Daddy's Precious Little Girl

Hospital

Ashlynn's POV

Everything hurt. My arms and legs felt so heavy, too heavy to lift, so I focused on trying to open my eyes. They felt heavier than my limbs, but slowly, they began to open. The moment they did, I shut them tight. It was so bright, the light above me blinding. For a second, I wondered if I had died. The brightness, the pain—it made sense if this was the end. But could death really feel this painful? If I was dead, then death sucked. This hurt far worse than anything I'd felt while I was alive.

Something touched my hand, and my eyes snapped open again. I tried to turn my head to see what it was, but I couldn't move. Panic surged through me.

Suddenly, I heard noises all around, voices filling the room before I could see anything. "Settle down, little one. You're safe. No one can get to you here." Slowly, two figures came into view—a man and a woman. It was the man who spoke, his voice soft but firm.

I couldn't focus on their faces for long; the pain surged again. My eyes squeezed shut, and I heard the man call for something before speaking again. "Settle, little one. The pain will go away soon, and you'll drift back to sleep. Just know you aren't alone anymore. You're safe with us." His words were like a balm, and just as quickly as he said it, the pain started to fade.

I tried to open my eyes again, but it was too much. Exhaustion swept over me, and I drifted off into a healing sleep.

***

The next time I woke up, the pain was gone. My arms still felt heavy, but other than that, I felt better than I had in a long time. Who am I kidding? I felt better than I ever had. Before I opened my eyes, I listened to my surroundings. It was quiet, and for a moment, I thought I was alone.

But then, I heard a door open and footsteps followed by voices.

"They caught her mother. She was trying to flee to the Fenrir family's territory. She was caught at the border. When our enforcers got to her, they asked her why," a man's voice said.

"What did she say?" a woman asked.

I had no idea who they were talking about, but I kept my eyes closed, listening closely.

"She said she did it becau..." the man's voice trailed off. Then, his tone shifted. "Well, look who's finally awake."

I knew I was caught, so I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the light. Two tall figures stood over me, looking down. They weren't looking at me with pity, though. I knew what pity looked like. I had seen it too many times when kids glanced at me through the window, wondering why I wasn't allowed outside to play like them. I was only allowed outside for an hour a day, stuck in a tiny 6' by 8' pen in the backyard. It didn't have much room for anything, and there was never anything to play with.

Once, when I was ten, a stick fell from the tree above the pen, and I had picked it up to pretend it was a toy. But when my mother caught me, she took it away. Then, she found a long, thin branch hanging from the tree and pulled it down. She beat me with it until she was out of breath. After that, I never picked up anything again, no matter how much I wanted to.

I was jolted out of the memory when I felt something warm touch my right hand. I looked down and saw that the woman was holding my hand. I hadn't even realized it was trembling.

When I looked up at her, she spoke gently. "No more tears, precious girl. You're safe. She can't hurt you anymore."

I hadn't realized I was crying until I gently pulled my hand away and wiped my eyes.

"Okay, little one," she said softly, "I'm going to get the doctor in here to check you out. Then my mate and I will explain what happened and what comes next. Does that sound okay, sweet girl?"

I nodded slightly, feeling safe for the first time in what felt like forever.

***

Alexander's POV

Watching as Emmalene, my mate, talks to Ashlynn, I can see how much my mate is hurting. Emma has always had a good heart, and these last ten days, watching Ashlynn fight for her life, has been tough on her. The poor girl is shaking, and I doubt she even realizes it.

We both watched as Ashlynn opened her eyes, only to get trapped in a memory. By the look on her face, it wasn't a good one. Emma had to reach out to pull her from it. After a moment, Emma left the room to fetch Dr. Williams.

Ashlynn had needed four infusions of shifter blood just to survive. Our blood can heal humans, but the process is not without its challenges. It had been especially hard on her. In the first few days, she died three times. Each time, the doctors fought to bring her back. It's a miracle she even made it to the hospital, let alone survived.

Now that the blood has done its work, she's in the clear. But she's been through hell. Severe breaks in both arms and legs, multiple rib fractures, internal bleeding, and a brutal concussion. The doctors were amazed she was still alive.

Emma returned with Dr. Williams in tow. He explained to Ashlynn everything she had been through. I could see her shaking, her eyes brimming with tears. It was too much for her. I couldn't bear it. Without a word, I stepped forward and took her hand. She tensed at first, trying to pull away, but after a moment, she relaxed.

When Dr. Williams was finished, Emma and I sat with her, explaining the next steps. Halfway through our conversation, Ashlynn's eyes grew heavy, and she drifted back to sleep, her hand still in mine.

When she wakes again, it will be time for her to head to the classification center. Regardless of her classification, she'll be sent to one of the Shikari Schools for Doms and Subs. It's the best option. They're the most prestigious schools we have, and with students from all eleven major families, she'll have opportunities for a better life, better than she's ever had. She deserves nothing less.