Their Burning Touch on my Skin

Chapter 12

Emma

I open my eyes feeling like I’m lying in gelatine.

My sight slowly focuses, landing on Aunty Artemisia. She is smiling, her hands tucked flatly under her head. “Good Morning.”

“Good morning,” I say with a raspy voice.

She exhales, keeping her voice low. “Kai asked me to check on you, and I didn’t want to wake you up. How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” I whisper, moving my hands to lay on them as well. “In pain.”

“Did the painkillers that Kai gave you help a bit?”

I nod. “Yes, thank you. But the ointments are still itching on my skin.”

“Itching is good,” she smiles, her whisper making me feel like everything will be alright. “That means that it is healing. Not much longer and your wolf will take over.”

A sob escapes my lips, and I close my eyes, burying my face into my blanket.

“Oh, no. What is it?” She reaches out, holding my arm to caress me with her thumb. “Let me get you your medicine.”

Before she can move out of bed, I reach out to grab her sweatshirt.

“I’m so sorry,” I sob, causing her to get back to me. “Please forgive me!”

She hugs me close, squeezing me tight. “There is nothing I would have to forgive you, my love. Why are you apologizing? You saved my daughter and put yourself through so much pain. I’m sorry I made Cayden let you go there on your own.”

“You sacrificed yourself to protect me, and my first thought is to throw everything out of the window. I’m not fit to be a Luna,” I hiccup between tears.

Taking my face into her hands, she gets me to look at her. “You will be perfect as Luna. I can already tell. You sacrificed yourself to save someone else and I’m so proud of you, even if my heart breaks thinking about the pain you had to go through. I didn’t do it for me but for you. You don’t have to apologize to me, alright?”

“But I have been such a burden to Kai. He had to interrupt every negotiation to bring me back and he had to comfort me as if I was a baby. That’s not Luna material.” I continue to cry as she smiles at me encouragingly.

“But that’s exactly what mates are here for. They are here to love and comfort us. Being a Luna doesn’t mean to be stoic and emotionless. But the fact that our will is unbreakable and we are ready to defend the people in our pack. Strength is not defined by the tears we shed. Please don’t punish yourself. You wouldn’t know how many times my mates had to cuddle me to sleep because I couldn’t stop crying. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s a partnership, not a puppet show, okay?”

I laugh through the tears, nodding. “Okay. Thank you.”

“No worries.” She waits patiently while I wipe the tears from my eyes. “Ready for your medicine now?”

“Yes,” I answer lowly, and she gets out of bed to hurry out of the room.

As I hear the front door open and close again, Ace appears at the door frame, leaning against it. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” I lie, closing my eyes as if I could make him disappear this way. “Much better.”

His voice, telling me that we aren’t compatible as mates, resounds in my mind, cracking my heart another bit.

“Kai told me about the plan you had. I didn’t realize and I’m sorry that you got hurt in the process. But it should be an honour for Serena to be chosen to train with the Royal Army.”

I scoff, burying my face into my blanket. “Not now, Ace. I don’t feel well enough to cope with your loyal soldier side.”

He growls, mumbling something under his breath, but I’m too tired to care. Leaving my eyes closed, I feel his eyes on me just until the door resounds again and he is gone.

“Sorry, I had to mix a new ointment as the one I had prepared was gone.”

I try to sit up slowly as she halts in her tracks, sniffing the air, and closes the door behind her.

“Don’t let them sneak into your room without taking responsibility for wanting to be with you. They got that from their father.” She grins, making me snicker.

She gets on the bed, sitting on her heels, and hands me some pills as well as some water. As I’m gulping them down, she shakes a little bottle before my eyes. “They will take effect in the next ten to twenty minutes. Are you okay with me putting on the ointment now? Or would you like to wait for the painkillers to take effect?”

“Now is alright,” I breathe out.

She helps me slip out of my light clothing and starts applying the ointment on my wounds. “They already look better now. This is great.”

After having changed the dressings, she helps me get dressed again and tucks me back into bed.

“Just mind link me if you need anything, alright? Try to get some more sleep now.” Bending down, she kisses my temple and leaves the room, leaving the door ajar.

I hear her whisper something to her son, and I guess I know why she left the door cracked like this as his scent starts invading the room, causing my pain to diminish as my wolf stirs and making me fall asleep peacefully.

***

As I wake up, I can still smell the scents of my mates in the air but I sense that I am alone.

My wolf feels like she is out of her sedated state, but she seems to still be inebriated.

Feeling a bit better, I get up without my stomach churning and go to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea.

As I wait for the water to cook, I pull on a cardigan.

I finish preparing the tea and step out onto the terrace to get a bit of fresh air.

My mind feels like spinning but I brace myself against the balustrade, taking slow sips of my tea.

Letting my eyes wander over the training court, they fall on Kai and Ace standing at the border of the training court. They aren’t talking to each other, silently watching the warriors training on the field while Uncle Finnegan is screaming at them as they are apparently moving too slowly.

Kai turns around to wave at me, and I lift my hand slowly, waving back with a smile.

‘Are you feeling alright?’ he asks me through the mind link as he flashes me a worried smile. ‘Do you need anything?’

I shake my head, taking another sip as I answer him. ‘I’m alright, thank you. I think my wolf is starting to heal me.’

‘This is great,’ he breathes out relieved.

He turns around, talking to Ace who shrugs, not turning around to look at me.

But I can feel him literally twitching, wanting to turn around to see how I’m looking because I know how worried he is.

I keep standing there, enjoying my tea while watching them train.

My wolf stirs again, and I feel the air shift as Ace turns around, probably to walk back into the house. He ignores me just until he has nearly made it to the door.

I feel the fire through me before he looks up at me.

Gasping, I clench the fabric covering my stomach and take a step back to hide from his gaze.

I missed this feeling.

The last time I felt it was during that night.

Before I realize it, and register the shouting as well as the claws scraping against the wall, Ace has already climbed the balustrade.

My breath hitches in my throat as I look into his eyes which have completely turned black as he grins at me.

With a sudden movement, my wolf jolts awake, her howl rumbles through my head as she heals me instantaneously.