still there, but it was quieted to a muted hum as the fight drained from me.

"There we go," the doctor hummed. "Doing much better, aren't we?"

Now that the anxiety was no longer consuming me, I could take a better look around at the clinical environment. "Where am I?" The words felt dry in my cottony mouth. An unreadable look passed between the nurses.

"You're safe, Luna," the doctor answered vaguely.

"Don't call me that," I groaned weakly.

There was a shift in the air as a growl shook the room.

The Alpha's sudden presence commanded as he filled the doorway. The doctor and nurses snapped to attention, their fear palpable as they greeted him with submissive bows of the head. I had never seen Lycan look so meek. Despite my subdued senses, I shivered.

"Alpha Supreme." The doctor kept his posture hunched and his eyes downcast as he addressed the Alpha.

The Alpha stepped further into the room with a few powerful strides. The aura of power overwhelmed the space as the imposing creature drew closer before stopping at the center of the room. Dread rolled through my stomach. In that moment, a small part of me was grateful for the numbing effects of the sedative. I wasn't sure if I could bear the weight of his presence with the full weight of my fear.

To my relief, the Alpha didn't even cast a glance in my direction before turning to the doctor.

"How is she?" He asked. His voice was deep and smooth, like black honey.