Alex's POV
Today's the day I finally get discharged from the hospital.
The last two days went by slowly, but I kept myself busy. Light stretches and push-ups helped get my muscles working again after a week of forced bedrest. My strength was returning fast—faster than normal, really. Probably something to do with the Omnitrix... or maybe my new meta physiology.
I also spent hours meditating, trying to feel and control my powers. My telekinesis was dormant but responsive—like a coiled snake waiting for a signal. But it was my empathy that really stood out.
And by stood out, I mean nearly drowned me.
At first, I wasn't even aware I was picking up emotions from people nearby. But now? It's like their emotions constantly hover just beneath the surface of my mind. Normally it's limited to a 10-meter range, but sometimes, without warning, it spikes—up to 100 meters. And let me tell you, feeling the emotions of an entire hospital floor at once is not fun.
Still, it's manageable. It just needs training and discipline.
...Though I may have already bent the rules a little.
Natalie had been distant after I told her I had a girlfriend. I didn't like the way she pulled back from me. So, I... nudged her emotions. Subtly. Carefully. Ethically questionable? Maybe. But not malicious.
I wasn't trying to make her fall for me overnight. Just... make her feel comfortable with me again. And it worked. She's more relaxed now. I can even feel tiny sparks of interest from her. She'll be staying with me for a month as part of her assignment. That's more than enough time for me to win her over naturally—well, with a tiny push here and there.
Call it manipulation if you want. I call it strategy with a moral leash. I'm not turning into Killgrave. That purple bastard can rot.
Anyway, enough inner monologue.
I stood by the bed, shirtless, pulling my jeans on when the door suddenly opened.
"Alex—!" Natalie walked in mid-sentence and froze instantly. Her eyes locked onto my torso like a deer caught in headlights.
I blinked and looked at her, shirt still in my hand.
"Well, good morning to you too," I said with a teasing smirk. "Didn't expect to get caught changing by my favorite nurse."
Her face flushed a bright red as her gaze remained glued to my abs for one second too long.
"I—I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were—uh—getting dressed!" she stammered, eyes wide.
I chuckled, slowly pulling my shirt on. "It's alright. I don't mind if it's you."
She blinked rapidly, her face now completely crimson. "I—I'll come back in a minute!"
Before I could say anything else, she turned on her heel and practically ran out of the room, muttering something under her breath.
I shook my head with a quiet laugh and slipped my shirt over my head. My body... had changed. Not just internally—visibly. My muscles were tighter, more defined. Whatever happened to me after waking up had made me stronger, sharper—hell, even better-looking. Not that I needed the help, but still.
Once I finished getting ready, I stepped out into the hallway.
Natalie stood just outside the door, still a little flustered.
I raised an eyebrow and leaned against the doorframe. "You sure you're okay? I thought nurses were trained to deal with shirtless patients."
Her eyes widened again, and she quickly looked away. "Y-You're unbelievable..."
"Thanks," I said with a grin.
She crossed her arms and mumbled, "For the record, you're really annoying when you know you look good."
I laughed softly. "Just stating the facts. So? You need something?"
She quickly straightened up and changed the subject. "Your mother just arrived. She's waiting in the front lounge."
"Oh?" I asked, eyebrow raised, amused by her desperate attempt to regain composure.
"Yes," she said firmly, then added in a slightly lower voice, "And if you're done being a menace, maybe we should go greet her?"
"Lead the way, Nurse Quinn," I said, gesturing dramatically.
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the way her lips twitched into a smile as she started walking.
As we made our way toward the waiting room, I glanced at her from the side. Still flustered. Still trying to hide it. Still adorable.
'I defenetly like her now' I thought with amusement.
As Natalie and I stepped into the waiting room, the air immediately shifted.
Dozens of people sat scattered across the space—some hunched over their phones, others wringing their hands, whispering prayers, or staring blankly at the floor. The walls were neutral white, but the emotional weight inside the room painted everything gray.
And for me... it was suffocating.
The sudden influx of raw emotion—fear, grief, impatience, anxiety—all of it hit me like a wave crashing against a dam. My empathy power flared up beyond my control, and I could feel every drop of distress radiating from the people in that room. It buzzed beneath my skin, dulling my senses, making it harder to breathe. I closed my eyes, trying to focus, to shrink my range... but I was already unraveling.
