19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Lily

I was alive, or I was in Hell—one of those things must be true because the amount of pain and stiffness I felt should be illegal in Heaven.

When I finally peeled my eyes open, I stared at the white ceiling until it stopped spinning, only to realize I wasn't in my bedroom because for one, there were small white flower ornaments on the edges and two, the curtains were red, not blue. So where was I?

I tried to sit up, but the effort proved more than I could handle. So I looked around helplessly, taking in the cot I was lying in and the heavy blanket that covered me up to my neck. Despite my body refusing to cooperate, I could distinctively feel the sweat pouring out of every pore and I was sure that when I got up, I'd find the mattress soaked with it.

There were other beds in the room with people sleeping in them, most of which were covered in bandages or groaning in their sleep. Panic started to slip into my mind when I suddenly spotted one of the paintings on the wall—a depiction of a forest at night with fireflies fluttering between the branches of the trees… and a pair of eerily lifelike red eyes staring at me. I knew that painting because it scared the crap out of me when I gave myself a tour of Roman's mansion for the first time .

I was still in Roman's home, which was great, but why was I in his biggest reception room, and where did the beds come from? And why…

The sound of running steps made me focus on the figure that appeared by my cot, her large, warm eyes staring at me with such relief that I felt my body relax even though I wasn't sure what the danger was exactly. I recognized her immediately—how could I not recognize my mate, who looked like she was taking a breath for the first time in her life? But why was she here, and why was she looking at me like that? Where were Mom and Dad and Roman and…

"What…" I started, but when she circled the bed, reaching out for me, I sucked in the words. Hurt flashed in her eyes as she retreated, but the smile on her lips was wholly genuine.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," she said softly, catching her arms behind her back. "You mustn't move yet. I'll explain what is going on and then I'll call your parents, alright? They've been waiting for you to wake up."

I swallowed the embarrassment that twisted my stomach in knots and nodded. My mouth felt so dry that when I licked my lips, I was sure someone had poured sand down my throat. Her eyes lowered to my mouth and before I could say a word, she was rushing to a table set by the opposite wall. A few seconds later, she returned with a small crystal glass, hesitating as she moved to where I was lying.

"I have to come closer, so don't be alarmed. You must not move your body too much until the potion clears the rest of the toxin." I had no idea what she was talking about, but I nodded. Even that tiny gesture sent a shot of pain through my neck, but I tried my best not to show it. She sat on the edge of the bed, keeping plenty of space between us even while sliding a hand behind my head to lift it. I didn't know where she got that water from, but it tasted divine, easing the scorching thirst and making me choke all in one breath. "Easy," she murmured as she set me back down. By the time I stopped coughing, she was back at the foot of the bed, cradling the cup to her body while studying me from head to toe.

"Why are you afraid of me? Do I have something contagious?" I frowned, looking down at my body again. My hand had slipped out of the covers so I could now see green stains on the sheets where I lay, but I wasn't sure if it was an ointment or something coming out of me. I couldn't remember a single thing in Roman's house that was dirty or worn out, so whatever got me into this bed, it had to be related to the green stuff .

"Afraid?" Her brows pinched in confusion. "You're the one that's flinching every time I come near. I just…" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. "We can talk about this later. There are more important things to focus on now. How are you feeling?"

I shifted uncomfortably, trying to hide my blush under her scrutinizing gaze and failing. Because, for all intents and purposes, this woman was a… werewolf. A very human-looking shifter. She looked a bit older than me, but if learning about the supernatural world taught me one thing, it was never to believe my eyes. Also, she was Isaac's older sister, and I knew he was at least ninety years old, so… how old was she?

I gasped when I ran my thumb over my fingers, but felt no ring there. A moment later, I remembered I had started wearing it around my neck because with Isaac and the other shifters coming around the house, getting burned had quickly become annoying. Someone must have taken it off my body while I was unconscious.

"Are you in pain? Why are you making that face?" she asked, taking a step closer. I could almost feel her anxiety and the way her hands tightened on the glass told me that poor thing wouldn't last long.

"No, I feel… fine. Better than fine, actually," I replied, giving her an awkward smile. And I did. Theinitial stiffness was dissipating and I could now move my arms and legs, although I tried not to under her watchful gaze. Even my head was getting clearer. "What happened? The last thing I remember was telling everyone about my findings and then… I woke up here."

Instead of answering, she strode back to the small table, setting the glass down. She didn't return right away, so I studied the way her back tensed and her body started to shake, wondering why she was so agitated. Whatever the reason was, I decided maybe this wasn't the right time to ask why she was here instead of the doctor who checked on me the last few times.

"You were hexed." I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Me? Hexed? Alice finally turned around and crossed her arms. Her voice was low, but still loud enough for me to hear, or at least I thought so, because what she said made no sense. "A witch cursed you and the spell was degrading your organs, which led to your collapse three days ago." Her eyes swam with an emotion I couldn't quite discern, and when she met my gaze, she quickly lowered them. An awkward laughter bubbled to my lips. I almost… died? I couldn't remember any of that, just that I was fighting that nasty bug and… oh.

