Chapter 10

Kat's POV

I was woken up by the sound of knocking on my door. At first, I stayed still, cuddled up under the warm blankets, not wanting to move. My body felt heavy with sleep, and for a second, I forgot where I was. I blinked a few times, staring at the ceiling, until the knocking came again, a little louder this time.

I forced myself to sit up, yawning as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. My voice came out scratchy when I called out, “Who is it?”

A soft, polite voice answered from the other side of the door, “Breakfast is ready, miss.”

I sat there for a second longer, processing the words. Breakfast. Right. I wasn’t at the pack hospital anymore. I was in the pack house now. In a real room that was mine.

“Thank you!” I called out, my voice still a bit sleepy.

I heard the sound of footsteps walking away, and after a few seconds, everything was quiet again. I let out a small sigh and pushed the covers off me. I sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the soft rug underneath my feet. I stretched my arms above my head, letting out a big yawn, feeling my muscles loosen up.

Slowly, I got up and walked toward the window. The heavy curtains were still closed, keeping the room a little dim and cozy. I grabbed the edge of the curtain and pulled it open. A flood of bright sunlight poured into the room, making me squint for a moment. The light warmed the room immediately, making everything look even more beautiful. I smiled to myself, feeling a tiny spark of happiness I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I glanced at the small clock sitting on the nightstand. My eyes widened a bit when I saw how late it was. I had slept in pretty late, but after everything that had happened, I figured I deserved it. It had been so long since I felt safe enough to actually sleep deeply.

Feeling a little more awake, I headed for the bathroom. The bathroom was just as pretty as the bedroom. Everything looked so clean and fancy, like something out of a hotel. I turned on the shower and waited until steam started to rise before stepping in.

The warm water hit my skin and it felt like pure heaven. I stood under the spray for a long time, just letting it run over me. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, enjoying the feeling. It felt like the water was washing away not just the sleep but some of the sadness and stress too. For a few minutes, it was just me and the sound of the water.

I grabbed the bottle of soap sitting on the shelf and squeezed some into my hand. It smelled like sweet berries and flowers, making the whole bathroom smell amazing. I lathered it over my body, scrubbing gently. I even took the time to shampoo my hair, massaging my scalp slowly.

The warm water made my muscles relax, and I realized just how sore I had been without even knowing it. When I finally rinsed off, I felt cleaner and lighter, like I could breathe a little easier.

I turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping myself in the fluffy white towel hanging by the door. It felt soft against my skin, and I stood there for a minute, just enjoying the warmth. My hair was dripping, so I grabbed another towel and wrapped it around my head.

Padding barefoot back into the bedroom, I headed straight for the closet. Opening the doors, I admired the clothes inside for a moment. There were dresses, jeans, leggings, tops, jackets—everything a girl could want. It was all so neatly arranged, and everything looked new.

After a few minutes of looking, I decided on a simple pair of black leggings and a soft pink top. They looked comfortable and not too flashy, which was exactly what I wanted. I got dressed quickly, the clothes fitting me perfectly. It almost made me feel like I belonged here… almost.

I ran a brush through my wet hair, smoothing out the tangles. I didn’t bother drying it with a hairdryer; I figured it would dry on its own. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked… okay. Not perfect, but better than I had looked in days.

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the little key Cindy had given me the day before and tucked it into my pocket.

As I opened my door and stepped out into the hallway, I was still tying my hair into a messy ponytail when a loud bang startled me. The door right across from mine was thrown open so hard it hit the wall with a thud. I jumped back a little in surprise, my heart skipping a beat.

The blonde girl I had seen yesterday with Alpha Liam stormed out of the room. She looked flustered and rushed, her hair a tangled mess like she had just rolled out of bed. She wore tight jeans and a crop top, and even though she still looked beautiful, there was something mean in her eyes as they landed on me.

For a few seconds, we just stared at each other. I froze, not sure what to say or do.

Then she narrowed her eyes at me, her lips curling into a disgusted frown. She huffed loudly like I was something she had stepped on by accident, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and stomped away down the hall, her heels clacking sharply against the wooden floor.

I just stood there awkwardly, blinking after her.

"Okay… weird," I muttered to myself.

I shrugged it off. I didn’t even know her name, and honestly, I didn’t care if she had a problem with me. I wasn’t here to make enemies.

I shook my head and made my way down the hallway, following the delicious smells that floated through the air. My stomach grumbled embarrassingly loud. I hadn't realized just how hungry I was until now.

I finally found the staircase and headed down carefully, my hand brushing the wooden railing as I went.