18. Chapter EighteenAaron
Chapter Eighteen
Aaron
I opened my eyes, staring right at Melina’s worried ruby eyes. I looked around. I was no longer outside and was now lying in the back of the transporter, my head in her lap, and Ivan now in the front, driving.
“What happened? How’d I get here?”
She placed a hand on my forehead. “You don’t feel shockingly cold anymore. That’s good. We pulled you into the transport.”
I frowned, sitting upright. I no longer felt any pain. “I’m sorry you had to do that.”
She shrugged. “Not sure why you are apologizing. Plus, Ivan did the heavy lifting.”
Ivan waved a hand dismissively. “You’re light as a feather…if it weighed a ton.”
I scowled. “Thank you for not making me feel worse.”
“Anytime, mate.”
Melina narrowed her eyes. “You should lay back down. Let me take you to a healer.”
I shook my head, wiping the sweat from my forehead. “I feel much better now. I don’t need to go anywhere.”
She glared at me, giving me her best stern stare. Only it didn’t work on me. Angry-faced Melina was still cute. “Look, just because you were a soldier, doesn’t make you invincible. You scared me, Aaron.”
Her glare now shifted into a frightened stare as her eyes searched mine. I gathered her in my arms. This was not what I wanted. I was the alpha. I was supposed to protect my omega. Being weak in front of her was the last thing I wanted. “I’m sorry I scared you, Rabbit. How long was I out?”
“I don’t know, maybe ten minutes?”
“That’s a long time.”
“Which is why we need to get you some help. This isn’t normal. You could have been exposed to something that’s making you sick.”
She was right. I knew that much. I didn’t get sick. Definitely not like this. I didn’t want to worry my mate, but I was concerned. “Let’s go to the infirmary once we get back to Prinath.”
“Like you had a choice,” Ivan mumbled.
I saw relief in Melina’s eyes that I would not put up a further fight, but it didn’t cover the traces of fear there.
* ~ * ~ *
The healers found no oddities when they examined me and sent me home with some pain and nausea tonics, stating that if it happened again, I would have to stay there for observation. When we got home, I sat down on the sofa. I was still a little worn from travel and being at the infirmary.
Melina stood in front of me, assessing me. I didn’t exactly hate having someone worry over me. It felt good that she had so much concern for me. “Anything I can get you?”
“Food, rest, you.”
She giggled. “How about you go to bed, and I put something together for us to eat.”
I narrowed my eyes, thinking of all the crumbs that would be left in the bed. It was okay for the hotel but not for our house. “You just want to eat in bed.”
She lifted a shoulder. “With my new mate.”
I liked hearing her call me her mate. It warmed my heart. I stood up and walked over to her, grabbing her possessively. “I love you, Melina.”
Her eyes widened, mouth parting slightly as she looked up at me with a sort of happy surprise. It was important to me that she knew love physically, emotionally, and verbally from me. She would just have to get used to me saying those words.
“I love you, too,” she whispered back, tapping her head to my chest.
We stood like that for a moment longer before I reluctantly moved to carry our luggage up to our room and her to the kitchen. The fact that she seemed so at peace next to me, so trusting and happy, was one of the greatest gifts she could give me. Other than allowing me to claim her, of course. This was perfect. We were together perfect, and I would do everything within my power to keep it that way.
* ~ * ~ *
A low snarl, incessant, and vibrating startled me out of my sleep several days later. I blinked, feeling out of sorts as I looked around. I was not in my bedroom with Melina beside me. Instead, I was on the ground floor living area in the dark. I sat up, my head feeling tight like it was being pressed in on both sides. A cold sweat coated my body. My skin felt itchy and dry. I scratched my left arm and arched my back as if the movement would alleviate the irritation. When I looked down at my arm, I could already see several welts from where I had already scratched in my sleep. I pressed a hand to my neck, and it was the same.
I felt agitated, angry, confused. What was I doing down here? I didn’t recall walking down two flights of stairs. Why would I sleep on the floor instead of the sofa? And what was that sound I heard?
I slowly looked around the room, careful of the sudden movement aggravating my headache further. I didn’t see or sense anything else in the space. The wards were still up. Could it have been Melina playing a trick on me? I seriously doubted that. Was it me? I frowned, trying to remember if I’d had a bad dream, although I never recalled snarling before.
