by Amanda Carol
“Thank you,” she mumbles and rests her head back on my shoulder.
I glance over at Ciera. “What are you thinking?”
She bites her bottom lip and studies Aria for a moment.
“To be honest, I’m not sure. It could be she’s just exhausted and needs a day or so to relax and rest.” She rocks herself back and stands, brushing the dirt from her hands on her jean shorts. “Or it could mean that her magic is just overwhelming her. Sometimes that will happen with the younger witches. If they don’t release some of their power, it will have side effects, which vary from witch to witch. I can talk to my grandma about it. See what she thinks.”
“Okay,” Aria agrees reluctantly from my lap. “Just please don’t tell Declan about what happened today. Not until we know for sure.”
Ciera looks unsure if she should agree, but eventually nods.
“We’re done training for today,” I declare.
Aria wiggles free from my lap and stands on shaky legs.
“No, I’m starting to feel better now. Give me a few more minutes and then we can keep going. I want to work more with the bow and arrow,” she protests, but her voice is wobbly, just like her legs.
“Babe, we’re done for today. We can get back to work in a few days, or at least when we figure out what’s causing these headaches,” I say quietly.
I can see her jaw clench like she’s about to protest, but then to my surprise, she sucks in a deep breath.
“Okay. But I’m still training with Zayne tonight. If my headaches are caused by me not using my magic, then I think it would be a good idea if I do train with him. But until then, I’ll rest. I'm not supposed to meet with him until around seven anyway. He’s watching his nephew.” Aria tries to take a step forward, but her legs give out and she starts to fall face first.
Bennett catches her. “Whoa there, Blondie. Maybe you shouldn’t be by yourself until then.”
He lifts her up, so her feet are firmly planted on the ground. I reach for her and she leans into me for support.
“Declan is training with Knox, then he will be with Ciera. And I saw Luna and Abby leave the Compound earlier,” Bennett tells me.
“She can come back to my cabin and rest there. I have nothing else to do today until our patrol starts at six,” I offer, not really going to give her the option to say no.
I feel a nudge in my head and open the telepathic link. Bennett is standing right in front of me, so I know it’s not him.
Hello, boys. I hear my father’s voice in my head.
He must have tuned in Bennett as well. Only Alpha’s can talk to more than one wolf telepathically and link them together, so we can all communicate at once.
I need you to come by before your shift tonight. We have new information on the vampire that attacked Sloane, my father commands.
I look at Bennett and roll my eyes.
Yes, sir, I answer him, and then he’s gone.
Aria hisses, grabbing her head again as her legs give out from under her. I catch her and lift her up into my arms.
“Huh. Weird,” Ciera mutters under her breath.
She studies Aria, who is trying to breathe through the pain. Her eyes are squeezed shut, and she buries her face in my neck.
“What?” I snap, not meaning to.
Ciera, of course, doesn’t care. All I want to do is get Aria back to my cabin and in my bed where she can rest.
“Did you guys use your telepathic link just now?” she asks.
Bennett and I share a look, then we both nod.
“What does that have to do with Aria’s headaches?” Bennett asks, taking the question from out of my mouth.
“I’m not sure. Maybe nothing, maybe everything.” She shrugs, taking a step closer.
Aria’s grip on me seems to lessen and I can feel her turn her head slightly. When I glance down, her eyes are still closed.
Ciera grimaces. “You are so going to hate me for this, but humor me. Try using it again.”
“Are you joking? If using that around Aria makes her head want to explode, then no, I won’t put her in any more pain!” I shout at her.
“But if it is the reason, then I can try to help her faster,” Ciera snaps back, narrowing her eyes at me.
She has a point. I clench my jaw, pissed off that I have to do this. I take in a deep breath and let it out through my nose.
“Alright,” I say flatly, and look to my best friend.
The look on his face says he doesn’t want to do this either. Then I open the telepathic link to Bennett.
