I start to panic the moment I open my eyes. Even though I can't see much through my swollen-shut eyes, I see enough to realize I'm in a strange room, not a hospital bed.
'Where is this place and how did I get here?' I ask myself as my eyes wander around the room as much as my badly swollen eyelids would allow me. The room is dimly lit and the curtains are drawn so I can't see much of anything other than the door that is directly opposite my bed.
I try as much as possible to remember how I got there but nothing comes to mind. My head feels heavy like my brain is stuffed with wads of cotton wool. The last thing I remember before I blacked out was watching the Gamma chief fly across the room when I pushed him off me.
What I don't understand is how I managed to push one of the biggest shifters I have ever seen off me. Where did the strength come from? I wonder until the scene becomes clearer...
"Oh, shit!..."I swear through swollen lips when I realize the Gamma chief now knows I have a monster for a wolf.
"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" I continually swear. I'm in deep shit. I don't know what my faith will be when the Gamma chief tells the Alpha, Beta, and everybody else about my wolf.
"Oh shit what!?" An unfamiliar male voice says from the far corner of the room and my body becomes awash by another wave of fear
'Oh, my god. Who is that? That's not the Gamma chief's voice. Why am I with a strange man? Did the Gamma chief ask him to hold me captive?' Questions run haywire in my mind. I almost pee myself when I hear a chair scrape on the floor as the strange man stands up. My heart begins to thump hard against my ribcage as the sound of his footsteps moves toward me.
"Oh, god, I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead!"
"No, you're not. Chill will you? You won't be speaking obviously if you're dead." The voice says jokingly
I am surprised when the face comes into view and I see it's Ethan, the Beta's son. I close my eyes and allow myself to breathe easy for a few seconds, bringing my heartbeats under control. My overthinking mind already painted different kinds of bad scenarios of why the Gamma chief might be keeping me in a room with a stranger
"Hey, how are you feeling? Are you okay? Are you..."
"What are you doing here?" I interrupt, ignoring his questions.
I open my eyes and see him chuckling... "What am I doing here, this is my room and..."
"Your room!?" I could feel my blood pressure shooting up all over again as a result of fear. Could it be that he's working with the Gamma chief after all? I wonder before rapidly asking…
"Why am I in your room and how did I get here?" I attempt to sit up but it feels as if my body is being weighed down by something heavy, causing me to groan out in pain as every muscle and bone in me protests that simple movement.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" He asks and rushes to my side, pressing on my shoulder so I will lie back on the bed. His touch is gentle but I'm too scared to notice he means well.
"No, what do you think you are doing keeping me here against my will!?..." I shrink away from him
"Wait, what!?..." He says in disbelief. "What do you mean by keeping you here against your will? Why would I want to do that?... Even if I'm crazy enough to pull such a stupid stunt, why would I do it inside the apartment where my parents and sister live? It doesn't make sense!"
"Oh!..." I say when I realize I just jump to conclusion. It truly doesn't make sense. If he's in cohort with the Gamma chief he wouldn't decide to keep his prisoner inside his parents' apartment unless his parents are also involved which I found very unlikely. The Beta is tough on me, yes but he has never looked at me in a lewd manner like the Gamma chief always do
"You're right, I shouldn't have said that. Just that my mind is muddled up and I can't think straight. I apologize for over-thinking."
"It's okay..." He replies and smiles reassuringly, shoving his hands deep inside his pocket."
"So what happened? How did I get here?"
"I heard you calling my name and asking for help through the mind link. When I entered the Gamma chief's apartment, I saw it in disarray and he was not home. You were lying on the floor. Uhmm... Your shirt was ripped and thrown in a corner...
I couldn't call the medic and have them see you like that you know. I had to get you a shirt first before calling them. That was why I brought you here first and I was just about to call and also make a report when you woke up"
"Thank you," I say softly. I look down at myself, noticing for the first time that I'm wearing a man's hoodie.
'He saw me without my shirt on!' I thought and nearly buried my head in embarrassment. I feel more disgust than embarrassment when I remember the Gamma chief also saw me naked. The disgusting scene of him pawing my naked boobs flashes through my mind and I feel like throwing up. Oh, how I'm going to make him suffer for what he did to me.
"What happened over there at the Gamma chief's apartment? Did he attack you?"
"Yes... He tried to force himself on me but failed..." I reply with a groan as I force myself to sit up. "What time is it anyway? I need to get back to work" I change the subject since I don't want to talk about the matter any more than necessary
"That son of a bitch tried to force himself on you and you're just going to get back to work as if nothing happened? How could you still think of work under such circumstances? What about going to the healer to take care of your injuries and reporting the bastard to the authorities?" He asked in annoyance
I can't help but laugh when I hear him advise me to report the Gamma chief who is part of the Council to the Council. More like reporting the wicked to the wicked. What a great idea!
'If only you know...' I think and stand up from the bed. "I don't need to make any report and I don't need the healer... I will heal myself in no time. All shifters do, you know." I say with a smile so he will know not to take the matter seriously since I'm not but he's not buying it
"I don't believe this! I don't believe you're just going to let him get away with this! I'm calling my dad right now and…"
"No! Didn't you hear what I said!? I said I don't want to report this and I have my reasons. Could you please respect that!" I snap
"What is the matter with you? I was just trying to help!"
I sigh deeply... "Look I'm sorry for snapping at you, it was uncalled for. I know you're just trying to help but you don't live here anymore and so you have no idea how things are done... I swear he's not going to get away with what he did to me, just that I have my reasons for not reporting him right now... I promise I will explain everything to you later. But in the meantime, I still need to get back to work otherwise the Beta will have my head"
"The Beta!? As in, my dad will have your head in this condition!? I don't believe this..." He says and chuckles dryly
"He is your dad but he is the Beta of this pack and my boss... As I said, you have no idea how things are done around here anymore, so I better get going... Thank you for everything. I'll make sure you get your hoodie back, washed, and ironed"
By the foot of the bed is a chair and a reading table. On the table is a small alarm clock. I pick it up and see the time is already past ten. I'm expected to finish all the cleaning and laundry by noon. I'm running late but I'm sure I can still catch up if I don't meet up with hindrances like Gamma Chief.
I look back at Ethan and it occurs to me... No other shifter would want to cross me at the moment if I have the Beta's son as a companion.
"Hey, did you mean it when you offered to help me before?" I ask and saw his face break into a smile like a kid that has just been offered a treat
"Of course I meant it. Why do you ask? Do you need my help?"
"Yes I need your help if you haven't changed your mind