Tangled Fates

Chapter 14

My heart aches as I sit beside Lila's still form, her chest rising and falling with each shallow breath. The room is silent save for the crackling of the fire, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold fear gripping my heart. Flowers paint every corner of the room in an array of colors, gifts from my pack for their Luna to recover. I reach out, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, my touch feather-light as if she might shatter at any moment.

"Lila, my Wildling," I murmur, my voice rasping through the heavy silence, "my untamed spirit."

A bitter apology lingers on my tongue. "I should have been there... should have seen it coming..." The words taper off into nothingness as I grapple with the lump lodged stubbornly in my throat.

Three days have passed since she collapsed into unconsciousness and still she remains unresponsive. Nadia's assurances echo hollowly in my mind. Her body was too frail, pushed beyond its limits by stress. We had hoped for her to awaken after a day of rest, yet here we are.

The thought of losing Lila gnaws at me. Tazz bristles under my skin every time we're forced to leave our mate's side. To quell this unrest within us, I've had a settee brought into her chamber. Our proximity would surely aid in her healing despite our incomplete bond.

"I swear to you," I cradle her hand in mine, marveling at how small and delicate it feels against my calloused skin. "I will move heaven and earth to bring you back."

A bitter laugh escapes me as I confess, "This is my failing. I should have reined you in, taken that sword from your grasp. I should have taken you to your chambers for rest. But my selfish desires clouded my judgment. I yearned for your presence... felt a glimmer of hope when you reached out to touch me."

The memory of her touching my hand brings a fleeting smile to my face. It's swiftly replaced by the grim reality of our situation, a relentless tide crashing against the unyielding rocks of my despair.

"Please," I plead into the silence, "I need you to wake up."

As if on cue, the door opens, and Nadia slips in, her presence followed by the familiar figures of Caleb and Elijah. My gaze flits to them momentarily before returning to my mate, my heart tethered to her still form. I traced the lines of her knuckles with my thumb, hoping for any sign that she was getting better.

Nadia steps closer, her eyes brimming with shared concern. "How is she?" She asks softly, laying a gentle hand on Lila's forehead.

"Unchanged," I reply, my jaw tight with worry. "Any progress in deciphering the magic?"

Nadia shook her head. "Not yet. But rest assured, I won't cease until we have answers. I've brought more herbs for now. In several days' time, there will be a potion ready for her. It should help purge the wolfsbane from her system." She pauses briefly, glancing at me with a subtle plea in her eyes. "But we are running low on resources."

My gaze follows Nadia as she crosses to the fireplace, pulling out a bundle of dried herbs from her satchel and casting them into the flickering flames. The herbs ignite instantly, spiraling tendrils of aromatic smoke swirling upwards toward the ceiling, filling the room.

She places the satchel of herbs onto an adjacent table, supplies meant to last another night. Nadia started burning the herbs when Lila fainted, but with my mate not waking after three days, supplies were sure to be running low.

I watched as my mate inhaled the purple-tinged smoke and exhaled, she would repeat this until the smoke was no longer in the air.

I lean forward, brushing my lips against Lila's forehead. "Return to me," I plead in a hushed murmur, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Even if you choose to remain silent, even if your gaze never meets mine again or shows any inkling of affection. I'll accept it all. I'll shoulder your burdens and ask for naught in return. Just please...come back." My words hang heavy in the room, each syllable steeped in raw hope and yearning.