Bound to the Alpha King

37 - Battered and Bruised

Nathaniel's POV

I'm restless.

I haven't slept.

Ivy hasn't woken up. It's been four days since her attack and she's still unconscious. Nadine has said she is healing at an accelerated rate now thanks to my blood transfusions, but it's hard to know how much damage was done until she wakes up.

So far it hasn't been positive.

I've gone to visit her every chance I've gotten. Kane and Genevieve haven't left her side and said that they would let me know if anything changed. I wanted to be by her side this entire time, but I've had to keep to my duties and run my pack. The pack is uneasy due to my unease with her condition. They know she's my mate and their Luna and the despair I feel from them knowing she's been injured maliciously has been a heavy burden to bear.

I sigh as I sit at my desk in my office, mindlessly going through papers on my desk, I try to think of our happier moments, and I'm startled when Genevieve bursts in.

"She's awake."

- - -

Ivy's POV

Ivy. You're stronger than this. Open your eyes.

WAKE UP!

My eyes shoot open, and I inhale deeply, my heart racing a mile a minute. I go to sit up quickly, and I wince in pain and groan.

"Take it easy dear." I hear a soft voice with an English accent, and I watch as the woman approaches me and places her hands on my head and ribs lightly, her brown eyes looking over me intently. "I'm Nadine, Ivy. I've been caring for you."

"Where am I? I say, my voice dry and raspy. As if she senses my discomfort, Nadine hands me a cup of water with a small straw and I take small sips, the cold water revitalizing my mouth.

"You're at Midnight Moon. Alpha Nathaniel's packlands." My eyes widen.

How did I get here?

I try to remember what happened and it all comes flooding back in a rush. The three men, the attack and the....

I look down at my stomach, seeing a bandage over my stab wound and I run my fingers over it lightly.

"You were touch and go for a while there, but you pulled though. We were just waiting for you to wake up. Do you remember everything up to coming here?"

I nod. "Yeah." My face scrunching with pain as I remember the pain of the blade impaling into me.

It's then the doors to the room open and I see Kane and Genevieve and my eyes water seeing their faces. I put my arms out and then comes to my side and hug me gently. Evie looks at me with tears streaming down her face. "You scared us."

"I'm sorry." I say quietly.

"We're just glad you're okay." Kane says, wiping a tear from his cheek. I'm surprised with the emotion from him, but it just means that I was hurt badly enough to elicit this from him. "Oh shit. We said we would get Nate if anything changed. Be right back." Evie says and she's gone again out the door.

"I have to change your wound dressing, Ivy." Nadine says and I nod. She approaches with some gauze and other supplies, and I lay back down to let her work. She gently removes the old bandages, her fingers expertly dressing my wound with little discomfort.

"You're good at that." I state and she smiles at me warmly. "Thank you. How do your ribs feel?"

"Sore, but not terrible."