Lost Lies

I woke up with a startled scream, my heart racing and my mind spinning. I closed my eyes, running my fingers through my hair, and let my senses adjust to where I was.

Wait, where actually am I? I thought, quickly opening my eyes and frantically scanning the room.

Machines beeped and buzzed around me, the walls were painted in plain colours and chairs sat in the corner of the room. Nurses and doctors wearing aprons and lab coats scurried past the door, carrying equipment or wheeling patients through the wards.

I pulled the oxygen mask off my face and coughed. I stared at the many tubes and wires weaving in and out my body and the horrid looking hospital gown I wore. My skin was covered in a black dust like substance.

I began pulling out the wires and tubes, sending the machines crazy, but I ignored the pain and noise as I did so.

“Oh, Winter, what are you doing?” A familiar voice asked from the doorway.

I swung my legs out of bed and pushed myself up, only to wobble and fall back. I sat on the edge of the bed, my head swimming.

“You ok?” Doctor Tom came over and shone a small torch in my eyes.

I blinked a few times and he pulled away to write down something on a note board beside my bed.

I rolled my neck and shoulders, getting rid of the knotting pain in them, as I said, “Yes, I just feel uneasy.”

“Ah, that will be from being out cold for three days. Now, back into to bed and let me wire you back up.” Tom said, ushering me into the bed and attaching the wires back in their places.

“What?” I gasped.

“Winter, do you remember what happened to you?”

I nodded as a flush of images eclipsed my mind.

“I-I remember being in a church; Chris was there, he betrayed me…he tried to kill me. He tied me to the - he tied me the devil’s cross,” I choked, watching the scene unfurl in my mind.

“Anything else?” an irritating, familiar voice echoed from the door.

“Go away, Hull,” I groaned.

“Not until I hear what happened,” he said, making his way over to the bed, but he stopped when deadly growl echoed around the room.

“Whoa, boy,” Detective Hull said uneasily to the source of the growl, holding his hands up at shoulder height.

At the end of the bed, something large and fluffy lay at my feet, ears pricked up and its teeth bared.

“At ease, boy,” I smiled, but it quickly faded when I remembered what Chris had said in the church.

The growling stopped and turned into a mixture of a whine and a howl of joy. Alex’s green eyes sparkled and his ears perked up.

He became quiet and crawled up beside me, his body stretched out alongside mine. He rested his head on my chest and nuzzled my neck.

“Hey,” I whispered, stroking his head.

“The mutt hasn’t let anyone near you for days, only certain people. He wouldn’t leave your side, even when we put you in the back of the ambulance; he followed after and into the building. We called animal control, but even they couldn’t stop him, so in the end, we let him stay by your side.” Detective Hull explained, taking a seat beside me.

Alex growled again and I tapped him on the head, giving him a warning look so he would stop. He grunted and rested his head back on my chest.

“So, as you were saying, Chris tried to kill you, is that correct?” Detective Hull asked, scribbling down notes.

Alex growled under his breath, but I ignored him as I explained what happened.

“Well, like I said, Chris tied me to a cross -.”

“Wait, isn’t Chris dead? That’s what I heard.” Detective Hull said, eyeing Alex with a frown. He continued to growl unsteadily.

“Obviously not, that ba-.” I took a deep breath. “He tried to burn me alive; because it seemed stabbing me wasn’t enough.” I spat.

“What do you mean stabbed you? He tied you to a cross and stabbed you, then tried to burn down the church with you still inside?”

“More like threw the knives at me, but I managed to break free. I was too weak to fight back. That’s when I heard a crash and then this one,” I pointed to the Alex, “carried me out of the building.”

“Ok. So where was Chris at that moment?”

“Gone and hopefully dead,” I barked.

“Do you remember what happened before all this? Notice anything out of place about him?”

“No, all I remember is waking up in the church.” I lied.

Alex’s growl grew louder.

“And I didn’t notice anything off about him; he was always a good, caring person.” I sighed. That definitely wasn’t a lie.

“Would you tell that thing to stop growling, please? He is making me uneasy.” Tom murmured as he fiddled with the machines. They gradually stopped going crazy as Tom finished setting everything in place.

“Alex, hush -.”

“Alex? That’s its name?” Tom asked in wonder. “Don’t you have a boyfriend called Alex?”

“No, my boyfriend was Chris, before, you know, he went crazy and tried to kill me. Alex is my friend.” I explained.

