In The Woods Somewhere

Chapter Fifteen: Family Ties

^^^I couldn't resist he's perfect😍

 
"Do you believe in mates?"

Stupid.

Stupid.

Stupid.

Glory watched Edan's expressions carefully. Ugh. Why? Mother Moon. Why did she ask that question? Hopefully, things weren't about to get super awkward. At least it was better than asking if he thought she was his mate.

Now that would have been awkward.

"You don't have to answer that - it's just that I've been thinking lately - " Glory cut herself off. She was just making things worse for herself. "You're sick - I don't want you to talk - it's not that I don't like your voice. I don't think it's good for you. Because you're sick - "

Edan interrupted her - a slight smile evident on his feature "It's fine, Glory."

She blushed, embarrassed to the highest degree. The thought of Edan being her mate warmed her body, bringing colour to her cheeks and chest. The thought of her assuming he was her mate and being wrong - well - that brought colour to her whole body. That would be mortifying.

"You should get some sleep. Everest said it's good for your body," unfortunately, Glory knew nothing about the fevers Edan's been having. Luckily Everest knew a thing or two.

He didn't need to be asked twice before his eyes fluttered shut. He was asleep ten minutes later. Sweating out his fever.

Glory sat next to the mattress. It was worn and tattered. It was hard to believe Everest smuggled out a mattress - maybe it wasn't that hard to believe. After all, it was Everest. . . But a mattress! Of all things. A mattress. Glory couldn't help but find the thought hilarious. Though it did do them good. It came in handy in the days one of then fell sick. Glory appreciated it even though it was old and dirty. Everest slept on it most days - claimed it was hers. To be fair it was hers, she did get it out. Righteously so. Risking all that to get a mattress. . . Glory admired the female. She was either crazy, thoughtful or brave.

Glory ran her long fingers through Edan's silky locks. Her fingernails were all different sizes. Some were broken off. Others were chipped. . . Her fingernails were one of the things Glory took pride in back home. As crazy as it sounded. She shaped her nails to perfection. All were the same length. One broke off they all came off. When she first arrived here and then she started doing more hands-on jobs; especially hand washing their own clothes. They started to get weaker. When they started to chip leaving her nails uneven, she refused. bite them off - she didn't want to restart a habit she had broken only a couple years prior.

Glory took a lock of hair between her fingers, twirling it. She rested her chin on her hand which was splayed out on the mattress. Sitting on her feet her brown eyes peering at Edan. He was truly beautiful. Even though his hair hadn't been washed with shampoo in five years they were still soft, shiny and looked completely healthy. Glory never really cared much for long-haired males. She definitely preferred her males hair trimmed short. Not buzz cut short like Avery. With that being said, she loved Edan's long hair. The way it fell on his face when he laughed at Everest after she had done something that he found funny. Even though it wasn't funny at all. Sadly those laughs didn't happen often - in all the time she's been here she's only seen him smile maybe three times. He had a breathtaking smile.

Glory traced her fingers down the side of his face. Burning her touch into his skin. Cupping his jaw she caressed his cheekbone. She admired his face. His bronze skin from being out in the sun all day. A defined cupid bow on his cracked lips from the dry autumn air. A sharp jaw from clenching together his teeth. She had never noticed how long his eyelashes were. The colour of his eyes always stole the attention. Glory used to think nothing could beat Avery's eyes. Edan beat Avery by a mile. The other thing she had never noticed was the faint - very extremely faint freckles that dotted the bridge of his nose. They likely came from spending so much time in the natural light.