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Breathing Pains

Artemis

I wake up to the familiar sound of beeping medical equipment, I don’t even want to open my eyes to face the hell I have been living in.

I keep them firmly closed feeling just as weak as the days before I hear the door open and try to remain still praying that Sekreta won’t know I’m awake and drug me again.

Every time the drugs entered my system I was forced into the depts of my own mind, a windowless room with a single door that I couldn’t open, the doorknob wouldn’t even twitch.

At first, Aria would be on the other side of the door scratching trying to get to me I would lean against it feeling her on the other side it gave me some kind of comfort. But eventually, that stopped and I was alone.

Whoever is in the room is fumbling around and talking to someone else I cannot make out the speech there voices sounding muffled. Its odd Sekreta does not usually come with anyone.

I stay as still as possible hoping however it is doesn’t notice I’m awake, hear the person move closer to my bedside.

They lift my hand caressing it softly and a familiar wave of tingles rushes through me but I push it down, I’ve dreamt of Ryan so many times before but this side is not any different.

The sound of a chair scraping across the floor almost makes me open my eyes but I keep them firmly closed remembering what will happen if I do.

It feels like hours pass by before the person in the chair holding my hand finally let’s go and moves towards the other side of the room I take the opportunity to sneak a look through my eyes lashes.

I hold my breath at the sight, I must be really high because this looks like my own pack hospital and the person sipping water looks like Ryan.

I blink my eyes shut hoping that I’m going to go back to reality soon, I’m questioning if I am even really awake, my heart starts beating out of my chest and the person rushes towards me.

I can see his mouth moving but I can’t hear what he is saying it’s like I’m listening from inside a bubble, I struggle to take in any air the panic I’m feeling worsening and becoming all-consuming.

The fake Ryan looks towards the door see more people file into the room. They look like my sisters and pull my arms over my head desperate to escape this cruel nightmare and wake up properly.

This is so much worse than any hallucination I’ve had before, why is my mind showing me the thing I want most when I know it’s not possible.

They try to pull my arms away from my face but I don’t let them, I don’t want to see their faces and remember what I’ve lost it’s too painful.

I feel a sharp pain in my leg and the world around me goes dark again, for the first time I’m grateful for Sekreta giving me that release.

I am back in the darkroom curled in a ball in the corner it feels like hours pass and then beeping re-enters my mind a small light appearing through the keyhole of the door.

” Artemis, please wake up. I need you. I need you to come back to me”

Ryans voice floods my mind and I scramble towards the door, pressing my ear against the keyhole.

” Artemis, Please. I can’t do this alone, please just come back to me”

He sounds so sad my heart breaks even more than it already has.

“I would Ryan, I would be back in a heartbeat but I don’t know how”

I bang my fists on the door the tears streaming down my face. Rage takes over me and continues to punch, I stand up and use all my energy to kick the door.

A large Crack appears, stemming from the keyhole. Light bursting through it, and for the first time, it gives me a little bit of hope.

I dig deep for more strength every breath more painful than the last as pound my fists into the door until more cracks appear, Pieces of it begin to fall with every hit and finally, a hole appears and I can see through.

A vast white corridor line the outside and I can see the silhouette of someone stood at the end, I keep going using all of my energy my knuckles now bleeding.

Finally, the hole is big enough for me to climb through once I’m free I don’t look around I run as fast as I can to the other end, with every step it seems to get further and further away.

I don’t let it stop me I keep going till I reach the door at the other end, I grip the handle and push it open grabbing the person on the other side and pulling him towards me.

His scent bringing me back to life, flooding my senses. Finally, my connection with Ryan is back. I stay in his embrace for what feels like a lifetime.

I say his name over and over praying to the moon-goddess that he can hear me, I steep away from his opening and open my eyes holding his face in my hands.

I’m shocked when his face now hovering above my own, his eyes searching every line of my face.

” Artemis, your awake”

He kissed my face all over, this scenario seems so real.

“Ryan”

” Yes it’s me, I’m here.”

“You’re here ?”

” Yes, we found you and bought you back here”

I climb off of me not letting go of my hand, my eyes start to sting as real tears begin to form I the corners of them.

“This is real?”

