Kristen P.O.V"Wow, Lucy, this dress is stunning! I think it's perfect," Emma squealed in excitement. Lucy had tried on almost half the clothing in the store but finally settled on a pink dress for her birthday."I'm so excited. I can already picture turning heads on the dance floor," Lucy said, twirling around to show off the dress, which looked fantastic on her. She glanced at me with puppy eyes for my comments. "It's perfect and the colour suits you," I expressed what she wanted to hear. "And the neckline is so flattering." "It really accentuates your collarbone." Emma added. "I'm so happy that I brought you guys instead of my mom. She doesn't have an eye for colors and would say anything looks pretty on me. I always have a hard time shopping with her." She rolled her eyes. "Do you think I should get it?" Lucy asked eagerly."Definitely!" Emma and I said in unison. We both looked at each other with a knowing expression. If we don't make her buy we will be spending extra hours in other shops which we wanted to avoid at any cost."What are friends there for?" Emma asked, and we both nodded. "We can finish the look with some sparkly earrings and high heels," She said as I walked to the accessories counter. We sighed and continued with our shopping for the other preparations.throwing grand outdoor parties, and we've always been there to help make them memorable. In previous years, we've organized road trips and surprised her with a giant customized cake for her 18th birthday. This year, we're taking things up a notch by gifting her a three-day trip to Georgia as a mini-vacation. We're eagerly anticipating the look on her face when she finds out about our surprise!The girls needed to pick up a few more items, and I was running late since I had to pick up Anne from her friend's house. I always enjoy spending time with my girlfriends, and the thought of a day out with them lifted my spirits. I grabbed my phone, set the GPS, and left the mall.The road stretched out in front of me, hardly visible through the thick snow that had piled on it. The once smooth road had become a dangerous, glistening layer of snow, making it difficult to figure out where the road ended and the surroundings began. Snowflakes continued to fall, adding another layer of white on the already risky surface.I wasn't a fan of driving fast and wanted to make sure I arrived safely. The street was narrow and twisty, with sharp turns that were difficult to get around. The trees along the road were frost-covered, and the branches thick with snow, creating a dangerously beautiful landscape. The visibility was poor, with snow twirling in the air and the faint light from the overcast sky barely breaking through the snow storm.As I tried to focus on the road, the snow-covered speed bumps and hidden patches of snow seemed to appear out of nowhere and my phone fell onto the passenger seat. While navigating a curving lane, I quickly glanced down to try and find my phone, keeping one eye on the road. The road ahead appeared to be empty, so I felt relatively safe.Just as I reached for my phone, a dark shape lunged into my path—a massive animal, maybe a deer or something even bigger.The car lurched violently as I slammed on the brakes, but the icy road betrayed me. My tires skidded wildly, and I struggled with the steering wheel to restore control. The car's wheels skidded helplessly on the snow, and in an instant, the vehicle collided with a tree with a bone-jarring force.The air was instantly filled with the burning scent of charring rubber and the sharp sound of crumpling metal. I was thrown forward, my head slamming into the steering wheel with a painful thud. The world spun violently as I struggled to stay conscious, my vision blurring and darkening around the edges. Blood trickled down my forehead, mixing with the cold sweat that had broken out across my brow.Desperately, I tried to unfasten my seatbelt, but my numbing shoulder made every movement feel like a huge effort. I was trapped, my body aching and my breaths coming in ragged, painful gasps. I called out for help, my voice coming out as a weak, strangled whisper, barely audible over the howling wind and the constant crackling of the car's crumpled frame.My head was spinning, and the dizziness made it almost impossible to lift it from where it had slumped against the seat. Despite the blur of pain and confusion, I tried to listen for signs of help. I could faintly hear distant voices through the howling storm, and I clung to the hope that someone, anyone, was coming to my aid.Suddenly, two men appeared, they yanked the door off its hinges, wrenching it free with a metallic screech that cut through the night. I felt a strong grip on my arms as one man freed me from the seat belt and pulled me out of the vehicle. I could hardly stay awake as the pain was unbearable."Her head injury is severe." "We need to take her to the hospital immediately." An unfamiliar voice said. Despite my blurred vision, I couldn't make out the man's face as it was too dark and my face was covered in blood."Kristen?" A voice that I recognized called out. My head and ankle were throbbing with pain as I tried to stay conscious and keep the darkness at bay. My hair was a tangled mess, drenched in blood, and I struggled to