Viva

Part 1.8

Unedited!

***

Part 1.8

Braxton instantly withdrew his arm from around my waist and took a few steps back. His action had surprised me to the point that I released a small gasp. I had not realized that he had already placed me back down in the bed.

I recovered quickly from the shock, but a coldness crept over me at the distance he had put between us.

I looked over at Braxton. The corners of my lips twitch down into a frown. "You don't have to stand so far away," I admitted as Braxton kept his head directed away from me. It occurred to me that Braxton was attempting to prevent me from seeing his eyes, but it had already been too late. "And, you don't have to hide your eyes from me. I saw them. They changed colors," I confessed, wanting him to know that he had been caught red-handed.

When Braxton said nothing, I decided to continue speaking. "I've read that that happens when your wolf takes over. Normally, though, I hear that your eyes would darken in color, not lighten." I cocked an eyebrow when he refused to respond. "Cat got your tongue over there?"

"My eyes are brown," Braxton firmly stated before growing silent once more.

"Right and the moon is purple," I countered with a teasing grin. "Don't play me for a fool, Braxton. I know what I saw."

"You're on an insane amount of painkillers," Braxton responded, still keeping his head facing away from me.

"Then look at me," I argued.

The hope was, if anything, to rouse him into turning his head so I could confirm what I knew.

Instead of saying anything, however, Braxton walked over to the table that was beside my bed. Because he was facing me now, I was able to see his face and his eyes.

Another frown found me but this time it was because his eyes had retreated back to their normal dark brown color.

I had wanted to see the vibrant, azure again. "I liked your blue eyes," I admitted with happiness that Braxton was real and actually in front of me. In reality, I could care less what color his eyes were.

Braxton's head turned so that his face was fully directed towards me. His lips were pressed into a fine line as he held my gaze. Braxton said nothing, but I watched a certain sadness dance in the dark iris of his eyes.

Suddenly, though, they turned back to an azure color. It only lasted a blink of an eye as Braxton seemed as if he was trying to stop himself. He closed his eyes, in what appeared to be an attempt to control the battle going on within himself.

As the lids of his eyes closed, it felt to me like time had slowed down. In those very quick seconds, it seemed like half a minute; in which time I saw Braxton's eyes wildly flicker between pitch black and an electric blue color.

The moment Braxton had closed his eyes, time resumed at its normal pace.

"This is Viva Reynolds?"

My attention fell on a woman who was standing in the doorway of my room.

She was quick to walk over to the head of my bed. Without introducing herself, the girl began to speak as she took off a hair tie from her wrist and tried to put her straight, raven colored hair into a ponytail. "Braxton has been hiding you from me." She looked at Braxton for a brief moment. "Like he could," She spoke in a matter-of-fact tone as her green eyes focused back on me. "Now, you have to tell me-"

"She does not have to speak to you, Dinah. In fact, she is not going to. You are," Braxton hesitated. "You are my deputy and I told you to wait for me."