Charming: Once Upon a Time - 4. Chapter Four

I readied my sword as the onslaught of wolves came barreling towards us. Aiming my eyes at one wolf at the front of the pack, I was about to swing my weapon when I was suddenly sent off my feet. I didn’t know what happened until I fell on my ass, several meters away from where I just stood. Zev looked at me with seriousness before turning back to the wolves and engaging with them. The bastard must’ve thrown me here, while he dealt with these wolves by himself. I was quickly back on my feet, ready to fight regardless of what the cranky police officer had to say about it. Before I could, though, something entirely unexpecting happened.

Zev, the wolf, managed to send the pack of wolves off their feet. It took me a moment to realize that he just blew a huge puff of wind that blasted the wolves like a force of a hurricane, just like the tales I was told as a child. Even from back here, I could feel the strength of Zev’s powerful breath that caused me to shiver slightly. I then watched as Zev approached the wolves who all were still recovering from the surprise force. One by one, they each stood up only to be attacked quickly by Zev’s fist before collapsing back onto the ground. A couple of them tried to attack him from behind, only to be thrown like rag dolls, one against the front side of a store and the other against the pole of a streetlight.

A minute didn’t even pass, and the whole pack was defeated with the exception of one who was scurrying away from Zev in a pathetic crabwalk. I heard a deep growl rise from Zev’s body, and the lone wolf had enough courage to get back onto his feet and sprinted away. He left the rest of his men behind who were either unconscious or groaning in pain as they rocked their bodies from side to side.

While Zev talked into his portable radio, I just stood there, wondering what I just witnessed. I then looked back at the front of the bar where Cindi and a group of other people were at, all witnesses as well to what Zev just accomplished. He took down nine men in their wolf forms with just the force of his breath and sent the tenth one running away like a petrified child.

Believing the coast was clear, I retracted the blade of my sword back into its handle before pocketing it. I then approached Zev who placed his radio back onto his utility belt and looked at me with the same disdain he showed me back at the police station. I wondered if that was the only expression he displayed on his face, a face that was both scruffy and hardened.

“I told you I had it handled,” Zev said. “And didn’t I tell you to stay where you were?”

“Sorry! I just wanted to help,” I said.

“Well, your help only made things tougher to resolve…and you had to break the chain of your handcuffs, didn’t you?” Zev shook his head. “I have a ton of paperwork to do after I put your ass back into a holding cell.”

I didn’t respond, just scratched the back of my head while feeling the heaviness of the broken handcuffs still on my wrists. Zev was still staring me down when a glow of light appeared behind him. The light quickly became brighter, and the people from the bar started screaming and shouting. From over Zev’s shoulder, I saw a car careening towards us, and I knew right then I had only seconds to react.

Zev only began turning his head to the car about to strike us, and out of bravery or just pure stupidity and lack of self-preservation, I pushed him away from the oncoming vehicle. The light then became so bright, and that was the last thing I remembered.

Opening my eyes, I was introduced to a white-paneled ceiling in my view. I then smelled a foreign, sterile scent, and I shivered from the cold temperature around me. Turning my head from side to side, I saw curtained windows on one side and a machine that beeped and flashed lights on the other. I gradually realized that I was in a hospital, the bed I was lying on had railings, and I was wearing a hospital gown that was both too thin and scratchy for my liking.

I slowly sat up on the bed and looked around further. Then I spotted a police officer sitting on a chair at the far corner of the room with his head tilted to the side and his eyes closed. Zev. I scratched my head, wondering why I was at the hospital and why Zev was here. I tried to remember what happened…then it appeared. The bright light behind Zev, growing quickly in intensity as I pushed Zev out of the car’s path before the light utterly blinded me. Then…I didn’t remember the rest. Did the car hit me?

I looked at my hands and arms, wondering what injuries I sustained, but there were none. I then pulled the sheet off my body and saw that my bare legs looked uninjured as well. What the hell was happening? For a moment, I thought I was dead. However, that was clearly not the case since I was in the hospital with the beeping monitor by the bed indicating that I was alive and in stable condition. I also touched my head, wondering if there were any injuries there, but like the rest my body there were none.

