Goodbye My Alpha (Taya and Griffon)

"Taya! Taya, what's wrong?"

I felt someone nudging me awake.

Gradually, I came back to my senses. I slowly opened my eyes, only to see that Griffon and Silas had disappeared, leaving only a worried Harper standing over me, a distraught look on her face.

Only then did I realize it had just been a nightmare. It wasn't real, and I wasn't with Silas and Griffon. I was safe.

At least, I had to be if Harper was here, right?

I cleared my mind and swallowed my saliva. I raised my hand to get some water, only to find an IV attached to it.

"You had a high fever, so I brought you to the hospital."

Seeing that I was in a daze from the fever, Harper spoke softly, explaining, then picked up the glass of water next to me and helped me drink it.

After a few sips of water, I slowly regained a little life.

"Harper..."Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"I'm here," Harper responded gently. She lifted the hair on my forehead that was wet with sweat, put it behind my ear, and asked softly, "Are you hungry?"

I shook my head-slowly and with difficulty-and asked, "Did the doctor tell you anything?"

I still hadn't figured out how to talk to Harper about what was wrong with me. Now that I'd fell ill and Harper had to take me to the ER, I was terrified she would now know everything.

"The doctor didn't say anything. When he saw that you had a high fever and were in and out of consciousness, he gave you fluids and antibiotics. They've done a blood draw, and we should have the results any time now." Harper got up and looked around. "Actually, I think it might be in your chart in here already."

I quickly stopped her. "I'm a little hungry. Can you get me something to eat first?"

Harper nodded. "I'll go see what they have for you. Maybe some Jell-O."

After watching her leave, I struggled to get up, looking around the room.

There. At the foot of the bed. My chart.

Maybe the results would be in it?

I slid the IV pole over enough to give me room to reach the folder and picked it up.

The blood test would show my heart failure, and the last thing I wanted was for Harper to see it. She would be devastated. We had grown up together and relied on each other for survival.

If Harper knew I was about to die, she wouldn't be able to bear the blow.

I wanted the rest of my time with her to be happy...