Four Alphas and Me

Chapter 2 : Awaken

“Stay back!" I recoiled from her in complete shock. My mind flashed through all the torture and pain I'd suffered at her hands for three years.

She looked surprised and confused, reaching out to me.

“Don't touch me!" I snapped again.

Cecilia jumped back and her brow furrowed. “You must not be feeling well, Livy. I'll go call for the doctor."

I held my breath, and only after I was sure she had left the room did I start to realize something was strange.

It was as if Cecilia was a totally different person—or rather, this was the Cecilia I knew—young and kind, exactly the way she was when she was sixteen or seventeen years old.

As the situation sank in, I started to form a wild idea of what might have happened.

I was lying in a private hospital room. I remembered when I was seventeen, I'd gotten extremely sick once and was hospitalized for three days.

I quickly got up, ran into the bathroom, and came face to face with a brown-haired, amber-eyed, teenage girl in the mirror.

A younger version of myself.

“But how could it be…" I murmured.

My fingers softly touched my seventeen-year-old face in disbelief as I examined my body, remembering the torture, the nails, the chains, and the sword in my chest. I had no marks or scars, no blood or bruises. I was perfectly fine—better than fine.

Somehow, I was reborn.

I was still staring at my seventeen-year-old reflection in the mirror, baffled and mesmerized by my transformation through time, when two ghosts from my past entered the room, appearing in the mirror behind me.

“Livy, are you alright?" My adoptive father William's voice was like music to my ears. His gray-blue eyes met mine in the mirror, etched with the fatherly love and concern I'd longed to see again for ten years.

His dark hair was slightly mixed with white strands, but he was still tall and strong.

“We heard Cecilia calling for the doctor," the young man next to William said.

My eyes shifted to the reflection of Kain, my twenty-year-old adoptive brother. His gray-blue eyes matched William's, but they were wide and set in a strong and youthful face.

My heart was so full in my chest as it hammered against my rib cage. It was ready to burst right through it.

But then a tremble ran over my flesh and a desperate longing gripped me. I was afraid. I couldn't turn around and find that this was another level of terrible and cruel torture.

William placed a strong and secure hand on my shoulder, turning me away from the mirror to face both him and Kain. The warmth from his palm assured me that they were both alive and they were both real.

Tears of joy spilled from my eyes and I couldn't hold back my sobs.

They turned their concerned gazes away from me and exchanged a look. I smiled, taking them both in. As I watched them standing side by side, I was reminded of how much they looked alike.

I flung my arms around them. “You have no idea how much I've missed you both!"

I kissed William's cheek and then Kain's.

“Since breakfast?" Kain asked as I pulled away to take them both in from head to toe.

I could see the shock and confusion on both of their faces as they gently led me to my bed.

“We are very glad to see you too, Livy." My adoptive father's voice was soft and soothing. “Come on, dear, and have a seat. I'm glad you took a nap earlier. You look much better. The doctor will be here soon to check on you."

Kain pulled out several tissues for me to wipe my face with and then put a pillow behind my back before laying a throw blanket over my lap. “Just relax until a doctor can examine you."

They must have thought I'd lost my mind. Honestly, I would feel the same, but I didn't care.

“I am okay," I assured them as I leaned into the seat. “It is just so good to see you and I want to make sure you know how much I love you both."

I had to say it again for all the times I may have forgotten to say it in my previous life. I knew they were confused but they were trying to stay calm, even though they couldn't possibly understand why I kept my hands clasped so firmly to theirs.

My adoptive father was forced to sit on one side of me and Kain squeezed his burly frame on the other side.

He had to drape his arm over my shoulders to stay comfortable, and I rested my head on his shoulder, not minding at all as I sank into the warm comfort of having them with me again.

They were silent, and I got the feeling that they were having a soundless conversation about me over my head. I still didn't mind at all. I felt my body relax and became calm.

I didn't say anything for a long time and they also seemed to be at a loss for words.

My mind wandered over everything I was experiencing. Before I returned to this moment, Astrid had revealed that she helped Cecilia take over my life and impersonate me as the princess of Avealon.

Then Cecilia mentioned my adoptive father's death. I could only assume that William's fatal accident had played some part in that evil plan of theirs.

My heart ached at the thought of William's death from my last life–he died in a car accident not long after I was discharged from the hospital. I gasped; I still had time.

I had to prevent it from happening!

“Daddy, what date is it today?"

“September 15th, why?"

One month.

Exactly one month from now on October 15th was when William had passed away in my last life. I had to stop that no matter what!

When the doctor walked in, William removed his hand from my grip, patting my leg before he stood up. I felt my face frown as he moved away. But when I noticed Cecilia had followed the doctor, I was sure my face completely darkened as I leaned back into Kain.

