Hello my lovely readers! This chapter, it's just beautiful, y'know? Hope u like it.
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33. When I open my eyes
I’m awake but I cant open my eyes.
Its like they’ve been weighted down by a ton of sand, my insides are freezing and no matter how hard I clutch the blanket to myself, I’m still cold.
Finally, I manage to peel my eyes open. I’m aware of the tremble in my limbs as I push myself up. My tired eyes look around, searching for a specific block of granite when I see him walking towards the campsite.
“Morning,” I mumble, rubbing my eyes in hopes of being less tired “Where were you?”
“I went ahead to see if there’s any other surprise for us,” Luke says, eyeing me warily
I nod and do my best imitation of my usual self by quickly folding up the blanket and stuffing it in the bag.
I don’t want him to think I’m so shaken by that little episode last night.
My eyes flicker to Luke as I recall the events of yesterday.
Luke Winters comforted me.
And I let him.
I shake my throbbing head. Goddess, why did I have to do that? He’s probably thinking I’m some emotional idiot. But in my defense, I didn’t expect him to actually be paying attention to my mood! He should’ve just let me be!
But you cant deny he made you feel better.
Darn my inner voice! And darn my heart for beating so fast!
Luke busies himself with the map while I quickly put my hair in a braid. My head sways, my vision lurches and here’s a horrible throbbing in my head. I check my bandaged wounds but they don’t hurt.
Except the one of my shoulder which is radiating pain. Moon, its unbearable.
“So, did you find anything?” I stand up, hoping Luke doesn’t notice that I’m leaning against the tree
“No, the coast is clear.” He says coolly, his eyes flicker to me as he folds up the map “We should get going.”
My legs almost give up by just the mention of walking, but I nod. I can do this, a little weakness is nothing.
I pick up the bag and hand it to Luke. He’s staring at me skeptically, his stormy eyes threatening to cut through me.
“What?” I roll my eyes
“Why wont you just admit it?” his eyes narrow a fraction
My heart skips a beat. Did he...? Is it that obvious? No. No, I’m fine!
“Admit that you’re annoying as hell?” I put a hand on my hip “Fine, you are.”
I walk past him but only a step further, I feel his hand close around my upper arm and pull me back. A hiss slips past my lips.
Luke’s hand drops from my arm instantly. His eyes flicker from my arm to my probably pained expression and the next moment, he’s pushed the sleeve of my shirt to my shoulder, inspecting the skin as if he expects to see what damage he’s caused.
“Luke what are you—
My own eyes gravitate towards my arm and I see what he’s seeing. Dark, cracked lines mar my pale skin, seeming to pulse from under the bandage on my arm.
Our eyes meet for a second and then his hands are quick to remove the bandage, leaving a bruised puncture wound exposed. With gentles I didn’t think him capable of, Luke’s thumb brushes against the wound.
“Ouch!” I slap his hand away, cradling my arm, I give him a hard glare “It hurts!”
“Show me your arm,” Luke say, his hard voice leaves no room for argument
I huff and toss my braided hair over my shoulder “I’m fine. Stop being such an over reactor.”
His eyes narrow at my nonchalance, as if tempted to throw his hands up in frustration. Instead, he says;
“Do you have nosophobia?”
“No.” I deadpan
“Then just admit that you’re sick.” Luke says
“I am not,” I say and turn around, already walking
No way in hell am I letting him have the chance to see me weaker than he already had. It’s just a little pain, I can handle it. It’s not like I’ll die—
Someone snatches my wrist and tugs me back so I stand just in front of a very pissed off Alpha. Luke’s eyes are fixed on me in a challenging glare, daring me to pull away.
“Then why is your heart beating so fast?” he asks, eyes narrowed at my wide ones
Why is it beating so fast? Because I’m sick! I am, I admit it! But no, it wasn’t beating like this a while ago. What is wrong with it?
“I, umm,” My eyes dart between both of his
We’re standing so close, his body heat is reaching mine, warming every freezing bone in my body. His eyes are such a peculiar shade of blue, like a storm in the ocean, ready to devour everything in its wrath. Why am I suddenly considering drowning in them?
“Answer my question,” Luke leans down, our distance reduces to almost nothing “Why is your heart beating so fast?”
