✓ | PRIMAL, jacob black ²

chapter forty two

CHAPTER FORTY TWO

Aniya's eyes snapped open, her breath shallow and erratic, as if her body had been jolted awake by an electric shock. She shot up from the bed so quickly that she startled the life out of her brother, Aaron, who had been sitting beside her, quietly waiting for her to stir.

"Holy—" Aaron's voice cracked as he clutched his chest, his eyes wide with panic as he tried to recover from the shock. He quickly reached out to stop her, his hand grabbing her wrist just in time to prevent her from pulling the IV out of her arm. "Woah there, kiddo!" he exclaimed, a mix of concern and disbelief in his tone. "Calm down."

Aniya froze, her body stiff and tense as she took in her surroundings. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together where she was and how she ended up here. The sterile smell of the hospital, the quiet beeping of machines, and the cool, clinical white walls all told her she was in a hospital, but how had she gotten here?

"Why am I at the hospital?" she asked, her voice hoarse and slightly panicked.

Before Aaron could respond, a soft-spoken voice echoed from the doorway. "Because you've been asleep for a few days, and it gave everyone quite a scare," the voice explained gently. Aniya turned her head, meeting the gaze of the doctor who had entered the room.

"Oh," Aniya blurted out, her mind still hazy from the confusion and the aftereffects of whatever had happened.

She could see Aaron trying to mask his relief with a smile. "Oh indeed," he chuckled, shaking his head in mild amusement. "I'm going to make a call to let Nick and Anthea know you're awake," he added, his voice warming with the sense of relief that his sister was finally conscious.

"Thanks," Aniya murmured, watching him walk out of the room before turning her attention to the doctor, noting the nametag on his coat. "Dr. Cullen," she said softly, her eyes narrowing as she took in the details of the man in front of her.

He glanced down at his nametag before meeting her gaze once again. "You can just call me Carlisle, Aniya," he replied, a comforting calmness to his voice that immediately made her feel a bit more at ease.

Her mind, however, was still in turmoil, and she didn't waste any time with pleasantries. "How bad is Jacob hurt?" she asked, her voice low but filled with urgency. The name alone made her heartache, and the thought of him hurt made her stomach churn. "And who was the other person that got injured?"

Carlisle's face flickered with surprise at her directness, his eyebrows arching slightly in response to the depth of her concern. Aniya could tell that her question had caught him off guard. She let out a small chuckle in an attempt to ease the tension. "It's kind of a long story," she added, though her face held a hint of a smile.

Carlisle seemed to relax slightly, and he went on to explain the events that led to Jacob's injury. He told her about the accident and how Jacob was currently recovering at home, resting and healing. Aniya's chest tightened at the thought of him, but the next piece of news hit her harder than anything. She had to close her eyes to stop herself from losing control.

"Serena had a severe head injury. She and Ms. Young were attacked on their way to Billy's home after hearing about Jacob's injury," Carlisle continued, his tone serious. "Serena bought time for Emily to escape. The boys arrived just in time to save her, but Serena was already badly injured by the time they reached her."

At the mention of Serena's name, Aniya's breath caught in her throat. She raised a trembling hand to her mouth, her breathing shallow as the realization of how close everyone had come to losing more than just Jacob hit her like a ton of bricks. "Is she admitted to this hospital?" Aniya asked her voice barely a whisper, her eyes wide with concern.

Carlisle nodded gravely. "She's here, but only for observation. You can visit her once I finish examining your well-being. Since you've only been asleep for two days, I expect you'll be fine, but we still need to check that everything is in order."

Aniya wanted to argue, to insist that she was fine, but she held her tongue. She knew better than to pretend she wasn't feeling the weight of everything. The words of Ahu Mala echoed in her mind, like a constant reminder that no matter what happened, no matter what choices she made, someone would always end up hurt. Even if it wasn't her fault, it felt impossible not to blame herself for the pain others were going through.

"So, the moment you wake up, I need you to understand that you're not choosing to die, is not your fault for their injuries," Ahu Mala's voice had been clear, but it didn't make it any easier for Aniya to shake off the guilt that still clung to her.

Once Carlisle had finished his check-up, Aniya made a request to her family and to him. She asked them not to let anyone else know she was awake yet. She didn't want to draw attention to herself, not when there were others—Jacob, and Serena—who needed more care and focus. She was fine. They weren't. It wasn't fair for anyone to worry about her when there were more pressing concerns.

It took some convincing, but she managed to get everyone on board. She was discharged from the hospital the same day, though her siblings weren't going to let her off easy. Aaron, especially, made it clear that she wouldn't be getting away without some serious supervision. They practically put her on house arrest, but she understood. They were worried, and she couldn't fault them for that.

Still, as she sat in the house, the weight of everything hung over her. She wasn't sure what would happen next, but for the first time in what felt like forever, she knew one thing: she wasn't alone in this. And maybe, just maybe, that would make all the difference.