Bianca's POV

A feeling of contentment washed over me as I surveyed the empty tray before me. The flavors of the chicken noodle soup and the warm, crusty bread lingered on my palate, satisfying my hunger. Leaning back against the pillows, I allowed my body to relax and bask in the afterglow of a satisfying meal. With a contented sigh, I closed my eyes and let the sensation of the warmth from the food radiate through my body. 

The roaring storm outside had finally calmed. The dark gray clouds disappeared, leaving behind the last bit of light from the now-setting sun. The sun's last few rays were peaking through the window, shining their golden light into the room. Staring out the window from the bed. The room grew still in Cane's absence, and a sense of restlessness crept over me. Without his comforting presence, my wolf stirred within, restless and eager for his return. Memories of the tumultuous events, banishment from the pack, the terrifying captivity I endured, and the subsequent rescue felt hazy, as if they were fragments of a fever dream. 

The door creaked open, and a different woman entered the room; she looked much older than the previous nurses, Kayla and Brett. She wore a long white lab coat over her blue scrubs; I guessed she was a doctor instead of a nurse. Her scent was profound. It captured my attention as soon as she opened the door. She was radiant and beautiful. Her dark umber skin glowed in the rays of the sunset from the window as she stepped into the room. She must be of some alpha dependence, I gathered.

Her dark hair, adorned with strands of gray, was pulled back into a short ponytail, yet several rebellious strands escaped their confines, clinging to her forehead with beads of sweat. Despite the signs of exhaustion and the demanding nature of her work, her beauty shone through, accentuated by the high cheekbones and glowing skin that gracefully adorned her face.

In one hand, she held a clipboard, it's surface adorned with various papers and notes. I believed it was the same clipboard that Kayla, the previous nurse, had been diligently scribbling on. 

"Hello, dear. I'm Doctor Sylvia. How are you feeling?" Her voice carried a soothing tone, wrapping around me like a gentle embrace. "I'm going to check you, prepare you to be dispatched."

"Nice to meet you; my name is Bianca." I gave her a warm smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bianca," she responded, returning my warm smile with one of her own. Her eyes, a rich shade of chestnut brown, sparkled with kindness and understanding. They held a depth that seemed to mirror the warmth and compassion I had felt in her voice.

As she moved closer to the left side of the bed, her eyes met mine, and I found myself captivated by the familiar hue they shared with Cane's. The resemblance was striking, as if a thread connected them, hinting at a shared understanding and empathy. At that moment, as our eyes met, I felt a sense of comfort and reassurance. It was as if she understood the depths of my emotions and the challenges I had faced. And just like Cane, her presence gave me a sense of safety and trust, a reminder that I was not alone in this journey.

"Allow me to examine your eyes, ears, and throat," she explained, her voice carrying a soothing tone. With practiced grace, Sylvia retrieved a small red flashlight from her crisp white lab coat pocket.

"Let's start with your eyes," she continued, holding the flashlight delicately. "If you can, please follow the light." With a gentle flick of her wrist, she directed the beam of light into my right eye, its glow casting a soft, white hue. I focused intently, tracking its movement with my gaze. Then, she seamlessly shifted the light to my left eye, illuminating the depths within.

She murmured words of reassurance, "Good," floated in the air as she proceeded to examine my ears. With a swift yet gentle motion, she redirected the white glow, now tracing the contours of my ear canals. The light danced, illuminating the delicate structures hidden within.

"Well, everything here looks great so far. Can you please open and stick out your tongue for me?" I did as she said. "We were worried when you were brought in. In all my years, I have never seen someone with so much poison in their system."

My eyes widened. "Am I going to be okay?" I asked, a little panicked. I was worried id have long-life complications.

"Yes, there's minimal scarring on your neck, but you'll be fine. Luckily, your body fought off the poison, and there wasn't any damage to your esophagus or vocal cords." She placed her hand on my shoulder comfortingly.

"Bianca, you are one of the strongest wolves I've ever met." My heart thumped loudly as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.

"You could have passed away on the way to our pack, but you kept fighting." At that moment, I finally realized why I had truly survived. It was because of my wolf, April. She had been the guardian of my life, using every ounce of her strength to keep my heart beating. 

