The Lost Alpha Queen: Heaven and Hell Bound

Chapter 3

Adolphus’ POV

Pain.

It crawled through my body like fire, slow and unrelenting. My limbs felt like lead, my head like it had been smashed against a rock. I was alive, that much I could tell. But where was I?

I forced my eyes open. The dim light of the room blurred into focus. The scent of herbs filled the air, mingled with something metallic, blood.

Mine?

A weight pressed against my arm. I turned my head and found a woman sleeping beside me, her head resting on my hand. She was beautiful, her golden hair spilling over her shoulders like silk. Her face was relaxed in sleep, and for a moment, I simply stared, trying to piece together if I knew her.

Nothing.

Panic clawed at my chest. My throat felt dry and tight, and when I tried to shift, pain shot through me like lightning. A groan escaped before I could stop it.

The woman stirred. Then, in a heartbeat, her eyes snapped open.

For a moment, she just looked at me, her lips parting slightly in surprise. Then, as if reality hit her all at once, she gasped.

"You’re awake!"

Before I could react, she let out a shriek of laughter and threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug.

I winced. Definitely alive.

She pulled back, grinning. "You scared us! I thought you were going to sleep forever!"

Before I could even attempt to respond, the door burst open. Another woman entered, holding a bundle of fresh towels.

She stopped in her tracks, her striking blue eyes locking onto mine. Unlike the golden-haired woman, this one didn’t rush toward me. She stayed still, her gaze unreadable.

"You’re up," she said quietly.

As soon as she said that, my wolf stirred.

I swallowed hard, my throat aching. "Where… am I?"

"The Pack’s clinic," the golden-haired woman answered quickly. "You were badly hurt. We brought you here."

Pack. Clinic.

The words sounded foreign in my ears. I tried to pull at any memory, any trace of how I got here.

Nothing.

The blue-eyed woman placed the towels down carefully and stepped forward. Unlike the other one, her movements were more reserved, controlled.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice firm.

I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came. Panic surged again. I clenched my fists, trying to dig through the darkness of my mind for anything. And then, like a whisper, something surfaced.

"Adolphus," I rasped. "My name is Adolphus."

The blue-eyed woman nodded slightly. "I’m Katrina," she said.

"And I’m Cassandra," the other woman with gold hair beamed.

Katrina and Cassandra. The names meant nothing to me.

Cassandra leaned in, her eyes bright. "What else do you remember?"

I hesitated before answering. "Nothing."

Katrina’s brows furrowed. "Not even how you got here?"

I shook my head. The frustration of not knowing anything gnawed at me.

Cassandra placed a hand on my arm, her touch warm. "That’s alright. Memory loss happens after trauma. But don’t worry, you’ll remember soon."

I wasn’t so sure.

Katrina crossed her arms, her gaze studying me carefully. "What’s the last thing you do remember?"

"Only my name," I admitted.

Cassandra frowned, but only for a second before she brightened again. "Well, at least that’s something!"

She leaned forward. "Let me properly introduce myself. I’m Princess Cassandra, daughter of the Pack’s Alpha."

I glanced at her. That explained her confidence, the way she carried herself like she belonged at the center of attention.

Katrina spoke next, her voice calmer. "And I’m Katrina. My father was the former Beta."

Something about the way she said the former made me wonder what had happened. But before I could ask, Cassandra grinned.

"You’re in the best pack possible, Adolphus. You’re lucky we found you."

I wasn’t sure if I should feel relieved or wary.

Cassandra tapped her chin. "You really don’t remember anything?"

"No," I admitted.

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Not even where you’re from?"

I shook my head.

Katrina, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "It’ll come back to you," she said, her voice softer than before. "The mind needs time to heal."

Cassandra nodded eagerly. "Exactly! You just need some time. And in the meantime…"

She paused before her lips curled into a smile.

"Would you like to stay in our pack until you regain your memory?"

I didn’t even think about it.

"If that’d be ," I said immediately.

Cassandra’s smile widened. She clapped her hands together, looking pleased. "Perfect!"

I glanced at Katrina. Unlike Cassandra, she didn’t look thrilled. Instead, she was watching me with that same unreadable expression.

Something told me she wasn’t the type to trust easily.

And for some reason, that made me more curious about her. But before I could dwell on it, Cassandra spoke again, her voice light and cheerful.

"Now, about how you got here…" she suddenly trailed off and I turned to her, waiting. She tilted her head slightly and smiled. "I saved you from the forest."

Katrina stiffened beside her and my eyes flicked between them.