I fucking hate this.
Me too, man. But if it helps Aria, then we have to do this. Just once, Bennett tells me, trying to remind me that this is for Aria’s sake.
Almost on cue, I hear Aria whimper and she turns her head back into my neck. Well, fuck. It seems like Ciera may be onto something.
“Interesting. Okay, now I have somewhere to start. I’ll check in with you guys later.” Ciera turns on her heel and runs off back toward the barn.
Bennett places a hand on my shoulder, and I look at him.
“Dude. We will figure this out. She’ll be okay.” He pats my shoulder once.
I turn to look at Aria. Her eyes are still closed, and it’s like she has no idea what’s going on around her. The muscle in my jaw ticks, and I nod.
What if I can’t be around her anymore?
No, Ciera will find something. I rid my head of those thoughts and try to focus on getting her back to my cabin.
“Do me a favor?” I look at Bennett again. “Can you pack this up and stop by Luna’s to grab her some fresh clothes?”
“Absolutely,” Bennett replies, and moves to start cleaning up the mess. “You go on ahead. I’ll be there soon.”
I nod and glance down at Aria, who seems to have passed out in my arms.
We make it back to my cabin without being seen. Which works out well because I don’t need anyone asking questions we don’t have the answers to.
It’s also no one’s goddamn business.
I bend my knees down so I can open my door, then kick it closed after I cross the threshold. I carry her up the steps and lay her down gently on my bed. The only thing keeping me sane right now is the fact that I can hear her breathing. I untie her sneakers and set them on the floor by the bed, then I cover her up. I brush the hair off her face, tucking the locks behind her ear.
“Please wake up soon,” I murmur.
I hear a soft knock on my front door, and I make my way back downstairs. When I open the door, I'm surprised to find Abby holding out a bag for me.
“What are you doing here? Benny said you left with your mom,” I point out, taking the bag from her.
“I did. We had just gotten back when Bennett stormed through our front door like a bat out of hell,” Abby scoffs. “Mind telling me what the hell is going on with my best friend?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. She may be tiny, but she’s sassy, especially when her brown hair is in a messy bun on top of her head.
“Bennett didn’t tell you?” I quirk a brow, leaning on the door frame.
She huffs and shakes her head no.
I sigh, stepping aside to let her in. “Apparently, Aria gets a sharp pain in her head when we use our telepathic link around her. Ciera figured that much out just a few minutes ago.”
“Are you serious?” she all but shouts.
I put a finger to my lips.
“She’s asleep upstairs. But yeah, I am. Ciera is working on it.” I take a seat on my couch and put my head in my hands.
“Hunter.” Abby’s voice commands me to look up at her. “Aria has been one of my best friends for years. She’s a tough girl. She will get through this. I know she will. But she’ll try and push herself too hard.” She pauses, then comes over to sit on the coffee table in front of me. “So please, don’t let her. Take care of my best friend, will you?” Her steel-grey eyes fill with tears.
“I will, Abby. I promise,” I say.
She gives me a once-over, then smiles.
“I know you will.” And with that she stands and starts to walk out the door, but turns abruptly. “Oh, I packed extra in case she wants to stay here for a few nights. I know my floor isn’t as comfortable as a bed.”
She winks at me. Then she walks out, closing the door behind her. I smile to myself at Abby’s comment. She’s just as bad as Bennett. Then I remember. I rush out after her and she’s already off the steps.
“Hey, Abby, wait!” I shout after her, and she turns.
“Yeah?”
“Aria mentioned something about a bonfire before everything went down. I was thinking maybe we can have one.”
Abby beams up at me. “That’s the best idea I think you’ve ever had. I’ll get something together. I’m headed over to the barn now to help Ciera.”
I grin. “Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything.”
She waves before turning to leave. I walk back upstairs to check on Aria. She’s still sleeping, so I grab some fresh clothes and go take a shower, hoping that she’ll be awake when I’m done.
