20
1237 Words
AZRIEL
I should never have agreed to this madness or trusted her to listen. The chances of Seraphina waiting for me patiently were slimmer than our odds of surviving that attack. If I had been even a second late, I would have lost her. What on earth was she thinking?
She went on about saving others and my injury, and I couldn't let myself feel angry at her. If only she realized that the sole reason she was alive was that I had shielded her right away. The force of the plane's crash could have crushed her, and that metal strip that tore through me would have killed her. Yet here she was, upset that we couldn't help others.
I didn't respond to her. My nerves were still rattled from everything, and it didn't help that she was leaning into me, her sweat amplifying her scent. I didn’t even notice when she lifted my shirt, still trying to persuade the wolf that this situation wasn't an opportunity but rather a disaster.
I froze as soon as I felt her fingers on my skin, my eyes snapping open. The horror in her expression was clear, and I quickly pulled my shirt down.
"What’s that?" She looked up at me, and for the first time, fear flickered in her eyes—fear of me. She had been many things: angry, flirtatious—but never afraid. Now she recoiled as if I were some kind of monster.
"What the hell is that?" she repeated, glancing at the spot where an ugly wound should have been.
"It’s nothing," I snapped back, hoping she wouldn’t press further.
But of course she did; true to form for a journalist.
"Something sharp enough to kill pierced your abdomen, yet you're standing here without a scratch? You call that nothing? It’s completely healed."
I stood up to leave, but she yanked me back.
"What the hell is going on, Azriel?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "You just saved me from a plane crash without a scratch while everyone else on board died. And you suddenly have this massive wound that vanishes? What are you?"
"It’s nothing, Seraphina," I lied. "I just have a different body constitution."
"One that lets you heal life-threatening wounds in seconds?"
I shook my head. "I don't want to discuss this, Seraphina." I finally stood up. "Stop asking questions and focus on what's truly important. We need to reach out for rescue and get out of here before they locate the plane."
She raised an eyebrow at me and slowly got to her feet, creating some distance between us. "And how do we contact them? I lost my phone, and everything's already blown up. Or is magic part of your abilities too? Or maybe telepathy?"
"Seraphina."
"What?"
I sighed and held out the bag in my hand to her. "Everything we need is in here. It would have been faster if you had packed lighter."
"Mom packed it, not me," she replied, rummaging through the bag.
Inside were all the essentials I knew we'd require for now. Every snack I could grab from her suitcase—those were crucial so we wouldn't starve while figuring out where we were. There were also some comfortable clothes—she froze when she pulled out her underwear, and I quickly averted my gaze. She hastily shoved them back in and instead brought out some first aid supplies. Celeste’s thorough preparation was proving useful after all.
"You're quite observant," she said, looking up at me. "I didn't even think about these. How did you manage to stay calm enough to think clearly? Is that part of your abilities too?" she teased.
I felt irritation rising; she knew exactly how to push my buttons. "That's enough."
"Why are you so annoyed?" she asked. "It's not like being able to heal in seconds is a bad thing; it's just unusual. Besides, it's a valuable ability given our current situation."
Unusual.
I laughed.
I'm not unusual; I'm dangerous.
"Then why did you look so frightened?" I asked, locking eyes with her.
"What?"
"If you consider it so valuable, why did you flinch when you saw my stomach? You were scared because it made me seem monstrous."
"I..." She hesitated. "Isn't it normal to be shocked when you see something like that? Having an ability like that doesn’t make you a monster." She zipped up the bag and stood tall. "I'll work on getting used to it so you won't have to worry. It's not like it's a bad thing; I just need to understand how it's even humanly possible."
I wanted to ask her what if I was something more. What if I had something pacing in my head? A beast that wanted nothing but to claim her. Would she still try to get used to me? But I couldn't. I'd never survive if she called me a monster and ran away from me. It wasn't something I wanted to risk.
I never planned to expose what I was to her or any other person. But this unforeseen circumstance already did that job. I just hope she wasn't acting strong but was frightened to death inside.
No. She wasn't. If she was afraid I would've smelt it on her.
"We should check out the area," I said instead. "Maybe we can find people who can help us. We'll call home when we know exactly where we are."
"Home? How?"
"I have my phone with me." I brought it out from my trouser pocket, testing it around the area. "Although places like this rarely have service. We'll just have to keep searching until we get some."
We wandered through the endless barren landscape, with only the sea and sand in sight. As darkness began to fall, the clouds thickened overhead.
"Let's find somewhere to stay first, Seraphina," I said, taking her hand and guiding her back to a small cave we had passed a few moments earlier. "It looks like it might rain soon, and we can't risk catching a cold right now."
She lagged behind me, already snacking on one of the treats. I considered reminding her that this was disaster relief, not a vacation snack, but decided against it and let it go. Regardless, I would never let her go hungry.
The rain started just before we reached the cave, prompting us to run faster. We were soaked by the time we finally made it inside. I turned to check on her, but my words caught in my throat at the sight before me. Her wet clothes clung to her body, her top riding up slightly as she wrung out the water.
She looked up at me and our eyes met before she smiled. My heart raced instantly, heat flooding my veins as I struggled to keep control over the beast within me.
"MATE. TAKE HER."
Damn it. Why now of all times? We had barely spent a day together, and I was already losing my mind.
"Azriel?" Her voice was gentle, filled with concern. "What's wrong?"
Everything. Everything about this situation felt wrong. Damn it.
She leaned in closer, so close that I could hear her breathing, and all I could sense was her scent, turning my world upside down.
Then she reached up and placed a hand on my forehead.
"Do you have a fever?"
The beast roared inside me.
MINE.
And I gave in.
- Writer
