Page 34 of Breathe Again

He grinned from across the room.Why aren’t you freaking out over this?

Don’t know, maybe it’s the drugs,I told him, laughing.

“Elizabeth, what has gotten in to you? This is not a joking matter,” Mom scolded.

I can’t believe you hurt yourself just to prove a point. Are you okay? Damn near knocked me on my ass.

Babe, you’re on the floor. I did knock you on your ass.

Shut up,he said, but there was no malice behind it.

Cole

Chapter 15

Elizabeth may not have been freaking out, but knowing that our bond was fully sealed in only a few hours since the marking was a lot to take in. I didn’t know why it was happening so quickly, but I also knew that I would never want to go back to a life without her, and this latest development pretty much meant I never would.

I knew I needed to talk to Kyle about it. His bond to Kelsey had progressed faster than anyone else I knew, but there had been extenuating circumstances between them, and as far I knew we didn’t have those.

Zach had made fast time, because I still sitting on the kitchen floor, the room spinning uncomfortably while I tried to puzzle out all that was happening when he arrived.

“Now what is all this about?” he asked before even saying hello. He looked at me and frowned. “Son, you okay?”

I waved a hand in the air. “We may want to save this conversation for tomorrow after these damn drugs wear off,” I warned him.

He looked at his wife with concern. “You’re taking drugs?” he asked, sounding none too pleased.

“No, sir, but your daughter is. Doctor prescribed.”

“I’m really not following,” he said.

I moved to try and get up. Halfway there to stand, Lizzy jumped in.

“It’s easiest if we just show you,” she said.

“No!” I tried to yell, but didn’t get out in time before she pressed against her incision again and pain shot through my leg. “Damn it, Elizabeth, stop doing that. It hurts.”

Zach’s face morphed from confusion, to shock, to fear.

“You sealed the bond?” he asked.

“Yes,” Elizabeth confirmed.

“And I think our bond literally sealed, like permanently sealed, sir,” I confessed. “Please don’t ask for another demonstration, she’s killing me over here.”

“What did you do? How is this even possible?” he challenged me.

“How the hell do I know? I bit her, she bit me, all was great, then I start hearing her in my head and suddenly I’m getting dizzy off the drugs she took, and I can feel her pain so vividly it’s crippling.” I knew I was borderline hysterical. Elizabeth seemed to be handling everything so much better than I was.

I looked over and saw her yawn and stretch.

Wake up,I yelled through the bond and saw her jump in shock.

“Stop yelling at me,” she said out loud.

“You need to eat before falling asleep, sweetheart. Just don’t touch your damn leg again and I’ll have it ready in just a few minutes.” I couldn’t deal with Zach and Cora at the moment, I was still trying to process everything. I remained a little unsteady on my feet, but at least I was prepared this time and knew how to adapt. I quickly put the groceries away and got busy chopping up the salad.

I took out two plates, then turned to her parents, who were clearly deep in their own private conversation.

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