38

Dawn

I woke up disoriented. My body ached and my mind struggled to piece together what had happened. Instead of the comfy scent of my room, the sterile smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils. Blinking against the harsh light, I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my side, forcing me back down. My head pounded, and I felt dizzy. Confusion gripped me.

“Dawn, you’re awake!” Princess’s voice broke through the fog. She was at my bedside almost immediately.

“What… what happened?” I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy.

Princess exchanged a look with Nadia, who stood at the foot of my bed with a grave expression. “You need to stay put and rest,” She said gently.

I frowned. “No, I need to know. Why are you both here? What’s going on with the pack?”

“Let’s talk about you first,” Princess said softly. “How do you feel?”

“Like I was hit by a truck,” I muttered, wincing as I shifted. “What happened? Is everyone alright? The test... it turned real, didn’t it?”

Nadia placed a hand on my s