The Lunar Vanguard (SunSun)

Chapter 4: A chance

Sunoo slowly opened his eyes, the brightness of the hospital room momentarily blinding him. As his vision adjusted, he took in the sterile white walls and the faint beeping of machines beside him. Confusion clouded his thoughts for a moment until the memories of the attack flooded back. Panic surged through him, and his heart rate spiked, setting off a faster beeping rhythm on the monitor beside him.

He tried to move, but a dull ache spread through his body, reminding him of the injuries he had sustained. Sunoo shifted in bed, feeling the stiffness of bandages wrapped around his limbs. He glanced down, noticing the IV drip attached to his arm, and a sense of vulnerability washed over him. Fear gnawed at him as he struggled to piece together where he was and what had happened.

A soft voice broke through his thoughts, and Sunoo turned his head to see a brown-haired boy standing beside him with a gentle smile. There was something calming about his presence, but Sunoo's fear and confusion made it hard for him to fully process it.

"Welcome back," the boy said softly, his voice filled with warmth and relief. "You had us worried there."

A scared expression painted Sunoo's face, his throat dry as he tried to speak. "Where am I? And who are you?" His voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with uncertainty.

The boy, noticing Sunoo's distress, took a step closer, trying to reassure him. "My name is Jungwon. You're in the Lunar Vanguard’s pack. We found you unconscious outside our border, so we took you in. You've been sleeping for three days now."

Sunoo's eyes widened with fear. The mention of a pack, a new place, unfamiliar people—it was all too much. His mind raced, and he instinctively tried to sit up, wincing in pain as the movement aggravated his injuries.

"I need to leave," Sunoo said, his voice shaky as he tried to push himself out of the bed. "I can't stay here."

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Jungwon said gently, reaching out to steady Sunoo. "You're safe here. You're too injured to go anywhere right now."

But Sunoo's fear overpowered any sense of reason. He managed to swing his legs over the side of the bed, his body trembling with the effort. "No, I have to go," he insisted, his voice rising with desperation. "I can't stay here."

Jungwon's eyes softened with empathy, but he knew he needed to keep Sunoo from hurting himself further. "Please, calm down," he urged, his voice soothing. "I promise you're safe. No one here will hurt you. You're too weak to leave right now; you need to rest and heal."

Tears of frustration and fear welled up in Sunoo's eyes. He felt trapped, vulnerable, and alone in an unfamiliar place. The memories of the attack haunted him, and the thought of being in another pack's territory terrified him.

"Why should I trust you?" Sunoo asked, his voice breaking. "You did something to me earlier."

Jungwon took a deep breath, understanding the weight of Sunoo's fear. "I understand you're scared," he said gently. "I'm a wizard. You were going into a panic attack, I was just trying to help I promise."

Sunoo looked at Jungwon, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. The warmth in Jungwon's voice and the genuine concern in his expression made a small part of Sunoo want to believe him. But the scars of the past were deep, and trust was something that didn't come easily to him.

"Am I forced.. To be here?" Sunoo whispered, feeling the weight of his exhaustion. His body was betraying him, the pain and fatigue making it hard to think clearly.

Jungwon gently guided Sunoo back onto the bed, ensuring he was comfortable. "Never," he said softly. "You can leave whenever you want, but for now, Just rest. We'll be here when you wake up, and we'll answer any questions you have."