Chapter 4

It felt so surreal. Mercedes felt at peace and relaxed for the first time. She was not scared or anxious that anything bad would happen, and it was a strange feeling considering how people are at the hospital because of something bad. It had just been 5 days, and she was already getting used to the hospital room she was in. Everyone she met treated her well and catered to everyone's needs, no matter how small it seemed. Although she had a feeling that it had something to do with her good and first friend ever, Crystal.

Crystal had been a Godsend to her. She came more than necessary to check on her. But she was not complaining. It was like she understood her. She didn't want to be all alone and feel that eerie loneliness again. When Crystal came over she would talk all about her life and what an amazing family she had. Her husband loved her to bits. She even told her she was pregnant with her first child. In all that time, she felt like she got to know her completely and that they bonded. Mercedes felt a little bit sad when Crystal told her about her family, but she was glad not everyone was cursed as she was.

Crystal was an oversharer, and it was good because she could not imagine herself reliving her past so soon after feeling a little bit better. So she was glad that from the first day she was admitted to the hospital, Crystal was no longer probing into her life. It would be torturous to get to relive those moments again.

Then there was a werewolf issue. She hadn't said a word about it to anyone. To be honest, she has doubts about it herself. What are the odds that she was being chased by a werewolf that almost killed, and she was rescued by three werewolves? She could have just passed out in the forest because of stress and fatigue and had a dream about the werewolf saga. But deep down she knew everything she witnessed was true. She felt it within her. Maybe she just did not want it to be true because it was a big thing. It would mean that everything fictional about the supernatural and all those other things that are supposed to be impossible is possible, and the truth has always been what was 'supposedly not true'. But people would remain oblivious of it because there was no proof of their existence other than being seen by a runaway homeless girl. Yeah, sure they would believe her. Anyway, she felt that some things were better off unsaid. Humans don't exactly have the best reactions to things beyond. She was lucky she didn't lose her marbles and ran around telling people she saw a car-sized wolf. So she decided to try and pretend that nothing happened and let sleeping don't lie. Those wolves did not kill her even though they could have decided to do so for their secret to remain a secret. They must have thought no one would believe her, but that counts for something because it is a risk, and they took it.

But there was still the unexplained homicide case pending. Everyone was murdered except her, and she doesn't remember what the hell happened. All these strange things happening had to mean something, but that is what she could not seem to figure out. How ill-fated could she be to experience all these misfortunes one after the other? Being among dead bodies and getting chased by a creepy murderous werewolf was something she did not want to experience again. She got chills thinking of what was in store for her when she left the hospital. Too bad, she could not extend her stay because she couldn't afford to pile up the bill in her account.

Speaking of which, she had to ask Crystal when she came for her next round. She bit her nails, trying to think of how she would pay her hospital bills. Who was she kidding? There was no way she could afford anything at the moment. At that very moment, the nurse came in with a bowl of fruit, pancakes with honey smeared on them, and topped off cherries with iced tea. Guilt set in and her big appetite vanished. How could she stand to sit and just be a freeloader? Now she won't be able to stomach the delicious-looking breakfast.

But to try and make herself feel better, she thought of it from another angle. She could not afford all this, but she can't have it all go to waste by refusing it when it is already in front of her. It sounded ridiculous, but she needed to find a way to enjoy her meal without feeling guilty.

The nurse put the tray of food on the bedtable and gave her a sweet smile. Mercedes forced a smile of her own. The nurse then fluffed her pillow to make it a bit more comfortable for her and add to her already humongous guilt. She wanted to tell the nurse to stop doing unnecessary things for her comfort, but her mouth would not cooperate with her. Just what she needed, for her to feel like shit when she was feeling good. She blamed all the time she had, which made her overthink so much about things. After all, it is said that an idle mind is a devil's workshop. She was staying in the hospital and enjoying the benefits, knowing she couldn't pay.

At that moment, the door opened, and she smiled when she caught a whiff of a familiar scent. But there was another unfamiliar scent. A strong masculine scent that was so intoxicating. Crystal entered her room with a man by her side. A rugged, deliciously handsome complete knockout, literally. She gasped as if someone knocked the air out of her lungs. He had jet black hair, Sapphire hooded eyes, peachy full lips with a five o'clock shadow. Just her luck. Such a handsome man had to see her with a bird's nest for hair and a hospital gown. Her cheeks became stained with a rosy shade, and she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

" Hello, Mercedes. Today I came with my superior to see you," Crystal said. Mercedes's brows furrowed in confusion. Why would her superior need to see her? Her heart rate picked up, thinking that she was finally going to get kicked out of the hospital. Her eyes landed on Crystal, silently asking for an explanation. Crystal's eyes were filled with guilt and sadness. She had a great time with Mercedes, and she didn't want her to leave, but it was 'what is best for everyone '. Not her words. Jake said so while trying to convince her to let go of Mercedes and forget about her. Everyone thought so, so she was outnumbered.

" What's going on Crystal?" Mercedes finally asked, trying to lessen the tension in the room. The superior Crystal referred to was standing by the corner staring at her stoically.

Crystal advanced closer to her and reached for her hand, grabbing her attention from the superior. " I have to tell you something," she admitted to her. Mercedes gulped, and the suspense was killing her. Crystal sighed heavily as what she wanted to say was not something easy. She sat by her bedside and looked her in her eyes. " Since the day you came in you have been under the misconception that you are in a hospital... for humans, but you are not," she confessed to her. Mercedes's heart rate picked up and the monitor beeped.

" W-what d-do you mean Crystal," she asked, trying her best not to freak out. Crystal rubbed her arm, trying to soothe her stress. "Whatever you saw that night, it's all true, and you are in a werewolf clinic in the pack grounds," Felix spoke for the first time since he entered the room. Mercedes's eyes widened, and she removed Crystal's arms from her shoulders. " What's going on here? What is this and why did you bring me here?" her voice was an octave higher than she intended to. " You are here because you went somewhere you shouldn't have. Don't you humans warn each other about venturing into the woods at night? You saw something you were not supposed to see, and now we have to undo that," Felix said impatiently.

Nothing made sense to Mercedes.

''Alpha, please! Let me talk to her. Give me some time and I will bring her to your office," Crystal pleaded with Felix through the mind link to not make the situation worse. Felix nodded his head stiffly and silently walked out the door. Now Crystal was left alone with Mercedes. The situation was less tense now and Mercedes felt her body instantly relaxed.

" I know you are still in shock, but that's the truth. I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to agitate you." Mercedes was silent, trying to wrap her head around what she had just heard. She had been surrounded by werewolves and she had no bloody clue. Just when she felt like she was in a better place, a safe place.

"Talk to me... please." Mercedes looked at Crystal in curiosity. When she first saw werewolves in the woods, she thought all sorts of terrible stuff, but looking at Crystal, she was different. She is caring and sweet, unlike her superior.

" What was he talking about? What are they going to do to me?" she asked, recollecting him saying they had to undo what she saw. Crystal figured there was no use to be beating around the bush. She was not going to remember any of it anyway. " There is a witch, Alexa. The Alpha called her so that she could erase your memory." Mercedes's mouth dropped in astonishment. The part of erasing her memory went over her head and she was stuck on the witch part.

"Is there a witch here?"