Shifters

Chapter 48

Her steps echoed down the empty hospital hallway, getting farther and farther. He closed his eyes, feeling for it, and wishing he'd had to courage to tell her to stay, even if she was likely to say no.

She sat on her bed and shook her head tirelessly. She still felt his gentle fingers on the multitude of bites, they had somehow been relaxing, soothing, over the itchy bumps. His bright green eyes were etched behind her eyelids, and she tried to sort all the emotions she'd seen swimming in them. All that endless depth full of conflicting feeling, where was she in all that? She wished she had the courage to stay by his side, even if he was convinced he didn't want her near him. It seemed at times she was the last person he wanted to see, then he'd do something, such as look at her like she was the only one he wanted to see, and she didn't know what to believe. She gave him his space, but she wondered if she was right to do so. Everything in her told her to go back, told her that he needed her, but last time she'd done that, he'd sent her away and left the valley without saying goodbye.

She growled to herself in frustration and confusion, and asked herself the same question over and over:

Does he feel the same?

She was eventually lulled to sleep by that question, hours later when it had gotten dark outside and only the moon was present. As soon as her eyes closed, she was battling Kevin again, only this time she was alone and it didn't take long for him to put her in his mouth and snap her spine in two with his rows of sharp fangs. Her body was too fatigued to wake up, so she stayed trapped in the terrible nightmare, twitching in the imaginative fight and growling quietly.

A Serius entered the room with glowing green eyes like a phantom. He stood over her, watching her dream and struggle in her sleep. He frowned as he watched her, and very gently reached forward to pull the blanket more tightly over her and push a strand of her hair out of her face. The effect of his touch was like magic, she stilled immediately and very silently murmured something incoherent. He sighed deeply, wondering if she would be upset when she found out in the morning.

He hadn't gone to sleep at all. After she left, he stared at the ceiling in a daze, only half alert but never sinking into his subconscious. When it got to be completely dark, he swallowed some painkillers. He was able to walk after a few minutes, and he came here, to her. To look at her one last time, and say goodbye. At least, he had hoped to say goodbye, but he couldn't find it in himself to wake her up, just looking at her made his heart break and glued him to the spot. But, he couldn't stay there, he planned to be back home by tomorrow night. He'd finished what he needed to do, his pack needed him now. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and left the room, starting down the hall.

She would be okay, she has her family, they would take care of her, like they'd always done. He was all his pack had, and they were all he had, he needed to get back to them as soon as possible. Kayla didn't need him like his pack did.

Anthony was sitting at the hospital entrance that Adam had caved in with the car. The two alphas looked at each other ominously.

"You're leaving?" Anthony broke the silence.

"My pack needs me." Damian replied vaguely.

Anthony nodded in understanding. He took a deep breath and stood. "I know this doesn't mean anything to you now, but... I'm sorry." His voice was full of sorrow. "I really am."

The Serius alpha shifted uncomfortably. It didn't mean anything. It didn't bring back all the lives, it didn't make the attack fair or okay, it didn't bring back his father, but, he managed to do the hardest thing anyone could possibly do: He let it go.

"I forgive you." He said earnestly.

A visible weight seemed to lift from the Pelisian alpha's shoulders, he stood straighter. "If you ever need--"