Then—
"Alex!"
A soft weight collided into me, snapping me out of it. Arms wrapped tightly around my torso, holding me as though I might vanish at any moment. Her body pressed close, trembling. I could feel the way her chest rose and fell against mine, the way her fingers dug into my back. She was crying—no, sobbing—her face buried against my chest.
"Thank God... I was so scared. I thought I'd lost you too..." she whispered between broken breaths.
I froze.
I knew that voice.
My mother.
Well... not biologically. But the only mother I'd ever known.
Her name was Evelyn Ryven. She came into my life when I was five years old—after my birth mother passed away. Back then, she was just an assistant in the R&D division of my father's company, the Ryven Research Institute. My father had fallen for her, hard. By the time I was eight, they were married. She moved in with her daughter—my little sister, who's three years younger than me—and from that point on, we were a family.
But now?
Now things weren't so simple.
Because now, I'm not just Alex Ryven. I'm also Max Crown—a man with a whole other life, other feelings, and other boundaries. My past lives had blended—merged and reorganized—and something about the closeness of this hug was… unsettling. Not because of her. But because of me.
Alex, the son, would've held her tightly without hesitation.
But Max... Max saw her differently now.
Still, I had to respond. I had to pretend I was whole.
I slowly lifted my hands, placing them gently on her shoulders.
"I'm fine, Mom," I said softly. "I'm really okay. I'm not going anywhere."
She pulled back slightly, her hands still clinging to my sleeves. Her mascara had smudged around the corners of her eyes, and her cheeks were flushed, but she looked relieved.
"You're sure? No headaches? No strange symptoms?"
I gave her a small smile. "No headaches. Just some sore muscles and a strong desire to leave this hospital behind."
She let out a shaky laugh and sniffled. "You're joking. That's good. You're still you."
If only she knew.
She reached up and gently brushed my hair away from my forehead, inspecting the bandage.
"God, Alex, when I got the call... I didn't think I could take another loss. After your father, I..." Her voice cracked, and she stopped herself.
I placed my hand over hers. "I'm here. You don't have to worry anymore."
Eventually, she stepped back, wiping her eyes with a tissue and straightening her blazer. That was the first time I got a good look at her today.
And... damn. (Image)
Even in her mid-30s, Evelyn Ryven was drop-dead gorgeous. High cheekbones, piercing blue eyes, long dark brown hair tied neatly in a low ponytail. Her figure was poised, elegant, powerful. She looked less like a CEO and more like a model disguised as a scientist.
And yes, that made things even more complicated.
Nine years ago, she lost my father—Dr. Edward Ryven—in a tragic plane crash. His partner, Richard Parker, was on the same flight. Neither survived. Since then, she's taken on both the role of mother and CEO. She's now the head of Ryven Industries, leading the entire R&D division while raising me and my sister alone.
And yet, here she was—barely holding herself together—because of me.
The guilt stung more than the bullet ever did.
---
[Discharge Process – An Hour Later]
We finished the final discharge procedures after a short discussion with Dr. Sarah Kart. Evelyn had already signed the paperwork. The hospital staff gave me a bag of medications and instructions, most of which I barely listened to.
Natalie walked with me through the lobby one last time, her clipboard in hand.
"Try not to pass out for dramatic effect again, Mr. Ryven," she said teasingly.
I smirked. "Only if you're the one catching me next time."
She rolled her eyes. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
We reached the main exit.
Outside, a sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked at the curb, gleaming under the afternoon sun. The chauffeur stood by the open rear door, white gloves tucked neatly behind his back.
Evelyn smiled and gestured toward the car.
"Let's get you home."
I nodded.
Home.
That word felt heavier now.
I slid into the back seat beside her, the cool leather hugging my back. Natalie stood on the sidewalk, giving me a small wave and professional smile before turning away.
The door closed.
The engine purred to life.
As the car pulled away from the hospital, I leaned back into the seat, staring out the tinted window, silently watching the city blur past.
I was going home—but the boy they knew, Alex Ryven, was already gone.
Only I knew what I had become.
Only I knew what I had to do.