Distinctly Different

Chapter 16 ~ Capture

Chapter 16



The cold water splashing into his face woke Rowan up from his sleepy state. He gripped the edge of the bucket of water as the shock wore off. The cold water was exactly what he needed. He’d woken up feeling very warm. He stumbled over to the bucket of water without really knowing what he was doing, he only wanted relief.

Rowan splashed more water onto his face and the water dripped off, falling onto his shirt. He pulled the shirt over his head and threw it away from his. Without the shirt adding extra heat he felt almost normal. He crawled over to his bed and leaned against it. He closed his eyes and lay still as his body temperature slowly cooled to what a human’s temperature was supposed to be.

A small hand-held mirror lay on the ground and Rowan caught his reflection in it. His hand reached out and grabbed the mirror of its own accord. His hair was plastered to his forehead and he didn’t look well rested despite having slept fine last night. His other hand touched his cheek and immediately pulled back, his face was burning.

Rowan didn’t hear the knock at the door and was surprised when Arabella entered the room. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight and she shut the door quickly before rushing to his side. She touched his forehead to check his temperature and gasped.

Glancing around, she located the bucket of water and brought it closer to Rowan. Without asking she grabbed Rowan’s shirt that he had recently taken off and dunked it in the water. Rowan didn’t protest; he didn’t have the strength to even if he wanted to.

She gently dabbed the wet shirt to his face. Rowan sighed in relief at the touch of the cold water. Arabella bit her lip as she worked to cool him off. She put the shirt into the water and then too Rowan’s confusion she put the shirt over his head and helped his arms into the sleeves. She caught his look of confusion and smiled but worry was still in her eyes.

“It’ll help you cool off,” she explained. Rowan nodded. He swallowed suddenly parched. He eyed the pitcher of water and Arabella nodded. She poured some water into a cup and held it to his lips to drink. He eagerly swallowed and the cup was empty in no time at all. Arabella refilled the cup twice more to the same result.

“So am I dying?” Rowan asked having regained more of his strength. Arabella froze. “Is this normal circumstance for someone who will die of a werewolf bite?”

“You don’t know?” she asked curiously. Rowan shrugged.

“Whenever we were around someone bitten and dying they were very close to death. I haven’t been around someone near the beginning,” Rowan replied. “So is a horribly fever part of what someone goes through when they’re dying of a werewolf bite?”

Arabella sighed. “Not everyone goes through the same side effects of a werewolf bite. Some may be unconscious for days, while others slip into the early stages of dementia.”

Rowan rolled his eyes. “Am I dying?” he demanded. He was getting annoyed of Arabella avoiding the subject.

Arabella grew sadder. “I can’t know for sure if your fever means you’re dying.”

“I don’t want false hope,” Rowan whispered softly. “Please be honest with me.”

“I am being honest,” Arabella persisted. “The fever could mean your body is fighting the werewolf bite. It could mean you will survive.”

Rowan nodded. “Sure,” he said not quite ready to hope for that.

“I think you’re going to live,” Arabella protested as she put a cold cloth on his forehead. Rowan didn’t know where she got it from but it didn’t matter.