EMILY'S POV
A sharp, throbbing pain split through my head as I blinked awake.
White ceiling. Harsh lights. Antiseptic smell.
"Ugh… where am I?" I muttered, instantly regretting it as my throat burned like sandpaper. A coughing fit tore out of me, dry and painful.
A nurse rushed in. "Easy, easy. Here—drink this."
She handed me a glass of water. I gulped it down in seconds.
"More?" she asked.
"Yes, please," I croaked.
She hurried out and returned with another glass, which I emptied just as fast. The water cooled my throat enough for me to breathe normally again.
"Feeling better?" she asked.
"Yes. Thank you. Um… how did I end up here?"
One minute I was in a taxi… the next I was staring at hospital walls.
"Your car lost control and went off the road into the river," she explained gently. "Thankfully, a couple of men pulled you and the driver out in time."
And just like that… everything rushed back.
The bridge.
The crash.
That dark-haired man sprinting towards me.
His arms around me as I coughed up water before blacking out again.
"Hey… are you alright?" the nurse asked when she saw my distant stare.
"Yes. Sorry. Memories just came back." I hesitated. "The guys who saved us… are they still here?"
She shook her head. "No. They left after giving their statement to the police. Do you have any relatives nearby? Where were you headed?"
"My grandma lives in Willowdale Village. I was going to stay with her," I explained, already imagining how worried my parents must be.
"Alright. Let me get the paperwork so we can record your details," she said kindly before stepping out.
A few minutes later, I filled in the forms and used the hospital's phone to call home.
"Hello?" Mom's voice came through, already trembling.
"Hey, Mom… it's me. I'm okay."
"Oh my God, Emmy—" she broke into sobs. I could hear Dad asking what happened before he took the phone.
"Emmy? Grandma said you never arrived. We've been calling your phone—your voicemail kept picking up. We were about to file a missing person report!" Dad's voice was tight with fear.
"Dad, I'm fine. The car lost control and fell into a river, but two strangers saved me. I'm okay, I promise."
Mom dissolved into more tears in the background, making my chest tighten with guilt.
"Look, Dad," I continued gently, "I'll be discharged soon. I'll still go to Grandma's. She needs me, remember?"
"But Emmy—"
"I'm really okay. Once I get to Grandma's, I'll call again."
He sighed heavily. "We love you. Be careful."
"I will. Love you too."
I signed the discharge papers and stepped outside, flagging down another cab. The trip from here to Willowdale Village was about two hours… but I needed new clothes and a new phone first. And a new card.
By the time I finished at the bank, bought a phone, and picked up some clothes, I was exhausted.
"Finally!" I exhaled. "Shopping drains me."
The taxi eventually drove into Willowdale Village.
The place was… empty. Almost too quiet.
It always gave me chills, but Grandma refused to leave.
Her house appeared at the end of a winding dirt path, nestled between hills and wild greenery. Smoke drifted lazily from the chimney, carrying the smell of woodfire… and my favorite meal.
Before I could knock, the carved wooden door creaked open.
"Oh my dear Emmy!" Grandma pulled me into a warm, crushing hug. "Come in, come in!"
Her home was cozy as always—dim candlelight, soft fire, wooden walls that smelled like old memories and comfort.
Once she sat me down, she looked me over from head to toe.
"Oh, my poor child. I heard about the accident. You look thin! Doesn't Sarah feed you? I'll give that woman a proper scolding—"
"No, Grandma," I laughed. "I'm fine. I'm here to take care of you. You're the one who needs rest."
She cupped my cheek fondly. "My Emmy is a grown woman now. I'm so proud."
She hugged me again before heading to the kitchen. "Come eat. I made your favorite."
We ate, talked, laughed, and called my parents to reassure them. Grandma immediately scolded my mom about my weight, of course.
Later, I went to my old bedroom.
It looked exactly the same—hand-carved wooden bed, soft linens, pillows stacked like clouds.
After a warm bath, I lay down, already knowing what dream would come next.
The wolf.
Always the wolf.
---
TYLER'S POV
"I'm sorry, man," I said quietly as I drove. "Two days of traveling… and for what? Nothing."
Mason glanced at me. "Tyler, don't do that. You saved your mate today. That isn't nothing."
I stared at the road, jaw clenched.
"Maybe it would've been better if she hadn't survived."
"Don't say that," Mason muttered.
"We'll just stop in the next village for the night," I said. "We can continue after resting. Maybe using our speed won't be such a bad idea."
"That's more like you," he said with a faint smile.
A wooden sign appeared ahead: Willowdale Village.
"Do you think anyone even lives here?" Mason asked, peering out the window.
I inhaled deeply.
There—faint human scents.
"Yeah," I said. "A few. We can rest here."
Mason looked at me. "How do you smell things from so far away? I can barely track scents unless I'm close."
I smirked. "Benefits of being a hybrid."
He rolled his eyes. "Show-off."
We found a small motel, checked in, grabbed some food, and headed to our rooms. The hallway was quiet, almost eerie.
"Goodnight, bro," Mason said. "Don't let this break you. Maybe… maybe give it a chance? You never know what could happen."
I stopped.
The truth was dark, heavy, and painful.
"Mason… the worst that could happen is me losing control and hurting her. My beast isn't like yours. I can't risk her life."
He swallowed. "That's rough, man."
"Goodnight," I said, turning into my room.
I showered quickly and collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. Pulling two humans out of a raging river had drained my strength. Water had always been my weakness.
My eyes drifted shut… and the dream returned.
My mate.
Always my mate.