invisible string | s. uley ✓

15 | i love you

"Val, that tick was about to rip your head off," Jacob reminded her. "No one blames you, and you shouldn't blame yourself either."

"Speaking of getting your head ripped off," Quil muttered. He was sitting on the step above Valeria and pointed to the crack in her otherwise blemish-free skin. It ran from her left cheek and down her neck. "Is that, like, permanent?"

"No, it—" Valeria paused, and they all winced as Sam's screams echoed once more. "It was a lot bigger an hour ago. It'll be gone by morning. I'm not the one you need to worry about."

"We can worry about both of you," Leah grumbled, leaning against the side of the house. She was mad but not at Valeria or Sam. She was pissed at the newborn who had hurt them both.

"Doc's been at it for a while," Seth whispered, clenching his eyes shut as another scream sounded. He had been crying, and he wasn't the only one as they were forced to listen to Sam's bones being broken. Sue had him wrapped in her arms, doing her best to comfort him.

It was almost unbearable to hear their leader, their brother, forced to endure something so horrifying — as if the initial injury hadn't been enough. They also knew that it was causing Valeria pain. Perhaps it wasn't of the same nature, but for the imprintee, to see him in such a broken condition was agonizing in a different sense.

With each scream, her chest ached in a way that it never had since becoming a vampire. She didn't need to breathe and yet it felt almost impossible as she imagined Sam inside the house, laying on the bed as Carlisle snapped his bones over and over. Valeria would have given anything, even her life, if it meant Sam never had to feel pain again.

After what felt like hours to them all, the screaming finally came to a screeching halt.

Everyone turned abruptly when Carlisle exited the house followed by Jared. They both had grim expressions on their faces, and the whole ordeal had certainly traumatized Jared who had sat through it all, helping to hold Sam down.

"The worst is over," Carlisle said, looking to Billy. "He'll be alright." Everyone sighed in relief, and Sue wiped at the tears under her son's eyes. "I gave him some morphine, but his body temperature will burn it off soon. I'll come back to set up a drip."

"Thank you," Billy told him, meaning it. They had never been more thankful to have Carlisle's help.

Valeria stood up, prepared to leave with Carlisle after he shook Billy's hand. But she did look back at Jared. "Thank you for letting me wait with everyone. I needed to know he'd be alright."

"Val, he's asking for you," Jared told her.

Valeria's eyes widened and she looked over at Carlisle, who nodded. "Go," he told her. "I'll be back shortly with the IV set up."

Valeria's mind was racing with a million different thoughts and questions, but they all went away when she walked into Sam's room. Her heart sank to her stomach as she took in his condition.

Sam was lying in bed, the entire right side of his body covered in braces and bandages to hold everything in place. He was drenched in sweat and his red eyes told her that he had been crying through the rebreaking process.

"Hey, Sunshine," Valeria said weakly.

It took a great effort for him to turn his head and look at her, and her sensitive ears picked up on his ragged, labored breaths. But then he somehow managed a smile when he saw her. Valeria didn't know it, but just having her in the room made him feel better — or at least comforted because of the imprint bond.

"Hey," Sam said, the pain evident in his tone. Valeria moved to his side, being sure to keep to his left and away from any broken bones. "I was worried about you."