Shade of Shadow- Other Side Trilogy

Chapter Nine- Cold

Chapter Nine- Cold

My left eye opened, but I could not get my right one open, so I looked around with my good-eye this morning.

“Michael you awake?” I said softly

“Sure am,” Michael replied happily.

“Oh,” I said.

“How was your first night sleeping with Nathanial?” Michael asked laughing.

I paused for a moment, and looked across from where I was half sitting up on the long branch, and Nathanial was fast asleep.

“I will be right up,” I replied.

“Ok, do you need some help?”

“No I am fine Michael.  Do not forget even with an injury I can still climb a tree faster than you,” I laughed.

I got up slowly, and tried to balance myself, and then reached up for the branch above me, and slowly started to climb up, in hopes not to wake Nathanial.

I reached the branch just below Michael, “Do you want to give me a hand now Michael?” I asked.

“Sure thing Amanda,” Michael replied.

I reached for Michael’s left hand, and he pulled me up gently.

Michael’s eyes widened when I finally sat beside him with my head turned fully towards his.

“What is it Michael, is everything ok?” I asked.

“Amanda, I was about to ask you the same thing,” Michael said, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

“Everything is fine,” I replied sobbing.

“Amanda, you are not fine, your face, if only you could see yourself,” Michael began to tear.

“It is fine Michael, everything will be ok.  I am still learning.”

“Amanda, you do not have to suffer this fate, all because Nathanial agreed to free me.  I do not want you to suffer.  I am going to kill him,” Michael said angered.

“No Michael, it is fine,” I replied grabbing onto his shoulder.

“Amanda, this is not right,” Michael replied.

“Well according to Nathanial I need to learn to be a good mate, and I am never going to learn how to be one, unless someone like him teaches me.”

“Amanda, my community had mates, and yes the men would punish them when they would not listen, but not like this.  He has gone too far,” Michael snapped.

“Michael please, just leaves this alone.  We need Nathanial to lead us to Alaska, he knows the way,” I replied trying to smile.

“Amanda, I would rather never find Alaska, than have you subjected to a lifetime with a brutal animal like him.”

“I will learn, and this will not happen again.”

“What will not happen again,” Nathanial asked from below, as I could hear him getting up, and climbing to where Michael and I were sitting with his arm around me for comfort.

“Michael, you need to take your arm and put it down at your side, then move away from me, I do not want to make him angrier.”

“I will do no such thing Amanda, you are my best friend.  If Nathanial does not like it, he can tell me himself.”

“Tell you what myself?” Nathanial replied frowning at Michael.

“Nothing,” Michael replied hesitantly, and immediately removed his arm from around me.

I looked directly at Nathanial, and his eyes locked on mine, and then he immediately turned away from me for a few moments.

“Is everything ok?” I asked while reaching out gently to touch his arm, and I could see the hairs on his right arm go up, I moved away quickly.

“Yes everything is fine Amanda,” Nathanial replied turning his head back towards where Michael and I were both sitting.

“Amanda, may I speak with you in privacy?” Nathanial asked politely.

I looked at Michael, and he nodded his head, “I can take off up a few branches higher just to be on the safe side,” Michael smiled.

My heart started to beat quickly; I was scared that Nathanial was going to hit me again, for leaving his side before he woke up.  I was not sure about any of the rules with respect to being his mate.

Nathanial looked at me, and moved himself closer to where I was sitting.  He sat directly beside me.

“Do you know why I punished you yesterday?” He asked.

“No,” I replied sobbing.

“Ok… I want to apologise for hitting you so hard.  I should not have hurt you like that.”

“It is alright.”

“No Amanda, it is not ok for me to hurt you like that.  I was angry because my sister meant everything to me, and now I have no one.”

“You have me,” I replied, trying to squint open my right eye, but it would not budge because it was swollen.

Nathanial looked at me, and wrapped his left arm around me tightly, but not tight enough so it would hurt me.  “You are all I have left now in this world Amanda.”

“Well Michael and you are all that I have left in this world too.  And I really do not want to lose either of you, but you need to treat me a lot better than you have been if you expect me to fall in love with you someday,” I replied hesitantly.

“You are right Amanda.  I will not hit you again, even if you do not obey me.”

“Really?”

“Yes, we are not living in my community anymore, so why should we follow the way they live by.  We are making our own lives, and we can make a new way like you and Michael were speaking of.  The way of the Resistance.”

“Oh Nathanial,” I replied in happiness, and hugged him as tight as I could.

Nathanial took his right hand, and brushed my swollen cheek lightly, “I will never hurt you again Amanda, I promise.”

“Thank you,” I smiled.

“Ok Michael you can come down here now,” Michael said quietly.