Why the hell is this thing beating so fast? Am I having a heart attack? Why would I have a heart attack? My mind is scattering like sand and I blurt out the first thing that comes on my tongue.
“Because you’re making me nervous!”
He pulls back by sheer surprise “What?”
“You’re making me nervous, Winters!” I blurt out, growing more panicked by the second “Let go!”
Luke lets go of me and I put a hand on my chest, taking deep breaths “Moon, get a hold, will you? I’m a decent girl, not used to men holding me like that!”
Luke gives me an offended look as he crosses his arms, staring down at me.
“Then show me your wound like a decent girl, stop making a fuss about it.”
I narrow my eyes at him, but I cant deny that he’s right. This wound looks bad, maybe its infected and I need to treat it somehow.
“Decency has its disadvantages,” I mutter under my breath as I hold out my arm
His fingers close around my skin carefully, his thumb brushes the wound again and I feel myself stiffen, jaw clenched. Luke focuses on the wound and applies the slightest pressure, something bulges up, crimson drops forming around it.
The thorn is still inside.
“How could you not notice this last night?” Luke flashes me a quick glare
“Well, I don’t know,” I glare at him with enough heat to melt iron “Maybe because I almost got killed and saw two corpses and my whole body was numb with pain!”
Luke opens his mouth to say something but then closes it again, taking a deep breath as if calming himself, he turns his eyes to my arm, crimson drops trailing down it.
“We need to pull it out,” He says
My eyes widen and I pull my arm away “That sounds like a horrible idea.”
Luke gives me an irritated look “Are you intending to keep it then?”
“Maybe it’ll become part of me?” I say unsurely
“This is the reason you’re running a fever,” Luke says, grabbing my elbow and leading me to a patch of grass to sit down “We need to get it out, you know it.”
Too tired to argue anymore, I sigh “Fine. Do it while I don’t have the strength the kick you for it.”
Luke nods, I watch as his finger sharpen at the edges. His eyes find mine for a moment.
“On three.”
I nods, Luke turns his focus on the wound again, the slight wood bugling up pinched between his pointed fingers like a pair of tweezers “One, two,”
Luke pulls it out and a flash of pain numbs my senses. I gasp, my eyes watering.
“Three,” He pulls out the antiseptic from the bag and quickly cleans the wound, applies a bit of pressure with a wad of cotton to stop the bleeding and quickly wraps a bandage around it
“You liar,” I say, a note of accusation in my voice “You said on three!”
“I was expecting you to punch me on three and run away.”
“You’ve figured out my secrets, Winters,” I say, cradling my freshly bandaged arm, my head swimming “Now I’ll have to kill you.”
“Good luck with that, Hazel.” Luke say, getting to his feet, the long thorn still in his hand
I try to make my legs get up and succeed by clawing my hands against a tree and pulling myself up. I can see them trembling under me, my vision focuses in and out.
“Luke,” a breath escapes my lips
That’s when my legs decide it’s a good time to quit, I sway back, eyes closed partially due o tiredness and partially to brace myself for the fall.
I don’t fall.
Someone is holding me against something warm and since there’s only one someone around me, I know who it is.
I lean my head against Luke’s chest “I really am ill.”
And my vision goes black.
…
My tired eyes wake up to the sound of water.
Something cool and wet is pressed against my forehead and I know that’s good. My body is burning on the outside but freezing inside. I clutch the blanket as tight as my numb hands allow.
A familiar, deep and hard voice reaches me “You’re awake.”
My lips tug upwards “No shit, Sherlock.”
Luke takes off the cloth from my forehead and I realize he’s missing a sleeve of his shirt. He dips it in something nearby and wrings out the extra water.
“How do you feel?” he asks, putting the cloth on my neck
“Exhausted,” I exhale, Goddess, its taking so much energy to speak
“That may have something to do with having a poisonous thorn in your flesh for a whole night.”
I ignore the sarcasm in his voice “Where are we?”
“To the stream I told you of yesterday,” Luke says, helping me sit up
He goes through the bag and takes out a little bottle of golden fluid. Luke’s warm hand slips behind my neck, holding the bottle to my lips.
“What is this?” I crinkle my nose at the horrible smell
“Antidote for poison,” Luke says “And if you want to live, you’d better take it.”
