Page 46 of The Dark Rising
Entering my bedroom, my eyes go directly to the form under my furs. My chest feels uncomfortable at the sight, and I quickly close the door behind me, putting her dinner down on the table. Walking over to her side of the bed, I stand in front of her, watch as the furs rise and fall with her breaths. I know she feels me here, just like I can always feel her when she’s near.
“Rhea.” Nothing. I take a deep breath for patience. “Rhea,” I try again. Not even a twitch. I wait it out, but still it’s the same as every other time.
Silence.
And with that, my patience? Gone.
I grab the furs and rip them from her. Her eyes spring open, followed by a sharp inhale before she moves. Moves away from me, from our connection to the other side of the bed. I make myself still as I look over her, assessing.
She’s lost more weight. The dark circles under her eyes are more noticeable, as are her cheekbones.
No more.
“Rhea.” She still says nothing, she just continues to stare at the wall. I walk around the bed until I’m standing directly in front of her, and ignore what I feel as she backs up against the headboard. “Little wolf?”
Her eyes slowly come to mine then, and though I want nothing more than her eyes on me, it’s like she’s seeing through me. My jaw clenches as my hands ball into fists.
“Just say something…anything!” I shout, losing my calm façade. I don’t like being ignored, but being ignored byheris something I cannot tolerate any longer.
Something moves within her eyes then, like she has a little focus, like she can actually hear me. But it’s not what I wanted to see.
I don’t want to see pain there.
The pains of what I did to her.
She tried to hide it, but she must know by now that she cannot hide from me.
I see her pain like I see the skies darkening with a coming storm.
I breathe deep in my chest, letting it out slowly. I try to relax my posture as much as possible, but it’s hard to do when she won’t give me what I want. Or hide better what I don’t want to see.
“You need to eat.” My words are blunt, straight to the point.
She blinks slowly, but otherwise doesn’t move.
I go over to the table and grab the cup, lifting it and holding it out to her.
“Have a drink first, your body needs it.” Not a single movement. “Rhea.” I drop my tone low, a warning that I wont tolerate this any longer.
Her brows furrow before she looks down at the cup. I wait her out, the air filling with her tension. Tentatively, she reaches for it, and places her fingers specifically where she doesn’t have to touch me. That won’t last long.
I take a few steps back, trying to give her more space so she feels more comfortable to take a drink. She looks down into the cup like it can give her some answers, like it can take her somewhere else. Her hand clenching around it, her knuckles whitening, and then suddenly, it’s flying toward my face. I bat it away quickly, water splashing over me and the floor as I watch it roll. My eyes slowly move back to the little beast that resides in my bed.
Her eyes are hard, her chest heaving, and I smirk.
Then she comes for me.
Her magic forms in her hands, the blue glowing, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. It isn’t kind, more devious. A ball of her power flies toward me and I raise my hand, calling my own magic to deflect it. It hits my palm and crashes off to the side. We ignore the hole in the stone as she lets another loose. This time, I have my magic swallow hers and she growls, launching herself at me as she thinks that’s the better option. I welcome it.
She throws a punch for my face, and I quickly grab her hand, and then the other. I take her to the floor with ease, too much ease for her as she wriggles, kicks and moves her body to try and dislodge me. All the while, I stay locked in her eyes, eyes that are no longer empty.
Eyes that I can finally look at in-person again, and not be haunted by them when I close my eyes.
My hold on her is firm, but gentle, as I let her get her anger out where she wont hurt herself. When she realizes she can’t get out of my hold, she raises her head and her teeth, then she’s at my shoulder. She bites down, and I grunt, but otherwise don’t move.
I feel the moment her teeth break the skin through my t-shirt, feel the trickle of blood that comes through it. I allow it.
“That’s it, little wolf, show me your teeth.” She digs in harder. angry noise spilling from her lips. “I will bear them. I will take it, and I will take your anger, but I won’t take your silence,” I growl, and I feel my flesh tear. “You cannot do anything is this state, be the fucking Alpha you are meant to be and take it out on me.” I hiss when she reaches bone, but I don’t pull away. Instead, I move her wrists to one hand and move the other to the back of her head. Grabbing her hair in my hand, I force her deeper, selfishly wanting her closer even though she’s buried her teeth in my flesh. She pauses, her breaths coming in ragged pants, and I massage the back of her head. “You need to get out of bed and get stronger for your pack.” She growls before she lets go, slumping back to the floor.
