"In the infirmary!" As soon as he said it, her legs carried her down the corridor, down the stairs, and into the pack infirmary on their own. She felt the dampness on her cheeks as her legs carried her towards the male her heart craved. She rushed through the grassy field, tears streaming down her cheeks, without even bothering to wipe them, and soon arrived at the infirmary. Hilda was standing on the first floor, her face glum. When she saw Seraphina, her eyes widened.

"Where is he?" Hilda only pointed to the door at the end of the hallway when she asked. She dashed towards the door, but a hand captured her forearm before she could break through.

"They're operating on him." He said this, and she turned around to face Emmerich.

"Tėtis!" She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed on his shoulder. He stroked her hair tenderly as he held her.

"It's okay, he'll be alright!" He tried to console her, but all she did was sob.

"Why does this always have to happen to me! Why does She snatch everything away from me!" She wailed.

"Neverk mano kraujo mėnulis! He'll be fine, I promise!" She sobbed as he softly comforted her.

(Don't cry my bloodmoon.)

Her wails filled the entire corridor. Nicholas stepped close to Hilda as he drew her close, and they both stared at their Queen, who was sobbing uncontrollably. When he heard nose sniffing, his gaze was drawn to Hilda's face. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clutched his shirt tightly. His eyes widened and his heart ached as he drew her closer, wiping away her tears.

"It's all right!" His palm caressed her cheeks while his gaze was fixed on Seraphina and Emmerich.

Life's harsh irony is waiting in the infirmary hall. Similarly, you found yourself as miserable as if you were waiting for someone who never came back into your life. The fact that they affect almost all of us, sooner or later, does not make them any less heinous. They are always just a tad too cold. It always smells just a little bit too sharp and clean. It's always quiet, so quiet that you can hear the fluorescent lights humming - another constant.

Dr. Riley walks out the door, her scrubs stained with blood. Seraphina scrambled to her feet, her eyes frantic.

"How is he doing?" Her voice is desperate as she questions.

"We did everything we could. Even though these injuries aren't particularly severe for a Lycan, his wounds aren't healing. As if he doesn't want to live. All we could do now was pray. You can visit him a few hours later." Riley informed, her voice tinged with melancholy, and after a brief bow, she left. Seraphina collapsed to her knees on the tiled floor. Tears streamed down her face wildly.

Only now when she realizes she was going to lose him did she come to understand how much her heart craved him, how much she had fallen for him. How deeply his name was etched in her soul. Only now, when he was near death and all she could do was helplessly wait, did she realize how much she truly loved him. Even the thought of him dying made her heart bleed; she knew she couldn't survive in a world without him. Without his smiles, warmth, and the sense of security that only he could provide, and without his presence beside her. What a fool she was to think of leaving this place when her soul and heart were both here.

She'd said a few hours, but she'd been waiting for what felt like an eternity. There was a clock in sight. It felt as though the clock has superpowers. It always seems to move at a glacial pace. If you look up at it, it will tell you what time it is. When you look up an hour and a half later, it will tell you that two minutes have gone by. Yet it somehow simultaneously has the ability to remind you of how short life is, to make you acutely aware of how little time someone you love might have remaining to them.

She felt as if a piece of her soul was being torn away from her with each passing moment. She would approach the glass window and peer in, hoping to catch a glimpse of the male lying lifeless on the bed. IVs were attached to his arms, an oxygen mask on his face aided him to keep breathing, and the tiny machines surrounding his bed beeped with each breath he took. She placed her palm on the glass and at that moment his heart monitor started beeping aggressively. As Riley and other nurses rushed into the room, her face contoured with unyielding anguish and ambiguity. Emmerich rushed over to Seraphina, draping his arms over her shoulder and pulling her away from the window. She simply stood there like a statue.

Her heart and mind prepared for the news Riley would deliver once she left the room. Her face dreary as she kept her head bowed,

"I'm sorry." They were the only words she had uttered, and Seraphina scuttled to the room. She came to a halt in front of the bed, her gaze fixed on the male, all IVs and the oxygen mask were removed, and the heart monitor depicted a flat line. His body was still, his eyes were closed, and his lips were slightly parted. Her legs trembled as they carried her close to her, and when she got there, her legs gave out and she fell to her knees. Her hands enveloped his cold hand closely. As her cries filled the quiet room, tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I was too late to realize how much I crave you!"

Tears poured out of her eyes as she raised her head and wailed uncontrollably. To lose someone so close to your soul is difficult to endure, her mind could hardly believe that one person was gone who they held so close, fell so deeply for.

"If only I could take those words back! Those last venomous words I uttered to you! Please let me have you back, just for a little while!" She sobbed, her eyes closed.

"Just for one last time!" She cries.

"Seraphina?" As her cries stopped and she opened her eyes, she heard a distressed voice call. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wailed, her gaze fixed on the troubled blues staring at her desperately.

