His Miracle Mate

Chapter 13

Weightless. Floating.

I was floating and tingling.

A dream?

Soft whispers. I wanted to open my eyes, but they were so heavy.

Where was I?

I was lost for a few seconds. Then it all came crashing down.

Brandon, Blake, Riley, and then... I gasped and trashed wildly, tears burning down my cheeks. I felt his hands and mouth all over me again and I screamed.

"No! Please, don't! Let me go" I screamed to the top of my lungs.

"Orla!"

My eyes shot open. I stared at Ezra's eyes, my lungs aching for air. My mind recalled what had happened after the guy took me, after Ezra showed up in his wolf.

A sob escaped my lips; and I was immediately pulled into a warm chest. I let my tears run freely as Ezra spoke to me with a gentle, reassuring voice. "It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay now. It's over"

We were still outside in the woods. After a few minutes, my sobs subsided. I sniffled. Ezra was sitting on the ground with me in his lap. His hand rubbed my back.

"Where are we?" I asked, my voice a hoarse whisper. My throat stung, from all the screaming, no doubt.

"We're going home. I was carrying you but..." He clenched his jaw, his eyes brimming with guilt.

"Let's go home, then," I whispered. He nodded and stood up in one move with me in his arms. I should've told him to let me walk, but I had no energy to spare. And I liked being this close to him. It made me feel safe. That was the thing I craved the most at the moment.

The sun was setting now. Above the trees, a hint of orange and red diluted the blue and stained the clouds purple. The rain had stopped, and the smell of wet earth was thick in the air.

I glanced around at the sound of footsteps. Zach and Ashley were walking nearby. I caught Ashley's sympathetic gaze. She gave me a small smile.

"Blake?"

"He's being looked after," Ashley said. "He's the one who told us what happened."

I breathed out in relief. He was alive. I put my head on Ezra's bare shoulders. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was warm and sturdy, and it made me want to cry.

I closed my eyes and listened to the steady beat of his heart. I was safe.

A few minutes later, we emerged from the woods to our cabin. Haley opened the back door before we even knocked.

"I got a bath ready," she said, giving me a smile.

"It'd be great, thank you." I mustered a smile. Ezra climbed up the steps to my room. He left after a moment's hesitation.

Haley offered to help, but I politely denied. I just wanted to clean up on my own. Haley closed the bathroom door behind her. I took off Sam's shirt, leaving me in the tatters of my clothes. I put Sam's shirt on the counter, then stripped off everything else, throwing them on the floor. I would get rid of them.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and looked in the mirror. Big mistake.

My left cheek had three long gashes; claw marks. They were not bleeding, but they looked angry and red, covered in dirt and dry blood. They stung sharply, as if seeing them brought the pain to the surface. Was it going to scar?

I glanced down my body and immediately hunched over the toilet, emptying my stomach.

Bruises and cuts and bite marks marred my upper half. I heaved again, the disgusting memories twisting my stomach.