— •⚡️ Isabella ⚡️• —

Fluttering my eyelashes open, I turn to the clock that sits beside my bed, but instead of a clock, I'm met with wires, a drip and a consistent beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Wait? Am I in hospital? How did I get to the hospital? I groan and slowly heave myself out of bed.
The smell of antiseptic floods my nostrils, almost choking me.

"You were found nearly dead in the forest, that's how." A deep voice speaks entering the room.

"W...wait, how did you know-" I mutter, confused by the situation.

"Because you spoke aloud darling." he chuckles to himself as my cheeks flush red.

Remembering what happened, I reach for my neck, gasping when I feel the bite. It's now swollen massively on my skin. Then it dawned on me. I realised what he had just said now. I start to shake uncontrollably.

"I nearly died..." I whisper. The room around me spins and I fall back. But I miss the bed and slump to the floor.

The floor is cold, but the darkness I'm met with is colder.

"Someone come quick! She fainted, the heart monitor is slowing down." Is the last thing I heard before I slip into an uncomfortable black.

— • ⚡️ • —

I awaken, but still, feel like I'm unconscious. I can't feel myself like I'm floating on a cotton candy cloud. It's strange.

Slowly, I open my mouth to speak but no words come out. Eventually, I mutter out a few letters, not really plausible as words.

Next to me, a tall man in a black suit stirs. "Oh, you're awake." He speaks in an Irish accent. He has curly brown hair and his face looks much older than his lively and young, sparkling eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I am. Ummm... why does it feel like I'm floating, like I'm here but not really here?" I say facing him.

"Well darling, that would be because you are drugged up on painkillers and suppressers right now."

"Why the suppressers? What do they do?" I question, now really confused.

His eyes glitter with amusement at my question. "Oh darling, you have much to learn." He simply states, but not before picking up my hand and kissing it, then walking out. Leaving me utterly confused.

— • ⚡️ • —

I don't remember when I got discharged from the hospital, but when I wake up again, I'm back in my room, my tent, I'm back at camp.

I roll over and manage to get out of bed with some discomfort.

Turning around to look around the tent, everything as it should be, as it was left. My mum is sat in the corner in her chair.

"Mama, why am I here? Wasn't I in hospital?" I ask, really confused.

"Yeah, you were in a hospital, our hospital." She replies.

"Since when do we have a hospital?" I scrunch my face up in confusion. I feel like I'm only being told half a story.

I've lived here all my life, obviously moving sometimes, but the majority of my life has been spent on this site. I would have seen it, right?

"We have always had a hospital darling, but we rarely use it unless we need to, the equipment is very expensive and so we try to use it only when extremely necessary. You nearly died from that bite Isabella, we couldn't lose you, your case was extremely necessary." she says, now very serious.

I just shrug and head out of the tent. "Bye, mom." I say as I leave.

Outside I'm met with the crisp air. Refreshing air.

Spotting Abi sat in a tree on the edge of the woods not too far from the fire pit. I make my way towards her.

"Hey girl!" I shout. Obviously startled by my voice she jumps and almost falls out of the tree. I just laugh.

"It's not funny, but hi to you too. How are you doing?" She says, righting herself on the branch and signalling for me to join her.

"Yeah, I'm okay I guess, if you class nearly dying as okay." I say as I manoeuvre my way up the tree.

She's deep in thought for a moment. A frown on her face. But when she notices me looking at her, she smiles and turns to me.

"So... how do you feel knowing it's your birthday in 4 days?" She says. Obviously trying to lighten the mood.

"Wait, only 4 days till my birthday?" I say, shocked.

"Yeah... did no one tell you?" She says.

"Oh wait, I think I remember being told when I was dying." I say sarcastically.

She just laughs, unsure of what to say to my comment.

"As if I'm 16 years old in 4 days. Wow." I say. The reality of it all sinking in.

"Oh my gosh, we need a party!" I say suddenly. "But what type of party?" I mutter, thinking to myself.

"I can help you plan it if you like?" Abi says suggestively.

I smile at her. "Yeah, I'd like that."

