CHAPTER 8

Ash POV

I am running through a field, I can't see what is chasing me but I know I can't let it catch me. The ground feels like I am running on glue and I have to pull out my feet with every step.

I see Nathan in front of me and I try to reach him. He stretches out his hand and I do the same. As soon as I touch him, he dissipates. Simultaneously, the ground starts falling.

I scream as I try to grab anything to hold on to. I see Conall standing over me, he is within reach but he doesn't try to help me. I scream out to him but he just laughs and watches me fall.

"Hey, hey! Wake up!" I hear Caspian call to me as he shakes me vigorously. "You are having a bad dream," he says.

I open my eyes and his face is close to mine, I can see the worry in his expression. I am still on the couch. I must have fallen asleep during the movie.

"You are crying," he says.

Am I? I don't think I am. I raise my hand to my face and it is wet. I am a little confused, I don't know when I started to cry. Suddenly, I feel my heart squeeze and I burst into tears.

Caspian holds me to his chest and I grab the front of his shirt. I can't stop the tears, I can't stop my sobbing. I am crying so hard, I can't even be embarrassed.

I don't know how long I cried on his chest. He holds me all through this and lets me cry on his chest. I am sure I have snot all over his shirt.

I stop wailing at some point and my cries reduce to soft sobs. I eventually stop crying and he lifts me off the sofa. I wrap my hands around his neck and bury my face in his shoulder.

I hear the bedroom door open and he walks in still carrying me. He drops me on the bed and carefully covers me. He brushes my hair from my face and wipes my face.

His delicateness makes me want to cry some more. "Get some sleep," he whispers and his hand starts to pull away from me.

I grab him without thinking. I really don't want to be alone. I have lost everything and I am so low, I don't mind holding a stranger. It will definitely beat sleeping by myself.

He looks at me with a torn expression and for a second, I think he is going to decline. He doesn't and the relief I feel is intense. He slips in beside me and wraps his hands around me.

I will take this fake sense of security, just for tonight. I am sure I am allowed to indulge. It has been a horrible day. Not once have I gotten the chance to relax.

I got rejected by my mate, I got chased from my pack, the only place I know, my only home. I also discovered that the man I love didn't even wait for me to leave to find my replacement.

I got here and got assaulted and told that my brother might have been murdered by someone I trusted with my life. For someone who's gone through this much, I am holding up quite nicely.

Caspian's scent fills my nostrils, I snuggle closer. It is a comforting scent and his warmth helps ease my mind. Within minutes I find myself floating in and out of consciousness and soon enough, I fall asleep.

I open my eyes and I am all alone in bed, the incident from the night before, a little fuzzy. I try to sit up and the worst possible headache sends me back to bed.

I grab my head as I try not to scream in pain. I close my eyes, the light makes my head hurt. I curse as I wait for the pain to subside before I try again.

I need to get out of bed, my bladder is full and I know if I spend another minute in bed, I will have nobody but myself to blame.

I try again, slowly this time and my head doesn't feel like splitting into two. I sit up without incident and slowly get out of bed. Taking it one step at a time, I make it to the bathroom in time.

I grab my head as I walk out of the bathroom. There are no drugs that I can take and even if I do find one, it will probably be long expired and the nearest store is miles away from here.

"Darn!"

I will have to wait it out, to pray it doesn't get worse than this. It must be because of all the crying I did last night. I winced at the memory, feeling my cheeks burn up.

I walk out the room door with my hand on my head. Whenever I try to bring my hand down, it feels as though my head will fall off.

The living room is empty. I frown, wondering where he could have gone. I don't know when he left the bed but I vividly remember asking him to stay.

I feel my face go hot. I can't believe I had been that low to ask a stranger to share my bed. A memory of his scent surfaces and I suppress it.

I quickly make my way to the kitchen. It can't be that he left, he would have at least told me. However, I know nobody wants to babysit a whiny child. If the roles were reversed, I would be tired of myself already.

"I see you are awake," his thick voice calls my attention and I raise my head to see him by the kitchen counter slicing vegetables.

I can't help the little smile that appears on my face. I realize I am genuinely happy to see him and I was really worried he may have left me.

"Yeah," I say softly, still holding onto my head.

This is so weird, his huge frame against the small counter is funny and if I am not getting butchered by this headache I would be laughing. 

He is all huddled over as he leans downwards, slicing the onions. The already small kitchen knife looks even smaller as he holds it.

He frowns, "Are you okay?" His voice is filled with concern.

I start to shake my head and I am instantly notified that this is a bad idea as the headache increases. "No," I mumble and take a seat by the kitchen table.

Caspian stops slicing the vegetable and walks towards me. I instinctively stiffen. I am not scared, I am just anxious. I remember now what happened last night. I am utterly embarrassed by my behavior but I am trying to pretend I don't recall.

His gray eyes scan my face and I see there is a strand of hair obstructing his view. I want to whisk it away but only because it was annoying.

"Headache?" He asks, standing across from me. The table separates us.

"Yes," I want to nod but I know that wouldn't do me any good.

He stretches out his hand and places the back of his palm against my forehead. I jump. He pulls his hand away immediately.

"Sorry, I should have warned you. I wanted to check if you were running a temperature or something but you are fine. I am sure aspirin would do the trick."

"There's none available."

"Are you sure?" He asks.

"Yes, even if you do find any, it will be expired." 

"Don't be so pessimistic. The house is stocked with food, you never know, there might be drugs too."

"Good luck finding it." 

I know he is trying to be nice but the headache is driving me crazy and the last thing I want to do is have a conversation about whether or not there are drugs for me to use.

His eyes darken and I see him clamp up. I instantly feel bad. He has been nothing but nice to me and I have been ill-mannered and rude.

"I already checked the bathroom of my room. There was nothing there."

"Would you like some hot chocolate milk then? It will take a while before the food is ready." Caspian said.

I blinked rapidly, his kindness bothered me. Surely, nobody can be this nice to you without expecting anything in return. Besides, I have nothing to give and I don't want to owe anyone.

"Yes, I will make it myself. You are busy." I said and jumped from the seat.

Big mistake.

For two full seconds, the world spins. I stagger, scrambling to find anything to hold on to. I grab the chair but it tumbles sideways and I am about to fall on my face.

I close my eyes as I brace myself for the pain. All I can think about is how my headache would worsen.