[Chapter {22}]

Nathan's POV

The memory of lips on mine haunted my subconscious. I was watching my own body kiss someone who wasn't Callum, someone who looked very much like Eliza. Why I was kissing her was something I couldn't fathom.

The scene changed and I wasn't kissing Eliza anymore, instead I was watching Callum fight Matilda and Eliza. Is it bad that all I could think of, was how hot he looked throwing fireballs at Matilda.

I saw Eliza stand up from where she had been discarded, on the floor to be specific. Although I wanted to warn Callum of her approach, my voice betrayed me.

I stood helplessly, watching my body that lay on the floor try to speak, but to no avail. I watched Eliza approach a clueless Callum, making something blue and electrical in her palm that just seemed to grow more and more.

Eliza tried to aim whatever it was she had made at Callum, but he avoided it in the nick of time. I watched in amusement as Eliza let out a yell of frustration.

Callum supersped to her and before I could even prepare myself for what was going to happen, he was already inserting his hand into her head. He took out something small and pea shaped and as if in tow, Eliza let out a scream so loud the distant shatter of glasses could be heard loud and clear.

Curled on Callum's lips was a smirk that made him look like the vampire he was, a very sinister one at that. He enclosed Eliza in some kind of glowing ball, and as if wanting to enjoy the kill, he slowly squeezed his hand closed watching as Eliza turned into a pile of ash. Callum's powers were cruel and it both scared and ignited a fire within me.

I was too busy watching Callum that I failed to notice that Matilda had escaped. Callum seemed to have come to that realization and for a moment, he seemed to be in a trance. He snapped out of it looking like he had unraveled a mystery, and adding to the many brain melting things I had witnessed today, I watched in mortification as my mate walked through a freaking wall.

Both my body sitting helplessly on the floor and the one watching on the sidelines, granted even more helplessly, gasped when Matilda and Callum fell out of the wall. Matilda had her claws around his neck and I knew if she carried that on longer, Callum was going to pass out.

Not minding the repercussions of moving his overly bruised body, I watched my body crawl over to a silver knife in front of him. The knife looked familiar, but I was too concentrated on the scene in front of me, to pay attention to it.

I watched as I aimed the knife at Matilda, stabbing her directly in her stomach. She released Callum's neck and I let out a sigh, promptly ignoring her screech.

Her eyes flashed dangerously when it caught sight of me, but I felt too fufilled to care. I'd gladly accept my fate knowing Callum is safe.

My bruised self shut it's eyes, preventing me from seeing anything else. I went into full panic mode, only thinking of one thing, perhaps one person, Callum.

When my vision was finally restored, I opened my eyes to a scene that sparked my nerves. Callum had the previously discarded silver knife in his hand, and he was slicing through Matilda at an unimaginable speed. All the while, he did this with that sadistic but thoroughly amused smirk on his face.

With one final hit, Callum stabbed Matilda behind her knees, causing her to fall in a bloody hip to the floor.

I watch in horror as he slipped his hand into her chest and ripped out her heart without a single care. He squashed it till it was nothing but a disgusting black gooey mess. A dark spectrum of light, probably Matilda's soul, disappeared through the ceiling.

Watching Callum, I knew something in him had changed, deeply. I wasn't scared of him though, I would wholesomely embrace whatever it is Callum has become.

Matilda's discarded body was a disturbing sight since her whole eyes had turned black. Infact, the whole room looked like it had undergone some serious gore makeover. It was truly a morbid sight.

I tried to listen in on the conversation Callum was having with my body but the connection was becoming faint, it was like I was being pulled out from a massive ocean with destructive waves.

The last thing I heard was myself confessing to Callum how much I loved him. I couldn't and didn't try, to fight off the smile from my face, when he repeated my exact same words to me.

Now I felt like I was floating between consciousness and unconsciousness. I could hear somebody's calming voice speaking to me, telling me how much they loved me, missed me, and how they couldn't wait for me to come back.

I could recognize that voice anywhere, the problem was, I had no idea where they want me to come back from.

I heard slight sniffles which broke my heart because I knew they were coming from my mate. I was sinking further into consciousness, desperately trying to reassure Callum that I was okay.

I tried to move my limbs, and after a feel failures, I was able to give Callum's hand that was in mine a little squeeze.

"Nathan?" he whispered and Callum calling my name was all it took for me to be pulled out of the ocean, escaping the tides and currents coming at me.

I gasped, trying to let in as much air into my lungs as possible. I could hear the distinct sound of the heart monitor acting up, and Callum's voice yelling for a me to be attended to.

Everything was moving at a revolting frequency and I hadn't even opened my eyes yet.

I heard Callum's stressed breathing as he came to sit down beside me, and my body wanted nothing more than to comfort him. These thoughts in my head, brought along a newfound encouragement, and so I forced my eyes open.

That turned out to be a horrible idea because I shut it back right after. Precociously, I opened my eyes once again, trying to adjust it to the brightness of the room. The fact that everything in it was an immaculate white certainly did not help.

