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When I attempt to open my eyes they feel sore and irritated, I attempt to flutter open one eyelid but nothing happens. I grunt with my face down into the pillow, having no idea where I am or why I feel so achy and rigid. But I feel barely any pain.
Am I out of that cellar? Or have I died and gone straight to hell?
I try to part my mouth and lick my lips but my tongue feels like stinging nettles, sliced and dry. My brows pull together as I give opening my eyes another go, physically feeling the crustiness of my bottom lid.
My jaw tenses and I grunt again, forcing them open with the very little strength I have left.
When they ping open they're instantly blurry, hazed and now I'm even more confused.
"Cleo?" I croak.
I blink over and over, trying to clear my vision but it wasn't happening as quickly as I'd like it to. It was beginning to infuriate me, I just wanted to see my mate.
"Shhhh," her hand rubs my arm gently before she leans over to the side and grabs a cup with a straw. "Don't talk, save your energy."
She brings the straw up to my lips and I take a long, heavy sip. Finishing the cup in one go. The liquid dampening my blistering mouth, it hurt to change the dynamic of the dryness so quickly but I didn't care.
My eyes blink over and over until Cleo's face becomes clearer, she's sitting on the floor next to my bed. Legs crossed in front of her, eyes glistening with tears as she places down the cup and begins to stroke my cheek with the back of her finger.
I glance my eyes over her face but she didn't look like herself, her complexion was paler than usual and her bone structure thinner. She looks like she hasn't had a decent meal in a while, dark circles around her eyes. Hair thrown up into a ponytail and a T-shirt that has multiple stains on it.
The thought of her not eating, not sleeping, not looking after herself makes me ache inside. I wince at the sudden feeling of the IV in my arm and Cleo becomes alert, standing up and calling for Gemma. My body raises in goosebumps, suddenly gaining feeling in my body again.
Gemma and Liam step into the room in a hurry and start fumbling with my machine, changing the settings and asking me simple yes or no questions. I flick my eyes over to Cleo as she stands a few feet away, her thumb nail in her mouth, watching me with intent.
"Cleo," Gemma turns to my mate. "Could you grab some of that soup Nella has been making from the kitchen? It'll be easier for him to drink something whilst lying down, that way his back can still heal."
She nods instantly and leaves, it doesn't take long for her to come back. With a fresh glass of water and a mug of soup, she places them down beside me and grabs a fresh straw and brings the soup up to my mouth.
"Is everything okay?" Cleo asks Gemma.
The straw brushes my mouth and I take in the soup slowly, using every muscle in my throat not to choke.
"Yes, just checking vitals. We will check once he's eaten, we'll give you some time alone but if you need anything. Just shout." She says from behind me.
The taste of rich tomato soup slithers down my throat and my stomach burns at the sensation of food, it's been a while since I last ate. I don't even remember how long I've been gone but it feels long, far too long. Especially from Cleo.
Once there was nothing left and I was practically slurping the dregs, Cleo pulls it away and I release a soft breath. She then replaces it with the water and I take it a quick sip before she places it down beside her.
I look at her again. Oh my Cleo, my beautiful Cleo.
Her fingers rake through my hair gently and she forces a smile but it doesn't meet her eyes, tears now swimming in them.
"Wh–" my throat burns as I attempt to speak. Cleo shuffles closer and shakes her head.
"Don't," she whispers. "Rest. We can talk later."
I frown and look back at the tears that have dribbled down her cheeks, wanting nothing more than to lean forward and brush them off but I can't. Nothing on my body works, I can barely wiggle my toes.
As if she could read my mind, she continues to stroke my hair and says, "let the soup do its magic. I'm sure you'll get some strength back in a moment but for now just rest, don't talk, don't strain. Just rest."
Our eyes remain on one another for a few moments but I couldn't help but notice the sorrow behind Cleo's eyes, something wasn't right. And I can't even speak.
