The Forsaken Luna

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Elliot

I help Kenzie eat some of the breakfast Griselda prepared for us and then I stay by her side the whole day. She sleeps most of the time, but when she is awake we quietly talk. She is weak and exhausted. A high fever is running her down. I feel my chest tighten every time I notice how sick she actually is.

I come out of the bathroom to find Kenzie sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me. I pause at the doorway, my fingers brushing against the wooden doorframe.

"I feel it happening." Her words are quiet and her voice trembles. Panic courses through my veins and I glance out of the window to see where the sun is. It is slowly starting to get dark outside.

"Should I get Griselda?" I ask my mate and walk over to where she sits. Kenzie shakes her head. "Not yet." She mutters as I sit down next to her. Her head falls against my shoulder and I wrap my arms around her body. I bring her as close to me as possible, keeping her in my arms. I don't want to let her go. I'm too afraid to let her go. What if she doesn't survive today? What if I lose her forever?

"I'm scared." Mackenzie confesses to me, her cold hands grabbing at my forearms. I bury my nose into her blond locks, breathing in her scent. "Me too." I tell her. I close my eyes and enjoy the moment, or at least try to. What if this is the last time I'm hugging her? I don't know how I'll live without her. I don't want to live without her.

Mackenzie pulls away from my hug and turns around so she faces as me. I catch the way she grimaces when she moves. Her cold hands find my face and she cups my cheeks. A pang of pain shoots through my chest and I press my lips in a thin line. I'm afraid.

"Tell me again that everything is going to be alright." Mackenzie requests. I feel my throat tighten, as I watch her. Her skin is pale and glossy. She almost looks like a porcelain doll. Her blue eyes don't look as bright and she can hardly keep them open. Her hair is knotted and it lost the shine through the days of torture and pain. She looks skinnier than before. She must have lost some of her weight.

I breathe deeply through my nose and let my forehead fall against hers.

"We're going to be completely fine, Kenzie. You will survive tonight, I know you will. And I'll be waiting for you." Her thumb brushes my cheekbone. It is hard to force these words out of my throat. My voice shakes when I speak and I keep my eyes closed in order to stop myself from crying.

"Elliot." Her voice is soft when she calls for me. I open my eyes and glance directly into her eyes. "If I don't survive..." My skin prickles when I hear her say that. I pull back, her hands falling into her lap. I start shaking my head, hoping she is going to stop talking about this.

"No. I don't want to hear it." I tell her, a distressed tone ringing in my voice. I try to stand up, but her hand catches my own in hers, stopping me from completely getting away from her words.

"Listen to me." She pleads. I freeze up, feeling how every muscle in my body tenses up. I breathe in deeply, letting my shoulders rise with the deep breath. I let it out shakily and then nod slightly. I sit back down on the bed and let her hold my hand.

"If I don't survive tonight... I want you to go back home." The word makes my chest tighten. "Tell my brothers and my father that I loved them. Stay with them, you're going to need somebody who'll hold you up." Her hand disappears from my own and I feel how she tugs my hair behind my ear. It makes me turn to look at her and my heart aches when I see the tears shining in her eyes. She is holding them back by biting the inside of her cheek, but they're glistening in the setting sun.

"I don't want you to follow me. I want you to live on, to survive this." I shake my head at her words and look away from her. "I don't think I'll be able to." My voice is raspy when I speak up. Mackenzie's hand squeezes my forearm lightly and I glance over to her again. "You will." She whispers to me.