Callum was the first to notice my open eyes, so when I confirmed that I had his attention, I mustered up the strength to flash him a consoling smile.

Callum noticed this and immediately broke down in tears, that was obviously not my plan. I watched helplessly as he cried, not caring that he was being spectated by other supernatural beings like him.

When I felt my strength return to me a little, I lifted my hand, and let it run through Callum hair. He stopped crying almost immediately and turned to stare up at me. I almost broke down in tears of my own when I realized that was the most vulnerable I had ever seen him.

His thin arms captured me in a tight embrace, and I ignored the pain coursing through my body because of it. Callum was hugging and some stupid body pain wasn't going to ruin it.

Prior to my intentions, I let out a pained groan when Callum hugged me tighter, causing him to let go like I was on fire.

"Oh my goodness, Nathan, I am so sorry," he rushed out looking on the verge of panicking.

Luckily the healers interrupted him just in time to prevent that from happening. When I say healers, I mean our packs doctors and nurses. I preferred calling them healers though, because that sounded more fitting.

I recognized Sandy among them, with her ironically Sandy brown hair held back by a couple of bob pins. She was always the one I'd go to when I injured myself at a young age, she was still a healer in training then.

We had formed a bond through my years of always going to her to heal me. Therefore, when my eyes made contact with hers, I flashed her what I hoped was a brilliant smile. She gave me one back before speaking, "we need to run some tests on him to make sure he's okay."

Callum nodded in understanding and stood up from my side to let them do their thing.

Ten minutes and a lot of hassle later, Callum and I were finally left to ourselves. I was having a difficult time controlling myself because all I wanted to do was pull him into me and kiss him senseless.

I guess Cal and I were on the same line of thoughts because after a few seconds of awkward silence, Callum stooped to my level and swooped in for a kiss.

I returned the kiss with as much vigor, scenarios of me never being able to see my mate again flashed through my mind. Callum must have felt the negative energy because he hardened the kiss, his arms around my neck tightening. We were so into the moment, and I could feel all my worries evaporate. But of fucking course, I bloody ruined the moment, again, by groaning when Callum's hand brushed my sore back.

"Oh my....Nathan, are you okay. Did I hurt you, of course I did, why else would you be groaning. Ugh, I'm so stupid." I watched as he cursed at himself and couldn't help the way my heart leaped at how adorable he was being.

"Callum, darling, I'm fine okay, just a bit sore," I rasped looking to ease his worries. He stared at me as seconds turned into minutes and just when I was about to interrupt the silence, Callum burst into tears.

I stared at him in shock, not knowing how to react. One thing I did know for sure, was that that seeing him in tears, broke my heart.

"Hey, hey, Callum. Baby. What's wrong," I cooed turning a bit in the bed, so that I could face him.

"What's wrong, what's wrong is that I almost lost you. What's is that I'm a coward. What's wrong is that I don't deserve you," he sobbed eliciting deeply buried anger and frustration from me.

"You are not a coward Callum," I chided but he didn't drift from his theory.

"Yes I am, you took the hard way out, and let yourself get beat for me. I almost lost you Nathan, all because you were trying to save my ass."

"That's what mates do."

"Well I'm your mate too, when have I ever done anything selfless for you."

"Agreeing to stay by my side is selfless enough Callum. How about we make a compromise?" I suggested desperately wanting to get my currently fragile mate under control.

"I'm all ears," he responded sniffling and I chuckled lightly.

"Remember how I said I was going to completely earn your trust, I wasn't the best mate in the beginning you know. How about we consider my 'selflessness' as the last piece of your trust. Which means from now on, we trust each other completely,"

"But that's not fair, it doesn't even make sense," he complained and I chuckled, leaning in to steal a kiss.

"It does to me. Callum, I'll continue to protect you with every fiber of my being, and I know you'll do the same for me if need be. So now I want you to stop beating yourself up, over things that aren't your fault, and instead allow us to bask in eachothers' affection."

"I don't buy the crap you just lectured me, but I'll let this discussion slide. But, only because I desperately want affection and attention from my mate," a smirk curled around his lips giving him a sinister look that had my heart soaring.

"Now there's a good boy," I teased a mocking glint in my eye. Callum on the other hand had on a sinful expression.

"Oh Nate, you know I'm anything but a good boy," he whispered climbing up the white hospital bed, straddling me when he had settled. I liked this side of Callum, I guess defeating a vampire bitch before she could kill his mate, brought out a side of him he usually suppressed. A smile etched on my face, at the look of concern that crossed his features as he tried to look for a position to be in that wouldn't hurt me.

"Are you sure now?" I smirked going along with the joke but Callum's devious smile said he had other plans.

"Yes I am," he replied letting his hands roam my body, before resting them in my hair. "Now how about that affection we were supposed to bask."

His hot breath on my ear finally slithered a sloppy smirk onto my face, "let's get to it then."

"Aye aye captain," he mock saluted before finally attaching our hungry lips to each other.

*****

So, what are your thoughts on this chapter. I hope you liked it.

I used 'I watched' so much in this chapter, it started to irk me. Any suggestions for an alternative word?

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