Aydan moved a chair behind Zephyr, then tapped his shoulder to encourage him to sit and rest. For hours Zephyr had been pacing the floor of the chamber as he waited for any sign of improvement from Sunny. After enduring such a horrendous battle and the exhausting days before it, the Alpha wolf was looking less than energetic.
Zephyr looked over his shoulder at Aydan's concerned expression and sighed. He lowered himself into the chair and let out a groan as the cushions wrapped around his body.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to get up if I sit here for any length of time," he muttered to Aydan, who smiled at him proudly.
"Then I shall do whatever you need done. For now, rest a while. Nothing has changed anyway." Aydan glanced over at Sunny lying still on the bed.
"And I am afraid nothing will," whispered Zephyr.
Taehyung did his best to ignore their despondent remarks. He sat next to Sunny on the bed and held her cold hand in his own. She looked so beautiful and peaceful despite the war for survival raging in her body. At least he hoped it was a war; one that Sunny was winning.
He found himself staring at her chest, watching for each shallow breath she took. They were few and far between, with a few ghastly gasps in the middle. He refused to believe the love of his long and painful life could be on her way out of it.
Raising her hand to his lips, he pressed a long kiss to the thin fingers. His heart was breaking and he felt helpless. There was absolutely nothing he could do except wait for whatever concoction Zephyr made to fight off the poison.
Feeling the need to be even closer to her, he stretched himself out on the bed beside her, pulling her body into his arms and wrapping himself around her. He breathed in her cinnamon scent and let it envelope his senses. He never tired of smelling it. It filled him with warmth that his vampiric self could only feel when he was near Sunny.
Taehyung kissed her temple, then her cheek. Tears filled his eyes and he swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn't let his emotions overwhelm him again. Instead, he chose to voice his doubt and fear in the form of whispers only Sunny could hear.
"You know, it's not fair if you leave first. You haven't been with me long enough to even consider leaving. Sunny, I'm nothing without you. You are the best part of me. You came into my life and made up for all the horrible things I was. I can't go back to that, Sunny. I just can't."
He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to the side of her head. Tears trickled down his cheeks and onto the pillow below his head, causing a dark stain to slowly spread across the fabric. Time felt like it had stopped as his tears fell more freely onto the pillow.
"You...will nev...er be alone..."
Taehyung's gritty eyelids popped open at the sound of the raspy whisper. He waited a moment to assure himself that he was not imagining hearing her voice, then raised his head and looked into the bloodshot eyes of his beautiful wife.
Sobs erupted from him like lava from a volcano as he pulled Sunny against his chest. She groaned and shifted in his arms, but he couldn't bring himself to let her go.
"Taehyung, lay her down! I need to examine her," said Zephyr, his voice laced with tentative excitement. He had heard Sunny's hoarse voice and had sprung out of his seat, despite his exhaustion.
Taehyung reluctantly laid his wife back down into the satiny sheets and let Zephyr check her vital signs. However, his hand never let go of hers. He was afraid if he let go, she would fall back asleep and never wake up.
"Her heartbeat is stronger than it was. Respirations are beginning to increase also. I think the antidote is finally getting the upper hand." Zephyr grinned happily and patted Taehyung' shoulder. "You are one lucky vampire."
"We will step out for a bit. I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about," he said, standing straight again. He grabbed Aydan's arm and drug him out of the room.
Sunny blinked slowly, as if her eyelids were weighted down with lead. Taehyung ran his hand along her forehead and hair, smiling widely and crying tears of happiness.
"I thought I had lost you forever," he choked as he smiled down at her.
Sunny fully opened her eyes and looked at him. "No...not so...easy."
The meter of her voice was lethargic and labored, but she pressed on with her words.
"I was...scared...Tae."
"Me too, babe. Me too," he said, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Never scare me like that again."
Sunny smiled weakly and moved her head to lean more fully on his side. "Okay."
Taehyung was so overjoyed to hear her voice, especially when he thought he would never hear it again. "Do you want anything?"
She slowly shook her head. "Just...you."