"Thank you, but it wasn't just me, my wolf; she gave me her strength. It's because of her that I'm alive." I could feel April's warmth as she yipped and howled in joy.

It was both of us; we were one Bianca.

Sylvia smiled as she used her stethoscope to check my breathing. "Strong heart too." She commented.

"Thank you."

"Do you know where I'll stay in the castle?" I asked her curiously.

"I don't know, but I believe Cane will be coming to get you soon enough." My wolf and I perked up in sync at the mention of our mate.

"I'm going to check your reflexes." I nodded, and she took a small hammer-like tool from her pocket. She gently tapped my left leg, causing my body to react and kick up slightly. Then she did the same to the right. "Reflex looks good and a little slow, but that's expected considering the circumstance." She scribbled down into the clipboard, then did the same to the other knee.

"Any pain? Headaches? Does your wrist hurt?" She asked, and I shook my head. 

"I think I'm doing all right; I can even move my wrist without pain."

"That's wonderful; I'm glad. We drained some excess fluid from your wrist, it looked like it had been broken a few times, and you have a small scar from what looked like a wolf bite. Kayla did mention that you didn't recall anything from being trapped in the dungeon, so I'm not sure if that happened there or..."

"It happened back in my pack before I was captured; it was healing..." I admitted. A weird sensation cocooned my body. It was as if I physically couldn't lie to Sylvia. "But when I woke up in the dungeon, the man..." the words dissipated into thin air as if swallowed by the haunting memories that consumed my mind. In the depths of my consciousness, the chilling image of the man's face lingered, imprinting itself upon my psyche like an indelible mark. The mere thought of him sent tremors coursing through my body, igniting a tumultuous storm within.

My heart began pounding erratically within my chest as if trying to break free from its confines. The fear that coiled around my core tightened its grip, squeezing the air from my lungs and leaving me breathless. My hands beginning to tremble. In an instant, I was transported back to the nightmarish depths of the dungeon, the cold darkness seeping into my bones and the suffocating air pressing down on my spirit. The memories surged forward, crashing over me like a relentless wave, drowning me in a sea of terror. The menacing presence, the suffocating silence, and the palpable malevolence flooded my senses, threatening to consume me once more.

"Shhhh," Sylvia comforted me, "It's okay; he can't hurt you. You're safe." Her words brought calmness to my heart, and I was guided back to reality. She was incredibly patient and instructed me to take some deep breaths.

My hands stopped trembling, and I felt okay to continue. "I'm okay, thank you." I took another deep breath.

"Do you happen to know why I was kept sedated?" I asked her.

"I'm not sure dear; the beta, Ashton, should know, Cane put him in charge of the investigation, and they should be interrogating the men responsible." She explained.

"Well, thankfully, it looks like you're doing great. Eyes, ears, and throat check out, and your blood is clean of any wolfsbane and silver poison. The blood transfusion helped get that last bit out. How are you feeling overall?"

"I feel good." I bit my lip nervously. "I really want to get out of this room, though," I confessed with a big sigh. "I haven't shifted in months, so I'd love to let my wolf take over and go wild.

"Well," Sylvia giggled, "There will be plenty of time for that. You should move your human form more before shifting. It's been a while since your last shift since you were sedated for so long." She explained.

I nodded and quickly attempted to get off the bed. But, once my bare feet touched the cold floor, my knees buckled. It'd been ages since I stood up on my two legs.

Sylvia quickly hooked her arm around mine to help brace my weight. "Take your time; there's no rush."

"I, I can do it," I reassured her. Grabbing onto the sides of the bed for support. Once my legs stopped shaking, I could fully stand with minimal support. I felt strength returning to my body and knew it was my wolf.

We got this. April's reassuring voice filled my mind.

Sylvia recommended I try walking around the room to stretch my legs. I moved slowly at first, like a baby calf learning to walk for the first time. Then I began moving slightly faster, walking towards the window and back. Looking out the window, I could see the thick trees of the surrounding forest; I longed to feel the grass in between in toes. However, I was still a little bit wobbly.

"Wonderful," Sylvia said happily. "Take your time; shifting doesn't have to happen today; focus on human form now." She sat on the bed I had been lying on and watched me closely.

