Fated Bonds

Karissa

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Ugh, that was annoying. Couldn’t someone turn that off?

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Was this a new torture technique they were trying out? It was working, if that was the case.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Fucking hell… Can’t a girl just get some sleep?

Beep… Beep… Beep…

A wet nose nudged my hand. Ranga? What was he doing here? I could feel his tongue gently licking at my hand. My fingers automatically reached out and caressed across his muzzle.

More things started to come into focus.

I was encased in something soft instead of lying on hard concrete. The air smelled fresh instead of damp, despite my window.

Ranga was pressed against my right side. There was a shuffling of papers and the light scratching of a pen. Ranga gave a soft bark, and I gave a grunt.

It wasn’t time to wake up yet… I liked my dream. I could only remember a warm feeling and a gentle voice, but even that was starting to fade.

“Oh, is she starting to wake up?” a woman asked next to me. “You’re such a good boy, watching over your bonded like this.”

I didn’t have to see to know that Ranga would have had a big doggy grin on his face with his tongue hanging out.

His pants hit my face, and holy fuck, that doggy breath. Damn Ranga, what have you been eating?!

I groaned and turned my head away. A gentle hand rested lightly on my shoulder.

“Ma’am, are you awake?”

I gave a grunt. I didn’t know. I didn’t want to word right now.

“Ma’am, can you try opening your eyes, please?”

Weren’t they already open? I felt like they should be open… And why hasn’t that beeping stopped?!

Another soft bark came before Ranga’s paw came down on my stomach. Light assailed me as my eyes flew open and my body jerked.

“Oof! Ooooow…,” I said. I felt my muscles stretch, but the usual pains were lacking. My head was also feeling a little floaty.

I blinked my eyes quickly, several times. I…was in a hospital room? How did that happen? When did that happen?

“That was very bad,” the woman’s voice admonished Ranga, who gave a small whine and put his head down. “Ma’am, are you with me?”

I looked over at the woman and had to blink a couple of times. She was wearing a white coat, which made her the doctor.

“Uh, yeah, I think so…,” I said, my voice sounding a little raspy. The doctor grabbed a cup with a straw and held it to my lips. I took several sips and felt the cool water soothe my throat.

I nodded and the doctor placed the cup on a side table, then pulled a rolling tray closer to her and took a note down in a chart.

“I’m Doctor Arpa. I would like to do a few tests. Do you feel up to that?”

I had to blink at her for a couple of seconds. Tests?

“Uh, I guess. I’m feeling a little confused and floaty. Is all this real?” I asked.

The doctor nodded. “Yes, this is real.”

“Where am I?” I asked.

“You’re in the main hospital for the Granite Eclipse werewolf pack located in New Hampshire, in the United States,” she answered.

“I’m back in America?” I asked, my voice wavering as I tried to hold back the tears from the relief that flooded through me.

“Yes, welcome home,” she said kindly, with a soft smile.

My tears broke through and I grabbed onto Ranga, who just gently licked my tears away.

I was able to calm myself down after a few minutes, mainly due to the fact that my ribcage spasmed with every breath. Doctor Arpa had also been lightly rubbing my upper arm.

“I’m sorry,” I said, wiping my face with the tissues she handed me.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Doctor Arpa said. “I can do the test at a later time, if you would like.”

I shook my head “No, no, it’s fine, really. I’m okay now,” I said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Okay, just do the best that you can. There are no wrong answers.” She then started asking a lot of questions which kinda blurred together.

Can you feel this? Follow this. Does this hurt?

“Okay, last test. How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Two.” She changed the number. “Four.” Another change. “Two and a thumb.”

“Okay, smartass, and now?”

“Now that’s just rude,” I said to her raised middle finger. We both laughed and I grabbed my ribcage as it spasmed. “Ow…”

“Even breaths now. You did very well, by the way. I would like to keep you here at least a few more days,” the doctor said.

Once I was able to relax back, the doctor added, “Alpha Nilas would like to come and talk with you, but I can tell him to wait if you would like to get some rest.”

I nodded, tired from the relief of being rescued and the testing I’d just finished.

“Rest sounds good. Food too,” I answered.

“All right. I will tell Alpha Nilas to wait until you are more alert to visit. In the meantime, I’ll send a nurse up with a light meal. Do you have a favorite Jell-O?”

I had to think for a second. Jell-O? It’d been years since I’d had the stuff.

“Orange,” I said, the flavor finally coming to me. The doctor nodded once more. “Thanks, Doc,” I said.

She rested a hand lightly on my shoulder with a smile. “Go ahead and get some rest now. Snuggle up with your bonded.”

I gave a nod and let my head rest against the pillows. Ranga shifted a little further up to snuggle with me. The door closed and my fingers found Ranga’s fur.

“You know, Ranga, this is a really nice dream. This is one that I wouldn’t mind not waking up from,” I said as my eyes started to drift closed once more.