Read Online The Alpha's Search (The Craven Trilogy, #1) by Natalie Shaw - Free Book Online Page B

footsteps.
    I lifted first one arm, and then the other. I did the same with my legs. All in working order, and no pain.
    “Ah good, you're awake!” A male voice this time. “I'm Doctor Mason.”
    “What happened to me, doctor?”
    “I was hoping you might tell us that.”
    “I can't remember anything. Not even my name.”
    He nodded. “That's okay. Don't worry. It isn't uncommon in cases like this.”
    “How did I get here?”
    “I believe someone found you in the park.”
    “Park?”
    “You don't remember going into the park?”
    I shook my head.
    “Do you know where you are?”
    “Hospital.”
    “Do you know which town this is?”
    Once again, my mind was a blank.
    “It's okay. It'll all come back in time. Right now, we need to run some tests.”
    “What tests?”
    “Nothing to worry about. All routine. We'll start with a scan of your head to make sure everything's okay inside.”
    They did the scan, plus a million and one other tests. Everything came back clear—except my memory. Two days later, I was on an observation ward when I had a visitor:
    “Hi!” The middle-aged woman smiled at me.
    Did I know her? She obviously knew me.
    “Hi?”
    “They said it was okay to come see you. I hope you don't mind.”
    “I'm really sorry, but I don't know who you—”
    “My fault.” She waved away my apology. “They told me that you’d lost your memory. I was the one who found you in Toppers.”
    “Toppers?”
    “Toppers Park. Strictly speaking, it wasn't me who found you. It was Jack—my Akita. He's a well-behaved dog. He usually comes back as soon as I call him. That morning, he ran into the bushes, and wouldn't come back no matter how many times I called. I'd never heard him howl like that before. When I found him, he was standing over you.”
    “Did you see anyone else nearby?” I asked.
    “Who?”
    “I don't know. The police think I might have been mugged. I just wondered if you'd seen anyone.”
    “No. I usually take Jack out early—before breakfast. We occasionally see other dog walkers or joggers, but that morning the park was deserted. It was a Sunday though—people like to stay in bed on a Sunday.”
    “Oh.” I tried to mask my disappointment.
    “I'd better not keep you talking, dear. You need your rest. I just wanted to check you were okay. You look better than the last time I saw you.”
    “Thanks for coming, and say thanks to Jack for me would you?”
    Later that same day, I had another visitor.
    “Do you have any news?” I sounded as desperate as I felt.
    “Sorry. Nothing yet,” Officer Tamblin said.
    Tamblin was the policeman who'd interviewed me on the day I'd been admitted to hospital. The police thought I might have been the victim of a mugging because I had no personal possessions on me when I was found.
    “Surely someone must have missed me by now?”
    “It's unusual,” he admitted. “Normally someone comes forward within forty eight hours in cases like this. A family member, boyfriend, friend, work colleague...”
    I felt sick to my stomach. It was bad enough that I couldn't remember who I was, or anything else about my life, but it was even worse to realise that no one out there had missed me. Did I have family, a boyfriend, friend or work colleague? I had no idea.
    “I've spoken to my boss,” Tamblin said. “We're going to make an appeal on local radio and TV. A photographer will come around later today—if that's okay with you?”
    “Sure.” I tried, but failed to sound upbeat.
    One week later, there had been no response to the radio and TV appeals. I couldn't have told anyone how desolate I felt at that point. Losing my memory was bad enough, but the thought that I had no one—absolutely no one—was horrible. The staff at the hospital had been marvellous, but it was obvious to everyone that there was no longer any reason for me to be there. Physically, I was fit—I'd had a million test results which said so.
    Where would I go? I had no home, no money and