"You can come back later this week. We take off your wrist bandage, do another reflex test, and then do a monitored shift."

Let's regain our strength one hundred percent; then, we can run circles around all these wolves.

I happily agreed with her.

"Okay," I said confidently.

I continued to practice walking and moving around for a bit longer. Sylvia watched me closely with excitement in her eyes.

Suddenly the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood. I could feel Cane coming from a mile away as his scent called to me. April began yipping in excitement.

"Canes coming," I whispered excitedly under my breath. Moments later, my handsome mate opened the door. His expression was still flat, but as soon as his eye fell upon me, his look softened, and a small smile crept onto his face when he noticed me walking. Then his gaze fell upon Sylvia, and he began chuckling.

"You're the doctor they assigned her to?" He asked, amused.

My gaze flickered back and forth between the two, and that was when I began to notice it. Cane walked closer to us, shutting the door behind him. He placed a cloth bag he had been carrying onto the bed before turning to Sylvia, who was also standing by the bed.

"You know I couldn't resist; as soon as I heard, I knew I wanted to meet my sons' mate and my future daughter."

There it was.

Horror filled my body as I realized the doctor that had come to help me was the Queen. Sylvia wasn't just a descendant of an alpha. She was the alpha queen. My heart thumped loudly. I was sure both of them could hear it.

I wanted to apologize for my rudeness and failure to recognize the Queen of werewolves, but I couldn't speak.

I began stuttering like a buffoon. Finally, the only letter that left my lips was "I."

Get ahold of yourself.

April chirped in, making me tense up.

"I am so sorry; I didn't realize." I bowed my head. "I apologize; I didn't mean any disrespect." I felt her warm hand on my shoulder. "You do not have to apologize at all, dear. It's all right." She let out a laugh. I lifted my head, so now I was looking at her. Her petite hand was still on my shoulder.

"Allow me for proper introductions. I am queen Sylvia Aeneas-Blackwood, but while I am Queen, I am also a pack doctor. I'm here occasionally to help our medical team, and I like interacting with pack members."

"It's an honor, your majesty. Thank you so much." I told her.

She shook her head, smiling, "Please, just Sylvia Is fine. We're family. No need for formalities."

I gulped nervously and nodded. "Thank you, Sylvia."

"You're welcome, dear. Well, You're all set to go, and as I said, I'll have Cane bring you down later this week so we can do a physical and get you shifting into your wolf." I nodded, still nervous, my body tense.

"It was amazing to meet you." She smiled at me, pulling me into her embrace for a tight hug. I could barely move with my hands being so shaky, but I did my best to return the hug. 

"Cane, I'll be here all night. We have some sick and healing pack members, so I'll be here to get everything sorted. You, kids, have fun." She sang happily, walking out of the room and leaving me Cane alone.

I sat back on the bed and buried my head in my hands. "Gods, that was so embarrassing; how could I not recognize the freaking queen of my species?" I groaned in embarrassment.

"You're completely overthinking this. I assure you, you're fine." Unfortunately, the calmness in Cane's voice did little to ease my embarrassment. I still kept my head down. I could hear his footsteps moving towards me. Reluctantly I looked up at him.

"Come, let's get you settled in the castle." He opened his arms wide, and I couldn't resist. I practically jumped into his giant arms.

My gentle giant.

I shamelessly wanted him to swoop me into his arms and carry me away. I tried to forget about everything around me and for him to consume all my attention.

When I stood next to him, I realized just how much taller than me he was. He had to be more than a foot taller than me. I was not too short, but I wasn't tall either. I was average at five foot five, but Cane had to be six foot seven; there was no way he was shorter than six foot seven. His height both intimidated and tantalized me.

"I've asked the maids to prepare my room for you." My eyes widened at his words. "I'll be sleeping in my office across the hall," He explained. "I figured you'd want your privacy until we get to know each other better."

Let's get to know each other right now. April purred in my head

Shut up, horny dog

"I don't want to take over your space. Isn't there another room I could take?" I asked, my eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Cane bit his lip, "I insist you sleep in my room. Our guest rooms are in the right wing, and many unmated male guards and high-status members sleep there." I nodded, not wanting to press him about the matter. But couldn't help but smile a little at his answer.