"Your body was shutting down, so if I had been just a bit late…"

"Oh," I found myself mouthing the words. I'd been so, so careful, watching for all kinds of danger—supernatural or not. How could I get hexed without even knowing about it? My hands fisted the sheet as panic set in.

She pursed her lips, gripping the metal footboard and squeezing it tightly until her knuckles turned white. "Can you remember where and when you might have been hexed?" she asked, just as I was trying to replay every single event in the past few weeks. "Hexes require physical contact, so the witch must have touched you directly. Even a brush on the hand would be enough for the hex to sink into you."

"Only Celeste," I replied without hesitation, and her eyes darkened. "It wasn't her! She put her mark on me to protect me, why would she hex me?" Alice's posture relaxed, but her expression remained grave. "Wait, there's also the witch who kidnapped us and gave us to the hunters and…" I trailed off.

My sister. She touched me in that underground parking lot when she saved my life. But she couldn't have done this. Why would she save me only to kill me?

"And…?" Alice pushed, leaning forward with an impatient look in her eyes.

I licked my lips nervously, forcing myself to look her in the eyes. "No one. That's it." The way she stared made me think she knew I was lying, but she just nodded. Clearing my throat, I decided to steer the conversation in another direction before she called me out on it. "You said I was dying, but I feel… well, much better than I've felt in the past few days. How is that possible?"

"We found a witch who broke the hex." Alice shrugged and this time, it was she who looked away.

She was lying too, my gut was telling me, but I wasn't sure if I could trust it or not. A lot of the emotions swirling in my body right now didn't feel like they belonged to me, but that couldn't… wasn't… the mate bond, was it? Mates had to claim each other before they shared feelings, healing, even thoughts! I couldn't imagine hearing someone else's voice inside my head or having them know what I felt every second of every day. That would be so embarrassing!

Alice continued to talk, so I focused back on her. "Once the hex was broken, the parasite in your body died, but I had to keep you here to detoxify you." I grimaced, looking down at my body. My eyes landed on the green stuff and I felt bile rise in my throat.

So that's what the green thing was. Gross!

"There is a potion that cleanses the body from old hexes and poisons, but it works slowly. Once ingested, it forces the toxins out through the skin." When I caught her staring at the stains on the bedsheet, I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. I didn't want her to see… that. "It used to be black. Once it turns transparent, you can leave the bed, but you must take it easy for a few weeks." She raised an eyebrow and waited, so I nodded with a sheepish grin. Why did I feel like I was being scolded? "Until then, you must relax as much as possible, it will speed up the process."

I held back a sigh. I hated sitting still with nothing to do, but considering the alternative… well, at least now I knew it wasn't a cold.

"I'll go get your parents." Alice gave me another pointed look before turning to leave. Before I realized what I was doing, I was reaching out to her.

"Wait!" She stopped even before the word left my mouth, staring at my hand with disapproval. I quickly put it back on the bed, awkwardly fumbling with the edge of the sheet. The look of longing in her eyes stole my breath away just like it had the first time, but now, I thought I could also feel it. Alice cleared her throat and schooled her expression into a neutral one. "I-I-I want to thank you! For uhm…" I licked my dry lips, trying to remember if I asked for water or not. Why was the room so hot? It felt like my lungs were going to catch on fire. "...saving me and for, um… everything."

"Of course." Her tone was gentle, if a little disappointed, and when she moved to leave again, I had to stop myself from calling after her a second time. She had barely taken a few steps when she turned on her heel and strode back. "I need to say something and…" Her voice shook, but then her hands relaxed by her side. "I'd appreciate it if you'd listen."

Biting the inside of my lip, I nodded for her to continue.

"I don't know what makes you so on guard with me, but you needn't be. The Moon Goddess might have tied us together, but I will never, ever force you into something you don't want, not even to save your life. I know humans are different from us and I know part of you might be scared of…" She motioned with her hands as if she wasn't sure what to say, then pointed at her with a sigh. "...what I am, but believe me when I tell you this." Her eyes locked on mine and held me so firmly, I couldn't have looked away even if the house crumbled around us. "You'll always be safe with me. All I want is a chance to get to know you, Lily."

My chest burned in a way that was both exhilarating and terrifying. I opened my mouth to take a breath or maybe to speak, I wasn't sure, but nothing came out. Alice gave me a tight-lipped smile as she straightened her shoulders.

"If you decide you don't want to have anything to do with me, you'll never see me again. And if you don't want to get to know me…" She paused and her eyes turned softer, yet unbelievably sad for a moment. "...then that's alright too." She turned to leave again but stopped halfway and smiled at me. "I know what it's like to be the odd one out, surrounded by beings that are not like you. And it's scary and confusing, but at the end of the day, most of them are just as human as you are. So if you ever want to talk to someone, even as nothing more than a friend, I'm here."

Without waiting for my reply, she hurried out of the room. A few moments later, my parents barged in, practically running to my bed. My mom moved to hug me, but my father stopped her from dragging me up. As they settled on both sides of me, talking about how relieved they were to see me awake again, I glanced at the door one last time.

I met Alice's eyes just before she left and for some reason, my heart fluttered, aching with pain and need I had never felt before. The worst part? I wasn't sure if that feeling was mine… or hers.