Taehyung slid back down to her side and pulled her into his arms. "Then you shall have me."
***
Jaci awakened to the blue light of the morning peaking through the small break in the drapes. The weight across her middle gave her pause for just a moment before she realized it was Jungkook's arm. She ran her hand over the strong muscle just under the surface of his skin. The feel of it filled her with warmth and a twinge of excitement.
Her hand moved slowly up and down his arm as she grew more awake. The gentle snores from behind her told her Jungkook was still sleeping and she decided not to wake him. They had both had some rough days and needed the rest.
However, her body must have had its fill of sleep because she was growing increasingly awake with each passing moment. Not only that, but nature was calling, and she was also getting hungry.
"If you want to rub something other than my arm, I wouldn't complain," came a husky voice close to her ear.
She laughed and looked over her shoulder. The sparkling eyes of her mate were peeking out from under his thick, dark eyelashes. His lopsided smile made her heart do flip-flops in her chest.
"I'm kidding," he said, laughing a bit. "Want some breakfast?"
She smiled and nodded, turning her head back around and snuggling up closer to him. "I do, but I also am just enjoying being with you right now."
"We have a lifetime for these moments. But my stomach is already running on fumes. I need food." He rolled onto his back and stretched with a loud groan.
Jaci stretched out her limbs as well, enjoying the cracking of her bones and the tight pull of her stiff muscles. Certain places ached with soreness from yesterday's fight and she winced more than once.
"Don't worry. You're a werewolf. The aches won't last long, especially if you get a good run in," said Jungkook as he leaned over to peck her cheek.
Jaci felt her cheeks grow heated, and it was probably safe to say there was a rosy tint on them.
Jungkook rolled over and then up into a seated position on the edge of the bed. It had been a long night for him. For one, his fated mate was beside him all night and there was nothing he could do about it. Thankfully, he had stayed on top of the blankets or things might have been worse for him. But for now, he needed a run, a shower, and some food. Maybe not in that exact order.
"You can use the bathroom first. I'll go down and see what's available for breakfast," he said, standing up and stretching one more time.
Jaci found herself staring at the way his muscles rolled under his t-shirt as he stretched. She was so thankful the Moon had set her up with such a handsome man.
Jungkook left the room and Jaci felt like he had taken all of the air with him. She wilted into the bed, threw the blankets over her head, and squealed.
Her giddiness soon waned as she remembered Taehyung and Sunny's current situation. No one had come to the room during the night, so hopefully that meant things were either the same or better concerning Sunny.
Feeling a fresh concern washing over her, Jaci bolted out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash up and get ready for the day and whatever it held.
***
Jungkook found his way to the massive kitchen, following the scent of fresh coffee. He breathed in the smell and felt his mind slowly awaken out of its morning fog.
As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he was surprised to see Aydan and Zephyr seated around a small table, with coffee cups set before them. They looked so tired and lost in their own thoughts that Jungkook felt some faint sympathy for them.
"Any left?" he questioned, waving his hand at their cups.
"Mm," grunted Aydan, nodding his head towards the coffee pot located on the stove.
Jungkook grabbed a cup from a stand of hooks and poured the steaming black liquid into it. He was never one for frou-frou coffee. Black and strong was just the way he liked it, and this coffee was perfect.
He sat down next to Aydan in an available chair, and looked at the two werewolves for a clue of how the night had gone. "So...?"
"She awakened a little while ago. She's weak, but stable," said Zephyr. His appearance was haggard and his voice was raspy.
Jungkook grinned brightly at the news. "That's wonderful! I bet Taehyung is ecstatic!"
"Quite," mumbled Aydan, taking another long sip of his coffee.
Jungkook grinned and held his cup, letting the warmth take the damp chill off his skin. "Is there anything here that resembles breakfast?"
Aydan leaned back in his chair and slowly scanned the kitchen. After a moment's pause, he gestured towards a door on the wall. "There's a pantry through that door. You're welcome to whatever you find."
Jungkook looked at the door and then nodded. "Can I get you two anything?"
Both wolves shook their heads in a negative response.
