Chapter Twenty-Five: Echoes from the Depths

Nicholas's POV

I awoke to a disorienting haze, my senses gradually stirring to life. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils while the distant beep of medical monitors punctuated the room's heavy silence. My eyelids fluttered open, and the dim light of the hospital room cast ghostly shadows on the walls.

It took a moment for my mind to grapple with reality. I tried to move, but the familiar frustration of immobility hit me. Panic set in, and I gripped the bedsheets tightly as I struggled to breathe calmly.

As I stirred, I realised I wasn't alone. James, my ever-reliable Beta, sat quietly by my side, his eyes focused intently on me.

"James," I rasped, my voice barely a whisper, throat raw from disuse. "What happened?"

James leaned forward, relief washing over his face. "Thank the moon, you're finally awake, Alpha." He paused, collecting himself. "You had a fever spike. We were worried."

"How long?" I asked, overwhelmed by a sense of lost time.

"A few hours," h