Chapter 6: She's Awake
1189 Words
CYRILLA'S POV
When I opened my eyes, all I could see was white. Gradually, three pairs of eyes came into focus, belonging to three hulking, handsome men.
I must be in heaven.
The men's expressions ranged from concern to curiosity, except for the grim-looking figure behind them. His brows were furrowed, and his arms were crossed tightly over his chest, as if he would rather be anywhere else.
I attempted to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my belly, causing me to wince and hesitate.
"Don't force yourself, or your stitches might come apart," said the green-eyed guy with short, dark hair. "My name is Theon. What's your name?"
He smiled kindly as he placed his hands on my arm and back, helping me sit up more comfortably.
"Cyrilla...Cyrilla Clark." I whispered, my voice hoarse.
"We're glad you're awake, Cyrilla," said the second guy, who had brown eyes and hair. Of the three, he was the only one who was almost clean-shaven, with fully tattooed arms and slight stubble.
"My name is Colton," he added, turning to the grim guy beside him. "This is Alpha..." He hesitated before continuing, "This is Hunter." Colton gestured to the man with striking blue eyes and long, dark blonde hair tied in a bun. He had a full but well-groomed beard and stood the tallest among the three, exuding a commanding presence. I nodded, trying to commit their names to memory.
"Can you tell us what happened to you?" Colton began the inquiry.
"All I remember is that two men took us to a forest and let loose some big, feral animals to chase us. It felt like we were being hunted for sport," I recounted.
"Us? You mean there's more of you?" Hunter interjected, his voice rising slightly.
"There are six or seven more people, but I don’t think any of them survived. I barely made it myself." I shivered at the memory of my near-death experience.
"How did you get here? This is private land," Hunter asked, sounding a bit snippy for some reason, but I chose to ignore it.
"I fell off a cliff into the water; it must have carried me here," I replied truthfully.
They fell silent for a moment, and it was Theon who broke the stillness. "The two men you mentioned, what do they look like?"
I tried to recall any distinguishing features but struggled. "I didn't get a good look at them, but I remember their pale appearance and bloodshot eyes. They were probably high on something."
"One is British," I added.
They exchanged a knowing glance, as if they recognized who I was describing despite my limited details.
"Is there anything else you remember from before that?" Colton pressed.
I furrowed my brows, digging deep into my memories. "I remember driving along a highway lined with towering pine trees and cedar," I began.
"This is Canada. There are pine and cedar trees everywhere. Anything more helpful?" Hunter asked again, his tone dripping with sarcasm. I bit my lip to suppress a snap, reminding myself that they had saved me.
"Canada?" I echoed in surprise. "I live in California. Why am I here?" I asked, more to myself than to them.
Theon walked to the table beside my bed, poured a glass of water, and sat at my side. He took my hand, guiding it to the glass as I took a sip. When I was done, he gently asked, "Is that all?"
"I also remember pulling over to the side of the road. I saw an injured puppy and reached for it when I felt someone stab me with a needle. The next thing I knew, I woke up in the forest," I explained.
"Wow! So a puppy f****d you up? Hunter remarked, opening his vile mouth again.
This time, I’d had enough. I had dealt with arrogant men like him for years, and I wasn’t about to back down. Slowly, I turned my head to meet his gaze, giving him the deadliest glare I could muster. "Sorry, I didn't catch your question. Can you say that again without sounding like a jerk?"
He glared back at me, ready to respond, but Colton placed a hand on his shoulder, as if signaling him to hold his tongue.
We held our stare-down until Theon squeezed my hand. "You have to excuse him; he's just been going through a lot lately," he said, attempting to comfort me.
"Like what? Constipation?" I snapped, my eyes narrowing at Hunter.
He let out a growl, looking ready to charge, but I wasn’t intimidated. I rolled my eyes, feeling triumphant that I had gotten under his skin.
Turning to Theon, I asked, "How soon can I go home?"
I expected Theon to respond, but to my dismay, the arrogant prick opened his mouth again.
"I'm going to be straight with you. You trespassed on my land, and we have reason to believe you were planted here to spy on us. Unless you can prove you are who you claim to be, you’re not going anywhere," he stated firmly.
Is this man being real right now?
"You can check my ID, genius," I snapped back.
"Really? What ID?" he asked with a smug expression.
"It's in my purse. In the car," I replied, my confidence returning momentarily.
He raised an eyebrow. "And where might that be?"
"It's in the..." I paused, struggling to remember. "I...I don't remember," I murmured, my confidence suddenly wavering.
His lips curled into a cruel grin. "You don't remember? How convenient," he snickered.
The bastard! He's enjoying this!
"Like I said, you’re not going anywhere. You’ll come with us once you’re cleared by the doctor," Hunter declared, his voice filled with authority.
"Why don't we just call the cops?" I shot back, trying to sound defiant. "That would be easier."
But he remained unfazed. "Honey, this is my land. And on my land, I am the law," he replied, his arrogance palpable.
As he walked toward the door, Colton followed closely behind. Before Theon joined them, he gave me a reassuring tap on the shoulder.
"It's going to be okay," he said, though I found little comfort in his words.
Hunter paused in the doorway, his tone dripping with disdain. "We’ll be back to collect you. And don’t think about escaping; there’s a guard just outside your room."
With that, they left, the door clicking shut behind them.
Once I was sure they were gone, I let the tears fall. How did I end up here? Why am I in this country? I desperately needed to remember.
Just then, Dr. Pierce rushed into the room with another dose of sedative. "You have to forgive Hunter. He can be a little..." he hesitated, searching for the right word.
"d**k," I blurted, helping him finish his thought.
"A handful, is what I was looking for," he replied with a smile.
"Time to rest," he said, preparing the injection.
After receiving the shot, I waited for a moment before finally drifting off to sleep, silently praying that this was just a bad dream I would wake up from.
- Writer