I vaguely hear something hit a hard surface and then feel a hand gently touch my forehead. My eyes immediately open, and I bolt upright into a sitting position, gasping.
“Whoa! Hey, it’s me! It’s me!” Hunter’s soothing voice instantly calms my erratic heartbeat.
I’ve never blacked out like that before and it scares the hell out of me. I let out a shaky breath and look at my surroundings.
Okay, I know where I am.
I'm in Hunter’s room.
Oh, I’m in his bed. Right, okay.
Holy shit.
I’m in Hunter’s bed. My eyes finally land on him.
He is sitting on the bed in front of me wearing his black tactical pants and a form-fitting black t-shirt. His shaggy black hair is damp, and he smells like men’s body wash. His bright blue eyes are locked on me and he looks relieved.
“How are you feeling?” His tone is soft.
He reaches up and tucks a stray hair behind my ear. Oh, Lord. I probably look like a hot mess right now.
“I-I’m ok. I’ve got a small headache, but nothing like what it was.” I answer truthfully. My head doesn’t feel like it’s going to explode, so it’s a win for me. “What does Ciera think?”
Hunter sighs and stands up from the bed. I bring my knees up to my chest and lay my head down.
“Well…” He trails off, reaching into his dresser drawer and pulling out black socks.
I’ve never really thought that men who walk around barefoot were sexy. That is, until I'm watching Hunter stride across his bedroom floor with no shoes or socks on. He sits back down on the bed, putting them on.
“She thinks it may have something to do with the telepathic link that shifters use to communicate,” he finishes.
“Come again?” I lift my head up off my knees and gape at him.
“It’s how we communicate while we’re in wolf form, but we have the link in our human form as well. It’s like having a cell phone, only without the bill and choosing who gets to call you,” he explains, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his legs.
I have a nice view of his profile from where I am, but I scoot closer to him.
“It’s a two-way line, unless you’re the Alpha. Only an Alpha can talk to the whole pack at once if he chooses.” He turns his head to me, his expression tight. “Every time we used the link today, your pain seemed to get worse. Ciera figured it out and now she and Abby are busy looking for anything that might help or tell us why. We don’t think it’s the cause, but using it around you certainly doesn’t help.”
He lets out a sigh and hangs his head. He looks guilty, like it’s somehow his fault that this is happening.
“Hunter.” I reach down and grab his hand, wanting to comfort him the way he did for me. “This isn’t your fault. You didn’t know, and I'm okay now.”
He doesn’t look at me, so I take my free hand and pull his face toward me. He resists slightly but then slowly turns his head and our gazes lock.
“Remember what you said to me? We will figure this out. Together.” I give him a reassuring smile.
He lets out a breath through his nose, his lips forming a tight line. He still doesn’t look convinced, so I do the only thing I can think of in this moment. I lean forward and press my lips against his. When I pull away, there’s a smile forming on his lips.
“That’s still not our first kiss,” he whispers, and I giggle.
“It’s not?” I ask, biting my lip.
Hunter’s eyes flash a bright blue as his gaze drops down to my lips. It almost feels like he’s caressing my skin with just this look.
“Nope.” He smirks, flashing me his dimples, then gets up from the bed.
Damn. One non-kiss and I’m wet. One non-kiss and I’m clenching my legs together for some relief. One kiss? I’ll be screwed.
“Are you hungry?” he asks, holding out a hand to me.
I nod and slip my hand in his. He pulls me up from the bed.
“I can put a pizza in the oven.” He says, leading us to the steps. “Oh. Abby brought you over some clothes, so if you want to take a shower, you can. I laid out a towel in the bathroom for you.”
“She did?” I question. “I thought Abby and her mom weren’t home?”
“They had just gotten back when Bennett went to go grab your things.” Hunter starts down the steps and I follow. He reaches for my bag that’s sitting on the couch and hands it to me. “Here, go take a shower. I’ll put the pizza in the oven and make you some tea.” He quickly kisses my cheek and turns and heads for his kitchen.