speak. "Help me!" I managed to whisper hoarsely. A pair of green green eyes, looked at me with terror, just before I lost consciousness.William P.O.V"Shit! "I can't feel her pulse.""William gives your blood," John said looking horrified. I was taken aback. "No!" I moved away from her a few steps. I felt a fear so chilling my body began to tremble."We both know that only your blood can save her; otherwise, she will die right now. We don't have much time. If you wish to save her, give her your blood."I could feel her body going numb and her skin pale. With a quick slice of my sharp fangs, I cut into his palm and made the drops of my blood fall into her mouth. I desperately hoped that it would save her. But, she did not wake up. The overwhelming fear of the situation felt like an immense weight pressing down on me. As I watched her, my heart hammered with a force I had never felt before. Seeing her so weak and vulnerable, with her body unmoving, made my insides churn with paralysing dread. The chilling thought of losing her, of her becoming a lifeless shell, was almost too much to bear. It was as if my heart had been ripped from my chest and crushed beneath. My father's stern warnings echoed in my mind, reminding me of the stakes. I had sworn to protect her, to keep her safe, but here I was, staring at the brink of losing her. I saw the color draining from her face, and I felt as though my soul had left my body. The seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity. Her stillness was terrifying. "I guess it's not working," John said and looked for a pulse again. It was very faint. I could hear it."No, I can't let her die. She holds so much value to me, I have to get her to the castle alive at any cost. I said and made another big cut on my palm. The blood oozed out and I poured it on her wound and made her drink some.It looked like it was not working at all. Vampire blood heals humans very fast but her body seems to reject it. Her heartbeat constantly slowed down. She wasn't breathing.Carrying her in my arms, I sprinted to the hospital at the speed of the wind. I carefully placed her on a stretcher and frantically called for the doctors. The doctors quickly started the treatments with human medications and ushering me out of the ICU.As a pure-blooded vampire, my blood has the power to heal anyone. However, in this case, it had no effect and her body rejected it. This means only one thing, she's not a typical human being. I decided to speak to my father about it. Kristen P.O.VI startled awake, my heart beating and the sound of a scary nightmare still lingering in my mind. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my blurry vision. The sterile smell of antiseptic and the beeping of medical equipment filled the room. I noticed the IV drip connected to my arm and the oxygen mask over my face.Moments later, a doctor entered the room, his warm smile a stark contrast to the cold fear that had gripped me. He approached my bedside, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and kindness. He gently removed the oxygen mask and helped me sit up. "Here you go," he said, passing me a glass of water. I took it with a trembling hand, the cool liquid giving a relief to my parched throat."Miss Kristen, how are you feeling?" the doctor enquired, his tone firm and soothing. He looked at me intently, his gaze keen yet empathic. "Are you feeling any pain? "Do you remember anything about the accident?"I took a deep breath. "Yes," I said, my voice shaky but growing steadier as I recalled what had happened. "I was driving to pick up my aunt when a wolf—or maybe it was a dog—suddenly appeared in front of my car. I turned around to avoid it, but I lost control." I paused, trying to recollect the details with clarity. "And I think I broke my ankle too," I added, wincing slightly as I recalled the pain. The doctor listened intently, nodding as I spoke. "You were brought to the hospital just in time, before you lost too much blood. There are no internal injuries. We've taken care of the immediate concerns. A few days of rest and you'll be back to your normal self," he said, jotting down some notes on his notepad."But I remember seeing a lot of blood and I felt like I almost died." I said feeling confused."You did lose some blood, but it was taken care of and you must be experiencing concussion but it's only temporary. " the doctor reassured me with a smile. "Just focus on getting some rest and avoid driving for few weeks." He said with a smile and left the room. I laid back on the bed in frustration. What kind of creature was that that jumped in the middle of the road from nowhere? I can recall bits and pieces of that animal. If I'm not mistaken, it's a wolf with shiny eyes. But it sounds so ridiculous that there is no wolf in town; perhaps it is a giant dog or maybe I am just imagining things.Since the age of 18, I've had nightmares every night. Some nights, I had dreams about magical creatures. Other nights, creatures from my deepest fears emerge from the shadows, and I'm chased through dense forests by predatory animals or hunted by an eerie figure intent on sinking its teeth into me. I convinced myself that these dreams were just my imagination running wild. But as the nightmares continued, one thing became