Hybrid

Chapter 22

Lyric's POV

     I woke to a merciless pounding in my head. The room was dark, the sun hadn't yet risen. I reached out my arm for Titus but my bed was empty. I groaned while I sat up on the bed before I realized I was completely naked.

     While I stumbled over to my closet, my eyes caught a glimpse of the time on the digital clock. It was past 1 in the morning. I carelessly threw on a jumper before I made my way out of my room. A soft glow emitted from under Titus' office door.

     I gently swung his door open but hissed when the soft glow of the light became stronger.

     "You're awake," I hear his voice state while I squint, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light.

     "You're awake too," I groan as I step into his office, still unable to see properly.

     I felt large arms wrap around my waist before the lights got turned off.

     "Thank you," I muttered as I hid my face in the crook of his neck.

     "How are you feeling?" he asked as I inhaled his calming scent deeply. We were still standing and swaying gently.

     "You smell like paint," I noted.

     He hummed. "I asked you a question," he stated in a stern tone.

     "You did?" I questioned, clearly still dazed.

     "I asked how you're feeling," he repeated.

     "Oh," I said while wrapping my arms around his bare torso. "I feel like I have a hangover."

     I assumed he nodded before lifting my head and placing a kiss on each of my closed eyelids. They fluttered open and quickly adjusted to the dim light. Titus had worry etched across his features.

     "I told you about this," I gently scolded while reaching up to massage the crease that had formed between his brows.

    "Why are you awake?" I asked quietly as though there was a risk of waking someone up.

     "I was painting," he stated matter-of-factly.

     "Right," I nodded. "Can I see it?"

     He chuckled. "Maybe when you can handle light."

     "And when do you think that will be," I asked in a challenging tone.

     "In the morning," he said before he swept me off my feet and carried me back to my room.

      "Are you going to lay down with me?" I ask before a yawn escaped me.

      "Yes," he said before I felt the bed dip behind me just as him large arms pulled me closer to his body.

     "I got you. You're safe now," was the last thing I heard before I drifted off to sleep.

     I woke from my sleep as I felt Titus' body shift next to me before he got up from the bed. The sun was just about to rise meaning he was going to get ready for training.

     I sat up with a yawn. The throbbing in my head had subsided but only slightly. Titus was instantly at my side with his hands on my shoulders. 

    "Hey, stay in bed okay," he demanded softly.

     "No, I'm fine," I said while standing up. I was not fine. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck but it was simply just a side effect of having a mind-bending, out-of-body, panic attack.