Two days of sitting by Seren’s bedside. And two days of there being no further progress. She had not moved. There had been nothing to sense from neither her nor her wolf, and damn had I been trying, as had Tyr. I was unsure I found any sleep in the hard and uncofortable chair that sat alongside her bed, but I had sworn not to leave her side, and I planned to stick to that.
I had spoken to her at any given opportunity when it was just the two of us in the room on our own, hoping to the Moon Goddess she may hear me. Sharing memories of our times together in pack. The fun things we had done together. Good times. Things I hoped would make her smile if she was listening. I did not have a clue if, when someone was injured so badly and they were sleeping so soundly that they can hear what is happening around them, but I hoped she might be able to, or her wolf... anything to give me hope Seren was still in there.
I allowed my eyes to drift to her again.
The move to the pack hospital had occurred. Now I was battling for space within Seren’s room at almost every given moment. Not only with my friends, but also my mother and my Aunts. There was always somebody here to see her. If not friends and family, then of course, understandably, the medical staff to attend to her. Cole had decided that now his sister was back within pack it was only right to break the news to their mother of the accident. It had been difficult to explain her absence for the days she had been gone, so I think he was glad of no longer having to come up with lies.But, what he was not glad of was the agony of seeing his mother suffering as she appeared to be falling apart at seeing her little girl injured within a hospital bed. Aunt Sophia had barely left Seren’s side, which meant I rarely got time alone with my mate. Thankfully, I did not think Cole had shared the news I had given him with his mother, as she was still the same
I had not slept all night I was sure of it. Instead alternating between sitting and pacing around Seren’s room while my Aunt tried to sleep in her seat. I mean, these seats were far from designed to sleep in, but at a push you could manage a nap for a short while if needed. But for me, sleep was not going to come no matter how I tried. My mind had been over-run with thoughts of the things my Aunt had said, and I knew from that moment I had to act upon them.Upon waking I had been forced to make polite conversation with my Aunt as one of the nurses brought us breakfast as they had done each morning since our arrival in the pack hospital. Familiar faces to them now, and they were kind enough to be trying to take care of us as well as their actual patient. Time seemed to be dragging...I had waited for the short time I would have where Aunt Sophia returned to her home to take a shower and change her clothes. It had become part of her daily routine
I felt like I was drifting. Floating. In a state of nothingness. I did not like it. But I did not know how to get out. One moment I had been striding down the main street of our local city, planning the first leg of my journey. As well as having picked up an application form for the local university. Then I was here. Stuck.It had been one hell of a day, but I had took on board the things Lachlan had said. Even researched it a little too. Being apart from your fated mate was going to be difficult, but then, being near him was likely going to be even harder, so I decided I would allow myself the trip I wanted. Not the long, travelling trip I had been planning, but a shorter, more of a vacation sort of trip, with additional ones in the future. Before enrolling for further education upon my return. Living away from pack for most of the week, returning home at weekends. Sort of the best of both worlds. Giving me the much needed space I was craving, as well as be
My body once again felt like it was frozen in time as Seren lay there looking over at us. Her big brown eyes looking like they were focused upon me, while I was vaguely aware of Marcus calling her name. After everything she had come around. She was finally awake.I felt a swift punch to my arm. “You lost all fucking ability to think straight?” Marcus muttered, snapping me back to reality. “Going to mark her and then can't fucking talk now she is here.”Seren attempted to shake her head but I noticed her wince in pain, her hand moving toward her neck, and she stopped herself, every movement seemingly hurting her. I moved across the short distance from where we stood to her bed. “Don’t move Ren, if it hurts stay still, yeah?” I urged her. “Do you want some water? I imagine you must be thirsty.”“Maybe we should check with the doctor first.” Marcus said. “Damn woman, you had u
It broke my heart hearing Lachlan be so open and honest about things to me. In all the years he and I have known one another never do I recall him talking so freely with me. I felt honoured he trusted me to share some of the things he had, because I doubted many others knew of the things he spoke of. And, while the things he said may have hurt, in my mind there was nothing to forgive.I never knew he had struggled that way. I certainly never knew he had felt so alone. Growing up side by side, being so close, yet I was clueless of his struggles. Guilt flooded my body that he had endured this alone. I knew how much he loved his Mum, and how close they were, so hearing him say he had to witness her fall apart in secret was soul destroying. He was a young boy. But this was through no fault of my Aunt's either. Circumstance had brought them to this. Lachlan would have been struggling with the loss of his Dad and needed support, and likely feared he could not seek
Well I had not been wrong, the moment I closed my eyes to get some rest, my Mum had been in, And now she would not leave me alone. In the end I had to ask the doctor to tell her to leave because I needed some peace. My entire body had ached and my eyes felt so heavy. But more than anything my heas banging from the amount of talking from my mother. Maybe there were advantages to being in that odd state between being here and not. Because it meant I didn’t have to listen to my Mum telling me all the pack gossip. And, having been unconscious for days, it meant there was even more to catch up on!After finally being able to relax a little and settle to some silence my peace was disturbed once more as my older brother strode into my room. He looked anxious and on edge. Oddly there had been little else but silence since his arrival because Cole was sitting by my bed now, watching me through narrowed eyes and barely speaking a word. I was unsure why he had co