My body looked and felt completely normal. So, why was I at the hospital?

“Shit. What the hell?” I said.

Me swearing alerted Zev who slowly opened his eyes and when he eyed me, he quickly stood up and approached the bed. He looked rough with his brown hair completely disheveled and his police uniform unbuttoned at the collar. How long was I out, and did Zev spend the entire time I was unconscious on that chair waiting?

“You’re awake,” Zev said before bowing his head. “Thank Godmother!”

“What happened? Why am I here?” I asked.

“What do you mean? A fucking car struck you at fifty miles per hour which left you completely mangled and barely hanging to life!”

“Why are you so angry?”

“Angry? Why do you think? That car was meant for me, and yet you pushed me out of the way and took the brunt of the collision instead.” Zev pulled at his hair and continued, “I’m a wolf as you already know. So, I would’ve survived that collision with just a few scratches. You’re not a wolf, Lucky! And because of that, you almost got yourself killed!”

I flinched from Zev as he breathed out harshly with his chest rising up and down and his nostrils flared. “I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t think that saving you from possible death would piss you off so much.”

Sighing heavily, Zev placed his hands on the bed rails and said, “I’m sorry if it came out that way. It’s just…I’m a police officer. I’m the one who’s supposed to risk his life to protect people, and that even includes troublemakers like you. It’s my job. You shouldn’t have risked your life for me. You looked lifeless after that car struck you, and the paramedics in the ambulance stated that you were already dead.”

I was confused. “Well, clearly I’m fine now. I mean look at me. I don’t even have a scratch.”

“That’s only because—”

“Lucky?”

I turned my head to see a familiar and friendly woman standing by the door to my room. “Cheri!”

Smiling, Cheri entered the room. “Good to see you’re finally awake.” Checking the different monitors, she then said, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling fine. Better actually. I didn’t know I was actually at your clinic.”

“Yeah, I was about to close the place when an ambulance arrived with you inside.”

“Well, is there anything wrong with me?”

“Not anymore, all thanks to your friend here,” Cheri said and looked at Zev with a smile. “All I did was administer you some medication just to allow your body to heal any injuries that remained, while you slept.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m still confused about the injuries I supposedly had. I don’t see any,” I declared.

“Well, Lucky… Do you mind if I explain to him what exactly happened?” Cheri asked, looking back at Zev.

“No, go ahead… I’ll just give you two some space, while I get some coffee,” Zev announced, giving me one last look before walking out of the room.

“So…what happened?” I asked.

“Well, Lucky, you were in very critical condition when you arrived at my clinic. And apparently your injuries were much worse during your ride in the ambulance, according to the police officer. He said one of your legs was bent backwards at the knee and that a bone was sticking out of your forearm. You were declared dead by the paramedics.”

“Then…Then why—?”

“That’s when your friend came into play. He rode with you in the ambulance, and he did something that revived you and gradually healed your injuries. I witnessed the cuts on your body slowly close by themselves without the need for stitches along with your condition becoming stable. For years, I’ve studied magic that has been able to heal various injuries…but never to the degree that you suffered.”

“So, what are you saying?”

“All I’ll say is that police friend of yours must’ve had some powerful healing potion or object. He didn’t tell me what exactly he used; however, I’m willing to let that secrecy pass since he was able to rescue you from death… He saved your life.”

“Wow, um…I’m just starting to realize that. I guess I should thank him.”

“I would,” Cheri said. “Cindi told me that she was there when it happened, while you were recovering. She said that after the car struck you, the police officer chased after it before ripping the car door off its hinges and beating the man, giving him a well-deserved punishment. He’s definitely not an ordinary man.”

“He’s a wolf,” I replied.

“Oh…I see… Well, you should be grateful, nonetheless. Cindi also told me that man tried to arrest you as well… A person willing to put away his grudges to save someone’s life is always worthy.”

