Chapter 169

"It's been two weeks," she laughed softly.

Neither of them noticed my eyes fluttering open as they slipped into an effortless conversation. While they chatted, I studied her for a long moment. She was striking—her golden-blonde hair pulled into a sleek ponytail, oversized glasses framing intelligent eyes. A crisp white lab coat draped over a soft pink blouse, her posture poised yet relaxed. Tall and slender, though still dwarfed by Marcus, who loomed over her by nearly a foot. The ease between them was palpable, an unspoken familiarity that made my chest tighten unexpectedly.

Seeing Marcus like this—gentle, almost tender—was strange. And undeniably sweet.

He was the first to realize I was awake, his dark eyes widening in surprise.

"Oh—sorry," he murmured, stepping back from the doctor with an apologetic glance. "Didn’t realize you were up. How are you feeling?"

The doctor turned, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink as she straightened her coat. "My apologies," she said smoothly, though her fingers fidgeted with her stethoscope. "Any pain? Can you speak?"

I wet my cracked lips, my throat parched. "I think so," I rasped. "Water…?"

"Of course!" She moved quickly, retrieving a chilled bottle from the mini-fridge. Popping the cap, she tilted it carefully to my lips, letting me take slow, measured sips. The icy relief was instant, soothing the raw ache in my throat. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was until that moment.

"How long was I out?" I asked, glancing between them.

"Just overnight," Marcus answered. "You slept straight through till mid-morning."

I nodded, taking in the sterile surroundings—the unmistakable scent of antiseptic, the Silver Crescent emblem on the wall. A hospital, then.

"You were severely exhausted," the doctor explained, adjusting her glasses. "And dehydrated. But otherwise, you’re in perfect health. All your injuries have healed."

"And my face?" I lifted a hand, remembering the sting of Arabella’s claws, the poison in her Wolfsbane-laced nails. But my fingertips met only smooth skin.

The doctor smiled. "Good as new. Not even a scar."