Page 64 of Catalyst

“I know, Princess. I know,” I murmured, gently rocking her, unsure what else to do.

Her fingers twitched against the fabric of my hoodie as she tried and failed to grab a handful. The second she realized she failed, she let out a shaky sob, one so powerful it seemed to rattle her whole body.

How the hell were we supposed to make it to January like this?

That thought caused my chest to feel like it was caving in as I held her. Her tears and sweat soaked through my hoodie, saturating my skin, and my first thought was to tell her everything would be okay. And, while I wanted it to be… right now, I wasn’t sure. She let out another gut-wrenching whimper. Directly after, her body went limp for a second before her breathing quickened.

I hadn’t loved many people in my life; usually, when I did, they died. My parents, Sulien, and everyone except for Kane had succumbed to the curse that was my affection, and unfortunately for her, Ireallyloved Callie.

“Deep, slow breaths, Princess.” I patted her back.

Her breaths warmed my chest in rapid succession, but I could feel them slowing, even if barely.

“There you go, focus on me.” My voice broke a little as I took her hand, guiding it under my hoodie so it could rest just above my heart. “Focus on that… it’s all yours.”

Her shaking lessened as her breathing started to even out, and I closed my eyes, silently thanking a God I wasn’t sure existed. Then the sick bastard proved he was fake once and for all. Because her breathing continued to slow, and slow, andslowuntil she went completely limp against me.

“Callie?” My voice broke under the weight of her name, my entire body stiffening as if I subconsciously knew it wouldn’t work.

Her body remained unnervingly still as I gently shook her.

“Callie!” I said louder, pushing her off me, leaving her to fall onto the mattress like a rag doll.

Panic caused my vision to blur as I grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her far too roughly for something as beautifully fragile as Calista Voltaris. Still, with all of that, she didn’tmove. Why wasn’t she moving?

I hadn’t even realized I was screaming until Kane busted the door open. His eyes were wide, his entire body freezing as he looked at the two of us, his lips rapidly opening and shutting like he knew he needed to say something but couldn’t figure out what.

Instinctively, I scooped her up into my arms, holding her close even though every thought in my brain told me to crumble, to lie beside her and pretend this wasn’t happening. But, unfortunately, it was. This was real, and I was about to lose the only woman I’d ever loved.

The hospital was cold and sterile. Despite the flickering overhead lights, the world felt impossibly dark. A nervous shake had infested my limbs during the ride here, one that I couldn’t get rid of, no matter how hard I tried.

I shoved my hands into my hoodie pocket as I leaned back into the stiff plastic chair, my leg bouncing up and down as I tried to get rid of the sick feeling clinging to me. Right now, I was useless to her. Kane was the one in the room, and Kane was the one answering all the questions. All I did was call her folks, and even then, I wasn’t sure that was the right thing to do.

Still, it was the only thing that made sense. When someone was sick, you called their parents. At least, that’s what my brain said was right. Unfortunately, my brain was fucking stupid, and everyone in the world could have told you that.

The glass door beside me whooshed open as Kane stepped out of her room. My lips quivered as I looked at him.

“Is she okay?” I sniveled through the words.

His lips pressed into a thin line as he walked past me, patting my shoulder twice before sitting in the chair beside me.

“She’s conscious. They’re pumping her full of ice-cold saline and have her covered in a cooling blanket… Sawyer’s okay. He’s kicking at the monitors they put on her belly,” Kane said, his voice completely void of all emotion.

What I wouldn’t have given to read his mind.

“Kane… What are we going to do?”

He closed his eyes as if he couldn’t bear to look at me before managing a weak, “I don’t know.”

“Is she going to die?” The very thought made me sick.

My partner’s eyes snapped open before narrowing in anger. “I just said I don’t–”

“Where’s Calista?” An impossibly deep voice boomed from just up the hallway.

I turned to see a towering man with long silver hair stomping toward us. Callie’s mom was there, too, nearly running to keep up with the man.

“I said: Where. Is. My. Daughter?” His voice ricocheted off the glass walls.

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