She was on her feet in an instant, her arms wrapped around his neck as she sought refuge in his warmth. Her face nestled into his neck, and he lay there dumbfounded.

"I love you! I love you so much!" He shuddered as his eyes welled up with tears and his arms wrapped around her, drawing her into his chest.

"I don't care that someone had created the bond we shared. I don't care we aren't destined mates. I don't care who you are related to. All I care about is that my heart yearns for you, for your warmth. My eyes solely searches for your face, for your smile. Bond or no bond I don't care. I love you!" She sobbed, and tears streamed down his cheeks as well.

"I love you too!" He closed his eyes,

"I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you so much!" He whispered

"When they, they said you were gone I died for a moment too! I was scared, so scared!" As she wailed, her body shook with soft hiccups. He frowned and opened his eyes to see the culprits poking their heads in through the open doors. Emmerich and Nicholas grinned and Aiden showed them his canines in dissatisfaction and they left.

"It's okay, I'm here now." As she wailed in his arms, he stroked her hair and comforted her.

"You cruel male! You didn't even consider how I would survive in a world without you!" He shrieked as she lightly punched his chest.

"I apologize for scaring you. But you are hurting me!" He whimpered, and she raised her head. He was covered in bandages on his arms and forehead. His face was graced with sharp object cuts, slowly healing. Her legs were on each side of his body, curdling him as she was right on top of his broken ribs.

"I'm sorry!" She tried to get away from him quickly, but he stopped her.

"They would heal." She placed her head over his chest as he drew her close, tucking her by his side. They soon fell into peaceful slumber curdled into each other's warmth.

Emmerich smiled as he finally saw a glimpse of peace and happiness wash over their faces.

"So all this was planned?" Hilda snarled, and he turned around. As Hilda stood furiously, Nicholas was already standing like a scared puppy.

"It was entirely his idea!" Nicholas pointed at Emmerich and Hilda snarled at him.

"You purposefully made her cry so much!" He rolled his eyes as she growled.

"She would not have realized her feelings for him if it hadn't been for him. You have no idea how big of a fool they are. He intended to live in the human town, while she intended to live in Drinealia. And you're a buffoon if you think a car accident will kill him!" He snorted.

"But it killed the driver!"

"He's still alive. It was also a lie. But, yes, he and Aiden were both critically injured." Nicholas responded

"Now let's go, let them be alone!" Emmerich walked away as they followed suit.

She turns around on the soft bed, her palm searching for the male she slept curdling with. When she noticed that the seat beside her was empty, her eyes shot open. She sits up and looks around the room, realizing that this isn't the room she fell asleep in. She was back in the chamber she and him shared. Him! Everything came flooding back to her; was it all a dream? No, it was too real to be a dream. Then why is she alone in their bed? What happened to him? All of her worries vanished When Aiden came out of the closet. She jumped out of bed and ran to Aiden, grabbing his neck and she pulled him close, crashing her lips on his, startling him. His hands wrapped around her waist as he began kissing her back.

He picked her up, hoisting her on his waist and he carries her to the bed, where he laid her down on the plush mattress. As he hovers over her, he kisses a trail of fire down her neck. As soft whimpers shuddered her throat, he placed open-mouthed hot sloppy kisses all over her neck before sucking and nibbling. As he lifts his face from the nape of her neck and presses his forehead against hers, her fingers tangle in his hair. A smile graces his lips,

"Mark me!" She mumbles

"What?" He was baffled, unsure if he had heard correctly. She raises her gaze to look deep into his shimmering blues.

"Claim me as yours Aiden. Bind my soul to yours. Mark me, please!" Her hands clutches his shirt as she pleads.

"Gladly!" He growls lustfully as he presses his lips hungrily against her. Their lips moves against each other urgently,

"I love you!" He mumbles into the kiss and she smiles against his lips. His lips made their way down her neck, leaving scorching kisses. As he sucked and nibbled the skin where her neck meets her shoulders, she groans with delight.

"Are you certain about this?" Lifting his head, he inquired.

"Yes!" She says with a warm smile on her face and he smiles back. His lips descend to her neck as she imitates his action. She feels the tips of his canines over her skin as she presses her canines against his eager to sink them.

"Claim me as yours!" He mumbles. He mumbles as his canines pierce her skin, sinking deep, and she follows suit with her canines sinking them deep. As a muffled whimper vibrates the back of her throat, he groans in discomfort. Her hungry throat gulps the blood that pools in her mouth, while her ears pick up Aiden's content gulps. She moans into his skin as he pulls back and so does she. He smiles at her before pressing his lips against hers in an urgent kiss. The night washes by as they soak in each other, their raw feelings, emotions open to them to feel. Her overwhelming joy, sorrow, and unconditional love. He, too, opens his heart to her, allowing her to see the unconditional love and happiness he feels in having her in his arms.

Their bodies are so perfectly molded against each other that she has no idea where she ends and he begins. They explore, adore, and cherish every nook and cranny of their physics. That night, two souls finally became one.

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