I Ran From My Psycho Step-brother Straight Into The Alpha's Lap novel Chapter 30

**When Night Grows Softer Hope Returns To Lead Us by Asa Rowan Finn**

Sophie gradually stirred from her slumber, her senses slowly reconnecting with the world around her. A haze of confusion enveloped her mind, and a dull ache pulsed through her body. She remained still for a few moments, attempting to grasp her surroundings, to piece together the fragments of her memory. With a hesitant flutter, she opened her eyes, only to be met with a stark and unfamiliar room. Panic surged within her as the realization dawned: she was in a hospital. In a frantic rush, she propped herself up, only to be met with a wave of dizziness that threatened to pull her back into unconsciousness.

“Easy there, Sophie,” a soothing voice broke through her disorientation. She turned her head to see Madison, the kind woman she had met at Hope House, seated beside her. Madison’s warm smile provided a flicker of comfort amidst her turmoil. “I wish I had known who you were when we first met. I could have saved you and everyone else a mountain of trouble,” she remarked, her tone light yet laden with unspoken implications. Sophie’s mind raced, but she couldn’t afford to dwell on Madison’s words; a torrent of questions flooded her thoughts.

“Where am I? What time is it?” she blurted out, her voice shaky and laced with anxiety.

“You’re in Hopewell Hospital,” Madison replied, her demeanor calm and reassuring. “It’s a little after eight a.m.”

“I’m late for work!” Sophie exclaimed, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, urgency coursing through her veins.

Madison placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, grounding her. “Torin called Helen and informed her about what happened. She expressed her concerns and suggested you take a few days off to recover.”

Before Sophie could process this information, the door swung open, and a familiar figure stepped inside. It was Kyle. A flicker of surprise crossed her mind as she wondered what he was doing here. “Hey, beautiful,” he greeted, effortlessly lifting Madison into his arms. Sophie turned her gaze away, feeling a pang of awkwardness as they shared a kiss. It became clear why he was present.

Madison, breaking away from Kyle’s embrace, turned to Sophie with a bright smile. “Sophie’s awake!” she announced, her voice filled with genuine delight.

“I see that,” Kyle replied, his own smile widening as he looked at Sophie.

“Why am I here?” Sophie asked, confusion still clouding her thoughts.

Kyle and Madison exchanged a knowing glance. “What’s the last thing you remember?” Kyle inquired, his expression shifting to one of concern.

“I remember running from those guys,” Sophie recounted, her brow furrowing as she tried to piece together the fragmented memories. “Then there was fighting… it was strange. It sounded like a dog fight, but… worse.” She shook her head, frustration bubbling within her. “I don’t really know. I guess I lost it. Liam said you and Levi were fighting them. Are you okay?” she asked, worry etched on her face.

Kyle’s grin returned, though it felt slightly out of place. “We took care of them,” he assured her, but Sophie couldn’t decipher the reason behind his amusement. It must be a guy thing, she thought. Then, his expression turned serious. “I’m sorry they hurt you. They’ll never hurt you again.” Sophie chose not to delve deeper; some answers felt too heavy to bear.

Her gaze wandered around the room, a wave of panic washing over her. “I wish I hadn’t been brought here,” she whispered, the unspoken worry of a looming hospital bill gnawing at her insides.

Confusion clouded Sophie’s features. “Why is Torin covering the bill?” she asked, her brow furrowing.

“Because it’s his fault this happened to you. He pushed you to run away. Men,” she said with a resigned shake of her head.

Suddenly, a memory flickered in Sophie’s mind. “Amy and Olivia! I have to tell them what happened,” she said anxiously, guilt gnawing at her. She felt she had let them down when they needed her most.

“It’s okay,” Madison said, her voice calm and soothing. “Torin arranged for someone to look after Olivia at Hope House. He explained everything to Amy. She felt terrible for you.” Just then, Kyle re-entered the room, his presence a welcome distraction.

Sophie blinked, her mind racing as she processed Madison’s words. “He did?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Madison nodded, and Sophie glanced around the room as if hoping to summon Torin himself.

“Torin doesn’t have much of a bedside manner, so we sent him away,” Madison explained, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. Kyle made a comment that Sophie couldn’t quite catch, and Madison playfully elbowed him in the stomach, but he merely chuckled, unfazed by her gesture.

In that moment, the heaviness of her situation felt a little lighter, even if just for a heartbeat.