Chapter 45
EMMA.
“How long more!”
“We can only wait.”
A slow exhale leaves my mouth as my eyes open. There are voices echoing around me and I turn my head to the side to see two shadows standing only a few feet away from me.
My vision is blurred and when I try to lift my hand to my face. I’m unable to. A wheeze rumbles from my chest and I hear silent call of my name before my consciousness slips away again.
“Goddess.”
-Would you like something to eat, Alpha?”
The voices are back again when I open my eyes. I can hear them clearly now and the last one belongs to lan
1 turn my head, and Will’s eyes widen when our gazes hold. He’s sitting near the bed and he shuffles closer as his eyes scan my face. A soft smile graces his lips as he grabs my hand. “Emma”
“Will.” My voice is small, barely a whisper, but I know Will hears me because his grasp on my hand tightens and his smile widens. My heart is beating softly in my chest and as I open my mouth to speak, my eyes shut again; darkness taking me..
I don’t know what’s happening.
I don’t know where I am.
I keep slipping in and out of my consciousness, and there’s still a sharp pain in my chest each time it rises
I remember what happened. How the Kanima plunged his claws into my back and the sound of a wolf’s roar before I lost sense of everyth
Feverything.
How long has it been? Hours? Days or even more!
My eyes are open again. I can’t hear any voices this time and I keep my eyes on the white ceiling, dragging breaths through my mouth before turning my head when I feel something heavy on my left hand.
My mouth curls when I see him. Will–he’s crouched next to me with his head on the tiny space my body hasn’t taken and his hand in mine. His face is turned to my side and his eyes are closed. Even in his sleep, his brows are furrowed, and a chuckle leaves my mouth as I drag my head further to the side before raising my right hand. I swipe the locks of hair hindering half of the view of his face from me before brushing my fingers through the curls. They’re soft against my touch so I repeat the action and I gasp when Will stirs
I move my hand back just as his eyes open and he takes a second before he lifts his head. When he sees me, he’s quick to change his position. He settles on the space his head had just been and lifts the hand lie’s grabbing “Emma!”
my cliest
“Hey.“1 force a smile at him despite the way my
tightens. “How long was 1 out?“
“Hours. Almost an entire day. How are you feeling?” He asks and before I can answer, he leans close, his palin pressing to my forehead before his gaze shifts to my face and my heart skips a beat at the closeness, When Will’s hand drops from my forehead, he says, “You are warmer. That’s a
“What happened” i
I ask him as he pushes back and his mouth pulls in a frown as his thumbs strokes the back of my hand. “I couldn’t protect you.”
“That wasn’t your fault.”
“I brought you here, I should be able to protect you
throat
We thought the Kanima was trapped, I tell him and when he doesn’t look my way, I try to lift my body off the bed but a wince escapes my th
my lower abdomen Will’s head turns and his eyes widen slightly. “Emma! Stay still. Goddess”
at the
“I’m just trying to move. I can’t see you well with my back to the bed I murmur and Will looks into my eyes for a while before his hands drop on my shoulders and he presses me against the headboard.
47 PM c E
Chapter 15
Thank you,” I utter as he draws back. “No one knew, Will. You shouldn’t blame yourself.”
Π
“A dangerous creature was trapped–I shouldn’t have taken any chances. Shouldn’t have gotten distracted.” He says through clenched teeth and my head drops as I stare at my legs. There’s a momentary silence between us before Will says, “Do you feel better? lan couldn’t do anything because you were braling yourself.”
My brows raise. “What?”
Will nods. “You healed. On your own. Your body fought the poison with no need for help.
*1 didn’t know my healing abilities were that strong.” I whisper as I drag my hand around my side, feeling the area he had taken me in shock. “What happened to the Kanina?” I ask, and when I get no response, my gaze lifts to Will. He’s dropped the hand he’s holding and staring ahead with his jaw clenched
“Look his head.” My head pushes back, and my eyes enlarge when his words come. They leave me dumbfounded for several seconds and wh Will looks at me, I stanuver through my words. “Y–you did, what?”
“Took lus brad. After he had his claws in you.”
my words
“He’s dead?” I inquire, and Will nods without a word. A low gasp leaves me because that’s not the response I was expecting, I thought they’d try to irap him again with the mountain ash–though that’s proved not reliable, so maybe taking his head was the better choice. “Were you hali when lavert my eyes and I see the blood on Will’s hand. I look at him before drawing close to snatch the hand and the words tumble out, “What happened? Why is there blood here? Did you get…”
“It isn’t my blood. Will cuts in. “The Kanima’s” He provides, and my chest drops with a relieved sigh that comes with an ache. I drop Will’s but don’t remove my touch and I lift my head as I caress his palm with my forefinger. He’s looking at me with his lips pressed into a thin line and F
hand smile, “Thank you. I know you blame yourself, but I’m alive. And yes, you did protect me. If you had been even a second later, then I don’t-”
“Emma!” The voice of another presence interrupts my words, and 1 turn my head to see lan standing by the door. “Thank the goddess you’re finally awake. He shus the door and crosses the distance of the room to me, Will’s hand drops from my touch as he moves from the bed so lan con climb
- on.
