Page 40 of The Wolf and the Chimera
When I drifted back to consciousness, the first things I noticed were the unbearable cold and the dreadfully bright overhead light. I brought my knees to my chest and squeezed my eyes shut.
“Elle?” a concerned, male voice said.
“Ryder?” I croaked.
My mouth was dryer than sand. I coughed, and Ryder frowned.
“Water?” he demanded.
A werewolf with mossy brown, slicked back hair hurried to my side. As she handed me a glass of ice water, her expression was pensive, but her eyes were kind. I shuddered at the cold glass in my hand but gratefully took a swig of water.
“Is something wrong with your eyes?” Ryder asked. “You’re squinting.”
I shook my head. “It’s just so bright. And so cold.”
This time, all it took was Ryder’s glare, and the she-wolf brought me a warm blanket. I wrapped myself in it with a contented sigh. As the throbbing of my head eased, and I was able to bear the light, memories filtered back to me.
Drunk,I remembered.Like an idiot, I got drunk.
I glanced around the sterile, white room in confusion. I lay in a narrow bed under florescent light, next to metallic cabinetry. A frosted glass door was beside it, and another door faced us.
“Am I in the hospital?” I asked. “How drunk did I get?”
Ryder frowned. “You don’t remember what happened?”
He clutched my hand.
“Do you remember me?” he continued. “Do you remember your name?”
I thought about messing with him and saying no, but the worry that creased his brow stopped me. I squeezed his hand.
“You’re Ryder,” I said, “and I’m Elle. What I don’t know iswhy I’m here.”
“The sorceress,” he whispered. My stomach dropped. “After dinner, she possessed you.”
Fear stole my breath.
“Did I—” I choked on the words. “Did I hurt anyone?”
He shook his head. “No, Ellie. You didn’t hurt anybody. I’m worried aboutyoubeing hurt.”
“Why?” I asked. “How did you stop me—her?”
“I didn’t,” he said flatly. “The Sovereign did.”
As Ryder explained the procedure the Sovereign’s wolves had performed on me, something still niggled in my mind. I had forgotten something crucial.
I just couldn’t remember what it was.
“I’m happy to no longer be possessed,” I said in a low voice, “but I don’t trust this.”
“Neither do I,” Ryder grumbled. “I didn’t want to leave your side, but I’m interested to hear what Kieran has to say about all this.”
Despite what I had experienced in the last twenty-four hours, I smiled smugly.
“Really?” I asked.
Ryder rolled his eyes. “He’s not as far up his dad’s ass as I thought, okay? He’s still annoying as hell, but he might have an idea about why Lyall brought us here and what he gains from helping you.”
