The First Fae Mate

Fifty-two | Wake-up

"I feel like I've hardly seen you," Visena said, walking into the humid Medical room. 

Gideon sat hunched over Jed with the darkest circles under his eyes she had ever seen. "I'm sorry, I just want to be here when he wakes up."

It had been two days since they had rescued the children, and Gideon hadn't left Jed's side for longer than a few minutes. Visena understood, of course, but she missed him immeasurably. 

Both her and Liam had become the unlikely 'parents' of Cassia in Gideon's absence. The child acted as a welcome distraction to her familial grief but did nothing to ease the ache from their damaged mate-bond. She hoped the discomfort signalled that the mate-bond was healing despite Daeva's blood magic.

As she observed his perfect profile, she fantasised about their bond becoming whole. Shudders trailed down her sides as she imagined wearing his mark along her shoulder. However, the likelihood of completing the mating ceremony became less likely as the days went on, and the threat of visiting Alpha's increased. Prim had been talking non-stop about the potential for visitors 'any day now.'

No. Visena couldn't expect anything close to a mating ceremony until Jed was awake. Or she tried to wake him up...

Dammit.

The Fae walked over and sat next to Jed on the cot with a sigh of resignation. A reoccurring spell that returned after her mother's death swirled in her mind. She stared between the men's pale faces and chewed her lower lip. The scent of antiseptic and herbal remedies wafted around the room and clung to the damp sheets on Jed's cot, making her eyes water. Gideon's hands shook when Visena trailed her fingers across his bruised knuckles.

 "I wasn't going to try this because he was still healing, but I think he should be as healed as he's gonna get physically." Visena lay her palms against both Jed's cheeks. "I wasn't intentionally keeping this option from you, Gideon, I promise."

Truthfully, she would never have woken up a healing creature with this method because of the halting effects of the magic. But Gideon's raised brows and soft expression had her melting, eager to do anything to stop his pain. And by now, Visena knew Jed was not staying unconscious because he was healing. Instead, one probe of his anima told her he was trying to die.

"Wake up, Jed," she kissed his third eye and pressed her cheek to his. His skin was cold and clammy against her face. "Wake up."

Jed woke in a rage of claws and teeth. Gideon dragged Visena out of harm's way and tried to calm his brother out of a half shift. Jed whole body contorted, his muscles roiling in fury before he realised where he was. A few deep breaths and growls later, Jed stilled on his cot, defeated. "Why couldn't you just let me die?"

Gideon grimaced. "Why would you say that?"

"I'm fucked, Gideon. I can't walk, I can hardly feel my legs, and I can't be your Gamma anymore."

"Why the fuck not?"

Jed didn't bother responding. Instead, he turned his head and looked despondent at the grey walls. Visena sighed behind the men and tentatively walked to the cot and sat by Jed's torso.

"I'm sorry for lashing out at you," he mumbled.

"It's fine..." Visena sighed again. She had an idea but there was a risk that Jed could take it badly. "My mother used the last of her magic, her soul, to heal you. Can I look for it?"

Jed turned his head to look at the Fae. "What?"

"I want to see what it's healing. If you need a wheelchair for the rest of your life then it must be holding something else together. Something important."