But she didn't say I couldn't mindlink.
Cleo.
Her eyes close as soon as my voice enters her head, suppressing a shiver over her shoulders. "That's not resting."
I don't care. I want to talk to you. My chest heaves as I force these words into her mind with every power I have. I have to talk to you.
Cleo purses her lips and then blinks, pushing away her tears. I watch her fingers and her gaze, rocking on her butt as she opens her mouth to release a breath.
Are you okay?
She hums and nods but it doesn't seem convincing. "Better now that you're home."
You're not telling me something. My voice is harsher than intended.
Her eyes hold my stare and she shakes her head. "I just want you to get better, I want to focus on you and get you back to health."
You've not been eating.
Cleo sighs, shrugging like it doesn't matter. "It wasn't really on my priority list." She wraps her arms around her legs and draws them into her chest, hiding her body away from me.
I frown deeply, almost angrily. Why would you neglect yourself like that? It's not healthy.
"Because you are more important to me, Kassian." Her eyes are hard and I can tell how much this has affected her. Her mindset, her strength and her ability to keep her emotions together
She looks down avoiding my gaze but I hate how far away we feel. Come closer, please. I plead. Take my hand, I want to feel your skin on mine.
Cleo glances up and moves closer, sliding her warm hand in against mine. She squeezes it gently and I attempt to do it back but I can't, not even a twitch.
Her nose wrinkles as she sniffs. "I couldn't eat because knowing you were hidden away being tortured made me sick to my stomach," she carries on, guilt evident in her voice. "I couldn't enjoy a meal when I knew you were being starved, how could I enjoy myself when you're getting hurt? On the brink of death."
Have you been sleeping?
"Not much, rested when I could. Pretty much when Nella and Hope forced me to."
I flick my eyes between hers and then I close my eyes, defeated and deflated. This is the last thing I wanted, for us both to suffer. For us both to feel exhausted and upset.
Tell me what happened.
Cleo nods. "Do you remember much?"
I ponder for a second. Moments. I admit. I remember being taken, I remember the long journey to the building. I remember being held up in chains and being whipped and cold water thrown over me. But then my wolf started to deteriorate and then I remember nothing, just waking up here.
My eyes glance down at her throat as she swallows harshly and brings my hand up to her lips, pressing a delicate kiss to it. "Well at first Alfie mindlinked Hope to let her know that you had been taken and Alfie had a head injury."
Is he okay? I demand.
"Yes, Alfie is fine. We came to get him, and saw the dead bodies of all those rogues. Then we went back to the pack house, we invited Everett and his pack over. They were willing to help us, split the pack into groups and searched the surrounding areas," Cleo grows quiet as she thinks about what happened.
I wait and let her speak. She kisses my hand again and keeps her lips on them. "We didn't find anything for a few days, the witches couldn't even pick up a scent or a feeling. Nothing, I started panicking because the further we went out, the more concerned I got."
Cleo peeks her eyes up at mine but I'm already watching her. "Then Nella suggested something to me, remember when Diamond could use me and see where Pandora was? Well Nella read something where you can do it with a bond."
Thinking back to when Cleo was screaming and crying, blood pouring from her nose as Diamond used her body turned my blood cold. Witnessing her body jolt and twist in uncomfortable positions looked like something from the exorcist and she did that again.
Did it work?
"Yeah, but it wasn't Nella who could see you. It was me. I could see you chained up an–" she pauses to clutch her face with her other hand, digging her fingers into her eyes, trying not to remember. "--you were hurt, so hurt. Blood everywhere, your body shivering."
Cleo.
She shakes her head and carries on. "You looked out the window and there was a clocktower, a stone one with a crucifix on top. That was all the information we needed, Mace and Alfie instantly got on the case. Looking for a building or warehouse next to a clocktower. It took them less than ten hours to locate the right one."
Her shaky fingers wipe away her tears, like she doesn't want me to see them but they're all I can see. Along with her red, sore eyes. Her suffering. Pure suffering.
