Chapter 66

I felt the sharp prick of Kai’s canines piercing into my skin, before excrutiating pain ripped through my entire body. I’ve never heard of such a thing happening before, whenever I’d heard of someone being marked by their mate, it had always sounded pleasureable and painless. Why did it hurt so bad? The pain is so bad, that I feel my body beginning to stiffen and before I know it. I’m collapsing towards the ground and then there’s only darkness surrounding me. What the hell has he done to me?

I don’t know where I am, only that I feel like I’m wrapped in a cocoon as time slowly passes by, like I’m awake but asleep at the same time and its surreal, like an out of body experience. It gives me time to think. I don’t know how to feel about the marking. It came out of nowhere. I hadn’t been expecting it at all and I don’t know what suddenly possessed Kai to do it all of a sudden. It made me angry but confused at the same time. Isn’t this what I wanted? To be fully claimed by my mate and marked?

A small voice in my head pipes up. You wanted it to be special, didn’t you Winter? Yes I did and he’d taken that from me.

You wanted to do it back to him at the same time, mark each other when you were more in tune to each other’s needs and wants.

That was true. But was there any sense in staying angry about it? It couldn’t make Kai take it back could it? My throat feels like it’s on fire, heat spreading all around it, as I lay wherever I am, my hands gripping my throat in a futile attempt at getting whatever is happening to stop. Instead it gets worse.

Then just as quickly it’s gone and I hear voices above my head. “Is she going to be alright?” That was Kai’s voice.

“She should be. It’s a miracle what’s going on right now. I can only speculate as to why, but it appears that the mixture of your Alpha blood and her blood has caused this sudden reaction.”

Caused what? I wonder rather stupidly. What reaction? Damnit, tell me!

“She’s going to be so surprised” Kai’s voice again, this time with a tinge of excitement. How dare he sound so damn nonchalant after what he did to me! Bastard!

. “I think she’s coming out of it” Dr James’ voice is distant, like he’s far away and I struggle, my eyes suddenly shooting open of their own accord, blinking against the sudden harsh white light coming from the hospital ceilings.

“Winter” Dr James says to me jovially as I frown up at him.

Why the hell was I in the hospital again for heavens sake. “How are you feeling?” he asks and I glance over at Kai, whose face looks absolutely devestated, realising with a gasp that he’s holding my hand tightly, as though he never wants to let go. I might be angry, but not enough for him to look so damn miserable. Although, a tiny part of me takes pleasure in his guilt. Maybe I should let him stew for a while after all.

“Sore” I rasp out and the room goes still. I stiffen in shock. Had I just spoken that word out loud, or was this all in my head? My throat is sore and my voice is hoarse as I try again. “Sore” I repeat and then look at the doctor confused. Why am I now suddenly able to talk? Especially when the other doctor, before I came here, had seemed certain that my vocal chords were damaged beyond repair.

Dr James speaks to me as Kai listens from his position by my bed. “I think that Kai’s blood mixed in with yours, when he marked you, sped up the healing process of your damaged vocal chords” he answers my unspoken question.

I frown. I had thought that they were damaged beyond repair. Isn’t that what the first doctor had said?

“Your vocal chords were extremely damaged but were slowly healing on their own. It might have taken another year, but you would have eventually been able to speak, Kai just sped up the process, so to speak” he chuckles at his joke.

My eyes widen in excitement. I turn to Kai, who is eyeing me tentatively. I throw my arms around him. I can speak again, it’s a miracle and I feel like crying in my joy. “Thank you” | rasp as he hugs me back.

“You have every right to be pissed at me” he murmurs back but I shake my head.

I’m ecstatic to have my voice back. What he did to me wasn’t right but when this was the end result? It was more than worth it. We would have a discussion on boundaries and consent later. But now I could talk! I want to shriek in Thanks Sabriel We can finally tell people how we feel about them, to their face.

Let’s start with that b***h Candice. I dare you. I think it might take a few days before I can talk properly Sabriel.