“Livy, you're trembling," Kain said, rubbing my arms as if to help me stay warm. “Come on, let the doctor take a look at you."

I faced the doctor and nodded, keeping Cecilia within my periphery. I could almost feel the pain of her running that sword through me. It was unbelievable how different she was as she stood back near the door, appearing meek and docile.

I shifted my gaze between Cecilia and the doctor as everything Cecilia had done to me in my previous life ran through my mind.

Unspeakable pain, merciless torture, and the cruel murders of those I loved.

What had happened to her? Why had she turned on me and become so evil?

Then my eyes landed on the ring she was holding. I began to hyperventilate.

It was my ring, a special gift given to me by William.

Suddenly, things began to click together. Astrid told me I was the princess... and I remember William had asked me to take good care of the ring when he gave it to me. I never gave it much thought before.

Now I realized that the ring could have been the trigger for the turning point of our fates—it had been the only evidence I had of my real identity!

She was my best friend, and I remembered telling her how special and important the ring was. She must have used the ring to pass herself off as me when she had the opportunity to approach the king of Avealon.

After William died and Kain had disappeared, there was no one left to challenge her.

I felt my eyes shrink to slits as they zeroed in on Cecilia. I wanted to lunge forward and slap her. I wanted her to feel every ounce of pain and anguish that she had caused me or that she would eventually cause me.

“Are you alright? Your breathing seems strained and your heart is racing." The doctor's tone seemed alarmed as he held his stethoscope to my chest.

“I'm fine," I told him through gritted teeth and I worked hard to unclench my fists. “I think I'm just tired."

“Already? I heard you just woke up from a nap," the doctor commented, but he then came up with an explanation for himself. “Well, it's okay to feel that way. Your body is working really hard to recover."

I smiled dryly at him before cutting my eyes to Cecilia. She startled backward as if she'd been looking at me intently and noticed my every move. Has she always looked at me like that?

“Cecilia, can you please leave and give us some privacy?" I requested.

Cecilia's eyes widened, but she nodded politely and then left quietly.

“Now that you're awake, you should eat something," William said, helping me to my bed. “I'll bring your dinner tray up here to you, alright, sweetheart?"

“Thanks, Daddy."

He patted my cheek and Kain pulled up a chair to sit beside my bed.

“Dad, I'll keep an eye on her," Kain told William as he ushered the doctor out of the door.

Again I noticed how burly Kain was. I smiled; my big brother was back to protect me.

When we were alone, he turned and looked at me closely.

“You sure you're okay?" he asked.

“Yes, I'm more than okay!" I nodded and smiled at him, reaching out to take his hand in mine. I held onto him; part of me was afraid that this dream would come to an end and I would lose them both again.

In reality, unless I could prevent William's accident, I would definitely end up losing them again and my past life would repeat itself.

I did feel tired but gripped Kain's hand even tighter even as my mind raced with a million thoughts. But it didn't take long for me to decide on my priorities—save William's life and… take revenge on Cecilia and Astrid.

I didn't realize that I was clutching my bedsheets in a death grip until I felt Kain's hand over mine, gently trying to ease them open. I looked at him, knowing that my face was a mask of anger and unhappy feelings.

His gaze was concerned.

“What is the matter now, Livy? And don't tell me that you are fine. I've known you for nearly your entire life. I can tell when you're angry or afraid. Have I missed something?"

The look in his eyes made me feel guilty. I didn't want to worry him, but I couldn't just lie to him and I knew that no matter how much he loved and cared about me as his little sister, he wouldn't believe the truth.

I was spared from having to say anything as William arrived with a tray full of food.

The aroma of food made my empty stomach growl. “Daddy, it smells so delicious!"

When was the last time I had actually eaten anything? To keep me alive, at first, food was shoved down my throat, and later, once I refused to eat, it was IVs....

Tears welled up in my eyes again, but I blinked them away and pulled up a bright smile so that the two men in the room wouldn't get more worried.

“Good to know." William was a bit surprised at my comments. “You know, you've been complaining about the hospital food for the last couple of days. Nice to know your appetite is back."

Was I that picky about my food when I was young?

Kain bounced up from his chair and helped me sit up as William walked away to answer a phone call.

“Look at you, hungry? But I'm afraid you have to be patient with me," Kain teased, taking the time to tuck my napkin into my collar and then going slightly overboard by cutting my chicken.

But I liked it. It had been so very long since I felt so cared for.

He caught my c****d eyebrow and smiled back at me. When he was done, he leaned over to give me a kiss on my forehead. “Alright, little princess. Now you may enjoy your meal."

Before he could pull away, I hugged him tightly and buried my face in his chest. Taking a deep breath, I whispered, “I've missed you so much, Kain. We will never be separated again. Not in this life."