I woke up with the warmth of Valente's body behind me. He had his arms wrapped around my torso, his face nuzzled near the base of my neck, his legs intertwined with mine. His breathing was even, and I loved the way he held me possessively while he slept.

It was just starting to get light outside, and I realized I'd woken up much earlier than my alarm set for school.

"You'd slept half the day yesterday. What did you expect?" Imadis said in my mind.

"So now you show up?" I asked her, genuinely angry with her.

"I don't know why that happened Rayne. I was just so restless and angry. I'm sorry," she said.

Imadis had never apologized before. But then again, she'd never taken over my body and tried to kill someone.

"What were you thinking?" I asked her.

"I don't know Rayne. I was already on edge, already pissed at the bitch-"

"Imadis!" I scolded her.

"I can't explain it to you Rayne," she said.

"Then how the heck am I going to explain it to anyone else? To Sylvia? Eidis? It's not like this happens all the time!" I was getting frustrated.

What happened wasn't right, and it wasn't me. But I was sure I was going to be blamed for it.

"Valente won't let anyone say anything to you Rayne," she said.

"I can't rely on him to fight my battles Imadis. He has nothing to do with it. I won't involve him," I said.

I moved to place my hand on his, but the action caused a sharp pain to shoot through my arm as if a dormant volcano just erupted at my wrist.

I could feel the pain in my body slowly return again, and it came back just as strong as it was yesterday.

I couldn't move under Valente's grip, afraid he would wake up, but the pain only seemed to increase by the second.

"Ima? Are you okay?" I asked her, starting to shake a little from the throbbing. The pangs were immense, and I knew the poison hadn't subsided even a little bit.

"Rayne... You need to get this out of your body, it's too much," Ima said. Her voice in my head was suddenly weaker, as the pain erupted through her in waves.

I was sweating, my eyes stinging and ears burning.

I struggled not to move, not to make a sound, but the next twinge of pain caused a spasm to rack my body, immediately waking Valente up.

"Rayne?" he said, getting up to turn on the bedside lamp. "What's happening Rayne?"

His face was etched with worry.

"It...it'll pass, Val," I said, taking deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

"What can I do?" he asked me.

"Water," I said, shutting my eyes in pain, unable to stay still. No position bringing comfort, neither sitting nor lying down.

He immediately got out of bed, bringing a water bottle out of his backpack, and putting it to my lips.

I drank the cool water, and it seemed to calm down the burning sensation in my veins ever so slightly.

My body moved involuntarily, and for what seemed like forever, the agony punished my body as Valente watched helplessly, trying to talk to me to distract me, but nothing seemed to help.

As the pain slowly subsided, I realized that it would be on and off like this till the poison stayed in my body.

Valente kept the bottle on the side table, and put his hand on my forehead.

"You have a temperature Rayne. Your body's fighting it," he said, concerned.

"How do I get the Wolfsbane out Valente? It's hurting my wolf," I told him.

"Rosa said it'll burn up on it's own. I don't know how much they gave you that it still needs a few more days to leave your system," he said, his anger returning.

I did my best to sit up with him, but he stopped me and laid back down beside me.

"Don't stress your body Rayne," he said, removing the hair from my neck which had stuck there because of the sweat.

"I think it's the only way to get rid of the poison. The spasms burn it up," I told him. Which means I'd have to suffer the pain of the poison completely for it to leave my body.

"Don't talk like that Rayne, it'll go on its own. Just rest," he said, running his fingers through my hair slowly.

He pulled the covers down to my stomach, and it helped me feel a little less suffocated.

He took the hem of my tshirt in his fingers. It was wet from sweat and stuck to my body uncomfortably.

"May I?" he asked me.

I nodded my head.

He slowly lifted my tshirt over my head, carefully pulling my arms through it, before taking it off me.

I was only wearing a sports bra underneath, but I didn't feel too bare in front of him.

His eyes didn't wander, although his fingers brushed my skin gently, over my stomach and to my back.

I felt close to him, and not just physically. I was grateful he was by my side right now.

"I can't see you in pain like this my Butterfly," he said through the link, his moist eyes trained on his fingers now brushing my arm gently, a filter of worry on his face.

I sighed and did my best to slowly turn on my side to fully face him. His grey eyes were piercing, the highlights and shadows from the first rays of the sun on his face accentuating his sharp masculine features.

But I tried to not get too distracted by this beautiful man.

"I'm fine Valente," I said. I placed a hand on his chest. It was difficult not to touch him when he was so close. I just hoped he felt as good as I did by his simple touches.

"Can we talk?" I asked him softly.

"Mhmm," he replied.

"What are you going to do about the Eidis situation?" I asked him.

"Who?" he asked back.

I knew that he knew exactly who I was talking about.

"The Gamma's daughter?" I said.

He rolled his eyes. "Aunty's going to get an earful about that for sure," he said.

"Isn't there a way you can just talk to her and make her understand?" I asked him.

"If she was one to understand, she wouldn't have gotten to this point today. She would've stopped hating you years ago, and she'd be talking to Rosa again," he said.

"How close were they? Before?" I asked him, realizing I knew nothing about them.

"I know that they grew up like you and Renee. Like sisters," he said.

The thought caused me to feel an ache in my heart. I remembered how Gramma Rosa was sensitive talking about it and it made me feel guilty. I pulled two sisters apart just by existing, and I didn't know how to fix it.

"Gramma never told me that," I said, tearing up.

"She didn't tell you because you didn't need to know. Aunty is doing all of this on her own accord. Neither you nor Rosa did anything to ever offend her, but she still wants to show her resentment for you. I won't tolerate it any longer Rayne," he said.

I looked at him. He was sincere.

"Can I come with you? To fight Sgriosaire when the time comes? That way-"

"No," he stopped me. "You don't have your wolf yet Rayne, how can you possibly fight in battle without her?" he asked me.

"I just want to show Sylvia I am a part of Fathilagt just as much as any other pack member. If I stand on the front lines for our pack as a warrior, maybe she'll change her mind," I said.

"Maybe. And I know how capable you are. Even without the official training, you're better than some of our warriors. But I would never risk your life just for Aunty's sake. She'll have to accept my choices once I'm Alpha. There's no way around it," he said.

The alarm clock rang on my bedside table. Valente reached over me to turn it off, then touched my forehead with his, bringing me the comfort I needed more than anything.

"It's Frida's first shift tonight. You'll have to be there. But till then you won't leave this bed. I'll come and take you myself. Do you understand me?" he said to me.

"But what about school? I missed one day already this week Valente," I told him.

"You're not in a condition to go Rayne. What if the pain comes back?" he said.

I realized I didn't want to face anyone so soon after the embarrassing position I had put myself in yesterday. So I agreed.

"Okay," I told him.

He kissed my forehead softly.

"I'll see you soon Rayne. Miss me," he said, winking playfully, before quietly leaving my room.

He didn't need to say those words.

I missed him already.