Christina’s POV

I floated between consciousness and oblivion, my entire body burning like I’d been set on fire by hunters targeting werewolves. My throat felt like I’d swallowed the entire Sahara Desert.

"Christina. Christina..." A familiar male voice penetrated my foggy brain, though I couldn’t quite place it.

Cold sweat drenched my forehead as I struggled to surface from whatever nightmare had its claws in me.

"Christina, Christina... wake up... you’re having a nightmare," the voice continued, before addressing someone else. "Doctor, how is she doing?"

"Physically, she’s stable," another voice responded. "The main concern is her mental state. Once the fever breaks, the nightmares should stop and she’ll wake up properly. She’ll recover."

"Thank you, Doctor."

I slipped back into darkness, Akira’s presence faintly pulsing within me, her healing energy slowly working through my system.

When I next opened my eyes, dawn was breaking through unfamiliar curtains. My head pounded.

I shifted my fever-ridden body, causing the figure slumped beside me to stir.

"You’re awake?" He looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

I stared in complete disbelief. "Niall?"

My brain struggled to process reality from hallucination. This had to be some fever dream. There was no way my ex-fiancé was sitting beside my sickbed.

Niall quickly stood up. "You must be thirsty. Let me get you some water."

He returned with a glass of warm water, helped me sit up against his chest, and held the glass to my lips.

"I... I can do it myself," I muttered.

The old Niall had never been this attentive or caring. The guy who’d slapped me across the face and demanded I clean up broken glass while bleeding wouldn’t bring me water or watch over me while I was sick.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, noticing my frown. "Are you in pain?"

I shook my head and sat up, pulling away from his grip to take the glass myself. I gulped down half the water, though it barely soothed my raw throat.

"You saved me?" I asked, setting the glass down.

He nodded. "After you left the restaurant, you seemed completely out of it. I was worried, so I followed you. I never expected you to just... fall into the water."

I tried desperately to piece together my fractured memories. "You saw me fall? Did you see who pushed me?"

Niall’s eyes widened. "Someone pushed you? I didn’t see anything."

"You didn’t?"

"No." He paused awkwardly. "Honestly, I didn’t even realize it was you at first. After you left the restaurant, I didn’t follow immediately. I knew you didn’t want me around. I was driving home and cut through the park as a shortcut when I heard a splash. I stopped and ran over—I just saw hands struggling in the water. I jumped in without thinking. I only realized it was you after I’d pulled you out."

I listened carefully, struggling to remember what had happened. "How long was I unconscious?"

"Two days."

I glanced around the unfamiliar room. "Where are we? This isn’t a hospital."

"My new place. I bought it after moving out of the Frostpelt Pack compound."

He continued, "I was going to take you to the hospital, but this was closer, and my neighbor is a doctor. Dr. Gould has been checking on you. Hope that’s okay."

I shook my head, immediately regretting it when pain shot through my skull. "No, it’s fine. You saved my life. I should be thanking you."

Even though my mind was racing with questions and suspicions.

"Where’s my phone?" I asked.

Hudson and Ysolde were probably going insane with worry. The thought of Hudson searching for me made my heart ache.

"He’ll be looking everywhere for me," Akira whimpered.

Niall shrugged. "Don’t know. You didn’t have it when I pulled you out."

I looked down at myself, noticing I was wearing unfamiliar pajamas.

Sensing my thoughts, he quickly added, "Don’t worry, I hired a nurse. She changed your clothes."

"Thanks for saving me, but I need to go," I said.

"Why rush? You’re still feverish. That lake was freezing cold, and who knows how long you were in there before I found you. Stay until you’re recovered. Dr. Gould can monitor you." Niall watched me with an almost pleading expression.

I shook my head firmly. "No, I need to go. People will be worried sick."

When I tried to stand, a wave of dizziness crashed over me, forcing me back onto the bed.

"See? You’re still weak. How are you planning to leave like this?" Niall said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

"Can I at least use your phone?"

"Sure. Who do you want to call?"

"Hudson."

Niall frowned. "You still want to go back to him?"

I didn’t bother responding.

"Haven’t you seen enough? His heart belongs to someone else—he doesn’t love you. Christina, come back to me. Let’s start over." Niall reached for my hand.

I jerked away like he was contagious. "Not happening. Are you seriously trying to use saving my life as leverage? Is that why you did it?"

He looked genuinely offended. "Is that what you think of me? That I’d take advantage of you like this?"

I met his gaze steadily. "While I was unconscious for two whole days, did you call Hudson to tell him I was here?"

He glanced away. "Why would I call my rival?"

"Did you call Ysolde, then?"

He hesitated. "I was so worried about you, I didn’t think about it."

"Really?" I said sarcastically. "So you brought me to your place and didn’t tell a single soul I was here. What would you call that, if not taking advantage?"