Chapter 0074

Pain consumes me. It's a relentless fire burning through every nerve. I reach for Selene, but she's locked in her own brutal fight. I sense her struggle yet can't bridge the distance between us. We'll have to battle this poison from opposite ends and fight our way toward each other.

My body won't obey me. Eyes sealed shut, limbs heavy as lead. Only my other senses remain.

Then it comes - the rich aroma of chocolate chip cookies. The scent works like magic, loosening the tension in my muscles. Someone's holding my hand. The right one. The pain there is fading, replaced by comforting warmth. I cling to that sensation like a lifeline. The only part of me not screaming in agony.

Voices drift in and out. One sounds like Dad's, but the words won't form clearly.

When awareness returns, the comforting hand is gone. The cookie scent has faded to a whisper. My body feels like it's been shrink-wrapped in barbed wire. I focus on chasing that fading chocolate smell, desperate for its calming effect.

A door opens. Fresh air carries the cookie scent back in full force. My mental sigh of relief is almost physical. The aroma soothes my frayed nerves like a balm.

A chair scrapes against the floor. Suddenly, the white-hot pain in my leg dulls. That same warm hand now rests on my thigh. The relief is instant. My mind floats free, surrendering to peaceful darkness.

Snarling jolts me awake. The cookie scent remains strong, but the pain in my leg has returned - less intense now, though I'd prefer it gone completely.

The growling fades into the distance, replaced by muffled shouting. Frustration burns - I want to open my eyes, to tell them I'm here, that I'll be okay. The whir of wheelchair wheels announces Dad's arrival. Softer footsteps follow, along with hushed voices, before unconsciousness drags me under again.

Time means nothing. When I next surface, the pain has dulled to a manageable ache. I force my eyelids open - and immediately slam them shut against the blinding hospital lights. A soft groan escapes as the brightness stabs through my skull.

"Evelyn? Sweetheart, can you hear me? Someone get Dr. Whitmore!" Dad's voice cracks with emotion. I try opening my eyes again, but the light burns like acid.

"Kill the overheads. Hang on, Evelyn, we'll fix the lighting."

The switch clicks. Even through closed lids, I see the difference. This time when I open my eyes, the adjusted light still stings but doesn't blind.

"Dad." My voice sounds like gravel. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, throat drier than desert sand.

"Here, darling." A straw touches my lips. I gulp greedily, then choke as the water hits my parched throat. Coughing violently, I collapse back, exhausted from the simple act of drinking.

"Try again, Evelyn. They're hydrating you intravenously, but you need to drink too. It'll help Selene fight the venom." That gets through the fog. I open my mouth obediently. This time the water goes down smoothly, and I drain the glass.

"I'll fetch more." That's Genevieve's voice. Blinking, I confirm it's her taking the empty glass from Dad's hands.

"Evelyn." Dad's voice brings my focus back. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Like I got hit by a truck." My weak smile probably looks more like a grimace.

"How long was I out?" Time had become meaningless. For all I knew, minutes or months could have passed.

"Adrian found you about thirty-six hours ago. You've been unconscious here in the pack medical center since." So Adrian was my rescuer. I wonder if he's the source of that comforting cookie scent.

The door opens again. Nathaniel enters first, followed by Dr. Whitmore, with Genevieve bringing up the rear - a fresh water glass in one hand, pitcher in the other.