I just nodded.

“Well, I’ll let you check out in about an hour, so you have enough time to get to your morning classes. Just need to make sure you’re completely stable before letting you go.”

“What time is it anyways?” I asked.

“Almost seven in the morning,” Cheri said as she walked to the windows and pulled away the curtains.

The morning light illuminated the entire room, and I winced for a moment from the drastic change in lightning.

“Wow, I didn’t think I slept the entire night.” I then groaned and said, “I’m not looking forward to attending my classes right after this.”

“You can always skip,” Cheri suggested.

Chuckling, I said, “Not with the grades I currently have. I miss one in-class assignment and…”

“I’ll let you off in a few minutes then, to give you enough time to get ready.” Cheri placed one of the rails down and sat on the side of the bed. “I understand you’re studying business to please your father, but one day you’re just going to have to stand up to him and become the person you want to be regardless of whether he approves or not.” Placing a hand on my shoulder, she then said, “Your brother did the same when he married me months after resurrecting me from my enchanted sleep, and we couldn’t be happier. You only get one life, and it looks like you got another chance to live it.”

I smiled, and looked at Cheri before saying, “Yeah, and I’m sure my other brother will say the same thing about his marriage with Cindi… I’ll think about it.”

Cheri nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. “All right. Just let me finish some paperwork, and I’ll return with some of your clothes that Cindi brought over.”

I nodded back and watched as Cheri walked out of the room. I thought about what she said, specifically about me having another chance to live the life that I want. It would be a shame to experience the brink of death and be revived only to continue living the same mundane life.

I then thought about Zev, how he rescued me, not once, but twice. I hadn’t considered his heroics of rescuing me from that sea witch since I was still pissed about him arresting me. And he had to save my life again by healing my injuries with whatever method or magic he had in his disposal.

After a minute or so of me mulling this over, Zev entered back into the room with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Did she fill you in on what happened?” Zev asked and took a sip of his coffee.

“Yeah. She did… You saved my life.”

Zev just shrugged. “It was nothing.”

“No. It wasn’t. You saved me by healing my injuries after that car struck me, and also when you rescued me from that sea witch. I would’ve died during both those incidents, but I didn’t. And that’s all because of you.”

Zev looked to the side, seemingly shy from my praise of his actions, which I thought was strangely cute. Now that we were in a situation where he wasn’t arresting or interrogating me, I couldn’t deny that he was a very handsome man. From his strong jaw of his face to the sturdy build of his body, I suddenly wondered what this police officer would look like without the constraints of his uniform. I then brushed those thoughts away since I didn’t think he would appreciate me ogling him like a piece of meat regardless of how lean the cut was.

“Just be careful next time, okay?” Zev said, finally looking at me in the eyes. “And if there’s a police officer at the scene, just let him do his job rather than play the hero.”

“I can’t help it. I’m a prince after all; a prince who’s trained to rescue his true love from the clutches of an evil wizard or witch… Who would’ve thought that I would be rescued by a—?”

“Wolf?” Zev completed.

I nodded. “Yeah.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I then asked, “So…about those charges against me?”

“Don’t worry. I already dropped them. You’ve been through enough,” Zev said.

“Wow. Thank you… If there’s any way I can repay you back—”

“You don’t have to. Just glad you’re okay now.”

“Are you sure? I’m an expert when it comes to fixing cars, so if you want me to look at your police cruiser sometime, I’ll be more than happy to do it,” I offered.

Zev gave me a small smile. “My cruiser’s fine…but I’ll let you know in the future if I need a taillight replaced or something like that.”

I just nodded, certain that this was the furthest I would be able to get Zev to accept my offer of thanks.

“Well, I have to go now,” Zev said as he looked at his phone. “Take care of yourself, Lucky, and stay out of trouble.”

“I’ll try,” I said with a smirk.

Snorting, Zev walked out of the room, leaving me by myself with only my thoughts of the future to accompany me.