"Is it all right if I go out dressed like this? I asked, referring to the blue hospital gown that I was wearing.

"Oh, here you go, these are for you. Some of my old clothes." He handed me the cloth bag. "They might fit a little baggy, but I tried to find some from when I was smaller, and I took an old pair of flip-flops from my mom; they should fit." He scratched the back of his neck.

I thanked him.

"I'll let you get changed; when you're done, you can meet me outside." I nodded, and he left the room. I opened the bag and pulled out an old pair of maroon sweats, hoodies, plain white tee, and plain flip-flops. His scent lingered on the clothes, but they looked like they hadn't been worn in quite a long time. These clothes definitely wouldn't fit on Cane. But they didn't look like they would fit me perfectly either.

And my hunch was correct; his tee shirt was hugely oversized on my body, and the sweats hung low on my waist. The hoodie fell to just below my mid-thigh. The flip-flops were big too, but not enough to where I couldn't walk in them.

I wondered when the last time he wore this was.

I laid the blue gown on the bed folded.

I was excited to leave this room finally. I also hoped for another chance to call my family again and explain. I opened the door and walked out, holding the cloth bag to return to Cane.

When I walked outside the room, it was like another world. The room I had been in was silent and white; however, I was the complete opposite when I walked right out. Nurses and doctors were speed-walking about. I looked down the not-far hallway and saw my Cane speaking to Kayla by a water cooler.

She looked laughing and jokingly swatted Cane's shoulder with her hand. Cane was also laughing.

Break her teeth and make her swallow each one. April's jealous voice growled.

Relax, he probably just said something funny; listen.

I felt my ears twitch as I attempted to listen to their conversation over the commotion of everything.

"You pushed Ashton into that bush?" Kayla laughed

"Hell yeah, I would do it again so he can learn not to be such a dick."

See, there's just having a regular conversation, you overly jealous weirdo

I told my wolf

Oh, shhh, don't act like you weren't jealous. My wolf snickered.

Kayla waved goodbye to Cane and walked over to the desk, where she began talking with one of the other wolves.

As I walked over to my mate, I began to feel eyes on me from some of the nurses and doctors around.

Is that her?

That's her!

That's Cane's mate!

I anxiously sped up and nearly tripped over my feet to get to Cane. Thankfully he noticed my nervousness.

"Ready?" He asked, and I nodded. I turned towards the desk where Kayla was speaking to the other staff. She looked up at me and waved.

"Thank you so much," I said quietly, and she beamed. I waved goodbye, and Cane and I left quickly. It would have been rude if I'd just left without a word.

"Can you please tell everyone else who cared for me that I greatly thank them?" I whispered to Cane.

"Of course." He reassured me.

We walked out of the building. I felt the night air hit my face. It was incredibly refreshing. 

I saw the smaller homes surrounding the infirmary building from a distance.

"Are those where the pack members live?" I asked Cane. He nodded in response. A vast forest surrounded the different houses, with tall mountains in the way far back.

I knew it would be much more beautiful in daylight than it already was. So I let my eyes wander, captivated by the breathtaking beauty of their pack grounds, and that was when I saw it. A gasp escaped my lips as I stood before the towering stone castle, and my heart skipped a beat. Its High towers reached up towards the heavens. The dark-colored stone shined in the moonlight. Cloaked in an aura of enchantment, the castle's formidable presence dominated the landscape, commanding the attention of all who beheld it.

The castle sat overlooking the pack members' homes and the infirmary, its imposing presence casting a shadow over the forest below. It was like something out of a fairytale.

"This is beautiful. I can't believe this is real."

Cane laughed and wrapped his giant arms around me; he looked into my eyes. "I can't believe you're real. I feel like I'm looking at a goddess come to earth."

I felt my cheeks heat up. "Me?" I giggled, "Have you seen yourself?"

I followed Cane closely as we walked into the castle through the giant front doors. I was mesmerized by the towering ceilings and the marble floors. Gold accents on the walls and a grand staircase in the center of the room eventually split into two different stairs, all tied together with giant crystal chandeliers placed meticulously on the marble walls of the interior.

