Things started to feel more comfortable for them when Camila and Elizabeth found a set of treadmills next to each other and started jogging. Nick wasn’t too far away, lifting a dumbbell that was close to five hundred pounds on each side. His strength still astounded her as she watched him repeatedly life the weights over his head and down again with little struggle. Maybe he was just showing off because she was watching, but he caught her watching and smiled at her mischievously. She felt her cheeks heating again, causing Camila to clear her throat loudly drawing her attention back to her exercise.
“Come on guys, get a room. Wait, don’t you have one and I wanna spend time with my friend!” Camila teased light-heartedly. She laughed at Elizabeth’s sudden discomfort, only stopping when she really looked at her friend. “Hey, sorry for teasing you. I hope you’re not upset with me?”
“Huh? Oh, no, you’re fine it’s just… so much has changed so quickly,” she whispered. “I mean, I do like him, maybe even love him, but I’m still not sure. I enjoy being with him, but I feel like this all changed so quickly. I’ve dated in the past, even been engaged but this is different. This is forever! Am I really ready for that?” She still spoke quietly, but her voice pitched a bit higher as she spoke.
“I can see in the way you look at him, you do love him. If that isn’t love then I don’t know what is. And as for time, don’t worry about it. Take your life day by day. So what if he’s older than you by two hundred years, with you being a Turned you’ll spend the rest of your lives together so you have plenty of time together. Definitely plenty of time to have lots of pups together!” Camila elbowed Elizabeth at the tease, causing her friend to hide her face behind the console of the treadmill and Nick to glance over in concern. His eyes went from Elizabeth to Camila, glaring at the younger girl. “Sorry, just talking about your future kids!”
“Mila, stop teasing her. You know her feelings on that sensitive subject. Besides, we’re not even discussing that as a possibility right now, we’re just getting to know each other more, right Liza?” Nick had put the weight down with a loud thud and walked over to support her. Elizabeth on the other hand felt herself very quickly getting overwhelmed. The talk of children brought up her past, the doctor’s confirming their child no longer being viable and the surgery entailed to remove it before it caused more serious problems. The surgery itself caused more serious scarring that would never heal properly, her fiance getting angry and wanting to sue the hospital. His anger, lashing out at her, nearly hurting her. The yelling, the throwing, the scared look she knew was on her face.
Suddenly there were arms around her, warmth spreading over her body causing her eyes to snap open. A soft, deep voice was speaking soothingly in a language she didn’t know, but the words touched somewhere deep inside her. She knew their meaning, but not the actual words themselves and felt her body relax. Easing into the warmth those arms around her caused, sinking into the calming scent of Nick as he spoke to her. She opened her eyes sleepily, looking up into his face and as their eyes met the world fell away. With him, all was fine. He would make it fine, and she knew that. They would be fine.
Now that she was calm, he released her and she realized she was off the treadmill and Camila was standing nearby, looking guilty and hurt. Elizabeth felt the smile on her face as she walked to her friend, hugging her gently. Camila hugged back tightly, apologizing and promising to never bring up the subject again.
“It’s okay, I forgive you. You’re just excited, that’s all and I understand,” she assured Camila, who seemed on the verge of tears a few moments before. Deciding that they were done working out for a while, they started out towards the door when they saw a couple of people running past. One of them was wearing a white doctor’s coat. The three of them all looked at each other and took off down the hallway, Nick in the lead followed by Elizabeth and Camila. They ran into the medical ward, throwing the double doors open to hear alarms going off and furious beeping from one of the rooms. Elizabeth’s face paled as she realized the room everyone was running to was Ginger’s.
She walked to the room, stiffly, as people pushed past her to get in the room to help her friend. This was her fault. Ginger was in there because of her, fighting for her life. She had to get in there. She had to be there for her friend. She had reached the door, a nurse rushed past her to get some medicine that Dr. Gerald had called for. The nurse saw her, and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Hun, you can't go in there right now. Please wait out here,” she said quickly before rushing off.
“But, she’s my friend. I have to be there for her. I-I’m the reason she’s here,” Elizabeth spoke softly, but the nurse picked up everything as she hadn’t gone that far away. Elizabeth felt her wolf rising up, getting agitated at being told what she couldn’t do. Nick had walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her again, but it didn’t seem to be working. This was not a memory long past, this was happening now. Ginger needed her, and she wouldn't be denied.
The nurse walked up again, giving them a little push aside. “Please, just go sit down and we’ll inform you when it’s safe. Doctor, I have the-”
“No! You step aside! I will see her, NOW!” The force behind the words everyone felt. The doctors, the nurses, Camila and even Nick all felt the force behind her words. A couple of the nurses got goosebumps and even Camila shivered slightly. Nick released her shoulder as the medical staff parted, making a path for her to reach her friend. She blinked a couple of times, before running to her friend, kneeling next to her and holding her hand. “Ginger, don’t you dare die! I will never forgive you if you do, so you better stay with me! You hear me? Stay with me!”
