Her condition
1031 Words
Betty
He carried me back to his room with such ease that it almost felt as though I weighed nothing at all, his arms secure around me while the familiar scent of lavender and earth wrapped around my senses. Only then did I finally realize why the room smelled so comforting earlier—it carried his scent, the scent of my mate.
The thought alone sent warmth rushing through me.
Once inside, he settled onto the bed with me comfortably seated on his lap, and for a long moment neither of us spoke. Earlier, I had practically stared at him like a starving woman admiring her favorite meal, and now he seemed determined to return the favor.
His golden-brown eyes traveled slowly across my face, lingering on every detail as though he was trying to memorize me completely. Then his hand rose gently to cup my cheek, his touch unexpectedly soft for someone so terrifyingly powerful.
Butterflies erupted wildly inside my stomach.
Marie purred happily within me, clearly enjoying every second of this.
Honestly, I could have remained there forever.
But eventually his hand slipped away, and reality came crashing back into my mind.
“Wait,” I blurted suddenly, blinking at him. “How long was I asleep?”
Jackson seemed to snap out of whatever trance he had been trapped in before answering.
“Six whole days,” he said quietly, though the concern in his eyes revealed just how worried he truly had been. “Do you have any idea how terrifying that was? I thought something had happened to you.”
I could not help laughing softly at the seriousness in his voice.
“This has been happening ever since I shifted at ten,” I admitted with a small shrug. “Honestly, I’m more shocked that I haven’t fallen asleep again already.”
The amusement on his face vanished almost instantly, replaced by concern.
“We’re going to find a solution,” he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I can’t keep watching you disappear for days at a time.”
So my father must have already explained everything to him.
Strangely enough, knowing he cared that much made my chest feel warm.
---
Jackson
Watching my mate remain unconscious for six straight days was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life.
The first two days were unbearable. I tried everything I could think of, even using magic in an attempt to wake her, but nothing worked. Eventually, I sought out her father, hoping he would have answers, and what he told me left me more confused than before.
Apparently, this had been happening since she shifted into her wolf as a child.
I still could not understand how someone could simply sleep for days without explanation.
“What does it feel like before it happens?” I asked carefully, watching her expression.
Her eyes widened slightly before she answered.
“It feels like I slowly lose my senses,” she explained softly. “Everything starts fading until I can barely stay conscious anymore. Even Marie doesn’t understand why it happens.”
A deep frown settled onto my face.
If even her wolf had no answers, then this condition was far more serious than I originally thought.
There was only one person I could think of who might know something.
Bonfire.
---
Betty
I ended up telling Jackson everything.
About the exhaustion.
About randomly collapsing asleep without warning.
About waking up in strange places with no memory of when I drifted off.
He listened so carefully that it almost made me nervous, though admittedly, it became difficult to focus once I realized his hand had slowly drifted lower against my waist.
Not that I minded.
Actually…
A little lower would have been perfectly fine.
Then suddenly he froze, his expression shifting into disbelief.
“Seriously?” he muttered under his breath.
Oops.
Maybe my face had betrayed my thoughts.
I bit back a laugh as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against the top of my head before sighing dramatically.
“You need to take a bath,” he informed me. “This is definitely not the time for you to start having inappropriate thoughts.”
I stared at him in shock for a second before laughing.
Oh, so the intimidating alpha had a sarcastic side.
Good to know.
“You’re probably right,” I admitted innocently.
He pointed toward the bathroom nearby. “Your clothes are already inside. Since you packed before leaving your pack, it wasn’t difficult to bring your things with you.”
Unfortunately for me, my attention drifted back toward his lips halfway through his explanation.
Moon goddess.
Those lips should honestly be considered dangerous.
“Betty.”
I blinked quickly.
Right.
Focus.
“Fine,” I said while climbing off his lap. “But don’t act surprised if I fall asleep in the bathtub.”
Sadly…
That was exactly what happened.
---
Jackson
I genuinely could not believe she had fallen asleep again.
After pulling my unconscious mate out of the bathtub, drying her carefully, and carrying her back to bed, I found myself staring at her longer than I probably should have.
She was beautiful.
Her brunette hair framed her face perfectly against the pillows, her skin looked impossibly soft, and the peaceful rise and fall of her chest somehow made the room feel calmer.
I had been with women before.
None of them compared to her.
Not even close.
My gaze drifted lower for a moment before I forced myself to look away with a frustrated sigh.
Dangerous thoughts.
Very dangerous thoughts.
Quickly dressing her in fresh clothes, I tucked her beneath the blankets before stepping away from the bed entirely.
I needed answers before this situation drove me insane.
Bonfire was one of the oldest and most powerful wizards in the pack, and if anyone could explain Betty’s condition, it would be him.
As I stepped out of the pack house, I mind-linked Aaron and ordered him to meet me outside.
Not long after, he arrived with the car, and together we drove off into the night toward Bonfire’s home.
- Writer
