Whispered Shadows

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Awaken Thoughts

Noa

The first thing I notice is the beeping. A soft, rhythmic sound somewhere near my head, punctuating the heavy fog in my mind. My eyelids feel like they're weighed down, but I manage to crack them open just a sliver. The light is blinding at first, making me wince, but then the world starts to come into focus.

White walls. Machines. A faint antiseptic smell.

A hospital.

My body feels like it's been run over, every muscle sore and aching. But the worst part is my head—a dull, pounding ache that makes me want to drift back into the blissful darkness.

Then I feel it—warmth. A weight pressed against my side.

I turn my head slightly, my vision clearing enough to make out Ryder. His head is resting on the bed beside me, one arm stretched out across the mattress like he couldn't stand to be more than a few inches away. His hair is messy, sticking up in every direction, and he looks exhausted.

My chest tightens. He stayed. Of course, he stayed.

My hand feels like it weighs a ton, but I lift it anyway, slowly bringing it to the back of his head. My fingers slide into his hair, brushing against the soft strands.

He stirs, his head jerking up at the touch. His eyes snap open, meeting mine. For a second, he just stares at me, like he's not sure if I'm real.

"Noa," he breathes, his voice thick and shaky.

I try to smile, but my lips feel like they've forgotten how to work. "Hey," I croak, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't you ever do that to me again," he says, his voice muffled but fierce. I feel his breath against my forehead as he pulls me in for a kiss, warm and uneven. "I thought—I thought I lost you, Noa. I can't—I won't go through that again."

I blink back the tears that threaten to spill over. "I didn't exactly plan it," I rasp, my voice scratchy.

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his hands cradling my face. His eyes are bloodshot, his jaw tight, but there's so much relief in his expression that it almost breaks me.

My mind races through the events. Shadow kidnapping me. Finding out that they are Paige. Paige hitting me over and over. Gia coming to save me.

"Gia?" My voice sounds fuzzy.

"She's okay," he smiles softly, "She's dehydrated, malnourished, and has a few scars, but she's okay. Your parents are with her."

Gia is okay. I feel a twinge of hurt, but not from my injuries. My parents haven't been able to be near each other since my dad left. Mom hasn't been able to leave her bed. I thought it would be forever, but it wasn't. Gia brought them back to themselves. Something I could never do.

"You scared the hell out of me," he says, his voice trembling.

I try for a smirk, though it's weak. "I tend to have that effect on people."

Ryder lets out a breathless laugh, the sound more of a release than anything else. He presses his lips to my forehead, the kiss lingering. "You're unbelievable," he murmurs.

"And yet, you're still here," I whisper, my hand finding him and squeezing it weakly.

"Always," he says without hesitation. "I'm always here."

I pat the bed, pushing the pain aside as I scoot over the side of the bed giving him space. He looks hesitant, but I give him a pleading look. He crawls into the small twin bed next to me. My head lies on his hard warm chest.

Ryder doesn't move, his arms wrapped protectively around me like he's afraid I might vanish if he lets go. I lean into his warmth, letting it steady me as my thoughts start to catch up to the moment.

The hospital room feels quiet, almost too quiet, except for the faint hum of machines and Ryder's steady breathing against my ear. My fingers tighten slightly around his hand, grounding myself in his presence.

"You know," I murmur, my voice still scratchy, "you're really hogging the bed."

Ryder pulls back just enough to meet my eyes, a flicker of amusement breaking through the exhaustion on his face. "Seriously? You've been unconscious for hours, and the first thing you do is complain about bed space?"

I manage a weak smile. "Just saying. You could at least offer me some of the blanket."

He chuckles softly, but his grip on me doesn't loosen. His forehead comes to rest against mine, his breath warm and close. "You scared the hell out of me, Noa," he says again, quieter this time like he's confessing a secret. "when I saw you collapse... I've never felt anything like that. I thought I lost you."

There's a weight to his words that settles in my chest, heavy and warm at the same time. I don't know what to say to that.

"I'm still here," I whisper instead, trying to sound reassuring. "It's going to take more than Paige's insanity to get rid of me."

Ryder's jaw tightens, and his thumb brushes against my cheek. "I swear if I ever see her again—"

"You won't," I interrupt, my hand covering his. "She's gone. Asher has her. She can't hurt us anymore."

But even as I say it, a shiver runs through me at the memory of Paige's twisted grin, the way she looked at me like I was some kind of trophy. Ryder must notice because his hand moves to my back, rubbing slow, soothing circles.

"You're safe now," he says firmly, as if saying it out loud will make it true.

I close my eyes, letting myself believe him for a moment. The tension in his body, the way he holds me like I'm something fragile—it's overwhelming and comforting all at once.

"Ryder?" I say softly after a beat of silence.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you... for coming for me. For not giving up."

He leans down, pressing another kiss to my forehead. "I'll always come for you," he whispers, his voice raw and steady.

For the first time in months, I feel something other than fear. It's small and fragile, but it's there—a flicker of hope, of trust.

"Guess I'm stuck with you now, huh?" I tease, though my voice wavers slightly.

"Damn right you are," Ryder says, and there's just enough humor in his tone to make me smile. "And Lila. I texted her when you woke up. She'll be here soon."

He shifts slightly, adjusting the blanket over both of us. "Get some rest," he murmurs, his voice softer now. "I'm not going anywhere."

I let myself relax into him, my head resting against his chest as the steady beat of his heart lulls me into a fragile peace. For now, at this moment, I let myself believe that everything might actually be okay.