Hybrid's Eclipse

Chapter: 25

N A T A L I A

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I must have drifted off to sleep because when my eyes fluttered open, the nightstand displayed 4:06 AM.

Instinctively, I reached out, searching for Callum, but the bed was empty. I couldn't sense his presence in the house either.

Noticing not a single wrinkle on his side of the bed, I frowned, realizing he hadn't returned last night after our confrontation.

Instead of reaching out to him through the mind link, I simply sank back onto the pillow, exhaling slowly.

He hadn't informed me of his whereabouts last night, and I was uncertain of Noah's location either, whether he had remained in our territory or left to return to his own home.

I was hoping for the latter, feeling guilty that I had been so furious with Callum, I hadn't taken him in to account.

Exhaustion must have overcome me last night. I had skipped dinner and become so consumed by anger that it had drained all my energy.

I knew I should have risen and gone for a run to ready my wolf for the day ahead, but instead, I rolled onto my side and shut my eyes, hoping to steal a further few minutes of rest whilst it was still early hours of the morning.

A cool sensation grazed my skin, causing my brow to twitch as I gradually regained consciousness. The sensation, intermittent and gentle, traced along my cheek.

As my eyes fluttered open, I met Callum's deep sea-blue gaze, making me realize I had drifted back to sleep.

"You're awake," he murmured, his voice low and soothing, contrary to how he sounded last night.

I blinked a few times, half-wondering if I was dreaming. When I reached up to cover his hand on my face, I realized he was truly there, sitting beside me and tenderly caressing my cheek.

"You didn't come home last night," I whispered, noting the gray t-shirt he wore.

"There were some matters I had to attend to," he explained, withdrawing his hand back on to his lap. "Did you sleep well?"

It wasn't the time for idle chatter, so I didn't respond to his question. While I felt rested in a sense, I also felt physically drained.

Callum on the other hand, looked simply wrecked. His usual bright eyes, with smooth skin, now appeared much more textured. There were eye bags under his eyes, indicating the lack of sleep.

"You should sleep," I commented.

"I will when I know you're safe," he replied, his eyes hard.

I had already told him numerous times that I could protect myself, but Callum obviously didn't believe me. Instead, I chose to shift my focus.

"Where is Noah?" I asked, making Callum frown in response.

"The vampire is staying with Felix," he confirmed. "He'll remain in our territory for a few days."

At his words, my eyes widened in surprise. "Why?"

It wasn't that I didn't want Noah to stay, I was actually relieved to hear that he was staying, but I couldn't comprehend the reason behind it.