That’s alright, we can practice. Start with Kai, cause you are still pretty pissed at him, even if you’re happy to have your voice back. Step out of your comfort zone girl, tell him. Tell him what a bastard he is.

Go all out and do some swearing at the boy.

Alright, enough Sabriel. I get it. But I’m not angry at him anymore. Sigh. That’s the problem with you being nice Winter, it means you ruin all my fun. Sabriel! Sorry Winter. I didn’t mean it.

Dr James is excitedly chattering away in the background, but all my focus is on Kai who’s still holding my hand and looking sheepish. He damn well knew what he’d done was wrong and theres something hovering in my mind as the rage builds.

“Winter” Dr James says as I swivel my head to look at him “you can go home as soon as you feel ready to, but would it be impertinant to ask if I can take an x-ray of your neck and vocal chords again? I just want to make sure I’ve gotten pictures from every angle to examine.”

“That’s fine” I rasp painfully and Dr James scurries out of the room, presumably to set that up.

“I can’t believe you have your voice back” Kai says quietly “are you happy about that Winter? I swear I didn’t know it would happen, but I can’t say I’m sorry this happened because of what I did.”

I’m conflicted. I am happy to have my voice back, but at the same time, part of me hadn’t really missed it all that much. It was like I’d just retreated with the loss of my voice and now that I have it back, I’m wondering if it’s time to find my voice for real, instead of hiding in the background. Would I have the strength to step forward and become the new me I want so badly?

leye Kai. “What you did was wrong” I whispered and his face falls. He looks at me with remorse on his face. “I know” he says looking away, “Why?’ I ask and he knows what it is I’m really asking.

“I got jealous” he whispers “so did my wolf while you were talking to the Alpha. I rationalised marking you would keep you safe from unwanted attention but that doesn’t excuse the fact I should have asked you first. It was wrong and I’m sorry” he apologised.

Inod emphatically at that. Consent was important. Right now though, I’m annoyed at him. He could have just told me how he was feeling instead of going to such extreme lengths. I would have listened and tried to reassure him. I hadn’t been interested in the other Alpha one bit, I only had eyes for Kai. Stupid foolish man, letting his feelings get the better of him. Although part of me is thrilled that he got jealous.

I tug on his hand gently.

‘Come closer” I whisper, my throat feeling like it’s closing up every time I utter a single word. Still this was important – to me. I was determined to do this.

He moves so close that he’s inches away from my face, his eyes staring into mine as I give a small smile. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, I decide triumphantly, but I wouldn’t go about it like he did. No, I would at least give him the courtesy of being able to refuse. Unlike what he’d done to me.

Slowly I let my canines inch out of my mouth, until he can see them, nice and pointy. For a minute, he looks extremely confused and then his eyes light up with realisation.

“You want to mark me?’ he asks uncertainly and I give a very firm nod, my eyes never leaving his. “Are you sure?” he asks “you could still try and reject me. If you mark me, it will be a lot harder to do so.”

I’m beginning to feel impatient now. I know what I want. I don’t need other people making decisions for me. I’ve had enough of that. This was my choice. He doesn’t need to keep me from making a mistake, mistakes are made so we can learn from them.

“Yes” I say as firmly as I can with the hoarseness of my voice.

He hesitates and I think he’s going to refuse, but then to my surprise, he submits, showing his neck to me as I lick my lips.

‘It would be an absolute honor for you to mark me’ he whispers with a crack in his voice.

to have to redo it. He stays completely silent as I slowly retract the canines and lick the spot I’ve pierced him, sealing the wound closed. An image of a wolf, a tattoo, the same as the one I now have, appears instead and he traces the mark with his hand, his head shooting up as he stares at me with awe and something that looks remarkably like pride.

Now he’s mine. I’ve claimed him, the same as he claimed me and no one has the right to try and take him. That Candice b***h is fresh out of luck. He’s mine now.

I point to his chest. “Mine” I growl and he does the same, pointing his finger into my chest and gazing into my eyes.

“Mine” he says back and my heart skips a beat. Now both of us are bonded together, forever.