A Luna's Flame

Chapter Fifty-Eight

I was tired. My puffy eyelids felt like they each held the weight of the world, shielding my eyes from its ugliness. But it was all in vain as that ugliness penetrated my every waking thought as my once well-repressed memories were rearing their nasty heads, each memory uglier than the last.

I softly yawned as I examined Nox's face, looking for any sign of distress. At least he could peacefully rest. I wished to move closer to his bed, to bask in his comfort, but my shredded back begged for reprieve. I was lying on my stomach, my tattered back in the breeze, with a white knitted blanket covering my lower half.

My mind wandered to the fleeting moments I shared with Alic in the dungeon. In every memory we shared, his optimism and wide smile were consistent despite the situation or social setting. I hadn't known that I had unconsciously associated his cheerful attitude with his very presence until it was gone, leaving no trace that it had existed in the first place.

I glanced over Nox's shoulder to the open window, the starry sky twinkling between the fluttering curtains. The cool night breeze introduced freshness to the otherwise stale hospital atmosphere. I closed my eyes, listening intently to my surroundings. I could hear Diona's soft snores in the distance between the buzzing of machines. The rustling of the trees that swayed in the gentle night wind offset the dull noises of the sleeping hospital.

Enyo slept soundly in the recesses of my mind, the recent excursions exhausting her. Everything was still in the dead of night except my racing mind. If I had to guess, we were only three to four days from the prophesized war.

As my mind cycled through different scenarios, my left thigh began to take on a familiar burn. I couldn't see it, but I knew what it meant. We don't have much longer.

The door slowly creaked open behind me, and I feigned sleep. I relaxed once the squeaks of her shoes and the sterilized tinges of her scent evaded my senses. She sighed just behind me as she noiselessly placed a chair at my bedside. Her heart was calm, but I could feel her unsettled energy buzz around me. It could be due to the coffee aroma that accompanied her.

"You should be in bed, Doc," I said as I slowly turned my head to face her, awakening the damaged nerve endings along my back.

Rhea was sat in an uncomfortable looking wooden chair, her legs crossed. She held on to a steaming cup of coffee as shock widened her eyes. The mint green scrubs that she wore were fresh. The smell of her laundry detergent wafted in the air.

"I hadn't expected you to be up this soon, given your injuries," she explained once her surprise wore off.

"How bad is it?" I asked, ignoring the pain that weighed on my heart.

"We were able to turn around your most infected wounds. With a quick blood transfusion and proper drainage, it wasn't as bad as it could've been. But your back...it's marred beyond belief. I tried to be as clean and precise as possible when suturing your skin, but I was working with already scarred ribbons. Without the assistance of Alexandra, I'm afraid there's not much I can do to fix the appearance of the scarred tissues without more intensive care," the doctor explained as she looked down at her mug.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't do more," she added with a hint of emotion lacing her tone.

"Never apologize for saving my life. My body was marred before I got here and will continue to change as I age. My lungs are full because of what you have already done for me, and I am grateful," I reassured.

She nodded, mentally blaming herself for the damage inflicted by someone else.

"How long have I been away?" I asked, hoping to shift her focus.

"Three days. Two days in that horrid prison and one day in recovery," she explained as she fidgeted with her fingers.

"Shit," I said as I moved to get up, my healing back quickly reminding me to remain still.

Rhea had hopped to her feet as soon as I moved, also ready to force me back down.

"If you reopen your wounds, so help me," she threatened.

"I don't remember you being this spicy before my vacation," I muttered.

Rhea rolled her eyes before sitting back in the chair, grabbing the coffee as she got comfortable.

"We don't have much time before those wolves attack. We need to get prepared," I warned as Enyo stirred briefly.

"Let the Alpha and Beta worry about that. You need to focus on getting rest," she soothed before taking a sip of the energizing brown liquid.

"We will all be getting rest if I let that happen," I quipped, causing Rhea to pause with the cup to her lips.

"Rhea, these wolves...you've never seen anything like them. I'm not sure what your Alpha did, but he pissed off some powerful people," I explained.

"So, you know who these people are?"

I heard stirring from the other room, subtly noticing the silence in the wing.

"I have a hunch."

"Nyx, I may not be fond of some of the practices of this pack, but they have shown time and time again that they are more than capable of handling Rogue attacks."

"When was the last time you spent time in nature? Had the chance to observe the small life around you?" I asked, my eyes locked onto the steam curling in the chilled wind.

She furrowed her brows at the dizzying change of topic but pondered the question nonetheless. I heard soft footsteps walking towards us, strategically proceeding at a slow pace to avoid detection. Trademarked property of J.Evo, exclusively on Wattpad.

"Unfortunately, I cannot get out of these walls often. Any spare time is usually spent with my family," she answered thoughtfully.

"Why do you ask?" she asked, leaning forward.

"I've spent more time than I can count in the trees and waters, just observing my surroundings. In nature, the most interesting things can happen. I watched a venomous snake just sit and wait for its prey. It did not initially take on the characteristics you would expect from such a deadly predator. Instead, it mimicked a defenseless worm by waving its tail, enticing an unknowing bird into its lair. Once the overconfident prey fell for the trick, the snake struck. The bird never knew what hit them until it was too late. This is how the snake lives and thrives," I detailed, thinking back to the yellow and brown serpent.

I looked up to meet Rhea's eyes, watching the wheels turn behind them.

"Overconfidence can kill because sometimes you can never know who the snake and bird are. By the time you realize it, the venom is already in your system. I am here to tell you, Rhea, that your bird's wings have already been clipped, and the snake is ready to strike."