Alpha's Prophecy

Chapter 24

Hannah

I hadn't been inside a hospital since the day I was born but looking around the tiny room that I sat in, while the doctor administered my injection, it resembled something out of that medical show that Emma binged watched. The bed looked uncomfortable and I could tell that the blanket would itch. The oversized chair that I sat in had torn vinyl that was sticking to my skin and the entire room smelt like disinfectant. 

"I'm sorry to have to do this to you Emma but this antidote is the only cure for wolfsbane and even though you're not affected by the poisonous flower it can be deadly to wolves." The doctor says as she pull the needle from my forearm and places a band-aid over the puncture.

"It's me, Hannah." I inform the doctor and her eyes widen with surprise. 

It didn't take too long for the antidote to travel through my body and set me free from the invisible chains that had been binding me. I felt a little guilty that Emma was now the one who was being muted within our shared body though, especially after she had saved Jake's life

"Welcome back Hannah." She says, giving me a warm, inviting smile. "How do you feel?"

"Not too bad, considering how much wolfsbane I've been exposed to in the last ten years." I tell her, stretching my arms out as if I've just woken from a deep slumber but my swift moment makes the wolf within me whimper. "I think Honey, my wolf, is still in pain though."

"Unfortunately I don't think you will be able to shift for a day or two." The doctor informs me, dashing my hopes of allowing Honey out to run wild. "An average wolf who has been poisoned by wolfsbane can take up to a week before they are able to shift."

"Luckily I'm above average." I brag, a little too cocky before I'm reminded that Jake isn't as lucky as I am. "How's Jake?"

"He hasn't woken up yet." She says, creating a panic within me and she must be able to read it from my face. "Hannah, I assure you that this is normal, Jake will recover from this and return to full strength."

"How can you be sure though?" I question the doctor, not completely confident in her prediction. 

"Well, along with the antidote I have also administered Jake with a potion I created that will help him heal fast." She offers as reassurance but it does nothing to cure my anxiety. 

"What do you mean you created a potion?" I push her, becoming more suspicious of her. "What the fuck are you and what are you doing in the pack hospital?"

"Hannah, relax." The doctor attempts to soothe me but to no avail. "I'm a doctor who was employed here at the hospital but I'm also a witch and I use my craft to help the wolves heal faster."

"Get away from me." I yell, fury building inside me. How could Jake allow a witch to treat the pack? Does he not realise how dangerous they are?

"Hannah, I'm not going to hurt you." The doctor protests, taking a step back. "I know you've had a bad experience with witchcraft but I can promise you that I am not one who causes harm." 

I stand up from my chair and stare her down. Her dark brown eyes show kindness but I know how easily they can fool people into believing they're good. 

"You want to delve into my experience with witchcraft? How, at just eight years old I was strapped to a table in some psychotic fucker's makeshift lab, screaming for help while he voodooed his daughter's soul into my body." I recoil at the memory, the first time I ever felt true fear was the night that I was kidnapped.

"That was black magics Hannah, I promise you I don't practise that." She defends herself, inching back towards the open door but I'm swift on my feet, closing the gap between us in a heartbeat. 

"All magic is evil." I tell her through gritted teeth, my rage threatening to erupt. "You're messing with the fabric of nature, changing things that shouldn't be just to satisfy yourself."

"Hannah, I promise you, I only use my craft for good." She tries once again to win me over but her argument is redundant.

"Any magic that you perform on a wolf would be in violation of the Moon Goddess." I scream at her and she flinches. 

"I could help you Hannah." She says in a voice so low, trying to hide her fear from me. 

"I don't want your help" I spit back at her, angered even more by the offer. 

"I could free Emma." She says, ignoring my disinterest completely. "I'm not sure yet how to do it but I believe there's a way to release Emma from you, without using the dark magics." 

Her offer lingers between us like a thick, heavy mass. As much as what I despise witch craft I know I can't be truely myself until Emma is out of me. How can I trust her though?

"Hannah, you're right, Emma's father messed with nature, he changed something that was meant to be, just to satisfy his own selfish needs." She says once the silence between us has stretched on for too long. She knows she's piqued my interest and is working hard to make her case. 

"And how can I be sure that you won't make things worse?" I ask her, still doubtful that she is doing this for Emma and myself. "You could kill us both"

"Hannah, Emma was destined to die 10 years ago." She reminds me. "To take her out of your body would be setting her free into the afterlife where she belongs."

My heart aches at the thought of Emma dying, even though she technically already is dead but I still don't believe she deserves to enter the afterlife. She never got the chance to live, we both didn't. 

"There has to be another solution." I argue, feeling defeated when I read the answer all over her face, there is no other way. 

A knock on the door frame startles us both, I forgot we're not alone here. 

"Hazel, he's waking up." A male nurse informs the doctor. "Also, his father called back and said that he's on his way."

A sharp, cold shiver runs down my spine. Quinton is coming here? He's going to find out about my return and Jake will discover the truth about who his father truely is. 

Hazel turns to leave my room but I grab her arm before she gets out. I don't know if I can trust her completely but I'm going to have to try.

"Can you not tell Jake that I'm me?" I beg of her and she looks at me like I've grown an extra head. I'm going to have to lie otherwise it will look suspicious that I didn't go to Jake's room with her. "It's just that, I want it to be a surprise."

"Say no more Hannah, I understand." She promises me, smiling warmly. 

Maybe she isn't a bad guy after all. 

I close the door behind her and retreat back into the room. There's a window that looks out over the hospital parking lot. the lot is almost empty, only a few cars and an ambulance. I spot a black BMW pull into the lot and park into one of the empty spaces. 

Cars are only a means for transportation into town and neighbouring suburbs so I know most wolves that reside on the pack land don't really bother with some fancy, expensive vehicle. This couldn't be a wolf from our pack. 

I watch closely as the driver opens the door and steps out. He may have less hair now that he's aged but still I'd recognise him anywhere. Quinton looks up and locks eyes with me. I recoil back against the wall next to the window, my heart racing so fast.

There's no way he could know who I am, or could he?

I need to get out of here, before he's given the chance to figure out my identity. I open my door and step out into the corridor, having no idea where I'm going, I just start running. I reach the end of the long corridor and see a sign for elevators. I pelt towards the elevator at full speed but realise quickly that there's a high chance that Quinton will be on that elevator.

I panic, looking around for an alternative and that's when I spot the emergency exit. I fling open the door just as the elevator announces its arrival. Sprinting down the stairwell I don't dare look back, afraid that he could be right behind me. 

I ran all the way to Emma's house, locking the door behind me and drawing the blinds. The house was dark but I knew he wouldn't look for me here. I was safe, for now.