I followed behind close behind Cane, gawking at the Architectural masterpiece before me as we walked up the staircase and through the left side of the castle.

Various large paintings hung on the walls, and I recognized some of the faces from my history class, but I couldn't tell you their names.

We finally reached a set of large black-painted doors, "This is my room," Cane began, "I've asked the maids to set up the room for you; there are extra towels, some feminine soaps, and things for you to wash your hair with and other hygiene products. Anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask, and feel free to dress with whatever you can fit inside my closet." He said so casually. I looked at him, a little puzzled. I needed clarification about why he insisted on me wearing his clothes.

Then again, I could not say anything because I had no other clothes.

"Sharing is caring, I guess." I joked

"I want my scent on you at all times." He said in a rather assertive tone. I could hear the possession in his voice.

"Yes, sir," I said playfully. "Thank you, Cane. For everything."

"Of course." He smiled, "Dinner should be ready soon. I'll come to get you in about an hour. I have some paperwork to get through." He pointed down the hall. "My office is right down there. If you need anything, that's where you'll find me."

He turned and began walking down the hall toward his office. I watched him at first before entering his bedroom. As soon as I pushed open the door, my jaw dropped. His bedroom was enormous. His bed alone was three times the size of mine. It was a canopy bed with dark wine-colored sheets. The room had four tall windows stretching to the ceiling, draped with black curtains. The floor was a coffee-colored wood with a giant white rug. A fireplace was on the other side of the room, with a seating area by the fireplace. There was a door beside the fireplace. I assumed that it led to the bathroom. I stood there standing in his bedroom, just looking around. Then, finally, I walked through the door and into his bathroom. Flickering the light, I took it all in. Like his room, it was also enormous. Dark marble floor, dark gray walls, and a walk-in closet in the back. The shower itself was oversized.

Who needs a shower this big?

I asked myself.

I slipped off the flip-flops and stepped onto the cold marble floor. I walked over to the double sink, where a giant mirror stretched across nearly the whole wall. Towels were placed on the corner of the sink, along with some medical bandages.

I glanced at myself in the mirror for the first time and gasped when I saw the hollow, lifeless reflection that stared back at me. I didn't recognize the woman in the mirror. Stitches stretched across her forehead, and her hair was matted with thinning spots. Deep purple rings were under her eyes. My cheeks were carved inward from lack of proper food and the white bandages around my neck.

I stepped back and saw the horror as I began removing the articles of clothes on my body.

I stared at her body...My body.

What was once muscular and swole legs and arms were skinny and gaunt. Tears sting my eyes as I no longer see the beautiful valley of muscles that once illustrated my body. I removed the bandages around my wrist first, then my neck. Once I got the two layers off, I saw the scars Sylvia had mentioned. Thick pink stripes splattered over my neck.

I quickly looked away from the mirror; I couldn't look at it any longer. I couldn't face the fact that it was me.

I turned on the shower and let the steam build up so I could no longer see my reflection.

I sat on the shower floor and just let the water fall on my body. I wanted to wash away everything. There was a shelf on the shower wall with different soaps and shampoos, even a couple of razors and shaving cream. I grabbed the soap and shampoo, which smelt the most like Cane, and used it. My wrist gave me minimal discomfort as I cleaned myself. As I rinsed the soap off my body, I felt myself unwind, even finding the strength to shave the hair that had grown in for the last two months.

Getting out of the shower, I felt like a new woman. I dried myself off with the towel and wandered into his closet. Putting the old clothes and used towels in the hamper. It was by far the smallest room I'd seen since I got here, yet It was still bigger than my entire bedroom back at my old pack. I shuffled through the drawers for a while before settling on a nearly identical outside to what Cane had given me. Sweats and a plain black tee, though these articles smelled heavily like my mate and were much baggier. The sweatpants were incredibly baggy on my legs and barely stayed around my waist. Luckily the tee shirt fell past my mid-thigh.

Once out of the bathroom, I practically threw myself onto my mates' soft bed. I lay for what felt like only seconds before exhaustion consumed my body. I was seconds away from drifting off to sleep when a raging yell ripped through the air. It made my neck's hair stand and sent chills through my core.

Cane?