Carving Destiny (Book 2 of the Bloodmoon Academy Series)

I tried to open my eyes, but was blinded by a bright white light, causing me to instantly squeeze them shut tightly once more with a small groan. My whole body felt far too heavy, and ached horribly as my head throbbed. There was a gentle pressure on my shoulder and I turned my head in that direction, turning away from the direct light, towards whoever was touching me. Opening my eyes once more, I blinked several times, trying to clear them as I looked up, catching the deep sapphire depths that I knew and loved. I smiled up at him, but it took far more effort than it should have. Finally, blinking the fog out of my eyes, I let my gaze roam over the hard lines of his face, but he looked far more ragged than I remembered. I didn't remember him looking that bad when we left the maze, but maybe it had taken more of a toll on him getting back with everything that had happened at the end there. He looked absolutely exhausted. A shadow of dark stubble littered his sharp jaw, his normally bright eyes were dull and slightly glassy with dark bruises marring the skin under them. He looked like he hadn't slept for days, but we had just been transported back from the games. He looked at me in pure awe, like he hadn't expected me to be looking up at him, but quickly hid his expression before brushing a gentle hand over my cheek. "Hey babe, how do you feel?" He asked in a rough gravelly tone that sounded just as rough as he looked. I had to blink a few more times to take in our surroundings through the glare of the fluorescent light, only to see stark white walls, and I was lying in a hospital bed. Izzy, Ryder, Bree, and Ben were all standing back by the foot of the bed, just watching me with varying expressions of relief, but they all looked almost as bad as Jake did. "I feel like I lost a game of chicken with a truck." I forced the whisper through my sore, parched throat. Jake didn't say anything as he reached over beside us, pulling a cup off a small table before tipping it up to my lips. I gladly took a few good drinks, reveling in the feeling of the cool water soothing my scratchy throat. Izzy pressed a hand to her chest as she smiled before asking Ryder to take her over beside Jake in her wheelchair. "My God Belle, don't ever scare us like that again. We all thought we were going to lose you," Izzy whispered, and I saw the glimmer of tears in her big green eyes. Now I was seriously confused. I had no clue what she meant by that. We had just gotten back from the game, and I wasn't even hurt other than the map. She was far worse off than I was. "What do you mean? We just got back out of The Maze," I asked, looking between her and Jake. Jake gently brushed his thumb over my cheek once more as I looked up at him. He gave me a sympathetic gaze before leaning down and pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You've been out for almost two weeks now, Belle. The map had a type of black magic attached to it, and when we were transported back to the manor it took effect, instantly poisoning you." He whispered to me as he sat back once more, but I just gazed up at him in pure shock... I've been out for almost two weeks? "You actually died once... they had to resuscitate you, and then you almost died again before they were finally able to get the medicine they needed to treat you. You still have some of it running through your system, and that's probably why you still feel like crap. It will take a while before it dissipates completely, but you're awake, and that's more than we thought would happen for a while still," Izzy said, and I looked back up at Jake, seeing the residual pain that was now mixed with relief in those beautiful eyes. I moved, trying to sit up. I wanted... no, I needed to be closer to him. I needed him to see that I was actually okay. I moved my hand first, reaching up with a shaking hand and covering his hand with mine before trying to sit up. I could only get a couple inches off the bed before my body gave out. He was faster though, slipping a hand behind my back and catching me before I hit the bed and very carefully helping me sit up. He moved to where he was sitting behind me, and I happily leaned back into him. Twisting to where I could lay my head on his shoulder and wrapped my trembling arms around his waist. "I'm okay now, I promise," I whispered to him. I knew he needed to hear it, and I really was okay now. Other than being weak and just generally achy, I wasn't in any serious pain or anything. Slowly, I trailed my hand up his chest, over the side of his neck until I cupped his cheek, and tipped my head up towards him to press a slow lingering kiss to his lips. "Aww, come on. None of that sappy crap when we're still here, get a room." Izzy called with a giggle and I couldn't help it. I flipped her off with the hand that wasn't brushing lightly over Jake's jaw, causing her to laugh. Pulling back from me, Jake pressed a button on the remote by the bed as I looked over at the others, and they all smiled back. "How's your leg, Izzy?" I asked, seeing that she was still in a wheelchair, but I couldn't see down far enough to see her foot. "I lost it, they had to completely amputate it at the ankle, but with Ryder's help it'll heal in no time, and I'll be able to get a prosthetic and be up shopping with you in no time." She said with a smile, and I was just glad she was taking it so well. "I'll hold you to that," I replied with a smile before looking over at Ben and Bree. "How about you two, how are your injuries?" I asked and they both smiled at me. "We're fine, all healed up now," Bree answered me with a smile, and I was glad they were all okay. There was a knock on the door, making me jump, and Jake smoothed a hand down my back, soothing me as the doctor walked into the room. "I see you finally woke up, you had some serious close calls there. You're one lucky girl." He told me with a smile as he looked me over. "In more ways than one," I answered as I looked up at Jake with a smile that he returned before gently laying me back down on the bed, so the doctor could look me over. He didn't go far though, instantly taking my hand as he got up, sitting back in the chair beside my bed he held my hand between both of his as he pressed kisses to my knuckles. I knew he was going to be like this for the next little while, but I really didn't mind, considering if things were reversed, I absolutely would be too. The doctor quickly checked me over, stating that all of my vitals were good, and that I really just needed to eat something so they could make sure I could keep food down, then I could go home. He told me that I would be weak for at least a few weeks, and that I should try to take it easy for the next few days for sure, but that didn't bother me. I knew Jake wasn't going to let me do anything but rest for the next few days at the very least. I was shaking too badly to properly use silverware, so Jake practically fed me my meal before helping me into a wheelchair, and we said our goodbyes to the others as we went back to the apartment. I was still absolutely exhausted, and anyone could see that Jake was too, so we just told them that we could all have a last movie night tomorrow before they all left for break. Once we got back, Jake helped me take a quick bath before changing into some comfy bed clothes, and we laid down. He would barely let me out of his grasp the whole time, and downright refused to let me out of his sight, but as much as it frustrated me to not even be able to use the bathroom alone, I couldn't help but to smile at him. I knew this had to have been hard on him. He pulled his shirt off before lying on his side, facing me like he still couldn't believe that I was actually there with him. I wrapped my arms around him, snuggling in as close as I could get to him as I reveled in the feeling of his arms around me, his heart beating under my cheek, his breath stirring my hair as he curled in around me. It all just felt like home. I felt him take a deep, shaky breath, slowly letting it out before whispering to me. "I thought I lost you." His voice was gruff, and so full of pain that it had me biting back tears. I hugged him a little closer, pressing my entire body flush to his as I pressed kisses against the side of his neck. "You can't get rid of me that easily, wolf. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere." I whispered back with a smile just to feel him curl in even closer around me, nuzzling the side of my neck and shoulder before inhaling deeply, taking in my scent, and I closed my eyes. I was more than happy to just stay there with him, allowing myself to relax and just simply enjoy being held by my wolf as I happily drifted off to sleep.