We sit there for a few hours, discussing the arrangement of my party. The sun starts to set, painting a picturesque view through the trees.

A voice interrupts our conversation, slicing through it like a knife. "Hey, you guys gonna sit up there all day chatting? Or are you gonna come hang out with your other friends?" I hear Lucas say. Next to him, are the twins, Jamie and Jack.

Smirking I say "Nah I'm good, I think I'll stay up here chatting. Watch the sunset with my bestie." I shoot Lucas a look at the word bestie.

"Fine. I'll hang out with my bestie!" He shouted over his shoulder as he walked away. The twins trailing behind.

Next to me Abi just laughed. "You two are so childish, I swear."

We sat there for a while longer until the sunset had faded to give way for a galactic blue and it was time for the stars to come out.

"Come on. We actually should be getting back now." I say to her and jump down from the tree.

She shook her head. "I honestly don't know how you do that." She made her own way down by scrambling down like a squirrel. Pretty funny to watch really.

— • 🔐 Lucas 🔐 • —

The sun had just set and I was making my way back from the tree Bella and Abbie were sat in. Girls are so boring, honestly. All they do is talk. At least these girls know how to climb trees.

Jamie turned to me. "So... Bella is nearly 16. What do you think of that?"

I just shrugged my shoulders. "I honestly don't know. I hope she's my mate though. It would make sense from how well we get on, but you never know."

"What about Brooke?" It was Jacks turn to speak now.

I tensed at the name. "What about Brooke?" I almost spat the words out. That name disgusts me. "Don't ever bring up her name again!" I turned to face Jack, teeth bared. It looks quite strange in human form but it serves its purpose.

He just nodded his head in fear. Turned and ran back towards the camp as fast as he could. Jamie looked at me with both guilt and annoyance, then darted off after his brother.

So I was here in the forest again. All alone. Might as well make use. I'm hungry. I shifted into wolf form. I could hear the clicks and scrapes of my bones as they moved positions. My skin pierced by long claws. After the transition, I shake, not feeling fully comfortable in my wolf form today.

My dark coat matched the darkening sky. I let out a howl of anger. How dare they bring up Brooke. Do they have no respect? I'm the future Alpha of this so-called pack. Without me, this pack would turn to totally wild rogues. It would be chaos. I know my dad isn't staying in power for much longer so I need to decide who my enemies and who my allies are.

I set off walking through the forest. Trying to pick up the scent of any unsuspecting animals. Eventually, I tracked a rabbit. That was good enough for an evening snack I suppose.

I followed the scent until I came to a little cluster of grass and trees. The rabbits right there. I stalk forwards a little further but the wind must have changed as the rabbit sped off out of sight.

Dammit!

I spin on my paws and make my way back to camp.

On my way back I could feel something was wrong, but I didn't know what. Whipping my head around I couldn't see anything, but I felt like someone was watching me.

Hiding close to a dense area of trees, I shift back into my human form and jog back towards camp to meet with everyone.

— • ⚡️ Isabella ⚡️ • —

Abi and I were on our way back to camp when I felt something strange.

"Abi, I feel like someone is following us." I whisper to her.

She walks slower and smells the air. SMELLS THE AIR. WHO THE FUCK SMELLS THE AIR TO SEE IF SOMEONE IS THERE?

"Whatever it was, is gone now." She simply states.

I turn around staring at the trees hoping it would reveal our stalker.

"But Abi... how do you know." I ask confused.

She just shook her head. "I just do."

She's obviously hiding something from me.

Yeah, she is.

Ummm what?

Hello??

Hello????

Nothing. Okay.

"Umm, Bella? You went really quiet and zoned out. You okay?" Abi asks.

"Oh yeah, I'm okay." I say

As we head back to camp I keep thinking about that voice. I definitely heard something. I think. I'm probably a little spaced out from the medication.

Anyway, I have worse things to worry about, like planning my birthday!!

Word count [1676]

What did you think to this chapter? There were more PoV changes, I might continue changing PoV more often, what do you think?

- Bri xox