CHAPTER 21

HAZEL

Weakness was all I felt throughout my body. 

My body felt heavy, my limbs leaden. I crumpled beside the toilet, groaning as I pressed my head against the cold tile. The incessant gagging had finally forced me to surrender.

“Hey, it’s okay, love. I’m here for you,” Miranda whispered softly, her fingers gently tracing soothing patterns through my rain-soaked hair. I offered her a weak smile, but she could see the storm raging within me.

A sharp pain seized my lower abdomen, making me wince and groan. The nausea, which had briefly subsided, returned with renewed force.

I was never ever going to complain about my period after this. My period seemed like a walk in the park compared to this agonising pain. 

The bathroom door creaked open slightly and then Kara walked in slowly, holding a clean towel. She crouched down beside me and ran her hand over my forehead, pulling the strands of hair that were stuck to my skin back.

“Come on,” she said softly, “You should get cleaned up.”

I grabbed her hand and let her pull me to my feet, wobbling slightly and nearly falling over once again. She steadied me and tugged me over to the sink. Once I had a grip on the counter, she let go of me and rummaged through the drawers to find the toothpaste.

Meanwhile, I just stood and stared at my reflection in total horror. My skin had gotten pale and patchy, and my eyes were extremely red like I hadn't slept in months. My hair, on the other hand, was stuck to my face and sticking up in random directions. 

I grabbed a hair tie and pulled it up into a messy bun to keep it out of the way. The last thing I needed right now was to have a hair full of stinking vomit. 

Suddenly, another wave of pain washed over me and I buckled forward, clutching my side. The cramps felt like someone was beside me stabbing me with a thousand knives. I whimpered and panted quietly, waiting for the pain to perhaps subside.

There was nothing worse than being aroused and in pain at the same time. 

My stomach started churning rapidly, and I scrambled back to the toilet to let out whatever was left. It got to the point where I was gagging but nothing was coming out.

“Kara, we have to get the doctor or we would be left with no choice but to let the boys into her room. She's getting weaker with each passing second. Her wolf has even stopped communicating with her,” I heard Miranda say as she rubbed my back to soothe me.

“We can't do that, Thaddeus isn't in his right state of mind right now. If we let him in, he might hurt her. Thea had mind-linked the pack doctor and he should be here anytime soon,” 

"So, what about Thaddeus', Miranda?” Kara questioned. 

"I didn't see him around," she pointed out more clearly.

“He's out there, wrestling with his demons in the wilderness. If he can tame his savage side, perhaps he can help her quiet her own inner beast. In the meantime, we'll stand by her, a shield against the storm she is feeling.” She responded. 

"Sure," Kara spat out. 

“It's crazy but I can't even remember my heat cycle being this bad,” Miranda whispered as I fell onto my back and rested my head on her lap. 

"It's insane, I've never felt this awful before," I muttered, my voice barely audible as Miranda dabbed a cool cloth across my forehead. I lay back on her lap more, my body heavy and aching. "This heat cycle is a nightmare.”

She sighed, her hand lingering on my damp hair. "I know, honey. I know." Her touch was gentle. Every breath I took was a struggle, every muscle a knot of tension.

"I just want this to end," I groaned, my voice a mere whisper.

Miranda squeezed my hand. "I know, sweetheart. We'll get through this."

“But why is she suffering this way?” Kara questioned. 

“It's harder for her because none of them had accepted the bond yet.” 

Great, so I was suffering the consequences because of my both mate’s decisions. I was a mere bystander, forced to endure the consequences of their misguided actions. It was a helpless feeling, knowing that I had no control over the situation.

I tried reaching out to my wolf, but she wouldn't even let me. I had no idea how she was even coping, but I did know that she was blocking me so that I wouldn't have to feel her pain as well. 

“She has the chills. Kara, grab me a blanket from the closet,” Miranda muttered. 

The chilling words hung in the air, a dense fog that slowly seeped into my consciousness. A shiver, involuntary and profound, wracked my body, each muscle seizing and releasing in a spasm of cold terror. Gooseflesh erupted across my skin as Miranda tried to warm me up with her comforting body heat, however, it did little to dispel the icy dread that had taken root within me.

“Let's put her in bed,” Kara says, walking deeper into the bathroom. She crouches down and picks me up, eyeing me sadly. I could sense her own worry.

"Very well," Miranda declared, lifting me from her lap.

Kara carefully carried me back to my room, her hands gentle on my back. As she placed me on the soft cotton sheets, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. My head sank into the pillow, and I closed my eyes, letting out a shaky sigh. The cool air of the room enveloped me, soothing my overheated body. 

The oppressive heat cycle had sapped my entire energy, making it difficult to function and leaving me feeling utterly exhausted.

I heard someone enter the room and quiet chatter follows as my body travelled back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness. Eventually, it gave up and the world around me became darker

and darker until it was almost black and the faint chatter was hardly audible.

My eyes became very blurry. Darkness slowly claimed my vision as I surrendered to unconsciousness.