Innocent As Charged (Completed)

Chapter 16

"S-Sorry."

I blush as he chuckles at my reaction and he cradles my face in his hands.

"Like I said, you're so innocent."

I give him a playful growl in reply and he hugs me, the extra contact staving off the heat.

"Isaac, how long is this heat?"

"Four days."

I can't last that long, I barely made it through two days. How can I survive four? Especially as this one is supposed to be much worse.

Bile rises up in the back of my throat, causing me to suppress a retch, and I rush to the toilet, throwing up in the bowl for the second time that day. Tears drip down my cheeks as the pure misery and fear of the inevitable coming ordeal hits me. I hate this. I hate being so vulnerable in front of him. My skin is burning as if with a fever, but it fades away as Isaac pulls my hair out of my face, his fingers combing through my dark strands, the light contact cool.

"You're going to be okay sweetheart. You can get through this."

I sink backwards into his cool body and he wipes my face off with a towel before handing me the toothpaste again.

"You'll stop throwing up in a minute. Then the really bad part begins. You haven't had any cramps yet, right?"

"No," I whisper. "I didn't know I would get cramps."

"Unfortunately, you do. I'll do what I can to help you Iz, okay?"

I nod, my mind racing. Cramps: I never particularly had to deal with them when I had periods but their inclusion in the 'really bad part' is clearly meant to signify something awful to me. 

"We have a bit of time before they start so I would suggest we camp in here until you finish throwing up then we'll go back into our room, if that's alright?"

I nod again, releasing his hand, the safety of his presence reassuring me overly much, and a second later I dive for the toilet, filling it with my insides, retching as my stomach churns. Isaac tugs my hair out of my way, a grim expression on his face as it unfortunately managed to get splattered in vomit.

"Let's clean you up. Get in the shower and we'll get rid of your hair problems."

He takes my hand and we climb into the shower, switching on the water, setting it to freezing cold and drenching my clothes (again), yet this soothes my heat so I don't object, allowing it to pour over my feverish body. I attempt to get the vomit out of my hair but reaching all of it is impossible due to my need to maintain skin-to-skin contact with my mate.

However, without me asking, Isaac helps, turning me so the water is falling directly on my hair rinsing it out. Eventually it's all gone and I sink into his chest, feeling my body relax at his touch. I notice the goosebumps on his arms and I frown.

"You should have told me you were cold."

"I was too focused on you. And like I said Iz; if you don't want to be mated then please don't stand so close."

"Okay." I take a step back but keep a hand attached to his. I don't know where to look and nor, apparently, does my body as my eyes direct themselves at his abs. For the second or third time today. I sigh and he tilts my chin upwards so I stop staring at him. "Sorry," I whisper.

"It's alright. I know I'm irresistible." He winks at me and I blush but at the same time can't help giggling at his unadultered flirting. He briefly lets me go. Nothing happens. What? I thought -

My mark suddenly throbs violently and I yelp in pain and surprise. He backs away instantly, clutching his own mark, just as a stabbing in my abdomen forces me to whimper and clutch my stomach in agony. Heat cycle 2.0 has fully arrived.