I dragged my upper body off the linoleum, a low grunt escaping my teeth as I tried to claw my way back onto the mattress. My muscles screamed in protest, trembling so violently that I could barely hold my own weight. They must have drugged me, I thought bitterly, frustration flaring beneath my panic. Why am I so incredibly weak?
I was only halfway up, draped awkwardly over the side of the silver guardrail, when the heavy wooden door swung open again.
The doctor stepped back inside, but he was flanked by a tall, broad-shouldered man with sharp eyes and an air of quiet authority. The moment the newcomer's gaze landed on my struggling form, his eyes widened with deep, genuine concern.
"Oh, Goddess, please let me help you up," he said, his voice deep and entirely sincere.
Before I could sn