Jungkook was an Alpha now, but even with that new status, he felt a sense of respect and awe for Zephyr and Aydan both. Zephyr because he was an older fellow Alpha, and Aydan simply because he was older, or at least Jungkook thought so.
"Hey, Aydan, can I ask a question?" Jungkook opened the door to the refrigerator and pulled out some eggs.
Aydan grunted in the affirmative as he slowly rose from his seat and walked towards the sink to put his and Zephyr's coffee cups in it. Zephyr left, presumably heading back up to Sunny's bedside.
Jungkook smiled at Aydan and moved about the kitchen like it was his own small kitchen back on Blood Mountain. "How old are you?"
One of Aydan's eyebrows shot up and he eyed Jungkook with skeptical curiosity. "Why?"
Jungkook shrugged and placed a skillet on the stove. "Just wondered."
"Is this some hierarchy thing?"
Jungkook poured in a bit of oil and then cracked an egg into the pan. "Seriously, I'm just curious."
Aydan sighed and walked towards the door that led out of the kitchen. "I will be 278 on my next birthday, if you simply must know."
Jungkook's head spun to the side and he stared slack-jawed as the werewolf left the room. He wasn't expecting that kind of answer.
With a shrug, he continued frying the eggs he would present to his mate. He frowned as he realized he didn't know how Jaci would prefer them cooked. After a few moments of indecisiveness, he finally settled on over-easy.
As he listened to the oil crack and pop, he made a mental plan for the day. First, he would get his mate fed, then he would take her on a run. Perhaps Hoseok and Jimin would join them. Where were those two anyway? He probably should locate his packmates. What kind of Alpha just forgets about his pack?
"That frown will give you wrinkles. Plus, it makes you look less appealing," said Jaci with a teasing tone. She had walked up behind him and startled him out of his own head by wrapping her arms around his waist.
Jungkook grinned and slowly swayed them back and forth. "Oh yeah? I can't have that."
"Nope! By the way, are those for me? Or both of us?"
"The eggs? You?" he responded carefully.
"Good! How did you know I like my eggs over-easy? Is it a mate thing?" Jaci located a four-slice toaster and went on a hunt for bread to put in it.
Jungkook chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, this time I just guessed."
"Well, you guessed right!" Jaci found some bread in a roll-top box on the counter. She removed four slices and put them into the toaster, pressing down the lever.
Jungkook watched her with pride swelling in his chest. He could just imagine doing this each morning, or at the very least a few mornings a week. Cooking together, eating meals together, learning all about one another. He couldn't wait for all of it.
"Stop staring holes into my back," she said, looking over her shoulder with a teasing smile.
"You're too beautiful to not look at," he replied honestly. He loved watching her blush.
"You're awfully flirty this morning." Jaci watched the toaster diligently.
"Get used to it. I'll only get worse, I suppose."
Jaci laughed and then continued to stare at the toaster.
"A watched toaster never toasts," said Jungkook, finishing up the last egg and sliding it onto a plate. He dabbed off some of the oil with a paper towel and then sat the plate on the kitchen table.
A moment later the toaster popped up four golden-brown slices of toast. Jaci had already found some butter and was slathering a large amount of it onto one slice.
Jungkook admired the way her tongue poked out from between her lips when she was concentrating. He loved the way she monitored the toaster, making sure each piece was perfect. He was entranced with the way her hips gently swayed as she walked the toast to the table and set it down.
He watched her sit down and smile at him, waving him over to join her, which he gladly did. For the next twenty minutes they ate, laughed, asked each other how they slept, discussed a timetable for going home, and what to expect when they got there.
Jungkook propped an elbow up on the table and nibbled his toast as Jaci talked excitedly about doing some redecorating on the Alpha cabin. He had no interest in paint choices, or furniture updates. He only had interest in the woman discussing those boring topics with him.
Yes, he could definitely do this multiple times a week, or even every day if he got his way. He wanted nothing more than to wake up to her beauty, kiss her soundly, and make sure she knew she was loved and appreciated.
AN: As if I could do what you all thought I'd do. 😏