Getting away with the Alpha's Pup

Chapter 230

Fern's Perspective

He's such a proud man. He's given so much to protect Daniel and me. He wouldn't just give up, would he?

I forced myself to calm down, taking a deep breath before lifting my head with resolve.

"I want to see him."

The hospital room was unnervingly quiet.

He lay on the clean, white hospital bed, his face pale and bloodless. His chest rose and fell slowly, heavily. His once strong and powerful body was now covered in gauze and medical instruments, losing its former majesty.

I slowly walked toward him, reached out, and gently held his hand. It was still warm, which reassured me, if only slightly.

"Can you hear me?" I murmured, my voice so soft it almost seemed to be swallowed by the wind.

There was no response.

I pressed my lips together, tears welling up in my eyes.

"You asked me to forgive you before, and I promised… so you can't just leave me like this." I choked out, my voice trembling. "Do you realize how scared Daniel was when you passed out?"

My fingers tightened on his hand, my voice shaking. "You're always so stubborn. You're obviously badly injured, yet you still went out of your way to save us... How can you be so selfish and leave me to suffer through this alone?"

"You have to wake up. Do you hear me?"

I lowered my head, resting my forehead against the back of his hand, tears seeping into his palm.

The door to the hospital room creaked open, and my parents stood in the doorway, their faces etched with concern. My mother sighed and walked up to me, patting my shoulder gently.

"Fern, you can't keep doing this… You need to rest."

I looked up at them, my gaze firm. "I'm not leaving."

My father frowned, as if he wanted to persuade me, but in the end, he said nothing. My mother studied me with a complicated look, then sighed softly and nodded.

Time passed, and Giovanni still hadn't awakened.

I began to get used to being by his side every day—talking to him, holding his hand, hoping he could hear me. At night, I often had nightmares about that day when he collapsed—about his hand slipping from mine—and I always woke up with a start, immediately clutching his hand to make sure he was still there.

I wouldn't give up.

No matter how long it took, I would wait.

The air in the hospital room was so still it seemed frozen, with only the ticking of the machines reminding me that time was passing. I had no idea how many days had passed—maybe ten, maybe more. Each day felt like a torment. Giovanni—my mate—lay silently on the clean white hospital bed, his face frightfully pale. Yet I could still vividly remember how he had used all his strength to save Daniel and me from the explosion that day.

That day, when I finally escaped and found Daniel unharmed, I hadn't had time to rejoice before seeing Giovanni collapse on the ground, his wolf-shaped body stained with blood. I thought it was over.

I gripped his hand tightly, my fingertips cold, and couldn't hold back the tears that fell onto the back of his pale hand.

"You promised me you wouldn't leave us…" I choked out, leaning my head against his chest, my ear pressed close, listening to his faint but still present heartbeat. It was the only thing keeping me alive.

Daniel's small figure curled into my arms, his voice laced with sobs. "Mommy, when will Daddy wake up?"

"Soon…" I tried to control my emotions, forcing myself to answer in a calm tone, but inside, I felt empty, unsure.

In the past few days, the elders of the clan had come to see me, and Tobias had visited several times, but all of them urged me to give up. Even my parents had rushed here. My mother took my hand, pain in her eyes, and said seriously, "Fern, he may not make it. You can't keep waiting like this…"

But I just shook my head, my voice firm as I told them, "He will wake up."

Every night, I was the only one left in the hospital room. I held his hand and whispered about our past.

"Do you still remember? The first time we met, you questioned me fiercely, your eyes like you were looking at an intruder… But then you let your guard down, and so did I."

"You said you would protect me no matter what… Now it's my turn to protect you."

I leaned down and kissed his forehead, still cold, without any trace of warmth. It was as if my heart were being squeezed, every second tormenting my will. But I couldn't give up. I had to wait for him to wake up.

I don't know how many days had passed. Exhausted, I would fall asleep at the edge of his bed.

Suddenly, a light touch brushed my fingertips. At first, I thought it was an illusion, but then the pressure gradually increased, and he gently grasped my hand.

My heart skipped a beat, and I stared at him, breathless, eyes wide.

"Can you… can you hear me?" I asked, almost incredulously.

The man on the hospital bed's eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was confused at first, but soon, his eyes locked onto mine.

His lips parted slightly, and in a hoarse voice, he whispered, "Fern…"