“Thanks!” I shout after him, and then go back upstairs to his bathroom.
His bathroom is beautiful. There’s a long vanity with one sink in the middle and straight back is a bathtub. The colors are earth tones and I make a mental note to ask Luna about picking me up some paints next time she goes into town. I set my bag on the floor and open it to see what Abby packed for me. I’m thankful that she packed all the essentials and my favorite lavender-scented body wash. I pull out a pair of jean shorts and a shirt and lay them out, next to the towel and washcloth Hunter set out for me.
I walk over to the bathtub and turn the water on, making sure it’s extra hot. Taking hot showers helps to relax me, even though its hotter than hell outside. As I let the water heat up, I take a look at myself in the mirror. My face is pale, and I have dark circles under my eyes. My ponytail is falling out of my hair tie, and hair is sticking out all over the place.
Well, thanks for telling me I look like a hot mess, Hunter.
Letting out a sigh, I look away from my horrible reflection and strip my clothes off. I gather my shower supplies and set them on the edge of the tub and then step in under the stream.
I hiss at how hot the water is and step back. I was not expecting that. Although, now that I think about it, we have been staying at cheap hotels. I’m about to take the risk of burning my hand when I remember that I can use my magic. I close my eyes and feel for the humming sensation. The more I use my magic, the more easily it comes forth when I’m searching for it.
When I finally feel like I have control, I reach forward and the water stream splits in two, and I’m able to reach forward and adjust the temperature. With my free hand, I feel one of the streams of water, and when it’s at a temperature that’s not about to burn my flesh off my bones, I pull my hand away and let the water go back to normal.
I totally just pulled a Moses move.
I giggle to myself as I turn and put my head back into the hot stream. I close my eyes briefly and moan at how lovely this feels. Then I reach for my shampoo and lather it in my hair. After I wash my body from the day, I still stand under stream. But then I start to feel a dull ache in my head that quickly turns into the stabbing pain that I felt out in the clearing with Hunter. I press my palm to my forehead and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to breath through it. I think I hear Hunter shout my name, but I
’m not sure.
A sob escapes my lips and I fall to my knees.
Just then, the door bursts open, and a few seconds later, the shower curtain flies to the side. I’m in too much pain to care that I’m as naked as the day I was born in front of Hunter. He turns the water off and grabs the towel. When he wraps it around me, a small, sharp pain throbs in my head and I wince.
“Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you,” Hunter whispers into my ear as he leans forward and lifts me from the tub.
He carries me out of the bathroom, dripping water all over the floor. I bury my face in his neck like I had earlier. It’s an odd sense of calm, being near him when this happens. He doesn’t take the pain away, but I do feel safe when I’m in his presence. He gently sets me down on his bed, and when he tries to pull away, I won’t let go. I don’t want to let go. Not until the pain is gone. It’s like I need him here.
It doesn’t take much to scare me. Hell, I fight the most dangerous creatures on the planet and live to tell the tale. But this? This scares the hell out of me.
I scoot over, making sure the towel stays in place, but also not letting go of Hunter. He doesn’t say anything, but slides into his bed next to me and pulls me closer. A shiver runs through me and he takes his blanket and covers the both of us. The throbbing in my head is starting to calm down. I shut my eyes and breathe through it, because at this point, it’s all I can do. After a few moments, the pain is nearly gone and I lift my head up slightly and realize that the whole left side of Hunter is wet.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble to him, trying to push myself off of him, but he only tightens his grip on me.
“You’re sorry? I’m the one that forgot to mention to my pack about the situation. When Knox contacted me through our telepathic link to touch base I nearly wolfed out.” Hunter pulls me closer and I just lay my head back on his chest. “Then I heard you scream out and that’s when I rushed in. I’m so sorry, Aria.” He kisses my head.