“You scared me, both of us, lan speaks, his head turning briefly over his shoulder as a gesture to Will. That took too long, darling. Too long
“I’m sorry.” I say with a small chuckle. “I’d try to speed the process next time.” My joke brings a smile to lan’s face, and he draws in to press a hand to my face. He scans my eyes and looks beneath the lids before he waddles back. “You look good.”
Thank you for looking after me, Ian.” I express and lan is quick to shake his head. “I didn’t I couldn’t stop that creature from harming you and that’s why—”
“You were immersed in your spells because you were worried. You did your best, healer.” I assure and he nods slowly. “Thank you for being special
“We’re leaving.” The boom of Will’s voice forces both of us to turn our heads and my brows creases. His arms are crossed to his chest as he continues. “Once Emma las enough rest. We were here for the Kanima and since fie’s gone, we shall return to the pack.”
“Do you think there’ll be more?” I ask, looking between the two of them. “Surely, whoever the master is won’t just have one!”
*Kanimas are rare creatures to come by and I don’t think whoever it is could control too many. Besides, if they were more; they’d have co
save that onr
come to
“It was just a thought,” I mumble and tan smiles. “Don’t worry. Even if there are more, you’re safe. The Alpha is now skilled at slapping a Kanima’s head off” lan laughs and I look at Will, who remains silent by the side, his attention shifted from me.
“Right. I have a few things to take care of. You should rest more. Emma, and I’ll bring you something to eat
“Thank you,” I say, and lan moves off the bed. He bows to Will before he walks out of the room and in his absence, I turn on my side to the Alpha standing large next to me.
“We’re leaving“” His eyes are back on me at my question and be hums. “I should get back to the pack. I’m sure Ryan is burdened by now.”
“Hight, Ryan. We’ve only been here for a day, though” The words leave my mouth with little thought and when Will’s eyes narrow, I’m quick to say, “I didn’t mean it that way. Lonly meant that
“You don’t want to leave? His brow perks and I jerk my head. “Yes. No. I mean I let out a breath before I part my lips. “We should leave. There’s nothing che to wait for
Will doesn’t speak and I’m afraid he’s seen right through me as he stares at me with raised brows. After a few minutes, his brows drop at
on at the
same
Chapter 45
time his arms fall from his chest and he walks to my bed. Without a word, he climbs in–not just gets on the edge, but he takes the space behind me, and my heart pounds in my chest when he wraps his arms around me, his front pressing to my back. We should return. But only after you’ve
y insides calming
“Once I’m rested” The smile in my words is easily heard and I drop my hands on the ones holding me before shutting my eyes, my
the presence of his soft breaths and steady heartbeats echoing through my back
-MORNING-
My phone vibrates in my bed, and I move to grab it. It’s a text from Bianca
You’re arriving today!”
She sends a dancing sticker and I shake my head, a laugh leaving my mouth as I stare at the icon that indicates she’s typing
Finally. It’s been hell here without you, babe.
“Haven’t you been too busy going out with that
that new guy of yours to even notice she was gone?“.
Elijah finally sends a text in the group chat, and my brow lifts as I type out a
a reply.
Another one!
“Another one. I’m the one who’s been lonely, sweetheart. I can’t wait to see your p
pretty face again.
phone in my pants pockets, and
“Emma” There’s a shout of my name from outside and I quickly type another reply to my friends before I drop my p grab my bag.
Ian and Will are waiting in the living room when I walk out of mine and Will walks to me. He grabs the bag in my hand before he parts his lips. “Are you sure you’ve rested enough! We can wait another day”
“No. I’m good. And I can rest more at the pack house.” I tell him and he nods. He turns to walk out of the house and I follow while Ian trails behind us. My steps falter when I get to the same spot I got attacked and a hand rests on the small of my back as Tan reaches
I turn my head, and he smiles. “You’re okay”
“I’m okay.” I repeat in a quiet voice, and lan leads me to the car. He lets me get into the front seat while he takes the back and I fix my seatbelt as Will starts the engine. As I stare out the window and look at the view of the house in the mirror; I know those words were a lie. I don’t think I’ll be okay. Not in a while. Not as long as the images of that incident haunt me each time I close my eyes, and it’s as though I relive near death every single time.
As Will drives away, push back in my seat and swallow through the tightness of my throat at the gnawing feeling in my chest I can’t escape from.
AD
