DYLAN ||

Raiden has been on this hospital bed for 3 days.

Unresponsive, a breathing tube down his throat and wires coming from everywhere they could.

With an IV in his arm that the nurses would hook to another machine that pumped antibiotics into his system every 4 hours like clockwork.

He has silver poisoning and a pretty bad infection from whatever bullshit was on the forest ground, seeping into his wound.

Dr. Kyle and the nurses, one of which was Ruby, my cousin Kaylie's mate, had my mate laying on his side because he couldn't put any weight on his wound in his lower back as it had a draining tube sticking out of it.

They have been switching his body from side to side every few hours so he wouldn't get bed sores.

Maddox said he still can't feel Onyx, which made complete sense to me because of Raiden's silver poisoning. That would have affected Onyx as well, it didn't spread enough to take him away from Raiden, but it did enough damage to make him a bit dormant until the doctors can get the poisoning and infection under control.

I tried to reassure him as much as I could, but it was no use. He was destroyed over the state of our mates and I don't blame him one bit for that.

Even though this has been a tragic experience for both of us, I've never felt closer to my wolf. Usually we have this love-hate relationship, more hate than anything else, but ever since that night, I think we both have seen each other in a different light.

Maddox helped me so much when I needed it and when I was completely freaking out in the forest and when I didn't have strength to get Raiden to the hospital. He helped me, he was the emotional support I needed, he found our mate when I couldn't, he carried him when I couldn't and in return I've tried to be his strength.

If it wasn't for Maddox practically tearing down the veil and forcing me to check on our mate when I was too naive to what was happening, we may not have found my Raiden in time and that thought alone, scared the fuck out of me.

I'm eternally grateful for Maddox.

I no longer want a new wolf.

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A few hours passed before it was time for babe's antibiotics again. Kyle, Ruby and another nurse came in to start his medication and hook his IV to the machine needed as his antibiotics needed to be given slowly over the course of an hour.

After they were done starting his meds, they worked together to turn his body onto his left side for the next few hours.

In this position, I had a full view of my mate's insanely handsome face. Even in his state, he was still the most gorgeous creature I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on.

Once everyone was out of the room, I got up from my spot on the pull out bed that had become my bestfriend these last 3 days and I made my way to my mate's side. Sliding a chair over to be able to sit next to him, I took my place by his side and reached out to grab his hand that didn't have the IV attached.

I brought his hand up to my lips and kissed the back of it, savoring the feeling of bliss that crossed my lips as his skin pressed against them.

"Wake up baby." I whispered into his hand as I held onto him tighter. "I miss you, everyone does, I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you, even though we both know you would have been the one to protect me if I was there." I laughed softly.

"I wish you were here with me, to talk to me and tell me about that scarf you love so much. To explain what the hell kneading means again and how much you love food." I smiled at the memory of me always catching him in the kitchen. It didn't matter what time it was, if he wasn't with me or Rome and I was looking for my Raiden, he was always in the kitchen.

I think my man loves food more than he loves his precious solitude.

"You're annoying you know that." I breathe out. "Always going off and doing your own thing, I made a pack curfew for a reason, the same one you and Roman told me to make, how could you break your own pack rule?" I roll my eyes as I shake my head.

"You know I knew something was wrong that night, well not completely by myself, but I woke up in a panic and super nauseous. Maddox tried to tell me what was going on, but I didn't want to listen until he threatened to force the shift if I didn't go check on you." I smiled.

"I went down to your room and knocked twice, you didn't answer so I walked in without permission and I'm so sorry about that, but Maddox was freaking out and I had to check on you. That's not an excuse, so I'm sorry."

It was sweet that I was even apologizing for this right now, seeing how my mate is completely unconscious and probably wouldn't give a shit whether I entered his room without his say so or not, but I felt the need to apologize for my selfish behavior because of our time during those dreadful 2 weeks.

Damn.. I'm really growing up huh?

