Alpha Aria

Chapter 11 What a Headache

ARIA

The smell of disinfectant invaded my nose and I heard two familiar voices talking quietly. There was a bright light shining through my eyelids, and I instinctively squeezed them shut harder. My head hurt and I couldn't remember where I was. I heard a gasp. "She's waking up!" Someone grabbed my hand and touched my cheek softly.

"Hey there, Ri." The other voice said. I was so groggy. Who was it? I felt like I knew them but my splitting headache made it hard to think.

"Turn down the lights! It's too bright in here for her." The brightness that was radiating through my eyelids blessedly went away and I cautiously opened my eyes, still squinting.

Uncle Bill slowly came into focus. He was standing next to me, holding my hand. "How do you feel, sweetie?"
I heard water flowing from a sink and a cup was brought up to me. I followed the hand holding the cup up the arm to see who was offering me water. Diego smiled shyly at me. "Here you go. You look parched."

I sat up slowly, uncle Bill fussing over me and helping me adjust my pillows. I could see now that I was in the pack hospital.

I took the cup of water offered to me and gratefully gulped it, the liquid quenching my thirst and moistening my mouth. Diego took the empty cup from me and asked if I wanted more. I shook my head no.

"I'm not dead?" I signed to them.

Uncle Bill chuckled. "Thank goddess, no. You are alive and well. Just a little concussion."

I reached behind my head and felt a small lump that was still tender. "How did I get hurt?" I asked.

Uncle Bill looked at Diego. Diego grimaced slightly. "We don't know why, but you were running through the forest outside the packlands. A visitor coming for the Alpha Summit found you and brought you in. Apparently you knocked into them and fell, hitting your head on a log."

I scrunched up my face in confusion. "I was out of the boundary lines?" I asked, my eyes opening wide as I signed to emphasize my surprise.

Uncle Bill nodded. "Do you remember why you were running? Was someone chasing you? Were you in danger?"

My head felt like it was splitting as I tried to remember. I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. I truly had no idea. I winced from the pain in my head and Diego sounded panicked. "Are you okay? Is something wrong? We need Dr Manning!"

Uncle Bill's eyes glazed over as he mind linked the doctor. A couple of minutes later with both of them fussing over me and driving me up a wall, Dr Manning came into the room.

"It's good to see you awake, Aria! Your uncle tells me you're hurting. Can you describe your pain to me?"
I told her how my head felt like it was splitting in half. She did a quick check up on me and apologized for shining the tiny bright light into my eyes. "I'm going to have a nurse give you some IV pain meds. You will be feeling better in no time."

"Can I just go home?" I signed with a frown.

Dr Manning hesitated then nodded. "I will write a prescription for pain relievers for you and you can go. I'm ordering bed rest, though. I will stop by before the opening ceremony tonight to check on you. If I give the all clear you can come for the feast."

My mouth dropped open. "It's Friday already?" I signed.

Dr Manning smiled warmly. "You've been here since last night." She gave my arm a gentle squeeze and left.

I was so frustrated that I couldn't remember why I was out running around last night. Bits and pieces of the week started coming back to me slowly. Diego trying to kiss me, our long break in communication at my request, I remembered feeling sad about not being able to talk to him… Then my face got hot and I'm sure I must have looked like a tomato as I remembered touching myself while thinking of him.