Chapter 108: Chapter 108;An unexpected shield
Alina’s pov
Lucian’s warm hands wrapped tightly around my waist, showing absolutely zero intention of letting me go.
I let out a soft chuckle, placing my hands over his. "Lucian, you need to let go. I really need to get to the bakery shop to check on how things are running today."
"Can’t you just stay home today?" he murmured against my skin, his grip tightening just a fraction. "Stay with me."
"I would honestly love to stay," I said, turning slightly in his arms to look up at him, "but I really can’t. I have so much work to oversee, and I absolutely need to go."
Lucian pouted his lips like a stubborn child, letting out a heavy, dramatic sigh before his hands finally slipped from my waist. "Fine."
"I will be back before you know it, okay?"
"I can drop you off," he offered immediately, already reaching for his car keys on the counter.
"No, it’s fine. I can easily go on my own," I declined softly. "Besides, I already ordered a ride, and I think he’s actually right outside."
As if on cue, a loud car horn blared from the driveway.
Lucian’s pout deepened, his eyes practically begging me to change my mind. I couldn’t help but laugh as I leaned in, pressing a quick, sweet kiss to his lips. "Bye!" I called out, turning around and heading out the front door before he could find another excuse to keep me.
The moment the car pulled out of the driveway, I immediately focused all of my attention on my phone, scrolling through the digital spreadsheets to check the income coming in and going out of the bakery.
The car suddenly stumbled violently over something in the road, the harsh jolt causing me to flinch and drop my phone into my lap. The engine let out a pathetic, sputtering sound before grinding to a complete halt.
I knitted my eyebrows together, looking up at the rearview mirror. "Is everything fine?"
The driver sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at the dashboard. "I’m honestly not sure, ma’am. Let me go check under the hood."
He stepped out of the vehicle, and I sat back in the seat, waiting patiently for him. Getting completely fed up with the delay, I pushed the door open and stepped out "Is it something that will be fixed anytime soon, or should I just go ahead and call another cab?"
The driver looked up, wiping grease from his forehead, and shook his head layout. "Honestly, ma’am? You’re better off finding another cab. This is going to take a while."
"Damn it," I muttered under my breath.
I raised my hand, trying to flag down a few passing vehicles, but every single taxi just sped right past me without slowing down.
Suddenly, a ringing sound echoed from the pavement. I realized I had left my phone resting on the hood of the broken car. I turned around and reached out to grab it, but the exact second my fingers brushed the glass, a deafening, terrifying screech of burning tires shattered the air.
I violently whipped my head forward.
I couldn’t move. My eyes went wide as the grill of the car came barreling into my personal space. Instinctively, I squeezed my eyes shut and threw my arms up to cover my face, bracing for the bone-shattering impact.
A heavy, sickening thud echoed right in front of me, followed instantly by the violent splash of a warm liquid spraying across my skin.
I gasped, snapping my eyes open.
A man was collapsed on the pavement. He was badly injured, blood pooling rapidly beneath his torn clothes. He had thrown his own body directly in front of the moving car to shield me.
A loud, terrified scream tore out of my throat. "My goodness! Are you okay?!"
I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands shaking uncontrollably as I looked at his bleeding torso. The man’s eyes fluttered weakly, his breathing shallow and ragged. He could barely form words, his jaw trembling as he looked up at me.
"As long... as long as you are fine," he rasped out, his voice barely a whisper.
Before I could say another word, his head fell back, and his eyes completely closed, his body going totally limp.
I screamed at the top of my lungs for someone to call an ambulance, but everyone just stood there frozen, staring in shock.
I can’t wait for them, I thought frantically.
Tapping into my immense werewolf strength, I reached down and easily lifted the grown man entirely into my arms, cradling his broken body against my chest. Just as I stood up, a passing car slowed down to see the commotion. I aggressively marched right into the middle of the street, forcing the driver to slam on his brakes.
Without asking for permission, I threw the back door open, carefully slid the injured man onto the seats, and climbed in right after him. "Take us to the city hospital! Right now!" I ordered the panicked driver.
The drive was a blur of adrenaline. The moment the car screeched to a halt outside the emergency room entrance, the medical staff, nurses, and doctors all rushed out with a gurney. They quickly took him from my arms, wheeling him through the double doors as the red emergency lights flashed above.
I kept hoping, desperately praying to the Moon Goddess that he would survive this. I instinctively reached into my pockets to call Lucian, but my heart sank. My phone wasn’t with me.
After what felt like an eternity, the heavy swinging doors opened, and the attending doctor stepped out into the hallway, pulling off his surgical mask.
I rushed up to him, my voice trembling. "Doctor, is he... is he okay?"
The doctor offered a reassuring nod. "The patient is officially out of danger. He has some severe bruising and a few fractured ribs, but he’s incredibly resilient. He’s going to make a full recovery."
Hearing those words, a massive wave of relief washed over me, and I couldn’t help but let out a breathless, emotional smile. "Thank goodness." I paused, wiping a stray tear from my cheek. "Is he awake right now?"
"Yes, he is," the doctor replied.
"Can I see him?"
"Of course. He’s in room 204. Just make sure he doesn’t exert himself too much."
I nodded quickly, thanking the doctor before turning and heading straight down the quiet corridor to his room. I softly pushed the door open, the quiet beep of the heart monitor filling the space.
The man was propped up against the pillows, bandages wrapping his chest. The moment the door clicked, his eyes drifted over and met mine. Instead of a grimace of pain, a warm, completely relaxed smile broke across his face.
"Why... why did you do that? Why did you jump directly in front of a moving car for a stranger?"
His smile widened slightly, a playful glint entering his eyes. "I can’t just let a pretty girl get hurt by a car," he said smoothly.
The moment he spoke, I immediately noticed his strong, distinct accent. It was deep and heavily laced, rolling over the words with a strange sort of confidence.
"Well... thank you," I said softly, my voice filled with genuine emotion. "But please, don’t ever do something so reckless again. You could have been seriously killed out there."
The man let out a weak, raspy chuckle, waving his hand dismissively. "No need to worry about me, sweetheart. I’m pretty strong, you know. It takes a lot more than a car to break me."
A small smile returned to my lips. I was incredibly glad that despite his severe injuries, he seemed to have such a positive spirit.
"What is your name?"
The man tilted his head slightly against the pillow, his gaze locking onto mine with an unreadable expression. "Call me Davon."
