Chapter 20

How is it even possible? How can I still be alive? I should be dead by now. Free... Still, the beeps in continue and the far familiar voices I hear are the clear signs that I’m still part of this world even if I’m in the dark. I don’t know how long since I am in this state and I don’t understand what the people around me are saying but a few moments ago I felt a surge of energy. Even if I can’t still wake up yet, I can hear more clearly what is happening around me. I’m trying but my eyelids are too heavy. My arms, my legs even my fingers are so heavy that I can’t move them. Everything is heavy but I don’t feel any pain. How?

...

“Do you think she will wake up soon?” A man asks... Ash, I think.

“No, it shouldn’t be long now.” Another man replies. Noah??? Not it’s not possible why would he be doing here?!

“Indeed. She’s hiding a smell again.” That was Ezra.

“Really?! I don’t smell any change.” Ash replies surprised.

Oh god! That’s right he knows! My heart starts to beat wildly. The same goes for the beeps. And I hear another beep, a deeper one. There is movement in my room and more people are coming into my room.

“What’s going on?” Ezra asks acting like he was carrying.

Nobody replies to him and I start to feel calmer and sleepy.

“She had a panic attack so I gave her a sedative. Did you say or do something special?” I hear a woman asks. I think it’s Logan’s mother but I’m not sure and before I can hear something more and fall asleep again.

The next time when I wake up, I’m feeling lighter and I’m able to open my eyes. When I’m looking around, I see Ash reading a law’s book. I smile at this sight, he is very studious. When he is doing something, he gave everything to it and is 100% involved. He is always whole in everything, which is his strength but he gets hurt easily. If only Mariana could have seen that... He looks up as if he’s feeling my eyes on him and when he sees that I awake he jumps off his chair.

“Hey, you scared the shit out of me!” He says hugging me.

“Sorry.” I croak. My throat is so dry.

“Here, some water. Bea said you will be thirsty when you wake up so we get one ready.” He says giving me a glass.

“We?” I whisper.

“Actually it was Ezra’s idea...”

“He knows...” I mutter.

“We all know, Lana...” Ash confirms.

I gulp. what I am going to do now?

“We also know about the bite mark on your shoulders.” He says.

I avert my eyes too ashamed to look at him.

“Do you know what kind of mark you’re bearing?” He asks and I just nod not trusting myself to speak without starting to cry.

“Where is Ezra?” I ask after a few minutes of silence.

“You had a panic attack yesterday. And every time he was speaking your heart sped up. So Bea thought it will be best if he was not here when you wake up.”

“Oh...” I say, disappointed.

“He almost never left your room you know. He is happy to know you’re his mate.” He says.

“Well, he is not here now. I will believe it when I will see it.”

“How am I still alive?” I ask when he doesn’t reply.

“Lycan’s intervention. They felt you dying so they came. Noah stopped the bleeding the time to conjure a healer. Actually, “Lina” and Noah are still here, while Tom and Emily are in the Black Wolf Pack's territory looking for a new alpha. They were behind the attack. And before you ask we lost 6 wolves and they were 17 hurt."

I nod.

"How long I was out?" I ask next.

"9 days... And it could have been so much longer as you used all your energy to protect our Luna and my parents. By the way, thank you. If I'm not an orphan today it's because of you. I made peace with them and Clint too. Life is too short to keep grudges." He says tears in his eyes.

"I will do anything for my best friend you know that." I say caressing his cheeks.

He sniffs: "I know... Anyway if you want to know how you recover so fast, well you have to thank Ezra. He shared with you his vital energy and seen his face it was painful."

"Really?"

"Yes. Like I told you, he wants you, Lana."

It's hard to believe when my last memory is the horror on his face when he realized that I was his mate. I yawn.

"You should sleep again. Let me call Bea and you can rest. We will have time to speak later." Asher says kissing my forehead

“Hey Lana, how are you feeling?” He tells me.

“I’m feeling good. Thank you for saving me.” I reply.

He hums while he’s looking at me pensively. Not feeling comfortable, I add: “ Why are you doing here? Where is Selina?”

“Did you know it? Did you hide it on purpose? I mean I don’t feel it anymore so you are blocking it, obviously... Voluntarily or not you’re still doing it.” He says.

“What you’re talking about?” I ask frowning.

“The bond we’re shared.”

“Are you crazy! I’m not your mate!” I reply shocked. What’s wrong with him?!

My reaction makes him laugh. When he calms down, he says shaking his head: “I’m not speaking about a mate bond silly girl, but our blood link.”

“What?” I don’t understand but this is not good. My heart starts to beat faster.

“I don’t know who you think I am but you’re wrong!” I say trying to be confident but failing.

He laughs again:” Don’t worry “Lana”, your secret is safe with me. And I will keep to call you Lana even if we both know it’s not your... birth name. My mother is very superstitious and she believed if you reveal the real name of something, or someone hidden in our case, you will unleash the secret around it.”

I start to panic what if someone hears him. When he sees my reaction he adds:” I’m a witch like you, remember? We are in our own bubble, nobody can hear anything.”

I sigh and ask still worried:” What’s a blood link?”

“So you know what is an Alpha mark but not a blood link?! A blood link is a bond you shared with your family. Our mothers aren’t closed so we never met but I went to your funeral, dear cousin. Knox was acting weird at this time but he’s your twin so the loss of your bond was harder for him. You’re still blocking your bond to him?”

I nod crying.

“Maybe this is why you didn’t feel our bond...”

When I cry harder, he comes to bed with me and hugs me: “Hey, I’m on your side. You’re not just a friend anymore but my family. And I will protect you and this is starting by training you. You’re a powerful witch and you will become even more powerful once I will have trained you. And when the time will come you will be ready. He has a hold on your wolf but not on your witch side.”

“He’s immune to my magic.” I reply.

“Then we will figure out. Just know you’re not alone.”

“Please don’t tell anyone.” I beg.

“Only Selina knows but we will keep it secret if it’s what you want and you’re not in danger because of it. Just an advice: one day the truth will be revealed so if you want to be the one revealing it, don’t lose too many time.”