“Aaron?” Melina called, walking down the steps. “Are you down here?”
She whispered an illumination word, enchanting the orb lights above. I could see from the double doors leading to our backyard that morning was beginning to break through the night. When she looked down at me, her eyes widened, and I had to imagine I looked just as badly as I felt.
She rushed down the steps to me, but I put a hand out to stop her. I didn’t feel right, not like myself. “Don’t come any closer. Something’s not right.”
She paused mid-stride, fear crossing her face. “What’s wrong?”
I slowly stood up. “I woke up down here and don’t know how.”
“Sleepwalking, perhaps? Have you done that before?”
“No.”
“Let’s go back to the infirmary. ”
“I’m fine now.” My headache was now a dull pain, spreading to the front of my head, although my skin felt less irritated. Still, it was hard to think now, as if my mind was swimming in a fog.
She narrowed her eyes at me in suspicion. “You have a pattern of ignoring your health. As your wife, I shall nag you until you get help.”
I inhaled, closing my eyes. The only thing I could smell was her sweet scent. I licked my lips, imagining the taste of her in my mouth. When I focused on that, on her, the pain seemed to subside, or rather, the distraction helped me to ignore the pain.
She took a hesitant step toward me. “Aaron, you aren’t okay. Your eyes were glowing like orbs.”
I blinked rapidly, my eyes nor vision seeming any different. “I’m fine.”
She continued to walk until she reached me. She lifted a hand and touched my forehead. Instantly, I began to feel the pain in my head subside, and the cold prickling over my skin ceased. “You still feel clammy. I can get your medicine.”
She turned to walk away, but I grabbed her wrist, pulling her to me. She slammed into my chest with a startled expression. I felt woozy still, almost drunk, but I was better with her near me. This wasn’t a coincidence. My omega was helping me.
A wave of vertigo knocked me off my balance, and I stumbled to the side before falling to my knees, taking her with me.
She grabbed my shoulders, face now fearful again. “Aaron!”
My head was like a jumble of puzzle pieces. I couldn’t see straight. With my balance still off, I tumbled forward onto her. I quickly pushed up on my arms, my body remaining over her but not my weight. I looked her over, my sight slowly clearing as I focused in on her plump lips, her mouth parted slightly. I lowered my eyes to the rapid rise and fall of her chest, her cleavage dipping low from the top of her nightgown. Despite the situation, her nipples were hard through the silk fabric. Was she cold?
The sight of those full breasts caused me to harden, seemingly forgetting about any headache and discomfort. I wanted her. To be in her. I needed the connection. That would help me. She could help me.
I looked at my claiming mark on her shoulder and, without thinking, leaned forward and swiped my tongue across it. Instantly, I felt her body shiver beneath me.
“Aaron,” she began, although her breath was more a whine than anything else. “What are you doing? We can’t…”
My hands reached between her legs, bringing a gasp from her. She had no panties on. “We can.”
She pressed a hand against my chest but not with much force, as my mouth went back to her mark, causing her to moan and stealing her attention. “You need your medicine and to rest.”
I needed nothing but her. It made no sense, but my body craved hers right now—the urge to have her relentless. I moved between her legs, then quickly lowered my pajama bottoms and underwear. “You’re my medicine.”
She pushed against me again, but her eyes were filled with a low-lidded lust that she seemed to be fruitlessly fighting. “That makes no sense.”
I grabbed the base of my cock and positioned it at her wet opening. Despite her concern, she was very ready for me. “It’s alright. Say yes. Please.” I whispered the words, going back to her mark. Licking, sucking, lightly biting as if to mark her again as she writhed under me.
I knew I was not playing fair. She wouldn’t be able to focus with me manipulating her mark. But my mind would not process it. I couldn’t wait. I needed her. I was desperate for the agony to end and to have her.
I pushed into her, not waiting for the word I was begging for. I would hate myself for this, but right now, I couldn’t think, and I was near mindless. Her fingernails dug into my bare chest, but I ignored any pain or resistance. I sighed when I fully buried myself in her until my knot. I paused for a moment to relish the warmth of her. Any pain evaporated. Something from the back of my mind panicked, worried that she didn’t want this but not knowing how to stop my body. I was losing control.
