The Immortal Prince ✔️

35

Word Count: 1831

~Vaela

"Mate huh."

I chew on my fingernail. "I know."

Glancing at Eyla, I scowl at her smirk. She's been infinitely amused since Hale brought her up to the cave, and we told her together that we are mates. Naturally, she was overjoyed for a moment, before she went on a rant about how obvious it was.

"I knew it, and so did you, you just didn't want to hear it," she says, jabbing me in the side multiple times teasingly, making me jump.

I'm still not entirely held. Being mortal again has reminded me of how long the recovery process can be.

"He made it seem impossible. I'm just glad he was wrong about it," I admit, stretching out over the bed. I've spent most of my days here, trying to pretend my thoughts aren't driving me crazy.

I want to be normal again. I want to be me.

"Have you slept with him yet?" Eyla asks.

I sigh. "No, I only found out a little while ago."

It's not like it hasn't been on my mind. In fact, each time I look at Hale I think about it, and I know he's thinking about it too.

And he hasn't made this easy for me. He's alluded to sleeping together numerous times while maintaining that it can't happen until I'm fully healed.

He knows exactly what he is doing.

"The sooner you can the sooner I can take you places, so you can live again," she reminds me. I know she wants me back to myself too.

"I want to, I just don't know how to bring it up," I admit.

Eyla tilts her head side to side, as if she's considering asking Hale herself.

"You are injured after all," she says.

I rest my palm against my stomach, feeling the bandage that covers my healing wound. Trace hasn't been on my mind since it happened. I mourned the idea of him once, that won't be happening again.

"And I can't leave anyway. I'm still mortal," I remind her. The dangers beyond these walls have ceased just because I've found my mate.

Eyla frowns. "Haven't figured it out yet?"

"There is one thing I could do, but it involves killing myself, or having someone else do it," I tell her, shuddering at the thought.

The worst part is not actually knowing for certain if it will work...

Eyla stares back at me as I smile uncomfortably. "Don't look at me, I'm not doing it!"

"I don't mean you, Eyla. All I know is that I need to figure this out for real," I dismiss. I wouldn't put that burden on her, of all people.

Eyla rolls over her side, looking troubled. "I can't believe Trace is dead."

I sigh through my nose. Eyla has been wary about bringing it up since that day, and so has Hale. Neither want to push me, but I feel nothing. No sadness, no regret. Just nothingness.

"I don't feel an ounce of sadness," I tell her flatly.

She smiles. She was lucky enough to never know him, but she had to find the man Trace killed, which still haunts her to this day. I don't think she will ever get over it.

A soft knock against the open door casts my attention upward.

"How do you feel?" he asks.

Since the moment I came back, Hale has spent most times of the day at my bedside, and each night beside me. It's clear he's been pacing back and forth outside the door, trying to give Eyla and I space.