The doctors had gotten back to work trying to help the woman, a couple of the nurses were still frozen in place until Dr. Gerald had ordered them to do their jobs. Elizabeth’s words and the work the medical staff seemed to help things, as the alarms and the beeping eased to acceptable levels. Elizabeth stayed where she was, the nurses and doctors who had answered the alarm started to make their way, leaving only the nurse she had yelled at and Dr. Gerald. Camila and Nick made their way inside, Nick kneeling next to his mate and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Dr. Gerald broke the quiet first, speaking softly even above the beeping of the machines. “Elizabeth, your friend was in quite the state a few moments ago. ‘Er heart was makin’ the change and we helped ‘er as best we could, but honestly I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I think you bein’ ‘ere for ‘er ‘elped very much with bringin’ her back from that brink, so I do hope you keep visitin’ her. Your words are,” he paused, trying to find the right words, “very powerful. Do keep that in mind, as I’m sure ‘er transition will be difficult without you.” The doctor patted her head gently as he ushered out the nurse to give them some privacy, shutting the door behind them.
Camila stood by the wall as Elizabeth and Nick stood slowly, carefully so she never let go of her friend. She felt like a third wheel, but knew her friend needed her here so she stayed put as they approached her. Elizabeth still looked very pale to her, and she thought she saw a puff of steam leave her mouth but when Camila blinked it was gone.
“So, did anyone else feel the strength of her order?” Camila asked, trying to lighten the mood a little.
“It seemed everyone felt it. I knew you were strong Elizabeth, but I never had any idea you’d be like this in such a short time.” Nick sounded impressed and surprised all at once.
“I don’t know what happened. I just had to help her, I couldn’t be the cause of her death as well as the ending of her humanity.” Elizabeth started to get upset again, feeling unable to breathe very well. Nick squeezed his shoulders with his arm, holding her a little closer.
‘Shhh, it's okay. Calm down, Liza. She’s fine now, thanks to you and the doctors and nurses who helped her. Why don’t we start moving those game systems from your den into mine, you can show me your favorites and maybe I can try to play them.”
&nbs
p; “Oh no, she promised me a DDR dance off! I’m gonna wipe the floor with her, so you better be ready to pick her back up off it!” Camila chimed in, catching Nick’s attempts to distract the emotional Elizabeth. It seemed to work, because she perked up to stare at Camila, daring her to challenge her again. They left then, the trauma put aside for now as Elizabeth threatened to kick her friend’s butt in the game. Nick just smiled as he watched two of the most important females in his life threaten each other. It brought back so many bittersweet memories, but seeing them walking in front of him now warmed his heart in a way he had almost forgotten he could feel.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The day had started weird, and only became weirder and ended the same as it had started for Elizabeth. Her emotions were a rollercoaster of ups and downs, fear and exhilaration, so she was looking forward to a restful night sleep as she saw Camila out of the den, and nearly followed her until Nick cleared his throat from the couch. Camila smirked at her and waved as she made her way downstairs. Elizabeth smiled weakly before shutting the door again. Slowly, she turned her eyes to Nick, suddenly feeling the need to shrink and hide under the couch. She could almost hear her inner wolf scoff at the thought of hiding from someone she cared for so strongly.
“You must be tired, today was not exactly the easiest one you’ve had since coming here,” Nick said calmly, as if trying to calm a rabbit ready to bolt. She felt very much like one at the moment, so she supposed the tone was warranted. He turned to face her more fully, swinging an arm over the back of the couch. She quickly surveyed the room, a few boxes, mainly containing clothes and a few trinkets she was allowed to keep from her home, several miles from here, were stacked and set aside. She hadn't bothered to unpack anything yet, even though both Nick and Camila offered to help her. It had not felt real until this very moment, she was moving in with a man, something she hadn’t thought about doing for another year or more.
Feeling her hesitation, Nick stood and walked casually over to stand behind her. Carefully so as to not startle her, he wrapped his arms around her reassuringly. One hand on her shoulder, the other around her waist, he felt her breathing slow, she leaned into him as his warmth surrounded her. She needed him to be her rock, her steady place in all the chaos of her life the last month and a half, and today had been one of the hardest yet. He would be whatever she needed him to be, that was his role, be it protector, a shoulder to cry on, or just a soft place to fall safely. He opened those thoughts and feelings up to her, allowing her into his mind a little, but he held back the undying love he felt for her. She wasn't ready for the depth of his affections, all his hopes and dreams rested on her smaller shoulders. So he would bear that weight until she was able to take it.
She sighed heavily, relaxing fully, nearly collapsing to the ground. This morning's understanding, her love for Nick, Ginger’s attack and her near death just a few hours ago, she had survived it all. All of that was now in the past, but now she did have one other problem. Sleep was all she wanted, but how would she get it now? Would she have to sleep with Nick? It was wrong to make him sleep on the couch of his own den, but he would never let her go back to hers with the knowledge that someone was after her. She only had here, and maybe with Camila. But her inner wolf, her true self now, knew she belonged here, belonged with him. She tried to step out of his embrace, but he held her firmly against him, a moment of panic flickered in her mind.