I then pulled out to the tip before ramming into her hard and fast. I needed her to break for me. Come apart and fill me with her energy. I wanted her to explode in a burst of pleasure that only I could give her. She was my cure, my heart, my joy.
I wouldn’t last long now, and I needed her to come. I continued to work on her mark as I pumped into her, my body moving faster than I could process until I felt her spasm around me. She dug her nails harder into my chest, almost enough to break the skin. Her back arched toward me, her face a beautiful display of complete release. Her slick dripped down her thighs onto me, making the glide into her all the smoother. I soon came, my body jerking forward, nerves feeling as if they were exploding. It felt like my body had been pushed away from my soul. I spilled into her in several ongoing tremors as my orgasm rippled through me in waves.
When my orgasm finally ended, I felt exhausted but no longer in pain or out of sorts. My mind was clearer, and I could feel her confusion and fear from our connection. I had hurt her. I shook, pulling out of her in despair. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Melina rolled to her side and sat up, moving to her feet. A sharp hiss escaped her lips, and her hand went between her legs.
I frowned. “Are you in pain?”
“A little sore.”
I got to my feet as well, pulling my bottoms up. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head and looked at me with worried eyes. “What was that, Aaron? You scared me.”
I covered my face with my hands, shame filling me. “I don’t know, Rabbit. I’m so sorry for not waiting for you to say yes and causing you pain. I let you down. I’ll get you some medicine.”
She waved a hand at me. “Aaron, that was fine. The sex was great, as usual. If I didn’t want you, you would have known. And I can get the medicine later. I need to understand what just happened. Are you at least feeling better? I’m guessing, yes.”
I picked her up, settling my arms behind her knees and back, and she didn’t bother to stop me. “ Yes, I feel better. You made me better.”
Her lips quirked up momentarily. “Are you saying I have a powerful pussy?”
I snorted, heading to the steps. “Yes, I think so. We heal each other through our bond. But this is no laughing matter, Rabbit.”
“I agree. I need to understand why you got sick in the first place. Why you were so out of sorts. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed what we did just then despite my throbbing neither region. But you weren’t yourself. And it could happen again. Maybe even get worse. I will always be here to help you, but I want you well.”
Having reached the second level, I walked us to the kitchen and sat her down in a kitchen chair. I moved to the refrigerator and took out a pitcher of water to pour into a glass. “I want me well, too. And I don’t expect us to have sex any time I don’t feel well. That is not your role. How we had sex that’s not how I want it to be for us. For you.” I mixed water and pain elixir into a glass, the concoction turning green.
I felt sick to my stomach from hurting her. I was failing already.
She accepted the drink and took a sip. “I know you, Aaron. I know you will replay this in your mind over and over again. You will make yourself sick and depressed because of it.” She put the glass down and grabbed my hand. “I’m fine. I love you. I’m here to stay.”
How did she know those were the words I needed to hear? She was my mate; she could feel my emotions. Of course, she would know. That didn’t mean I would let go of this incident so easily. It could not happen again.
She squeezed my hand. “I think we should go back to the healers or maybe even the human realm if they can’t help. I don’t like not knowing what’s happening to you.”
I wasn’t against that idea, but I also had other concerns. “I think we should visit the conjurer Lucian told us about as soon as possible.”
“You think she can help you?”
I shrugged. “Conjurers are extremely powerful, so it’s possible, but more importantly, I want her magic on us so that it can help against whatever is targeting the treaty couples. We have the claiming now, but I want further protection. What’s happening with me is second to that. I’ll get us an appointment with her.”
She looked down at her glass, not speaking, her face obscured.
I crouched down in front of her, rubbing her thighs to comfort her. This was not the way our relationship was meant to go. She was my omega, and she was to be treated with care. I was failing her. “I will never hurt you again, Rabbit. Please believe me. I’m sorry I scared you. I promise you; it won’t happen again.”
That was a fragile promise. I knew it as soon as I said it. If I couldn’t understand what was happening to me, how could I protect her?