“Death doesn’t look so bad,” I murmur before taking a big gulp
I swallow, gasping as it leaving a burning trail in my throat, like too hot spice.
“How long until it works?” I ask, a little breathless
Luke’s eyes flicker to me and I’d almost missed the look that crosses his face. A look that has me swallowing the fear bubbling inside and failing miserably.
He doesn’t know.
“That depends on what type of poison that thorn had,” Luke says, his voice cool as always “you should be alright in a few days.”
My eyebrows go up. A few days? But we don’t have time to waste!
“What about the Hunt?” I close my eyes, unable to keep them open
“Don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not?” A hint of irritation leaks in my voice “Both our lives depend on it.”
Luke's voice is as irked as mine “You don’t need to remind me of that.”
I open my eyes, the sun is almost down. How could I be sleeping for so long? Luke gathers fire wood and starts a fire near the stream, the sounds of the forest reach my ears as I stare at the flickering flames.
Everything in me feels quiet, slowly shutting down. I swallow thickly as the image of those mangled bodies enters my head. Just what sort of poison is running in my veins?
“You should sleep, Hazel.”
I look sideways at Luke, his stormy eyes are trained on me.
“I don’t want to sleep.” I bite down my bottom lip
I hear a shuffle as he moves, then someone catches my chin, my eyes fly to meet Luke’s. His thumb gently frees my lip from my teeth, dark blue eyes trained on it. My heart is leaping and I don’t think its just because of the fever.
Then the spell is broken, Luke pulls away from me, his face impassive.
“You need to sleep,” He says “Your body needs to rest to recover.”
With a sigh, I lay down, making my head comfortable on the bag. He’s right, my body does need rest, but I cant stop fear from coursing through me when I close my eyes.
“Luke,” I say quietly, he hmms in response “When I open my eyes again, you’ll be here, right?”
He doesn’t respond. I have to refrain myself from dying from embarrassment. But I cant help the fear pulsing through me from the wound at my arm.
Someone tucks the blanket up to my chin, warm fingers brush against my jaw while doing so.
“When you open your eyes again,” a deep voice says “I will be here.”
✧ Luke ✧
I stare at the thorn in my hand. The inch long piece of wood is curled cruelly at the end, like a barb.
A drop of black forms at the tip and drops on the ground. The grass burns where it falls.
It must be the work of a witch, there’s no way this could still leak poison after being detached for so long.
I’d taken as much medical supplies and weapons from the witch’s den as possible to carry. I hope that antidote works better than this poison.
My eyes flicker to Hazel, curled up in the blanket. Her skin was scorching warm but the way her brows are furrowed tells me she’s cold.
For a moment, I’m tempted to do something about it. Surely, my warmth could make her feel better.
I shake my head, cutting off my thoughts. What the hell am I thinking? Hazel wouldn’t allow that.
I’m a decent girl, not used to men holding me like that! She’d said this morning. Considering the look on her face, I wouldn’t doubt that.
It’s strange though. Someone with a personality and looks like hers could easily get any man she wanted.
Why would she waste her time with others when she only wants her mate?
Her devotion to an unknown man would be admiring if it wasn’t so irritating. She doesn’t even know if she would ever meet him yet she’s ready to wait forever. I’ve never seen her look at a man in a way other women would.
She’s never looked at me that way.
I drag a hand down my face, scowling at my own thoughts. What is wrong with you, Winters? Instead of gauging your options, you’re standing here, wanting to punch a man you don’t know?
Forcing myself to focus on more important matters, I calculate the days left, our rations, the distance left and take in consideration as many variables as I can without losing my head. With Hazel unable to go on for the time being, matters have complicated further.
Maybe I could carry her for the next few days? I know I can manage. Hazel didn’t mind the ease last time.
A cough cuts through my thoughts.
I whirl around so fast, it takes a moment for my eyes to focus.
Hazel is sitting up, eyes wide and chest rising and falling rapidly as she stares at her hand. Her golden eyes settle on me as I near her.
“Hazel, what happened?” I ask, taking in her frantic expression
She doesn’t say anything, simply turns her eyes to her palm again.
I follow her line of sigh only to have my eyes widen. Drops of crimson stain her hand. Wide, golden eyes turn to me, fear swirling in them.
