CHAPTER 4 GARDEN, S𝚊𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚊 V𝚒𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚜

A gentle shake pulled me from my restless sleep. I flinched at the unexpected touch, my breath catching in my throat. "Breakfast, Fulmine" he said quietly, stepping back slightly when he noticed my reaction.

I forced myself to nod, hoping he wouldn't comment on it. "We know you didn't bring clothes with you," he continued, motioning toward a bag sitting by the door. "James gathered some of his old stuff." Ace ruffled my hair gently before stepping away. "I'll be downstairs with the others. See you soon."

I waited until I was sure he was gone before dragging myself out of bed. My body protested every movement, sharp aches radiating from my bruises. I sifted through the clothes, settling on an oversized hoodie and a pair of loose sweatpants. Pulling them on, I sighed in relief when they covered most of the damage. Fluffy socks sat at the bottom of the bag, and I quickly put them on.

I made my way down the stairs, the delicious aroma of eggs and toast wafting through the air. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten much since I arrived. The warmth of the room was almost suffocating, filled with laughter and the sound of clinking plates.

"Come on, Theo! Are you really letting me beat you" James teased, shovelling food into his mouth like it was a competition.

"Don't count me out just yet!" Theo shot back, grinning as he reached for another piece of toast. Their energy was infectious, and I couldn't help but give a small smile at their banter. I hovered by the door, unsure if I should step inside. My presence felt like an intrusion. But then Theo noticed me and brightened. "Good morning, Sabrina!"

As I settled into a chair, I felt a twinge in my leg from my earlier fall. I glanced down, trying to shake off the worry. My hands curled into the sleeves of the hoodie, hiding the bruises beneath. I could feel Ace's eyes on me when he entered with Arthur and Luca, but I kept my gaze down. They didn't need to know about my injuries; I wanted to blend in, to feel like part of this family, even if just for a moment. ''you okay Fulmine?'' Ace sounded worried, I gave him a smile before focusing on the filled plate that sat in front of me. It made me nauseous but I had to try. I played with my fork a bit

''Are you done? You didn't eat much Gattina'' Theo's tone sounded worried, ''I'm full'' he shared glances with Luca.

Luca cleared his throat. "We have a big garden. Maybe you'd like to explore it?" I hesitated, but the thought of being outside, away from the suffocating warmth of the kitchen, was tempting. "Sure," I murmured. Luca's lips twitched in something close to a smile. "Just stay within the perimeter, okay?" I nodded again, already planning to lose myself in the trees.

The garden was massive, sunlight filtering through the leaves, painting dappled shadows across the grass. I inhaled deeply, the fresh air calming my nerves. For a moment, I let my guard down. I could feel the sun warming my face, and for the first time in what felt like ages, I smiled genuinely. As I wandered deeper into the garden, I spotted a sturdy-looking tree. The branches stretched out invitingly, and an urge to climb tugged at me.

Climbing up felt exhilarating. The bark was rough under my fingers, I stiffened, shifting slightly to get a better view. The movement was too much. A loud crack echoed as the branch beneath me snapped, and suddenly, I was falling.. "Sabrina! Where are you?" James shouted, a hint of worry in his voice. Panic surged through me as I fell, the ground rushing up to meet me.

The impact was brutal. I landed hard, the world spinning around me as pain shot through my leg. A gasp escaped my lips, and I tried to move, but everything hurt too much. The sound of hurried footsteps reached my ears as James appeared, his face etched with concern.

''Luca!" he shouted. His fingers shook as he crouched down next to me ''are you okay, god please be okay'' he murmured. I tried breathing in and out, but my whole body ached in pain.

"What happened?" Theo shouted, rushing to my side. I could barely form words, the pain was overwhelming, and my vision was starting to blur.

I could hear them talking, but it felt distant. I tried to focus on their faces, the way they were trying to remain strong for me. The sharp pain in my leg was growing unbearable, and I found myself slipping into unconsciousness, the world fading away.

The next thing I knew was Luca carrying me towards the house. Walking down a set of stairs I hadn't seen yet ''I'm not allowed-d in the basement'' Luca met my eyes smiling softly ''you have my permission''.

My eyes closed for a moment, opening when I felt a pinch in my hand. An IV was put in my hand ''just some pain medications'' Ace whispered, messing with my hand.

I tried to nod, but it felt like I was floating in and out of reality. I caught glimpses of James and Theo in the back of the room, their faces pale and drawn with worry. I felt a rush of guilt for making them scared, for causing all this chaos.

I wanted to tell them I was sorry, to reassure them that I would be fine, but all I could do was close my eyes and hope that somehow, they would understand.