clear: there was always an unknown, terrifying presence lurking just out of sight, stalking me and threatening to kill me. The sense of being chased by something unseen, something terrifying, always kept me on edge.I was about to get out of bed when I heard someone calling my name. Turning my head, I saw William standing in the doorway, holding a bouquet of stunning flowers.He walked over to my bedside and carefully placed the bouquet on the nightstand before sitting down beside me."How are you feeling?" His concern was visible in his tone.I looked into his eyes, and I could see how much he cared for me. "I'm okay," I replied, my voice lacking its usual warmth. William's expression shifted to one of deep sadness, his eyes reflecting a mix of concern and heartache. "I'm so sorry for what happened." "Thank you for saving my life," I said, gently squeezing his hand. I wanted him to know how grateful I was. William smiled warmly at me, but his smile quickly faded into a serious expression."Did you see the creature?" I asked wanting to make sure what I saw. He looked confused."What creature?""There was a wolf. It jumped in front of my car." I said, staring down at my hands as I spoke."There was no wolf, Kristen. I was right behind you and I saw nothing like that," William replied, his green eyes filled with certainty as he looked at me."But I remember seeing so much blood, and my leg felt like it was broken," I said, my voice wavering as I tried to move my legs and it looked fine. "The doctor said it was not a major accident." I said feeling confused. William frowned, deep in thought. Something about the way he always looked at me had me feeling a bit off. I shrugged it off though.Before I could question him further, William reached out and gently cupped my face in his hands. His touch sent shivers down my spine and my heart raced faster than ever."Kristen, don't stress yourself over this. You're safe and that's what matters." He said in a calm and reassuring voice, his eyes searching mine. "Just focus on getting better, okay?" He added, his thumbs gently rubbing circles on my cheekbones. His hand was cold and dry.I melted into his touch. I nodded, unable to form any words. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on my forehead before pulling back, his eyes never leaving mine. I felt my heart flutter at the gesture and couldn't help but smile at him.He placed a gentle hand on my cheek, looking deeply into my eyes. "I will protect you." I studied his bright green eyes and nodded.The sudden buzz of William's phone broke the moment between us. He gave me an apologetic smile. "I'll be back in a moment. You should rest," he said before stepping out of the room. As soon as he left, I felt a surge of curiosity. Ignoring the throbbing pain in my head, I slowly got out of bed and shuffled toward the door. I could hear hushed voices just outside and felt an irresistible urge to find out what was happening.Peering through the small break in the door, I saw William having a serious conversation with a man who seemed to be really worried. The man's face was creased with fear as he spoke urgently, just above a whisper."William, you cannot stay here," the man said, his voice filled with desperation. "There's lot of blood. I can hardly keep myself under control. We must leave this place." I pressed my ear closer to the door, trying to catch more of the conversation, but their voices were too low and distorted to make out any clearer details. I struggled to understand what they were talking about.Suddenly, the conversation stopped and I saw the guy looking straight at me. I quickly retreated back to my bed, my heart racing with confusion.I woke up to the sound of Anne's voice, filled with a mix of panic and worry. Her face, usually so composed, was streaked with tears and a look of distress. "Kristen, are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.She stood beside my bed, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Her lips quivered as she continued, "I tried calling you last night, but your phone was off. I got a call from your friend, saying that you had been in an accident and were admitted here." "I'm so sorry," she cried, her hands clasped tightly together as if trying to hold back her tears. "It's all my fault. I should have taken a cab instead of asking you to pick me up in such heavy snow. I'm so sorry." Her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with guilt."Annie, I'm alright. It was a just an accident. "It's not your fault," I replied, trying to comfort her. But she continued to look at me closely, her worry clear in her anxious gaze. "Thank God, that boy saved you in time," she added, her voice trembling as she wiped her nose with a tissue. "I must thank him.""I spoke to the doctor," she added. "He said you can be discharged, but you need to rest completely for a week. I will only discharge you if you promise me that you will stay home and rest."I chuckled, a playful smile spreading across my face despite the pain. "Okay, I promise," I said, my teasing tone making her smile. "I will go get the discharge papers, Let's go home." She said and I nodded with a smile. ~•~•~•~•~•~•Author's note:Please vote, comment, and share if you like the above chapter.Thank you all for reading.