” Yes Artemis, it’s real. Your safe now, I promise you you are safe and I am never letting you go again”

I try to push myself up, the room now coming into focus. I really am back in the packhouse he really is here with me.

I try to push myself up to see the whole room, but my arms are weak and I drop back down.

” Don’t try to move Arti, you are too weak right now”

He momentarily lets go of my hand and uses the controls on the bed to raise the backup.

For the first time I can see my body lying in the bed my hands resting on my lap, lifting them i study them.

They don’t look like my own hands, they are frail and skinny and I can see the details of the bones. I lift the covers and look at my legs its the same story, I’m so thin my body doesn’t look like me.

The tears are flowing freely down my face and Ryan reaches over to wipe them.

” Artemis, you have been gone for such a long time and the things they did to you”

He is also now crying and my heart yearns to comfort him.

” Cynthia said you will get better but you need to get some rest. You need time to recover”

My mouth feels so dry all of a sudden, I’m desperate for a drink.

“Ryan, can I have some water?”

He nods and pours some into a little cup before helping me to drink it. He spends the rest of the afternoon explaining to me all that’s happened since I last saw him.

Never letting go of my hand, continually asking me if I need a drink or if I’m in pain. I love him so much but as the afternoon has gone on I’m more and more curious as to why my sisters have not been in yet.

“Ryan, Where is everyone else”

As I ask the question I feel dread in my stomach, maybe this isn’t real. I try to link them but it’s like I can’t make any connection, it’s a spark that fizzles out.

“I tried to link them, but I can’t get through. In fact, I cant feel Aria at all”

*”You are very weak Arti, I linked them and told them you were awake but they agreed you needed some space first. We didn’t want to overload you”

He rubs his head with his other hand before looking at me once more, I notice the dark circles under his eyes, a new scar now situated above his eyebrow. It then that I notice the looks of pity he is holding.

“Ryan, what is it ?”

*” Its … your wolf Artemis. I have not been able to feel Aria since you got back a week ago, I’ve been trying to reach out to her but I get nothing”

I try to search my memories for the last time i felt her but cannot pinpoint it, m chest gets a little tight and my next few breaths hurt, the beeping on the monitor seems to get louder.

” Arti, calm down. You need to focus, focus on my voice if you don’t you’re going to have a panic attack”

I focus on his soothing voice the feel of his hand rubbing my arms, my breathing slowly returning to normal.

We stay in silence for a little longer, I don’t want to talk anymore everything I’ve heard today has been negative and I can’t help but feel like a failure.

I failed at helping Sekreta, I failed at saving Ryan and I failed at staying strong and now I’m a frail mess in a hospital bed without a wolf.

For what feels like the thousandth time I start crying again. Ryan once again comforting me, whispering to me how much he loves me and how he is going to help me get through this.

It only spurs the crying on more as I feel so lucky to have him with me. There is a light tap on the door and Ryan shouts for whoever is on the other side to come in.

Cynthia and Selene walk in and the room seems to erupt with warmth, Ryan steps away as they both rush to either side of me.

Climbing on to the bed with me wrapping their arms around me and each other. We stay locked in the embrace of one another.

All of us talking over each other stating how much we love and have missed each other. Eventually, they pull away from the hug but stay sat on the bed with me both of them laying on the pillow with me as we catch up.

Cynthia checks my chart and pulse asking if I am in any pain, she has her DR brain on before she returns to lay back down.

I feel my eyelids start to get heavy the events of the afternoon now taking its toll on my body.

” Arti, you look tired we will leave you to sleep”

Cynthia brushes some hair from my face as she speaks.

“I don’t want you to leave, I’ve been without you both for too long. Please stay with me?”

*” We will Artemis you just close your eyes and get some natural sleep, your body needs all the rest it can get”

I nod and listen to them talk as for the first time in forever I feel my body drift off to sleep naturally as the sounds of my sister’s voices fill my ears. The feel of Ryans presents on the other side of the room.

I have not been happy for a while but at this moment I feel as though I am the happiest I have ever been, I can’t help but let a smile cross my lips as sleep encapsulates me.


A/N

*Hello Everyone , thank you so much for reading!

Just wanted to drop in and let you know that i now have an author page EEEK!

You can find me on facebook -@KendraSummersAuthor feel free to give me a like ! Happy reading !!*

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