LUNA CATHERINE ( PUBLISHED)( SAMPLE)

Chapter 12.

"It's time to wake up now dear." I hear someone say, sounding close.

Grandmother?

My breathing is much calmer and normal, my body feels relaxed and my eyes heavy, though I push through it and they flicker open.

The process is much slower with the exhaustion, that beholds my body.

I have to blink a couple of times to adjust to the brightness, and once I do, my eyes survey my surroundings. Everything around me looks familiar, causing my heart to jump in excitement.

My heart.

Memories from last night play in my mind like a movie. My mate almost killed me last night and it was all my fault. I lost consciousness, right when he was about to rip my heart out. I was at the near brink of death, before everything went silent and blank.

" Ah, there's my beautiful grand daughter." I blink a few times when a kiss is planted on my cheek.

"Grandmother?" I ask, getting up.

" Careful, careful," she says, helping me to sit upright.

"H-how are you here?" I ask with a small frown, leaning forward when she places another pillow behind me.

" I called her here," Ronan says.

Our heads snap to him as he enters into the room, his hands tucked into his pockets.

" Thank you," I say, after a few seconds of staring. " I don't know why you did it, but thank you." I nod to him.

There's a change in him, I don't know why I detect this, but it's there.

"You're my sister," he says it like it's the most natural thing.

"Dear?" My grandmother calls for my attention, before I can throw a questionable look Ronan's way.

"How are you feeling now? "

" I'm okay, a bit tired. It feels like I've been sleeping for years, " I say, through a lazy smile.

"That's because you've been unconscious for quite some time now," she tells me.

"How long?"

"Almost a week now, " Ronan says.

"How ------------"

"Too many questions little sister , don't you think?" He says, crossing his arms.

A sigh steals my attention away from him. Looking at my grandmother, the extra dark circles under her eyes, say a lot.

"You should get some rest, you don't look well." I tell her, feeling concerned about her health.

" Oh dear, I should be the one saying that, but I know how much you'd like to get out of this bed. You've had a far long and enough sleep."

"A walk would do me good." I offer a kind smile. " But after you rest, even if it's for an hour or so." I reassure her, squeezing her hand gently.

She sighs, getting up off the chair, and leaning over to peck my cheek. " Wake me up after an hour."

I nod. " I will."

" Take my grandmother back to her room." Ronan instructs Cara, whose just appeared, and stands at the doorway.

She nods, while her eyes sneak a quick glance my way. I offer a small smile in greeting, which she returns.

" Oh, I know my way, I'm not incapable Ronny." She says on her way out.

He rolls his eyes. " I saw that."

I try to suppress an amused smile, dropping my eyes to my lap. I'd be lying if I said that I missed his lips twitch, into an attempted smile.

A part of his heart has longed for that motherly presence, though he'll never admit to it.

We are left in moments of silence, neither one of us daring to say anything. I sigh, trying to get off the bed to stretch my legs, since they feel rather numb right now.

I hiss in pain when I move too fast, the pain coming from my chest area, right where my heart is, even on my side. Thankfully, I'm wearing a loose dress to make moving, quite bearable.

"Your wounds are still healing, be careful will you!" Ronan scolds me as he comes close, yet still keeping a safe distance between us.

I frown at his actions, but listen to what he says. I make sure to be  careful this time. My knees wobble a bit when I stand on my feet, the numbness wearing off.

"You can talk back, you know?" He says, avoiding eye contact.

" I'd rather not, I still have a punishment waiting for me, and if now is possible to take it........" I remind him of the promised punishment, I was sure to receive when I returned.

"You don't." I arch my brow at him.

" What happened to you ?" I ask, my voice sounding just above a whisper.

He doesn't say anything, but turn his back on me, when he walks over to stand by the window. I waddle over to join him, maintaining a good amount of space between us. The sky is blue and beautiful, it's so clear, in which I'd like for my life to be right now. I have no clear idea on what to do right now.

" There's a change in you." I tell him.

"What? You sensed it?" He scoffs.

"You know it." I respond.

A few seconds pass and I find it hard to suppress a grin, while his own lips twitch into a smirk.

We don't say anything right after, just staying in that position. For the first time, we are comfortable around each other.

                              *******

" You don't know what it means to see you again dear," says my grandmother, during our walk in the garden.

" It's been too long." I agree, squeezing her arm gently.

"We almost lost you back there," she says.

"By we, you mean?"

" You know I mean your brother too." She points out.

I sigh, looking down at my feet. " He cares about you." I look at her once again, opening my mouth to speak, when she beats me to it.

" You're his family."

I keep silent right after, not having any response to that.

"Let's take a seat and talk, yeah?" She suggests and I nod.

We take a seat on a nearby bench, and I sigh in relief , now realising that my body is overwhelmingly tired.

" I sense a change in him." She turns to me. " Ronan." I clarify.

"Well yes, with good reason." I shoot her a questioning look, but she pats my hand. " Let's not get into that now, I want to hear about you. Tell me about your mate."

" You already know?"

I'm surprised.

" Don't be too surprised, I know when there's a change happening to you. Our bond is much stronger than that." She says proudly, now chuckling.

" I wish you were here more often." I say sadly.

"Let's take advantage of the now, shall we?" I nod, blinking back the threatening tears. " Now, your mate.."

I sigh once again. " Where do I start?......."