I force my limbs to move and reach around her to take the bag, I pull out the bottle of the antidote. Only one dose is left in the little vessel.
Without a word, I hold it to her. Her hand is trembling when she takes it, I steady her hand with my own, lest she drops all the antidote on herself rather than drinking it.
Heavy silence descends on us, questions hang in the still air. Questions that I don’t want to think about.
When I finally find my voice, it’s only to say;
“Go to sleep, Hazel.”
I get up, turn around ready to spend the next hour convincing myself that she’s going to be fine. That the antidote will work. That her body will be strong enough to fight the poison.
A hand closes around mine.
“Am I going to die?”
I stand rooted to my place, not thinking, not breathing. Finally, my paralyzed limbs turn me around and I crouch down so we’re on eye-level.
“No,” I say simply
She’s the one who didn’t want to be on this Hunt, she’s the one who didn’t know what to expect, she’s the one who’s poisoned. Yet she’s the stronger one, because she says what I can’t;
“Maybe I am.”
I punch my hand against the tree, shaking it to the roots. I let out the outraged growl trapped in my chest. I tell her never to say that again, that she’s not going to leave me.
I do none of those things.
Because I have no reassurance to soothe her fears, no hope to give her, no solid fact to convince either myself or her that she’s going to be fine.
Her small hand tightens around mine, burning with fever but her eyes are steady “That’s possible, isn’t it?”
“Come here,” I gather her up in my arms, along with the blanket and settle her on my lap
“What are you doing?” She asks, her shoulders tense
“You were cold.” I say simply, wrapping my arms around her, holding her small frame close to myself
“I’m fine.” She says, but her voice is wary, tired
When I make no move to let go, she finally relents. Letting out a sigh, she relaxes in my hold and I don’t bother to quantize the relief that washes over me.
The silence is broken by a few more coughs. Her dainty hands fly to her mouth, my hold on her tightens abruptly.
Hazel pulls her hands away, smeared with crimson drops. She wipes them off on her clothes.
“Luke,” her voice is so soft, so quiet
She looks up at me, as if waiting for me to acknowledge the elephant in the room. The gloom hanging above our heads.
I stubbornly ignore it.
“Yes?” I brush my thumb across the corner of her mouth, wiping away a drop of blood
She lowers my hands, takes a shallow breath “If I die—
“You wont,” My voice cuts through hers like a blade
“You don’t know that.” Her voice is calm, steady. Why is it making me want to break something?
She’s right. I don’t know. The possibility is staining her hands, burning her skin but I still cannot bring myself to admit it.
“Luke,” her hands are soft on my face, eyes steady “If I die, find a way back to me.”
“I wont have to do that,” I shake my head “You’re not going to die.”
She smiles then, a little sad smile that makes my heart twist horribly in my chest, my throat is parched like sandpaper.
“But if I do,” she pulls me down and I let her, her forehead touches mine “Don’t leave me here. I don’t want to be buried in this rotten place.”
“Hazel, don’t—
“Tell my mom that I didn’t die a coward,” She tells me softly “Tell her I was brave and strong and amazing.”
Words are caught in the desert in my throat, unable to pass, my tongue is in dust.
We’re so close to each other, I can see the faint freckles dusted across her cheeks, so close I can hear her heart beating in sync with mine, so close that if I move an inch, my lips would brush against hers.
“Will you do that for me?” She asks
Something in me snaps.
“No,” My voice is hard even to my own ears “I will not do any of that. I will not have to.”
She sighs, letting her hands drop “Luke, this isn’t—
“No,” I say firmly “Nothing is going to happen to you.”
She turns her face away, brows furrowed. I find myself wanting to make her believe me, to somehow reassure her, to keep my Hazel safe.
“Don’t you trust me?” I ask, pulling her closer to myself
“You know I do,” she says “But—
“Then trust me,” I say quietly “Nothing will happen to you, I promise.”
I tuck her head under my chin, her scent is so maddeningly strong, so close. It gives me an odd relief to hold her like this, a sense of belonging.
My heart jumps when she snuggles closer to my warmth “I hope you’re right.”
I hope so too, Elise. I close my eyes and press my face against her hair. I cant lose you now.
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