Then you came and found me?
"I wasn't going to give up until I found you. I kept promising you that I would, every time I was in our bed alone. I'd smell your scent and promise you that I'd find you and I did." Her voice grows louder in confidence. Finally showing herself that she did what she set out to do.
Thank you, Cleo. Thank you for not giving up.
My heart aches as I watch her shake her head, nuzzling her forehead into our hands gently. "We all saved you," she whispers. "The pack and Everett's pack. We all came together to find you."
Cleo's eyes find mine once again and my lips curve into a small smile, tears rolling down the sides of my cheeks and into the pillow. She watches them intently before wiping them away, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
You are my whole world, Cleo. I knew you would find me. I never doubted you for a second. You proved that love wins. Love always wins.
For the first time since I've woken up, the corners of Cleo's mouth twitches into a small smile. "You're right," she sniffles. "Love always wins. Our love will always win. I'm pleased you didn't doubt me for a second, I guess you were the subconscious presence of motivation and optimism I needed when I felt defeated."
You did this, Cleo. You saved me. I can never repay you for this. For allowing me to see you again, to spend our lives together.
"You don't need to repay me for anything, I did this for us," she moves her hand through my hair again. Comfort and warmth spreads through my numb body, finally feeling patches here and there.
I love you. I love you so much that a life without you isn't even worth living. You have made me who I am today, you've guided me through these last few months with love and patience and a lot of understanding. I love you to the ends of the Earth and that's still not enough for me.
Cleo cracks another smile and grazes her thumb over the crown of my head. "I love you to the ends of the Universe and that's still not enough for me." She whispers, watching her hands carefully.
My eyes close with happiness, relief and pure adoration.
"That's why I was so scared," her hushed tone gets caught in her throat. "Because the thought of losing you hurt so fucking bad that I don't know what I would have done if I lost you. What would I have done without you? I couldn't go on, I wouldn't be able to do anything."
Cleo. Tears threaten my eyes again but they're already rolling down her cheeks.
She pulls back her hands and then sobs into them. "I kept try-trying to be strong but there is only so much I could take. I didn't want them to think their Luna was weak, crying and moping instead of trying to find you."
"Hey," I find my voice, it's deep and unstable.
My wolf whips and howls inside me to do something. Using my hands I push myself up from the bed with all my strength, elbows turning to jelly but I fight through it and tell myself not to call.
"Kass," Cleo moves her hands from her face and stands up. Gripping onto my arm in case I fall. "Please. Don't, don't hurt yourself."
When I'm half sitting up on my side I raise my arms and wrap them around Cleo's shoulders, bringing them into my body. She gently places them around my sides, being careful of my wounded back.
Our hearts thump in unison and she buries her head into the crook of my neck, hot tears rolling down my skin. I move a hand to clutch the back of her head and hold her tight, closing my eyes with satisfaction.
"Oh baby," I exhale slowly, voice croaky. "I needed you so bad."
The bond glows between us like fireflies, dancing and gliding through the air. Instantly calming down my body and slowing my breathing, regaining my strength just from holding her close. My blood becomes warmer and my pulse reduces to a healthy speed.
I hum slowly, enjoying every second of having her skin on mine. Her homely scent invades my nose and my shoulders relax, finally back in my safe space. Between her arms.
Nothing could beat this moment. I hold on for this moment in time. To just be us, to hold our bodies as one and know that we aren't going to be apart from each other ever again.
"Me too, fuck. Me too." She nods over and over and our bodies almost mould into one.
"Please don't leave me tonight," I grip her tighter. "I can't do this without you. I don't want to do this without you."
"I am not going anywhere. Ever."
. . .
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Hello huns. OMG he's finally awake and they're back together!
I love these babies more than anything. They are so cute and their love for one another is so strong and powerful, I actually can't deal🥺🥺😭😭
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