Alex’s head snapped up and he looked at me, sadness in his eyes. He began to whimper and nuzzled my neck, but I ignored him. He finally gave in, climbing off the bed and curling into a ball in the furthest corner of the room, whimpering, his eyes pinned to me.

“Whoa,” Tom gasped, staring at Alex, who continued to whimper.

“What?” I asked, a bit too snappy.

“I have never seen a wolf that big before,” he gawped.

“Well, I must be leaving; I’m on duty, so I have other things to attend to.” Detective Hull declared, getting up and heading for the door.

“Yes, yes, the girl needs her rest,” Tom said, distracting himself from staring at Alex by writing notes on the board again.

“Bye, it was great seeing you!” I shouted sarcastically after Hull as he turned out of my room.

“I take it you two don’t get on well,” Tom laughed, taking a seat beside me.

“Yeah, long history of it,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

Tom rested his hand over mine as he whispered, “Between you and me, I thought he was a real uptight jerk when I first met him.”

We began to laugh, but a violent growl boomed from the corner.

“I swear to God, Alex, I will never speak to you again if you carry on growling! You and I will talk when I get released.” I seethed.

“And here I was thinking werewolves were just legends, and yet one stands growling in the corner.” Tom laughed.

“What?” I chuckled uneasily. “You think that he’s a werewolf?”

“Well, it is too big to be an average wolf, and he seems to have a thing for you; a love for you, as they say. Just me being near you or resting my hand on yours in a friend like fashion sets him off. You can’t lie to me, Winter; I can see it in both of your eyes, yours and Alex’s.”

I sighed in frustration. “Fine, but you can’t tell anyone; too many people already know.”

“Too many people know what?” Danny asked, coming to my side.

“What Alex is,” I frowned.

“So, he is still here, then?” Cara asked, looking around the room.

“Yeah, he is sulking in the corner.” I said, pointing at the corner where Alex was curled up without looking at him.

“I can see why he is pissed off.” Danny muttered.

“He is just being friendly!” I explained, clasping my hands.

“Yes, yes, Winter was just distressed. I was just giving her some friendly comfort.” Tom explained.

“Well, keep it that way.” Danny snarled, his fangs showing.

“For crying out loud, he knows you’re a vampire now! Why don’t we just tell him Cara is an angel?” I snapped.

“Wow, really?” Tom beamed beside me.

I bit my lip, shutting myself up as everyone stared at me.

“I think you said a little too much there, Winter.” Danny mumbled loudly.

“Sorry, I really didn’t mean to, I-I am just really angry and tired all of a sudden.”

I yawned, feeling myself nod off slightly.

“When will Winter be released from hospital?” Cara asked, hugging me.

“She will be released in a few days’ time. Right now, she needs her rest.” Tom said, ushering everyone out of the room.

“Rest?” I laughed bitterly. “Rest? I can’t rest when my ex-boyfriend is trying to kill me, Alex won’t stop growling and whining, and the doctor knows what you all are.”

“Winter, shut up and go to sleep.” Danny demanded lightly, his eyes black orbs.

I yawned, “You…you, I…I don’t want to sleep,” I stumbled, trying to fight the wash of tiredness over me. “I am not going to sleep!” I barked, winning the war.

“Suit yourself,” Danny shrugged, his eyes becoming violet again.

“Go home and take Alex with you. The hospital will ring you when I can be discharged. Take care of Tom; he is now in as much danger as we are now.” I commanded.

“Winter, you need us here.” Cara moaned, not wanting to leave so soon

I sent her a warning look and she quickly left, calling from the door, “Bye, Winter.”

“Danny, take Alex to mine with Cara and stay there. When I come home in a few days, you need to explain everything to me; you lied to me and I am not pleased. Tom, when it’s my day to leave, you come with me. You’re a part of this now, but swear to me you will tell no one.” I demanded.

“I swear, I won’t,” Tom vowed with his hands over his heart.

“Then all of you leave. I need to be alone for a while.” I instructed.

Danny whistled for Alex to come. At first he refused, but he soon followed Danny and Tom out of the door, growling lightly.

Why me, what have I done to deserve this, this suffering? I thought, falling back against my pillows and closing my eyes, watching the past few days crumble away slowly.

I knew who I really was but I refused to believe it. Yet I couldn’t help but feel uncertain.