I woke up to find myself in a hospital room. The walls were painted white and the overwhelming smell of disinfect was causing a headache to form. The never ending sound of the heart monitor caused a groan to force its was out of my mouth. My mouth was parched but l couldn't see a single soul in the vicinity. MY body felt heavy and my mind was disoriented.
It didn't take long for the door to open revealing Antonio. He looked terrible. His eyes were bloodshot causing him to look like a bloodthirsty savage. His hair looked greasy and untamed and stubble had started to grow. He had bags under his eyes and his clothes were stained with what appeared to be soup.
He was so out of it as he walked into the room and sat by the chair close to my bed side table. He took my hand in his hands before brushing his lips on the back of my hand. I felt electricity rushing up my arm causing butterflies to flutter in my stomach. Stupid mate bond.
"I am so sorry that you are in this position. I shouldn't have let them lock you in the basement. Now you are fighting for your life all because of me" He said before a traitorous tear made its way down his cheek.
"Blaming yourself won't change anything" l said alerting him of my presence. He seemed startled, looking towards the door and finding no one. Slowly he turned his head in my direction before staring at me in shock. The room become so silent that you could hear a pin drop. He looked into my eyes as if in disbelief before engulfing me in a hug.
A sigh of relief made it's was out of his mouth as he smelt me, burying his nose on my neck.
"What are you doing Alpha?" l asked him. That seemed to do the trick and break him out of whatever spell he was under.
"You can call me Antonio. You are my mate after all" he said hesitantly
" I will stick to calling you Alpha. You are my Alpha after all"
"Whatever makes you comfortable" he said. we sat awkwardly neither of us knowing what to say.
"so.." he said
"so..." said before we broke out into fits of laughter.
"Were you really going to reject me?" he asked softly. Turning to look at him, l could see the look of hurt and betrayal in his eyes.
"I thought it's what you would have wanted. You haven't always been the nicest, scratch that, you have always hated my guts. I thought that l was doing us both a favour" l said
"I will admit that when l pictured my mate, it was someone from a strong bloodline but that doesn't mean l would have have rejected her had she not. After all, we get only one mate."
"As for hating you, l didn't hate you. I'm not one to fake, l did think of you as a weakling and l wanted to strengthen you to a certain extent" he said
"That doesn't make any sense. How was constantly belittling me your way of strengthening me?"
"I though constantly picking on you would turn you into a warrior. Your way of proving me and everyone else wrong" he said as if what he said sounded dumb to his own ears as well
"so what now?" l asked
"you tell me"
"If l have to go back to that dungeon, l promise you l will run" l threatened
Before either of us could say anything else, the door to the room opened.
"Attica, l see that you are up" the doctor said
"How long have l been out?' l asked no one in particular
"A little over a day. which l have to say is impressive for an o...someone of your stature" the doctor informs me
"If you think it say it. I won't get offended with you pointing out what we already know" l said with a smile. He smiled back before checking my vitals to see if everything was still on track. Antonio refused to leave the room making the whole thing more uncomfortable than it already was. This caused the doctor to look at him sceptically but he didn't comment on it.
"Well it seems that everything is okay, you are allowed to go home but any discomfort you come back okay" the doctor said.
That was music to my ears. Having slept on concrete for a week caused a lot of problems for my back. I couldn't wait to sleep on my below average but softer than concrete bed.
The clothes that l had been wearing were neatly folded on a chair. I made a move to get them but that caused Antonio to let out a growl.
"what's your problem?" l asked with a bit of attitude. I was not in the mood to deal with him
"You must still be in pain. I will bring you your clothes"
He got the clothes and brought them back to me before helping me sit upright. he made a move to remove my hospital gown. I let out a shriek and pushed him to the other side of the room. I watched in shock as he glided on the freshly polished floors all the way to the opposite wall. He looked at me in shock and l couldn't help but scold myself for such a careless action
"What do you think you are doing?" l sad turning the tables so that he wouldn't question what just happened
"I wasn't going to take advantage of you. Regardless of what you may think, l am not a monster. I was simply helping you get dressed because l thought you would feel weak but l guess l was wrong" he said with an eye roll
"you could have at least given me a warning" l said before looking at the door with my hands folded over my chest
"How did you manage to push a fully grown Alpha with such force?" he asked as if in disbelief that it even happened
"It must have been a heat of the moment thing" l said dismissively
"I will let it go for now, but you and l both know that's not the truth. I will be outside" he said making his way to the door. l let out a shaky breath, allowing my heart to start beating normally