I Don't Want to Fall

Chapter 10: Fevers and Voices

****** Ellowyn’s POV

When I woke up the next morning, I felt absolutely horrible, like my body was trying to get over an illness. I had an awful sick headache and just felt drained. I rubbed my hand over my forehead and groaned as I began to roll out of bed. Going to the bathroom, I splashed cold water on my face, but it didn’t seem to help.

I curled back up in bed. I was so weak, and soon I felt like I was on fire. I groaned as my phone began to ring. Who could possibly be calling me at this time in the morning. Reaching out from the covers, my hand landed on the cell phone as it lay on the side table still plugged in the charger.

My head hurt so bad my vision blurred at the bright light from the screen, so I couldn’t see the number calling in. I was finally able to swipe the green over to answer the call.

“Hello?” I croaked.

“Elle? Are you alright? You sound awful.”

“Carson? How did you get my phone number?” I said with my hand on my head.

“Emerson had it memorized.” He answered. “Are you okay?”

I groaned and rolled over. What could he possibly do about it. It’s not like I was his responsibility, and this was probably because I haven’t taken that stupid medication for how many days now. Three days? I can’t remember.

“It’s nothing.” I lied.

“I’m coming over.” He said with his mind made up.

“Don’t bother. I’m fine.” The phone call clicked off. I rolled my eyes at the blank screen and pulled the covers back over my head.

Before I knew it, I heard his truck rumbling up the drive, and Fang started going off. I didn’t have the strength to move. My body felt as if it was on fire, and my mind drifted off.

******** Carson’s POV

When I got there, her dog was raising cane, but there was no other movement. I knocked on the door to no avail. Something was wrong. I could feel it. I tried the handle to find it unlocked. What single woman living alone leaves her door unlocked? I shook my head but headed inside.

The wolf dog merely looked at me and then turned to whine at a door. That must be her room. He knew something was wrong, too. I opened the door and burst into the room with the dog hot on my heels.

All I saw was a small lump in the bed under her covers. I pulled them off her to find her burning up and passed out. Her face was bright red from the fever.

I picked her up bridal style and carried her out to the truck. She was so out of it. I don’t think she had any idea what was going on. The dog jumped in the back of the truck, but I didn’t say anything. I needed to get her to the farmhouse.

Papaw saw me pulling back in and carrying a limp Ellowyn. He met me in the entryway and touched her forehead.

“I’ll call the pack doctor.” He said firmly, and I nodded before continuing up the stairs.

I took her to my room, laying her in the bed. Putting only the thin sheet over her. I ran to the bathroom to get a cold wash cloth for her head. She moaned as I placed it on her head, slightly turning.

Papaw came up to my room. He looked between Ellowyn and I, but I never took my eyes off her.

“He’s coming as fast as possible. Should be here in 40 minutes, hopefully.” Papaw whispered.

“Where are the children?” I asked.

“Still eating breakfast. They don’t have any idea she is even here. Don’t worry, I’ll keep them busy.” He said before disappearing.

I didn’t leave her side while we waited helplessly for the doctor to arrive. She tossed in turned as if she was stuck in a horrible dream moaning every now and then from pain. I continued to freshen the wash cloth with cold water regularly as her fever was so high it would quickly heat up and lose it’s value. Finding a thermometer in the bathroom, I took her temperature. It was too high even for werewolf’s normal temperature, which was notably higher than an average human’s anyway. No wonder she felt as if she was on fire.

****** Ellowyn’s POV

I woke to find myself in the woods surrounded by smoke. I was no longer in my pajamas, but jeans and a t-shirt. I was so confused and extremely hot. I looked around to try and figure out where I was only to have fear raised within me as I saw it. The bright orange glow of fire burning through the trees just beyond. The forest was on fire, and I stood frozen for a moment, trying to comprehend this.

Suddenly, there was a popping sound, and then a large tree began to fall. I ran to get out of the way as it crashed down, just barely missing me. As I continued to run forward, I began coughing and sputtering from the smoke. Trying to catch my breath was useless. I took the bandanna from my hair and tied it into a mask, covering my nose and mouth before continuing onward.

Heat radiated up from the ground, and the air felt thick and unbearable. My feet felt as if they were on fire as the heat radiated up from the ground, burning them through my shoes. I splashed through a small creek when suddenly the air was filled with the sound of howling wolves.

It was an eerie sound as it echoed around the trees, almost calling out to me. I picked up the pace, pushing forward. The howls continued, and I found myself running towards them. The fire was getting closer, and it began to circle to the side of me as well as behind. I was beginning to feel pushed and directed by it.

I rushed down a path that seemed to be a natural corridor with rock walls on either side of me. Flames still followed close at my heels as I looked back. The path turned abruptly and came to a dead end with rocks. I was trapped, and the heat grew unbearable. I coughed on the black smoke and fell to my knees. This must be how I die. I tried to stare up at the sky one last time, but the beautiful blue sky was blocked by smoke and branches. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

“Get up!” A voice yelled at me.

I looked around, but no one could be seen. I sat confused.

“Get up now! This is not how we go out. Climb those rocks. What would Emerson and Emmeline do without us. Ellowyn, please get up.” She pleaded

I nodded. Whoever she was, she was right. I can’t leave my babies. I jumped up and began to climb the rocks in front of me. They were so hot from the burning fire that they burned my hands, and blisters began to form. I kept going. Blisters and burns heal eventually. I had to make it home. I didn’t have the luxury to give up.

Finally pulling myself to the top, the smoke broke away, and I saw the endless sky above me filled with dark clouds. I found myself on a small hill top that was solid rock with no vegetation at all to burn. I went to the middle of it and screamed with my arms stretched out wide. The sky suddenly opened up, and cool rain poured down upon the land. I closed my eyes and stood there, embracing it as it kissed my face and soaked my clothes. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the fire in patches over forest as it slowly died out, and the destruction it left behind.

I turned at a small noise beside me and saw a large golden colored wolf. She stared back up at me with a sad look on her face.

“You’re going to be alright now.” She said through my mind.

Instead of freaking out, it just seemed normal and right. I felt a comfort with her beside me like she was an old friend I had known all my life. I felt free.

Then, a voice came from the air around me. “Elle…”

It was Carson’s voice, a soft pleading whisper that flowed on the wind. He sounded so worried. I turned back to the wolf, but she had disappeared.

I heard her in my mind again. “Trust him. I’ll be within you.”

I looked around, confused.

******* Carson’s POV

She felt so hot and seemed to be lost in a dream. Finally, the doctor got here and began to check her vitals. He asked a few questions as I explained to him about the medicine and how she had stopped taking it. He nodded.

“Her body and wolf are trying to heal themselves from the years of being poisoned. The fever has been brought on from her healing power being in a kind of overdrive. She needs rest, and I’m going to put her on IV fluids. The issue now is that we have to wait.” The doctor explained.

“Wait for what.”

“For her to fight it. She has to heal herself. Being poisoned for so long could have killed her wolf or her, but I don’t think that’s the case. She is a very strong wolf. If I had to guess from a strong alpha line because if she wasn’t she would have already faded away. Let’s see what the fluids and some medicine for her fever do for her. Hopefully, if she is strong enough, she will pull through this evening or tomorrow, but honestly, she could be in this state for weeks. It all depends on her.” He continued.

I nodded as I continued to stare at her limp figure on my bed. It struck me finally that I lost Claire, and now I could possibly lose Elle. My wolf whimpered at the thought. I don’t think we could go through a second loss, though the mate bond wasn’t that strong yet.

“Do everything you can for her.” I told the doctor, and he nodded before getting to work with the IV.