Page 26 of Her Bossy Wolf Protector

“That was the doctor briefing me about another patient. Alyssa is fine. Right where you left her.”

I study my best friend’s face feeling my body relax. Yeah, she is right. I am just being paranoid.

“Okay. Thanks. Let me get dressed then.”

“Okay, Jade. I will be right here when you come out.”

Trying to stay awake, I find myself spending hours in a game of Candy Crush on my phone. Each day, it gets harder to keep my eyes open. I don’t even realize I’ve nodded off until I feel someone gently shaking me. I open my eyes to find Alyssa standing before me, smiling. She’s awake.

I immediately jump up, taking her hand in mine. “You’re awake.”

“Yeah,” she nods, that smile never leaving her face. “Now, Jade, why am I in a hospital?”

I’m a bit taken aback by her confusion. “I’ll fill you in, Alyssa. Let me just get a doctor to check you out first.”

She smiles again, and I walk out, almost crashing into the nurse coming in to check Alyssa’s vitals. When she realizes that Alyssa is awake, she calls the doctor.

Once the doctor finishes his exam, the nurse reassures me that Alyssa is doing okay now.

As soon as the doctor leaves, Alyssa asks the nurse, “When can I go home?”

“Soon,” the nurse tells her.

When the coast is clear, I take Alyssa’s hand again. “You scared me,” I admit.

“I’m sorry. So... How was your first day at work?” Alyssa says, looking confused.

“What day do you think today is, and what do you think happened?”

“Well, I guess I drank too much at our little celebration. And I must’ve gotten hurt. Did I fall down a flight of stairs or something?”

“Alyssa, that was close to two weeks ago. You don’t remember anything?”

She scoffs, thinking I’m joking. “You’re lying.”

I pull out my phone and show her the date, watching as the color drains from her face. “No. That can’t be right,” she whispers.

I’m sitting next to her in the hospital room, and I can’t shake off the surreal feeling. Alyssa is looking around, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Jade, this has to be some kind of joke, right?” she says, her voice shaky.

“I wish it were a joke. Alyssa, you were attacked.”

Her eyes widen even more, and her hand tightens around mine. “Are you serious? Who attacked me?”

I nod, trying to gauge her reaction. “That is what I have been trying to figure out. You had been missing for a few days before we found you. You’ve been in a coma, and we’ve been trying to wake you up.”

Alyssa’s gaze drifts to the bandages on her neck and arms, and a mixture of fear and confusion crosses her face. I see her catalog all the bruises on her body.

“This can’t be real.”

“I am so sorry, Alyssa.”

“This cannot be real,” she repeats on the verge of tears.

“It is, Alyssa. I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“I don’t remember any of it,” she says, her voice almost a whisper.

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