I leaned forward to kiss his forehead after I brushed a few stray hairs from his face before I continued to talk to my man.

"When I went into your room that night, your scent was everywhere but it wasn't right. It wasn't as strong as it was when you were in there, I don't know how I figured that out, but I did and the moment I looked at your alarm clock and seen it was 11pm, I knew something was wrong because you always went to sleep between 9:30-10pm. Don't ask me how I know that, it probably makes me sound like a stalker." I laughed again before kissing his hand one more time.

"Maddox found you that night, he asked for control because I just couldn't find you.." I shake my head. "And that's my fault, what kind of mate can't find their other half? Maybe it has something to do with the fact I haven't marked you yet, but I just couldn't find you and I'm so sorry about that baby."

"When I seen you laying there like that, I almost lost it." Tears brim my eyes. "I snapped on my dad and uncle Jake, I wouldn't let anyone touch you, I was trying so hard to protect you and fix you." I shake my head again before frowning.

"I wasn't strong enough to get you here by myself, Maddox had to help and I'm glad he did... our relationship is getting better. You and Onyx would be happy about that, I just know it. Both of you are too good for life."

I let out a frustrated growl thinking about how much I actually miss his stupid voice and all of his stupidness.

"Why were you even in the forest Raiden? Why were you out there? Why would you leave on your own like that... and don't give me that bullshit that you're used to being alone." I tell him as I glared at his emotionless face.

Anger was starting to take over, the more I noticed he wasn't waking up.

"You're such a fucking idiot for that seriously, you went out there alone and got yourself hurt! You could have died, then I would be all alone and have nobody to love me! I told you everything about me, I apologized for all my selfish shit and I've tried to change so much for you, to be better for you because you deserve a perfect mate, but you didn't give a shit about anyone of that!" I let go of his hand and stand up before pacing the room.

"You literally thought it was a good idea to go off and do Goddess knows what in that forest! There was a dead rogue there with you, did you know that? Who put it there and why was there a hole in the gate? If I find out it was you, I'm going to be so fucking pissed off with you!"

I continued to pace the room, hands on my hips and glaring at the furniture.

"I told you about my disability Raiden, you said you would always be my sound in this terrifyingly silent fucking world, but look at you now! You can't even be your own sound because you're fucking unconscious!"

I looked back at my mate.

"You fucking left me here alone Raiden and I don't forgive you for that! You're a fucking jerk and I'll never forgive you!" I yell as my chest rose and fell heavily.

The more I stared at his emotionless face, the more angry I became, the more sad I felt, the more my heart crumbled.

"I fucking hate you Raiden, stupid fucking leopard." I whisper as my brows knit together.

"Why did you go out there?" I cry out as I let my tears fall freely. "You could have died babe."

I started to walk back over to his bed before seating in my chair again and sighing as I take in his face.

"I didn't mean any of that." I tell him quietly through my tears. "I'm just so hurt and I'm so scared you won't wake up and I'll be alone again. My life was such shit before you and then you came in and turned everything around." I wiped my tears with the back of my hand before taking his again.

"I tried my fucking hardest to fight this, I didn't want to accept that I was mated to a man, I didn't want to accept that I might actually be attracted to men, I didn't want another thing in my life to be made fun of, so I fought this and continued to fight it and hurt you so much in the process and I'll never forgive myself for that."

I kiss his hand again.

"You came in and made everything so much better, even through my stupid shit and you were there for me through it all, you never left me, you never rejected me, you never mistreated me."

I press my forehead against his.

"You were there and now you're not and I'm so scared Raiden." More tears force their way up. "I'm so scared because I know I love you and without you, I have nothing to love."

I couldn't stop myself, I was so caught up in the severity of my emotions, I leaned forward to kiss my mate's lips.

Gently pressing mine onto his and savoring the feeling that I felt that night before I almost lost him.

Before I almost lost my mate, my friend, my other half, my man.

"Please come back to me baby." I whispered against his lips as I broke our kiss. "Please come back to me."

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