“We don’t have to do anything… like ‘that’... you know. We can just sleep, side by side or opposite sides with a pillow between us. I’ll sleep on the couch if you’re that against it, I don’t care. I just want you safe and near me,” he spoke softly as he released her to walk towards the couch again. He pulled the pillow from between the couch and the wall. “Long as I have this, I’ll be fine. Go and rest, Liza, and know that you are in my mind and my heart should you feel alone.”
She felt a burning in her eyes, and closed them tightly to fight the emotions in her heart and the words she heard. She was being stupid and she knew that. So, she walked into the bedroom and shut the door. She changed quickly into her nightgown before opening the door again and peeked her head out the door to look at Nick. He was curled up around the pillow from her bed, a blanket from the back of the couch barely covering his body, and nearly laughed at the sight. He had his eyes closed, but he wasn’t asleep, she could tell.
“Nick?” At the sound of her voice, his head jerked up quickly. “Are you really thinking I’m going to keep you from your own bed?”
“I don’t mind giving you your space, Liza. Are you sure?” He couldn’t hide the hope in his voice, hope he might be able to sleep near his mate, perhaps even hold her as she fell asleep instead of this dumb pillow.
“No, but I’m willing to try if you are.” She slowly stepped out from the doorway and he saw her in her cute nightgown, and his heart nearly stopped. She wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but it washed over her until she was drowning in his love and warmth. Her cheeks grew hot, in fact her whole body warmed, even though he was nowhere near close enough that his power should be affecting her. For a few moments, she had a hard time breathing or thinking, leaving her panting and yearning for something she wasn't sure she was fully ready to experience yet. At seeing what he was doing to her, realization hit him as he quickly clamped down on his emotions. It felt like surfacing for air, she gasped as her mind cleared from the haze it had been under. She blinked several times quickly, before refocusing on him and his pinked cheeks.
“I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. It’s just-I saw you and-I’m sorry!” He stammered, looking everywhere but at her. She realized slowly what had happened, he’d slipped up. He opened himself completely to her and that was his feelings for her. His emotions, his love for her was deep and vast and covered everything about her like a long, warm coat.
“It’s okay. We are both still kinda new to this, right? Are you coming to bed or not, Nick?” She stepped back from the door a little. His eyes returned to hers, nearly glowing in the residual light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Dumb recessed lighting.
“Are you sure?” he asked again. She rolled her eyes, pointing towards the bedroom insistently.
“Yes, Nick, but if you keep stalling I’ll change my mind for spite,” she spoke with laughter in her voice. She’d been told she was loved before, but actually feeling it was another thing. Love could not be bought, traded or sold and the admiration she felt from Nick was given freely and completely. Even though his mind was shut off from her, she still remembered the feeling he had let her glimpse, and the small trickle of it through the bond constantly. Love, acceptance, complete devotion and loyalty the likes of which she had never felt.
He knew her conviction even without their bond, and stood to join her in the bedroom. He watched her head to one side of the bed, so he chose the other side before sliding in easily. Even though she was convinced he should be in his own bed, she was quickly doubting herself as she felt the heat rolling off of him onto her back. Her wolf rose up, taking the nerves away from her and making her a bit bold as she rolled over and scooted closer to him in the bed, resting her hand on the curve of his side above his hip. He peeked over his shoulder at her, saw the slight glow in her eyes and placed his hand over hers over the blankets.
“You’re letting your wolf take over, and mine wants to rise to meet her. Be careful what you do next Elizabeth,” he said quietly, a light warning. She blinked, the wolf gone from her eyes and she realized what she was doing, but she didn’t remove her hand. “You don’t want to force yourself to do anything on my account. Don’t feel responsible for ‘performing’ anything.”
“I just want to be closer to you. But I guess I’m afraid you’ll get the wrong idea,” she admitted, eyes trained downward. He rolled over, startling her a little as he grabbed her and held her closely. Her head rested against his bare chest, her legs brushed his pajama pants, his arm under her and hand resting on her side while his other hand was
behind his head.
“This close enough?” he asked. She felt the rumble through his chest as his heart raced.
“Yes, perfect.” She closed her eyes with a sigh and, within moments, she was asleep.
***************
Minutes turned to hours, hours to days, until a full week had gone by and Ginger still hadn't woken up. Elizabeth visited everyday like Dr. Gerald had recommended, but there was still no change which upset her, but not everyone else. She remembered back to when she had woken up after a week in the medical ward and everyone thought it was surprisingly early. It seemed Elizabeth had been more seriously injured compared to Ginger, but she wasn’t entirely sure why else they would be surprised. She would have to ask Nick about that, even if they were on better terms now.
She was just getting ready to leave Ginger’s side when Nick walked in. “Speak of the devil,” she said at his sudden appearance.
“The devil? Is that what I am to you? I mean after last night-ow!” He chuckled as he rubbed his arm, watching her cheeks glow. Her blush was pretty cute.
“Stop it! I was just thinking about why her transformation was taking so long. I know everyone said I woke up surprisingly early, and I was hurt worse than her from what I was told. No one gave me any details, so I was thinking about asking you for them,” she explained.
Pureblood (Pureblood series) Page 22