Blood Floweret

« Chapter Fifteen »

Her eyelids fluttered open.

She was conscious that she felt different. Not only in her mind, which wasn't heavy and dark with troubling thoughts, but her skin felt brand new and her lungs sucked in fresh air. It was an exhilarating feeling that brought life and new emotions to make her heart sing. In that moment, she was a little closer to happiness. 

Cassius was sound asleep but his arms were secured around her waist. Her entire body tingled with the warmth of this blossoming day. A new day that she no longer had to dread. A new day she could tackle and she would shout to the world how she was feeling. 

Her skin tingled with delight with each exhale of her mate, his warm breath fanning across her neck. It brought new feelings and emotions through the mate bond. She could finally feel those things flourish because she wasn't trapped within her own personal hell. She was free to choose. She gently ran her fingers through his soft locks. After a while, when Cassius didn't stir, she decided to get up. 

She wasn't afraid of others seeing through her facade anymore, she was finally wearing her own face, and she decided she would head down for breakfast. Cassius would enjoy sleeping in for once so she didn't disturb him. 

She quietly closed the door behind her. She bumped into someone on her way through the halls and for the first time, she didn't flinch or cower away. She came face-to-face with the Aloysius Gamma, Emmett, he was only ever nice to her and she didn't feel a rise of fear at his close proximity. She just felt normal, no longer fighting with her past and hating herself because of it. 

Emmett smiled her way, "Morning. Sorry, didn't mean to bump you there." 

"Good morning." She greeted, it came out effortlessly, "It's fine, I wasn't looking where I was going." 

"Heading to breakfast?" He asked. 

"Yeah," She nodded.

"I'll see you there," Emmett gave her a mischievous wink, "I have something to do first." And then before she could say anything else, he continued on his merry way. 

She didn't pay attention to where he was heading, or the fact that he was shouldering open her mate's door, she continued towards the kitchen. She heard voices striking up a warm conversation and she could feel the warm atmosphere flowing from the room. It was something she had become insanely addicted to. 

She entered and Deikota noticed her first. 

"Morning, where's the trouble?" Deikota grinned and handed her a mug of coffee. She gladly accepted its warmth into her hands. 

"I let him sleep in," She said and took a seat next to Deikota, with Leroy on her other side. He smiled at her, his golden eyes glowing. 

"He's always sleeping," Leroy chuckled, "I'd say he would win the world record one day." 

"Hey, he works so hard," She defended her mate. 

Darren snorted across the island counter, "Yeah, playing pranks. He's hardly ever focused." 

"He's been better with Val around," Deikota interjected.