I had returned to my family home, a place I had not returned in the days since Seren’s accident, and took a shower. The warmth of the water feeling like a welcome relief upon my aching body. Having slept within that hard and uncomfortable hospital chair for far too many nights my body was not doing too well, and I feared Tyr was becoming weaker.His communication with me was lesser. And it had been sometime since I had last shifted. My priorities of course had been sitting by the bedside of Seren until she awoke. Now that had occurred I could try to take care of both her and myself. Begin to put things right. I knew we may have a long road ahead, but I swore I had seen something within her eyes when I mentioned proving myself to her. I just hoped I was capable of it.Fate had always been something in the back of my mind. Part of our life cycle, but something for the future. Nothing I was in a hurry for, I guess you could say. I was always a bit
I had laid within the now familiar walls of my hospital room looking around, losing all sense of time. I could not help but wonder where Lachlan had got to. Yes, he had said he would give me space, but what exactly did that mean? I assumed, giving everything else he had said he would be returning later that day. Maybe the next. But here we were, or here I was, days later and there was still no sign of him. I would not lie, it hurt.And, I felt like a fool for ever allowing it to hurt. Not to mention to have allowed, once again, my hopes to be built around anything Lachlan Lamont had said or done. He said he could change. He said he was a good guy. All things were pointing to nothing having changed. And, forgiven or not, I was finding it increasingly harder to view him as a good guy. Despite me craving the company of Lachlan, I still had company; and plenty of it too. My Mum continued her dai
Lachlan’s words meant a lot, and I could see the genuineness of them as he spoke. That meant as much to me as his previous apologies. I should have taken that opportunity to talk to him. Especially now that my mind was beginnig to feel like my own again, but my brother was sweeping me out of the cabin and toward the car before I could respond. Cole wanted me away from Lachlan, or away from the conversation that was developing. So, I was marched to the car. I had expected Lachlan to follow. Assuming he too would be ready for a break from the cabin. But, once again Lachlan did what Lachlan did best, he stayed away. Or, more specifically, he watched me walk away...I would not lie, there was an unexpected ache in my chest as I was ushered away the short distance to the car by Cole. Maia whimpered as she quickly realized the footsteps behind us belonged to Marcus and not to Lachlan. A brief glance back told me he had not stepped foot from the cabin. He was
I had walked away from their argument unable to listen any further. Anger bubbling beneath my skin. I wanted to say so much but knew it was not my place. Marcus and Cole already appeared to think so little of me, I did not need to make things any worse. So walking away seemed the better option. But I sat upon the chair on the decking looking out across the forsest. The front door remained opened and I could hear every word that was being said. Hearing Seren come to my defence shocked me to my core…The words of the man who was meant to be a friend invariably hurt, but, this was his sister he was trying to protect; and in his mind this was no more than I deserved. He believed I had treated her badly, and he wished to see me suffer. Yet Seren came to my defence time and again. Giving her brother the reasons why the things I had done were not as bad as they may seem.In truth, as I sat there and listened as our past was discussed everything hit home. Hard. It truly was as bad as it seeme
Lachlan opened the door to the cabin, by brother and Marcus strode inside. Neither one looked happy to see him, nor did they acknowledge him as they passed him by to stand inside the living area. I had not wanted them here, but Lachlan had taken it upon himself to assume that I did. He had not answered my question, instead choosing to tidy up and avoid me at every opportunity. Which considering the size of the small cabin was quite a task…His eyes had expressed a thousand words the moment they met mine, which I think is why he had quickly averted his gaze, and moved away from me. He knew that I would be able to read his thoughts from his eyes. I knew Lachlan too well. In choosing to rush around the cabin occupying himself he was only silently allowing more secrets to be revealed. More things had been said between him and my family, I was sure of it, and one way or another, I would get to the bottom of it.“Aww, Ren, you look better.” Marcus offered
Seren was acting oddly. No. Not oddly, sultry. Needy. Not that she hadn’t been acting like she wanted me the past few days, because she had. She had been in heat. Wanting me was all she had had on her damn mind, but this seemed different. The alteration in her tone told me her wolf was pushing forward too. My own wolf had done that enough in the early days, I knew what it meant...Tyr may have been lingering here and there while Seren was here, but he was not back. Not fully. So he was not able to communicate with Maia I didn’t think, so maybe Maia was hoping to connect with me? Either way she appeared to want her mate.But her wanting to encourage the two of us told me something was off. She had always been quite supportive of Seren’s choices, but it seemed right now she was defending me. She was pushing for things to work for us. And while I would understand a wolf wanting it's mate, she knew how bad I wad for Seren. She knew the things I had done.
