chapter 48
Ferial woke gasping.
Her body jerked as if pulled from deep water, lungs dragging in air that felt too cold, too sharp. Sweat slicked her skin despite the chill in the room, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
The first thing she noticed was the sound.
A steady, rhythmic beeping.
The second was the weight in her arm-an IV still in place, tape tugging slightly when she shifted. Electrodes clung to her chest beneath the thin hospital gown.
The third-
Dante.
He was asleep in the chair beside her bed, head tipped back against the wall, one hand still wrapped around hers like he'd refused to let go even when exhaustion finally claimed him. His face looked different like this-unguarded, worn thin by worry, lashes casting shadows against his cheeks.
For a moment, she just watched him.
Then her throat tightened, and she lifted her free hand slowly to her neck.
Her fingers brushed skin that felt... wrong. Tender. Warm. Sensitive in a way that made her breath hitch.
The mark.
It wasn't raised or angry anymore. Healing already. But when her fingertips traced it, a jolt of sensation raced down her spine-sharp and electric, curling low in her belly and stealing the air from her lungs.
She whimpered softly.
Dante stirred instantly.
His eyes snapped open, sharp even through exhaustion, locking onto her face in a heartbeat. "Ferial?"
"I'm here," she whispered quickly. "I'm okay."
He was out of the chair in one smooth movement, leaning over her bed, one hand braced near her shoulder, the other still holding hers. His eyes searched her face with near-panic.
"You scared me," he said quietly. "You've been out for almost a full day."
"A... day?" Her voice came out rough.
He nodded. "They sedated you after the mark. Your body needed time."
She swallowed. "I remember... screaming."
His jaw tightened. "I remember."
They were quiet for a moment.
Then she touched her neck again, slower this time.
The reaction was immediate-heat bloomed under her skin, sharp and insistent. She sucked in a breath, thighs tensing involuntarily.
Dante noticed.
His hand covered hers gently, stopping her. Not forceful-careful. "Easy."
She looked at him, embarrassed and confused. "It feels... strange."
His expression softened. "That's normal. The mark is active. The bond isn't fully settled yet."
Her cheeks warmed. "Because of the... other part."
"Yes." He didn't look away. "But we're not rushing that. Not like this."
Relief and something heavier tangled in her chest.
"I feel hot," she admitted quietly. "Not like before-but it's there."
"I know." He brushed damp hair back from her forehead. "I'll help you through it. However long it takes."
Her eyes stung. "You don't have to sit here and suffer with me."
"I want to," he said simply.
A nurse came in shortly after, checking her vitals, murmuring approval when the monitors remained stable. When she left, Dante turned back to Ferial.
"You need to eat," he said. "And you're covered in sweat."
She wrinkled her nose faintly. "I feel disgusting."
"You feel alive," he corrected gently. "Which I'll take."
He helped her sit up slowly, careful of the IV, adjusting pillows behind her back. Every touch was deliberate, respectful-grounding.
"I'll help you wash," he said. "If you're okay with that."
She hesitated only a second before nodding. "Please."
He brought warm water and clothes, helped her clean up with quiet patience-never rushing, never lingering where he shouldn't. The closeness sent little sparks through her, but the pain stayed distant. Controlled.
He helped her into fresh clothes, soft and loose, then sat beside her again, feeding her slowly when her hands trembled too much.
She didn't realize how badly she needed it until she was eating.
"This feels..." She searched for the word. "Domestic."
A corner of his mouth lifted. "Dangerous thought."
She smiled faintly.
The door opened later with far less ceremony.
"Well," Abdie announced, strolling in with Lina at his side, "look who's alive."
Ferial laughed weakly. "You sound disappointed."
"Listen," he said, pulling up a chair dramatically, "I had a revelation."
Dante's eyes narrowed. "Abdie-"
"I let Lina mark me," Abdie continued proudly. "Immediately. No hesitation. I am not built for heat. I would not survive it. After what you went through, i had to."
Lina rolled her eyes. "He begged."
"I negotiated," Abdie corrected. Then he leaned toward Ferial, grinning. "And we completed the bond. Thoroughly. I'm just saying."
Dante stood so fast his chair scraped loudly across the floor.
"Get out," he said flatly.
Abdie blinked. "Wow. Hostile environment."
"You will not speak to her like that," Dante snapped. "Not now. Not ever."
Ferial reached for Dante's hand. "It's okay-"
"No," Dante said, calmer but no less firm. "It's not."
Abdie raised his hands. "Fine. I'll go. But for the record-" he pointed at Ferial "-I'm rooting for you. Hydrate."
"Out," Dante repeated.
Lina dragged Abdie toward the door, muttering, "You enjoy pain."
"Bedroom talks, babe." He laughed as his mate dragged him out.
When they were alone again, the silence settled gently.
"I'm sorry," Dante said. "He forgets when to stop."
"He was trying to make me laugh," she said softly. "And he did."
Dante sighed, sitting back down. "We'll talk about... finishing the bond after you're cleared. On your terms. Somewhere safe."
She nodded. "I want that. I just... I want us to choose it. Not be forced by pain."
He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers. "We will."
She hesitated, then whispered, "What happens after?"
His voice was steady but honest. "We build a life. And yes-there will be danger. Politics. Eyes on you. On us."
Her fingers tightened in his. "I've lived danger my whole life."
"I know," he said. "And I'll spend mine making sure you don't have to face it alone again."
The heat stirred faintly under her skin.
But this time-it didn't scare her.
This time, she knew she wasn't surviving anymore.
She was choosing, and Dante was part of her choice.