Hie eyes went from surprised to disappointed to angry, then a sudden lack of emotions at all. We stayed there in the car, the dark clouds of rain looming over us, my thoughts conflicted."Hazel..." He said.His voice almost made me run back to him with my heart on my sleeve again, my body like an offering, my love like a sacrifice. But I needed to control. I needed to stop myself."Am I...just something you can give up on? Is that all I am to you?" He turned fully to me, his eyes wide with a slight sheen to them, and I could see his hands tremble slightly as he left the steering wheel. "No. That can't be...but...but you are...""But I am what, Hazel? What am I? If you are...just able to decide to let me go...is it that easy? Everything we have ever shared...Hell, the kisses, Hazel. Did you not feel me on your lips when you made that decision?"My eyes filled. I did. I felt him several times, all over me. I felt him every single place in me, most especially my heart but..."She is yo
I closed my eyes tight against the rain, my chest filling up with his closeness and the cold."Please?" he said again, his fingers slowly moving against my face, his breath ragged in my ear. "I..." I start to say. "I already talked to Catherine. I already told her to take her place back. I already admitted that your side just might not be the place I was born for, it might not be where I belong. She might...come back anytime. She might be here...and I have no right to ask you to reject her. I am not that heartless."I felt his grip on my face loosen a little, but then he was covering the last of the space I had unconsciously put between us, his hand slowly putting my hair behind my ears."How do I change your mind? Tell me everything you need to have and I will give it to you. Tell me everything you need to hear and I'll say it. Tell me everything you need to feel...and I'll make you feel it. Anything for you to stick by my side and forget the world like we've been doing for at least
"Austin? Austin?" I called, shaking him. He was rigid, and cold. A little too cold. I stood, pulling him up with me and not having the leisure to choose rooms, pulled him into mine, and tucked him under the sheets.I needed to warm him up, but how? I ran down to the kitchen immediately and started to heat some water. I ran around the house, locking doors and closing windows, then turned on the heaters.Ibwent uo to my room and he had gotten pale, too pale. His lips were slightly parted, and they were a little chapped. I ran down again, getting the now hot water and a dried towel. I slowly dabbed at it, ignoring the heat against my finger as I worked to rid him of his shirt.I propped him up, then made him lean on me, almost like he was hugging me but now quite.I swallowed and pulled the shirt off of him, then threw it to the side. I dabbed his back slowly with the hot towel, then his stomach, his arms, then his face.His body sure was alluring and I had to catch myself slacking on t
Slowly, I walked to the side of the bed, then put two fingers in front of his nostrils. The air intake was very minimal. I stood and removed the shirt I was wearing, then everything else, and wrapped a robe around myself.I slowly got into the bed with him, pulling him as close to me as I could. I could feel his cold engulf me, and I let out a small shiver. I wrapped my arms around him, baring him a little of the robe so that his shoulders were exposed. I saw the wound from burning off his tattoo of Catherine's name. It was dark, and a little wrinkled. I let my fingers graze it as I pulled the bedding around us and closed my eyes, hoping that the heat from my body would work enough to wake him.Time passed and I had no idea how long, and he still wasn't waking. At this point, I had no body heat as I was freezing myself, and I slowly turned over, letting him go. He had regained colour in his lip and cheeks, but was mostly still apart from that.It brought a ray of hope to me and I cov
"What?" I asked, my lips parting. "What did you say?"He swallowed, his hand still on my cheek. This time, he moved his fingers a little, and I felt the small caress right to the depths of my soul.He blinked slowly, then broke into a small smile. He looked weak and tired."I love you, Hazel. I am sorry." His slight grip around my face weakened, and I held on to his hand, my eyes filling with tears. He loves me. He said he loves me.My heart felt lke it was about to burst with maddening euphoria, and I leaned forward, letting my hands explore his body slightly as I did, then brought my hands back to cup his face.His eyes were closing slowly now, and the hand that had been on my cheek had fallen back onto the bed."Austin." I said, and his lashes fluttered. My chest felt warm, warmer than I had ever felt. I leaned forward and kissed his lips. His response was very weak, almost nonexistent, and I moved forward, kissing him like I owned the right to. Because maybe I did.I broke the ki
"Tell me what you want and I'll say it...""I love you, Hazel. I love you..."I took in a deep breath as I felt someone grab me from behind, and my eyes opened. I turned around, my breath in rags, my eyes wide."Why?" I asked, as the healer held on to my shoulder.She brought me to a standing position and I turned to Austin. He was back in the position I had propped him in, his eyes still closed. His lips were slightly parted from my invasion."What do you want to do? Kiss him till he comes back? Kiss him till he returns?"I blinked, tears streaming down my face. What did I want to do? Just have him back, I guess."He is not gone. You are being too quick to judge, he isn't gone.""You think?" The healer asked. She sounded stern, but her eyes were reddened with tears too.I felt my world crashing again and I turned to Austin's still body. His head was resting on the head board at a weird angle, and I yanked ny hand away, knowing I had no right to be rude to her, but I had nowhere to pu
I stayed there by Austin's side for a long time, smoothening his hair, while the healer put together a few herbs. She arranged them on the bedside table, then came over to me."Those are medications to nurse him bbackto health."I nodded. "I will make sure to use them."She gave me a small smile, moved close and held my head, then kissed my forehead. "You did us a miracle, child. You were the substitute. And I always wondered why the seer anointed you. Maybe she saw this day. You have done us a huge favor just by being here, Hazel."I smiled. "It's all him. He is the one keeping me here."She gave a smile and patted my shoulder. "I will come back tomorrow morning, dear."I nodded my approval and she slowly walked away, patting beta Liam too. Once she left, Beta Liam came to my side, his eyes full of wonder."Kiss of life?" He said and laughed. "It was such a wonderdul sight, Hazel. You brought him back to us."I smiled and held Austin's now warm hand. "I am just happy he's back."Bet
I went down, leaving Austin alone to try to fix the place up. It wasn't in a mess, just that I needed a bit of time to process everything that's happened. Austin had literally almost died, and I just discovered that he can't stand rain, not even a shower. Catherine hugged and thanked me, and Austin confessed his feelings.My feet were on cloud nine as I found myself moving effortlessly, sometimes twirling a little, my wolf just as ecstatic as I was.I heard Austin turn on the shower in the room and I slightly panicked, but I remembered that he normally took showers. I tried not to be the fussy girlfriend although, I admit, I got worried. Seeing him like that had left a little dent. Wait. I looked at my ring and smiled. Fussy wife. It brought butterflies to my stomach.Maybe because I hadn't been there when he got shot, but it felt like I was seeing everything crash in front of me.I walked to the kitchen, my ecstasy still higher than ever, and checked the fridge. I couldn't rely on be