His Hidden Luna

Thirteen

Rose's Point of view

Beep, Beep, Beep

Jesus, I wished someone would turn whatever was making that noise off. I already had a headache the size of a small country and this was making it much much worse. It felt like I was being continually beaten over the head with a shovel, giving me more of a headache than I already had.

Beep, Beep, Beep

The noise was dragging me back into the land of the living. Truthfully, that wasn’t something I was overly excited about. Keeping my eyes firmly shut, I started to search around in my brain for the answers to how I had managed to get myself into this predicament. I asked myself a couple of questions internally. What’s your name? What’s your cell number? Who’s the president? I seemed to have a perfect recall of those details. I just needed to dig a little deeper to recollect the events leading me to this.

I fell down the stairs, I think? Or maybe fainted on the front porch. Or maybe both?? Whatever it was, it wasn't good. My heart rate was starting to accelerate and my stomach felt like it was in knots. I wrenched my eyes open and started to panic further when I couldn't make out my surroundings. The beeping started to get louder and more frantic. I screwed my eyes shut hoping to the Moon Goddess that when I opened them, I might be back in my room.

My room which I shared with Henry! Oh my Goddess, what happened with Henry? Scrap that I didn’t want to remember!

"Take it easy, Rose, the Doctor is on his way." I jumped out of my skin at the sound of the unexpected yet familiar voice that had come from within wherever the hell I was. I opened my eyes again to see Jude, the future Beta and, what was worse, Stacey's younger brother."

"W-W-what are you going to do? What's going on?" I pleaded pathetically, fully aware that I was crying. I tried to catch my breath but it was physically impossible.

"Rose, I'm here for Alpha Jackson."

"Oh no," I sobbed. How could I have been stupid enough to cause trouble with my future pack leader. "Beta Jude, I'm so sorry I was on the porch, but I-I was being chased." My teeth started to chatter and the ringing in my ears that I'd experienced earlier resumed louder than before.

When the door shot open and hit the wall next to it, I shrieked like a mad wolf.

"Rose? Rose? It's Doctor Richards. You're in the pack hospital. I've got you!" His voice was calm and firm like always, but it did nothing for my state of mind.

"I can- I can't breathe." I managed to stutter. The Doctor cursed and started to fiddle with something at the side of me.

"What did you do?" He demanded loudly. I assumed he was shouting at Jude.

"Nothing! You think I want her in a state like this? Jackson will f*****g murder me!"

I felt something cool and tight being placed over my chin and the top of my nose. I tried to claw at it to get it off, but it wouldn’t budge.

"Rose, this is an oxygen mask." Dr Richards explained whilst keeping the foreign object over my face. "Just take a deep breath in for me, and then let it out ok?"

I did exactly as he said. "Now keep going, but listen to my voice at the same time. You are safe. You are safe. You are safe. Just keep repeating that in your head, OK? You are safe."

Tears were rolling steadily down my face, and I wasn't sure why anymore. I was frightened, I was relieved, I was distraught and I was in pain. All of the different emotions were overwhelming.

"You're having a panic attack, but it will pass in a few minutes if you just focus on the sound of my voice. Imagine your heart rate slowing down to its usual even beat whilst taking some more deep breaths." He placed his hand in mine and I exhaled loudly. The ringing in my ears started to subside and the beeping, which I became aware was some sort of heart monitor, started to recover its normal rhythm. Beep, beep, beep.

"Ok, that's much better, Rose. Great job", Doctor Richards smiled and went to pull his hand from mine. I increased my grip around his fingers, making it impossible for him to move. I trusted Doctor Richards. I did not trust Jude one bit.

"Hey, it's ok Rose, I'll stay right here with you. Would you like me to explain what's going on? And before you start to worry, you are in no trouble and no danger. Just remember that." I nodded my agreement.

"A few hours ago, Alpha Jackson brought you into my office by literally kicking the door down. Now, I don't believe he is responsible for your injuries, but equally, he has no idea how you were hurt."

Jackson brought me in? Why would he do that? He's not spoken to me for almost half a decade. Did he suddenly want to become reacquainted?

"Your head injuries are consistent with a fall and they caused you to virtually collapse outside on the porch. The young Alpha caught you just moments before you hit the deck. Once he got you here, he insisted that you were taken care of within the private facilities and that you were my priority patient. He wanted to stay with you, but he was needed back at the pack house. He sent Beta Jude to protect you. He is not a threat to your safety, I promise.”

I actually laughed at that! Was I on some sort of Werewolf stitch-up TV? Any second now would the walls drop to make way for a live studio audience? Would Alpha Cain and Alpha Jackson be sprawled out on a couch with a presenter, cackling at how easily I had been duped?

"I s**t you not," Jude said somberly. "I am under orders to kill anyone that tries to harm you."

What the actual f**k? I was clearly missing a really big piece of the puzzle. Perhaps I was still asleep. Was this a cheese dream?

Gingerly, I lifted the mask away from my face. "I've got nothing" I replied, and that was an understatement.

Jude lifted both his hands in the air as if to suggest he was surrendering himself, before taking a small step towards me.

"Rose, I need to let the Alpha know that you are ok. He's worried out of his mind. Would it be ok if I linked him to let him know that you are awake? I probably won't tell him that you had a panic attack because I'd like my head to remain on my shoulders."

I blinked a couple of times. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Eventually, with no other suggestions coming to the forefront of my mind, I nodded my agreement.

“Great,” he said, sounding relieved. “And then when your up to it, we need to talk about Henry.”