Eira's POV
Faint sounds stirred me from the depths of unconsciousness. Pain coursed through every inch of my body—it felt as though I had been trampled by a vehicle, leaving only broken pieces behind.
My eyes fluttered open, struggling against the sharp sting of light that streamed in through the tall glass windows. Above me stretched an unfamiliar white ceiling, pristine and sterile. The brightness was overwhelming. My body flinched from it—not because of the light itself, but because I had forgotten what light looked like.
I had spent years locked in darkness. Rooms without windows. Air heavy with filth and fear. Pain, commands, bruises—nothing else. My mind, my soul, my very instincts had adapted to only one truth: darkness was home.
And now, this sudden flood of sunlight, this crisp, untouched air… For one foolish, fleeting moment, I wondered:
'Is this heaven? Did I finally die?'
But the illusion shattered too soon.
"Are you awake, miss?"
'Please let that be an angel. If it's not, I swear I'm going to be badly disappointed.'
I turned my head toward the voice. A woman in nurse's scrubs stood beside the bed, her expression soft, a gentle smile curving her lips.
"Good to see you're awake. I'll call the doctor."
Before I could gather a single word, she had already turned and left.
The sterile scent, the beeping machines, the IV drip—it all sank in. I wasn't in heaven. I was in a hospital.
Reality returned like a slap.
I closed my eyes again, frustration clawing at my chest.'Why didn't they kill me when they had the chance?''How am I supposed to die now?' My eyes drifted toward the window.'What floor am I on? Can I jump from here…?'
The door creaked open. I turned my head slowly as footsteps entered the room—the nurse again, but this time accompanied by a man.
I looked at him, only to mate with another familiar face from the past- Doctor Liam Vaughn.
"How are you feeling, Eira?" he asked, his gaze settling on me, calm and steady.
Eira.
The name echoed inside my skull like a forgotten melody.
It had been so long since I'd heard it that it no longer felt like mine. As if he were calling someone else—someone I used to be, but wasn't anymore.
He flipped through the patient chart the nurse had handed him, and without waiting for my response, he began examining me.
"Your injuries are severe," he said in a calm, clinical tone. "Though you're a pureblood, the concentration of powerful drugs in your system has delayed your natural healing. We've managed to drain most of it, but recovery will still take time...."
He continued to talk which didn't interest me as what happened with me and my body was not a concern to me.
Instead, my mind drifted to the past memories with this man from seven years back.
Seven years ago, when I was fifteen, my grandparents and I had come to the StormHowl Pack to start a new life. Everything had felt foreign and uncertain. Liam was the first person my grandfather introduced me to. They were friends, though Liam was much younger.
He'd fascinated me because he was a doctor, and I'd once dreamed of becoming one too. I followed him around with endless questions, curious about everything from anatomy to medical school. He never once seemed irritated. In fact, he taught me patiently.
Back then, he'd been my favorite person. And he was fond of me as well.
But now… perhaps he hated me like everyone else did.
"Eira?" he called, noticing I was lost somewhere.
My eyes refocused on him, and it reminded me of something which I had been wanting to know for the past six years, but never found the courage to ask.
What happened to my grandparents?
After my imprisonment, they had never come to visit me. Not once. As if I had been erased from their lives, or them from mine.
"You have two fractured ribs," Liam continued, resuming his role with detached professionalism. "One came dangerously close to puncturing your right lung. You'll need to avoid any activity that could strain your breathing. That means complete rest for a few days. I'll prescribe something to support your healing."
He paused, giving me a moment.
"Anything else you'd like to ask?"
My eyes burned faintly with unshed tears. I finally spoke, my voice low, "My grandparents... what happened to them?"
His expression shifted. Serious. Guarded.
Then, he looked at the nurse. "Lara, please go collect the reports from the next room. I'll join you shortly."
Once we were left alone, he turned to me, his expression solemn. "After you were taken away they disappeared from the pack. No one knows where they went."
The news surprised me—but only briefly. Deep down, I understood. After the accusations against me, what reason did they have to stay and endure the scorn and judgment of the pack?
Anyways, they never stayed in one place more than a few years, like changing places was their fixed pattern. I never understood why they did it instead of settling in one place and living a peaceful life with known people.
Because of that constant drifting, I never had a real home. Never had friends—until we came to the Storm Howl Pack and I met her.
Alice.
My sweet, bright Alice—my first and only friend.
"What do you plan to do now?" Liam's voice pulled me back from my thoughts.
I didn't respond. Because I couldn't tell him the truth that I wanted to die. If I said that aloud, they'd post guards outside my door and make it even harder to escape.
Liam let out a tired sigh. "I don't know what happened to you… but it couldn't have been anything good."
Still, I said nothing. What was the point in sharing my pain? They will just think I deserve it.
He studied me quietly for a moment before speaking again. "Eira… you're not just a pureblood she-wolf. You're something rarer—something extraordinary. A kind born only once in hundreds of years."
I let out a silent, bitter laugh. What good is that? Born rare, only to be reduced to this?
"The ones who bought you… you know who they are. The strongest five Alphas. You must realize—they brought you here to have children. That's what they want from you."
I didn't flinch. I already knew.
"But there's something they don't know," Liam continued. "With your rare bloodline, you can only conceive with your fated mate. No one else. I haven't told them. If I had, they might've killed you already. But sooner or later, when they realize they can't get what they want… they won't show you any mercy."
I know, I thought. And I'm not expecting mercy.
He hesitated before lowering his voice. "Because of my old friendship with your grandfather… I'm going to help you escape before they take you with them. For that, you'll need strength. So rest and heal."
His offer shocked me. As I met his eyes, there was a genuine worry for me. It caught me off guard.
"I can only get you out of the pack. After that… you'll be on your own. I won't be able to protect you further." He added.
Here or anywhere—it'll be the same, I thought as I exhaled quietly, my eyes drifting shut. I didn't thank him for his offer.
Because I had something else in mind.
Liam eventually left, and a short while later, Lara returned. She moved around the room with practiced ease, preparing a fresh IV.
I watched her silently for a moment before asking, "What floor are we on?"
"The seventh," she replied, inserting the needle with care.
"And how tall is this building?"
"Fifteen floors," she answered, glancing at me curiously. "Why do you ask?"
"It's my first time in such a tall building," I lied.
"Oh," she smiled lightly. "Once you're feeling better, I'll take you up to the rooftop. You can see the whole city from there—it's a beautiful view."
I simply hummed and closed my eyes- 'This is truly my last chance.'