Lupine Echoes

Chapter 5: ExoCellular

Jaden stirred from sleep, the antiseptic scent of the hospital surrounding him as he slowly opened his eyes. The room was shrouded in twilight, illuminated only by a muted lamp on the far side, casting shadows across the walls. He blinked a few times, his vision adjusting to the low light, and then he saw him.

Adam was slumped in the chair next to his bed, his head resting on the back of the couch, one arm draped across his chest. Even in sleep, Adam's presence was formidable, his expression set in a deep, unconscious frown as if he were still in the midst of battle. His white tank top, torn and stained from the battle with the Inugami leader, fit tightly around his chest, revealing the strong contours of his biceps and the firm lines of his torso. His dark chocolate hair, tousled and slightly matted, fell over his forehead and gave him a rugged look. His build was so imposing that he seemed almost too big for the chair.

Jaden couldn't help but smile, a soft, fond smile that came unbidden. Despite the pain that still lingered in his body, he felt a warmth in his chest. Adam was here—he had stayed, watching over him as he slept.

Roland.

The name came to Jaden's mind again, as vivid as it had been before he drifted off. He had always been fascinated by the tale of the knight, with his courage and his pride, his unwavering sense of duty even in the face of death. And now, as he looked at Adam, Jaden couldn't shake the feeling that he was seeing Roland come to life before him.

"But Roland felt that death had made a way

Down from his head till on his heart it lay..."

Jaden's gaze softened as he studied Adam's sleeping form. He had called Adam rash, prideful, brave—all the qualities that had drawn him to the knight in the old French epic. But there was more to it than that. Roland had faced his fate with a sense of inevitability, knowing that his pride would lead him to a tragic end.

"Ah, gentle count; conquering he was slain!"

Would Adam face the same fate? The thought sent a chill through Jaden, despite the warmth in his heart. He didn't want to believe it—didn't want to think that Adam's bravery, his fierce sense of duty, might lead him to a similar end. But the parallels were there, undeniable. And Jaden could not dispel the sense of disquiet that descended upon him as verses from the Song of Roland flashed before his eyes.

"Mea Culpa! God, by Thy Virtues clean

Me from my sins, the mortal and the mean..."

Jaden closed his eyes, a silent prayer forming on his lips, though he wasn't sure who he was praying to. He just knew that he didn't want to lose Adam—not to pride, not to fate. He had followed Adam into danger because he believed in him, because he saw something in Adam that he hadn't seen in anyone else. But now, he wondered if he was following Adam to his doom.

He opened his eyes again, his gaze returning to Adam. He wanted to wake him, to tell him everything that was racing through his mind, but he held back. Adam needed the rest, and maybe, just maybe, things wouldn't turn out like the old story. Maybe there was still time to change the ending.

Jaden reached out, his hand brushing lightly against Adam's. "Please," he whispered, so softly that it was barely more than a breath. "Don't be like Roland."

The contact was gentle, but it was enough to rouse Adam from his sleep. He blinked awake, his eyes finding Jaden's almost immediately.

"You're up," Adam murmured, his voice gravelly from sleep. "How are you holding up?"

Before Jaden could say a word, the hospital room door flew open with a jarring creak, flooding the dim space with blinding morning light. It must have been around 10 AM, judging by the intensity of the sunlight that sliced through the shadows.