Ashley.

“She’s alive!” A voice whispered from the background as I lay flat with my eyes, trying to balance the ray of light from the window.

“Where am I?” I voiced, my voice shrill.

I felt surprised seeing myself in a hospital ward. The last thing I recalled was my head in the round stake and the painful slice from the executioner's axe.

I flinched.

“What’s going on?” I muttered as I raised my head and noticed a nurse with a file in her hand.

“You’ll be fine, Luna.” She smiled wryly at me.

“Oh dear, it’s good to have you back after such a long night. We were all scared and felt you’ve already passed on,” she rubbed her hands slowly, showing sympathy.

“What the hell am I doing here? nurse. Why am I in a hospital, and where the hell is Alex…” I stuttered at the moment. My eyes popped wide open. I realized I just called out the name of my bane. Everything looked so confusing to me at the time and I felt so lost.

“Roan? Roan?!” I heard the voice of a man call as he entered the ward. He looked tense and sweaty as he walked straight to me and hugged me tight.

“I’m so happy you’re back. I thought I lost you to the cold hands of death,” he gasped in tears as he spoke. His voice stuttered and he shivered.

The atmosphere looked weird and complex. Two other ladies entered the ward and they looked surprised to see me. My heart raced at the sight of my skin, which was now brownish.

“What the fuck!” I exclaimed and pushed him away.

“Roan? Calm down! It’s going to be alright,” he gestured with his hands while I rose quickly from the bed. I felt pain behind my back, like something had tampered with my spine.

The name ‘Roan,’ kept on ringing in my head while I stared at them. My name is Ashley, why do these people here refer to me as ‘Roan?’ I muttered.

I panicked.

My voice wasn’t the same, it sounded shallow.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I turned and saw a door which I assumed would lead to the bathroom.

“Excuse me please,” I reacted sharply and walked in. I breathed heavily as I stood and turned to the mirror.

I quailed.

“What the actual fuck?!” I whispered and goosebumps stampeded my skin. It felt like I just saw a ghost. I was totally different. I raised my hands slowly and touched my face. The feel on my skin was smoother and I looked more beautiful, but it looked so weird. It felt like somehow a surgery was carried out on me and a new body was implanted.

“No, this can’t be happening. What the hell is this?!” I shrinked and turned on the tap. I washed my face, hoping to see the old Ashley but no, I was still the same. I heard a knock on the door.

“Roan, are you okay?” The man voiced.

I was confused. Short of words and looked around, like I needed a quick exit, even from the bathroom.

‘Come on Ashley, you’d be fine. Think, think.’

I beat my chest mildly and heard the man knock again.

“My love, what’s going on in there? Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m fine!” I echoed.

‘Fuck, did I just say that?’ I muttered and kept a close look at the mirror. It was my last glance.

I exhaled.

I walked out of the bathroom and discovered he was already standing and waiting at the door.

“Roan, please, you’d have to calm…”

“leave me alone!” I lamented and tried to rush out of the ward but the man who was faster, held me.

“Stop it! Roan! What’s wrong with you?! you just came back to life and you’ll need to rest!” He tried to tame me but he made the matter worse.

“Don’t touch me! Stay away from me!”

The man was surprised. His eyes were fixed on mine as he turned to the ladies who were confused as well.

“Roan? You’ll have to relax, please I need you to…” he tried to get closer to me and hold my shoulders but that only made me panic and I grew outrageous.

“Get the fuck off me! Looser!” I cried and pushed him forcefully. I discovered something weird at that moment. My wolf was stronger, and the aura was top notch. As Ashley, my wolf wasn’t as vibrant as this.

I ran outside the ward still wearing my blue pajamas. The other ladies in the room called out as they chased me behind.

“Roan?! Stop!”

I ran as fast as I could, like someone who just ran mad. I heard my feet clamping on the tiled floor of the lobby as I rushed in between two nurses who were coming my way. The tray which they held in their hands fell off and they both flinched.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized quickly as I kept on with the pace.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I kept on imagining how I got there and everyone else looked so unfamiliar. There was no Alex, no Sophia. The drama in the hospital that morning created a chaotic atmosphere as I heard footsteps behind me. Every part of the hospital I ran across had faces on me. I wasn’t ashamed, I just needed to reach the exit.

“Roan stop!” A familiar voice echoed. I could barely feel my own legs while I ran. My eyes were stationed at the door.

‘That would be the entrance to the hospital and possibly the only exit available,’ I grumbled.

I craved salvation and knew I’d get it once I stepped my foot out of this horrible place. My heart kept on pumping as I heard the footsteps approach even closer.

‘These men would never catch me.’ I muttered.

I was so close to the door and in fact, I felt my hands touch the handle but someone showed up at the entrance, colliding with me. I flinched and hit him forcefully before reaching the ground.

My back began to ache. My eyes were weakened and I could barely see a thing. All I could hear were voices.

“Is she alright?”

“Luna!”

“Roan…”