Masked

CHAPTER 46 | long road to recovery

Abbotsford Regional Hospital, Abbotsford

Turn that stupid alarm off, will you?

Everything was dark. But the high-pitched beeps just wouldn't stop. Beep. Beep. Beep. Parker tried to focus on the rhythm. It sounded familiar. Almost like it was keeping time with her heartbeat.

God, that alarm is irritating. Who turned out the lights?

She stilled when she felt a slight tension on the upper part of her arm, and she became more alert. It wasn't dark. Her eyes were closed, and that god-awful sound was... medical monitors. When the pressure around her arm became uncomfortable, she forced her eyes open to discover a nurse in a blue uniform taking her blood pressure.

The nurse smiled. "You're awake. I'll inform the doctor."

Once he left, Parker willed her body to move, but her arms were as useless as the rest of her body. The fog was clearing and the events of the past few days came crashing over her in broken pieces.

Oh God!

She squeezed her eyes shut in the hopes that would stop her from reliving the nightmare. The beeping monitors picked up speed and kept time with her racing heart.

A much larger hand gently nudged her, and a sense of calm enveloped her. The irritating monitor beeps slowed.

She opened her eyes and looked into familiar piercing green eyes.

Relief flooded Daniel's face, and he gazed down on her with a gentle smile. His voice was deep and comforting as he leaned in and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Before she could reply, the nurse returned with a doctor in tow.

The doctor checked the monitors and her vitals. "I'm Doctor Greyson. Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital?"

"And do you know why you are here?"

She struggled to formulate a response. Even in her addled state, she understood she needed to be careful with her answers. She looked to Daniel, who had stepped to one side, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "No, it's all a bit of a haze right now."

Dr. Greyson patted her hand. "That's alright Ms. Johnson, it will come back eventually. The body's ability to protect itself is extremely strong. You should make a full recovery." He made notes on her chart and smiled reassuringly. "You just won't be deep sea diving ever again." He chuckled at his own joke.

Once they were alone Daniel said, "How are you feeling?"

Parker inhaled oxygen through the small prongs resting under her nose. Scattered memories of Daniel's wolf returned. Images of Matheo as he beat her flashed before her eyes. Her body involuntarily shook when she remembered how much pleasure her injuries brought him. "Is he... I mean... is Matheo, you know..." She couldn't find the words.

Daniel reached for her hand and perched his large frame on the side of the hospital bed. "Gone?" His jaw clenched. "Yes, he is."

She swallowed. What was a dream and what was real? She struggled to find the appropriate words. "And, you really... did what you did to him?"

Daniel nodded, his face grim.

She closed her eyes and recalled the moment. While she didn't want to admit it, a part of her had been overjoyed by his brutal death. Matheo had killed her friend, and nothing was going to bring her back. With his death came a small measure of justice for Beth, Trevor, Bobby, and all the others who fell before them.