I woke with a start, shocked to find Lachlan looking down at me, an unreadable expression upon his face. He was leaning against the wall of the cabin, his arms crossed, and those big, beautiful dark eyes of his were watching me intently. Should I be freaked out he was watching me sleep? Maybe... yet oddly, I found it almost reassuring... I rolled over on the bed to face him, stretching slightly as I did, and his eyes observed every slight movement of my body“What is wrong?” I questioned, noticing for the first time since my arrival here that the rush of heat upon waking had lessened. I had to hope that could only be a good sign...Lachlan offered me a questionable smile, before shrugging slightly. “Nothing, Ren. Why would something be wrong? I just came to check you were okay. You have been asleep a while.”I nodded. That seemed plausible. I had no clue how long I had been asleep. It felt like sometime since I had come
I walked back through the now familar trees surrounding the cabin,my phone to my ear. "So you don't think it was as strong?" I questioned.The supply drop had been completed a short while earlier by Colton, but I had waited until Seren was resting until Ileft the cabin to go and collect, as I had done each time previously. I did not want to leave her when she needed me, nor did I want any other wolf in close proximity to my mate whilst she was in heat. But, from what my friend was telling me, that may not be too much of an issue now."The scent has certain dissipated. I think another day and it will have gone. Is she feeling any better?" He asked.I chuckled. "I don't think she would tell me either way, Col, she is making me guess at best. Anything but admit she is struggling. Shows weakness, right? Seren will not let me think she is weak." I told my friend, who in turn began to chuckle too."Damn, that sounds like somebody I know. Hmmm,
Pain. Heat. Tenderness radiated through my body. As did warmth. No, not warmth, boiling, temperatures. Hours? Days? I did not know now. I was in a state of confusion. Agony. Discomfort. Sobbing. Screaming. Crying one moment, yelling the next… I did not like this. How was this a normal state for anyone or anything to be in?!‘Why won’t he help us?’ I wailed to Maia. She was our wolf, why could she not talk to his wolf? Surely he could convince Lachlan to surrender to the matebond again. He had done it before. This good-boy image did not suit him. If he would surrender to the matebond we could ease this pain. Put an end to this suffering. It may even bring us closer...‘We have gone over this. So many times.’ She snapped, and she was right. I had begged her so many times, and I had argued this point with Lachlan too. He was not about to give in to me. He was determined to do the right thing. Why he deemed this the ri
I saw pain and anger flicker across Seren’s face at my words. I had expected nothing more. I had known the moment I had chosen to say those things that it would be the last thing she would be wanting to hear. She had sought me out for a reason. I was her mate. She knew the relief her mate could bring when in heat. Angry with me or not, she was willing to bypass that to gain the relief she needed. But, I was not willing to sink to that. And, no matter the pain nor anger I was causing her, and hating that fact, I knew I had to do this. It would be too easy to give her what she craved. But it would be wrong. We were not together. Yes, we may be fated mates, but we had agreed not to be together. I had surrendered to the matebond before, and in doing so I had hurt Seren and regretted that massively.I knew she saw this as me trying to hurt her, but it was me trying to do the right thing. Thankfully, with Tyr being absent resisting her was somewhat easier as
My whole body burned. It ached like never before. And now added to that was the delectable scent of my mate. I am sure it smelled stronger than it had previously, or was that what happened when a she-wolf went into heat? He smelled divine, I knew that much. I was desperate to be close to him. Rip those close right off his body…But Lachlan had stepped away from me. And now his eyes were dark, with a frown etching his face as he avoided my gaze. What was wrong with him? This was not how I had imagined this woud go. The last time we had seen each other he had wanted to talk. And all the times he and I had been intimate Lachlan had been unable to resist. He was insatiable. My scent should trigger that, I was sure of it. I had imagined the moment he caught a note of my scent and realized I was in heat he would pull me to the cabin and rip my clothes off. Make up for the time we had lost. Ease the pain I was feeling...But, just now he had stepped away from me. That