Chapter 24 – The Seed

I woke up screaming. It was not a scream but a broken and choked one that got stuck in my throat. The pain was everywhere it felt like something sharp was trying to get out from behind my ribs. My body felt wrong it was hot one second. Freezing the next. It was like fire and ice were fighting for space inside my bones.

Damons strong arms tightened around me away. He whispered in my ear "I've got you I've got you, breathe, love, just breathe." I gasped and grabbed onto his shirt my nails dug in hard I felt them break skin but he did not flinch. He just pulled me closer one hand cradling the back of my head the other pressed flat against my back.

He kept saying, "You're safe you're safe I'm here I'm here." It took forever for the shaking to stop. When it finally did I realized we were back in his quarters. The room was dim with one lantern burning low on the table. Someone had cleaned me up while I was out the blood was gone from my skin. I could still feel it, sticky and warm.

I asked Damon "How long?" My throat felt like I had swallowed sand. He said, " a full day you've been in and out mostly out the healers did not know what to do with you that thing she put inside you the black orb it's still there I can feel it through the bond like poison but worse colder."

I pressed my hand to my chest there was no wound, no mark, nothing but something felt wrong deep inside, heavy twisted like a shadow had curled up behind my heart and was just sitting there waiting. Damon looked at me his eyes were bloodshot with dark circles underneath new bruises marked his face and there was a cut along his jaw that had not fully healed.

He said, "I thought I lost you when you went down when that darkness hit you I've never been that scared in my life not even close." I reached up with a trembling hand. Touched his face my fingers brushed against the stubble on his jaw. I whispered, "I'm still here I'm not going anywhere."

He closed his eyes. Leaned into my touch like it was the only thing keeping him from falling apart. Then he pulled me closer burying his face in my neck I felt his breath against my skin, shaky. The bond between us was wide open his fear, his relief, his love, all of it crashed into me like waves.

He said, "I love you I love you much it terrifies me if anything happens to you if that thing inside you hurts you." His voice broke completely. I held him tighter wrapping my arms around his shoulders like I could protect him from his fear. I told him "Hey look at me I'm still me, whatever she put in me I'm still me and I'm still yours."

He kissed me then desperate, almost broken like he needed to taste that I was real and alive. I kissed him back as hard pouring everything I felt into it the fear, the love, the exhaustion, the stubborn refusal to let the enemy win. When we finally broke apart both of us breathing hard he rested his forehead against mine.

He said, "The pack held we pushed them back but we lost nine more Rafe is hurt bad but he'll live Marcus he fought like hell saved three people before he went down hes recovering too." I let out a breath "Good." Damon hesitated, "There's something the silver-haired woman before you took her down she said the seed was already planted whatever that thing is, it's inside you now the healers can't sense it properly but I can through the bond it feels cold like its waiting for something."

I swallowed hard my hand went back to my chest without thinking. He asked softly "Do you feel different?" I thought about it the constant low hum of power was still there but underneath it was something something darker slippery like oil spreading on water. I admitted, "A little. I'm still in control for now."

Damons jaw tightened he pulled me again like he could protect me from whatever was growing inside me just by holding me tight enough. His hand stroked slowly up and down my back, gentle and careful like I was made of glass. He said, "We'll figure it out together I'm not letting that thing take you from me I don't care what it is or how strong it thinks it is."

I believed him in that moment with his arms around me and his heartbeat steady under my ear I really believed him. We stayed in bed for a while longer not talking much just touching, his fingers tracing patterns on my back mine running through his hair the bond felt like the only steady thing left in the world right now warm, alive wrapping around both of us like it refused to let go no matter what.

Eventually we had to get up the pack needed us. The great hall was quieter than usual when we walked in people looked exhausted wrapped in bandages moving slowly. There was something new in their eyes when they saw me not just fear, not just awe, something closer to trust like maybe just maybe they were starting to believe I was on their side.

Rafe was sitting up near the fire, pale but grinning when he saw us "Took you two enough thought you might sleep through the next attack." I said, "Shut up ". I smiled a little. Marcus was across the room his shoulder was heavily bandaged he met my eyes and gave one nod, not friendly not warm but it was something, progress maybe.

Old Mara approached us slowly leaning on her walking stick "The seed she spoke of it is magic dangerous it may try to twist you from the inside but you are stronger than it the White Wolf chooses its own path." I nodded, I was not sure I believed her. I needed to hear it anyway.

Damon and I spent the rest of the day planning we reinforced points on the walls, trained with those who could still fight and checked on the wounded every now and then his hand would find mine every now and then I'd catch him watching me with that worried protective look that made my chest ache in the best and worst ways.

Night fell again we went back to our quarters exhausted bodies sore and minds heavy. This time when we got into bed it was different slower more intentional his hands moved over me like he was memorizing every inch like he was scared tomorrow might take me away I touched him the way tracing old scars and new ones feeling his heartbeat under my palm reminding myself he was still here still real.

We made love that night not desperate, just deep and slow and full of everything we could not say out loud every touch felt like a promise every kiss felt like survival like we were both trying to say "I'm still here" with our bodies when words were not enough. Afterward tangled together and breathing hard he held me close his fingers gently stroking my hair.

He whispered into the dark "No matter what that seed does you are still my mate you are still Isla. I will fight for you until my last breath." I pressed my face into his chest and let the tears come quietly "I know " I whispered back "I love you." He said, "I love you too." Sleep came slowly that night. It came.

Outside the enemy was still there the seed was still inside me the war was far, from over but for tonight I had Damon and he had me that was enough to keep fighting for.