Chapter 53

Stacey

Attempting to stretch, I find the blanket clinging to me like a cocoon of stifling warmth and unease, hindering my movements. A faint scent of disinfectant fills the air, causing my nose to wrinkle in response. Overwhelming heat and discomfort engulf me, while one side of my body remains oddly numb. As I slowly open my eyes, the incessant beeping of machines fills my ears, accompanied by the gentle sound of someone snoring beside me.

Oh … I’m about to shove him off me, staring at the man lying next to me, but something about him looks so peaceful, so vulnerable, I can’t bring myself to disturb him. How can I refuse? I watch him sleep, noticing the dark shadows under his eyes, the way his tousled dark wavy hair falls in front of his face, and how his lips part in his sleep. He is beautiful, god damn.

Still, it doesn’t change what he did … he marked me and then tossed me back into the brutal games. Gemma is - and his mate is still here. I saw her come past my room earlier in a whe