10 Years... (boyxboy)

Chapter 17

Jason's POV

Dying hurts. It hurts even more when your captor pulls the blade out of your heart; doesn't everyone know that pulling weapons out of wounds is the worst thing you can do?

I miss my mate. Oh look, there he is. Wait... why is he here? He shouldn't be here! No one was supposed to come looking for me. Is he crying? I open my mouth to make a sound when I see Oli's face in front of mine, his lips shaped like he's calling my name but I don't hear it.

Black.

White.

I'm in a hospital bed in a room filled with lights and doctors. They have scalpels and needles with thread, they're sewing my body together. Why don't I feel it?

Black.

I gasp, and my eyes fly open. I see Oli holding my hand but I don't feel it, I see the steady climb of my heartbeat monitor but I don't hear it, but most importantly I see Caleb standing in the doorway of my room.

"Caleb!" I yell, but he doesn't react.

"Caleb?"

He looks over at me, tears in his eyes. He walks to me, and then walks through me. I frown, and turn around to only see... me. I'm there, pale, laying limply on a bed.

"Jesus, Jason. I can't believe... I should have woken up sooner" Caleb says, his tears falling on my face - actual me, not whatever I am now.

"Caleb, this isn't your fault." Oli tries to sooth Caleb by rubbing his hand on his back, but it's like Caleb doesn't notice that he's there.

"Caleb..." I whisper.

He doesn't look up.

So I wait. For what is certainly days, weeks even. I just sit next to my body and watch all my friends go on without me.

I need to wake up.

I close my eyes, and breathe, and wish that I could be back in my body.

It works.

My eyes - the real ones, this time - flutter open. I feel the weight of Caleb's hand in my own. He doesn't notice me blinking.

I try to call his name, but no sounds come out. Frustrated, I squeeze my hand as tight as I can around his.

He jumps, and then looks at me in fright. He shrinks back when he sees my glare but then starts laughing.

"The first thing you do when you wake up from a six-week long coma is glare at me. Thanks. Why didn't you say anything?" He chuckles.

I point to my throat with the hand that isn't holding Caleb's.

"Ooh, you need water. Let me call a nurse," he smiles, squeezes my hand and leaves the room.

When he comes back, he's with a nurse. She smiles widely at me and hands me a styrofoam cups filled with water. I finish the entire thing before I try to speak again.

"That was good water," I say, my voice still raspy.

"I'll get you some more, Alpha," the nurse says, leaving the room.

I turn to look at Caleb, only to see him crying.

"What's wrong?" I ask, trying to be gentle but instead coming off as irritated.

"This is all my fault," Caleb says, tears once again spilling out of his eyes.

I sigh. I know I can't convince him otherwise, so I decide to get him to talk to me.

"Why do you say that?"

"If I hadn't been asleep... Hell, I should have just come with you."

"If you had come with me, you'd be dead." I say bluntly.

"I know..." he whispers. An awkward silence falls over us.

"Caleb?"

"Yeah?" He says, looking up at me, and that's when I notice the purple semi circles under his eyes.

"I love you," I smile.

Author's Note: So, uh, I actually wrote these past three chapters months and months ago, but forgot to publish them lol... but I am for sure going to finish this story ASAP, ideally before the new years. To be honest, I'm thinking one more chapter. The plot arch is over, so all I need to do i wrap it up!