Chapter 78: Awake
WILLA
A sharp gasp tore from my throat as my eyes flew open.
White ceilings. That was the first thing my brain registered — the ceiling and the ornate chandelier swimming in and out of focus above me.
Everything was too bright. Too blurry. Too loud. Too painful. Nausea surged fiercely up my throat, bitter and burning.
I groaned, trying to sit up, but strong hands immediately pushed me back down. My body ached against the hard surface I was lying on, every muscle screaming in protest.
"How long do we keep her here?"
"We need her for the trial."
"She is the only one..."
"Keep me here. Trials. Only one." I whispered to myself, the words slurring as I desperately tried to make sense of the voices swirling around me.
Almost immediately, a vicious headache slammed into my skull like a hammer strike.
A soft, broken gasp slipped out as fragmented memories flooded my mind in chaotic, painful flashes.
"The voice," I croaked.
Did it succeed in capturing me?
My eyes widened in panic as tall, shadowy figures hovered above me. A hand brushed against mine.
I jerked away forcefully and threw myself out of the bed. My legs crumpled the instant my feet hit the cold floor, but pure terror propelled me forward. I stumbled blindly and slammed straight into a solid wall of muscle and warmth. Strong arms caught me before I could collapse, holding me upright.
"Let me go!" I cried, thrashing wildly against the hold.
"Elyse!"
That voice. That familiar scent.
I blinked twice, trying to clear the haze in my vision. I stared up at the person holding my shoulders.
"Kol..." I stammered, my voice barely more than a broken whisper.
He looked down at me with a deep frown etched on his face, as if he was contemplating whether to shake me until I snapped out of whatever madness he thought had taken hold.
I had lost it. Because there was no way he was standing right in front of me. He should be dead!
"Are you alright?" he asked, genuine concern threading through his tone.
I didn’t respond. My hand lifted slowly, trembling as my fingers brushed his cheek. I caressed it gently, feeling the smoothness of his skin and the living warmth that seeped into my fingertips. He was real. Solid. Alive.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. It made no sense at all.
I shrugged out of his hold. He let me go. I stumbled backward. He moved to catch me, but someone else did from behind. Their arms wrapping around me to keep me steady.
"You need to stay in the infirmary," the voice scolded.
I spun around, locking eyes with the last person I expected to see.
"Dash," I breathed out, the name catching in my throat.
"Good to know your brain is intact," he flashed me a lopsided smile. Then worry crossed his face again. "Are you sure you’re okay?"
"You’re alive," I murmured, the words feeling surreal, impossible.
I had watched him die. He had bled out right in front of me. His face had been battered beyond recognition.
My God... I had gone mad, and now I was hallucinating.
It wasn’t real. I shook my head in desperation, trying to clear the nightmare from my mind. I closed my eyes tightly and opened them again. He was still standing there.
I cupped his cheek with one hand. His warmth seeped into my fingers, just like Kol’s had.
My knees weakened beneath me.
"Whoa," Dash murmured, pulling me back up, his arms gently wrapping around me to hold me steady. "I think you need to go back to bed."
"Eric, Elliott, Lance..." I whispered.
"I’m so glad you prefer to see the two of us instead of them," Dash answered, sarcasm lacing his words.
"They are well," Kol said simply.
"They are," I repeated, locking eyes with his, searching for any sign that this was another cruel illusion.
I saw none.
The relief hit me like a tidal wave, crashing through the lingering panic and bone-deep exhaustion. My knees buckled completely. I collapsed forward into Dash’s arms, the room spinning wildly as darkness edged in again at the corners of my vision.
I didn’t fight it this time.
"Fuck!" Dash hissed, catching me. "Stay with me, Elyse."
"Damn it!"
That was the last thing I heard as the darkness swallowed me whole.
—
I woke again to the soft whirring noise of machines in the room. But this time, someone was holding my hand, like they were afraid I might disappear if they let go.
I opened my eyes, blinking slowly against the harsh brightness. As my vision adjusted, they locked onto five pairs of eyes with different hues — all staring at me with raw, open concern.
Dash, Elliott, Eric, Kol, and Lance.
"Are you alright?" they all said at once, rising to their feet, except for Dash, who remained seated right beside my bed, his hand still firmly clasped around mine.
I swallowed hard, pushing back the lump burning in my throat. All five of them were here, alive and healthy, watching me like I was the most fragile thing in the world.
"Elyse," Kol started, voice gentle.
"I think we should let her be," Dash murmured, his thumb brushing over the back of my hand. "She’s been through a lot. It only makes sense that she’s still in shock."
Eric’s jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle jumping as he glared at Dash.
"Why are you here again?" He turned to Elliott as well. "I don’t understand how outsiders need to be here. We as her mates requested privacy, it should be granted and—"
"I’m fine," I whispered. I cleared my throat and tried again, louder this time. "Still in shock, but I’m fine."
Dash snorted. "Stop acting tough on our account." He squeezed my hand. "It’s exactly why we’re here, to support you."
"Do you remember anything?" Kol asked.
"A little," I replied.
I remembered fighting them. But not Kol and Dash being alive.
"Calm your pretty little brain down, baby," Dash chuckled. He leaned in closer, gripping a lock of my hair and twirling it between his fingers before tucking it behind my ear.
I shivered as his fingertips brushed the sensitive tip of my ear.
"What the hell do you think you’re doing?!" Eric growled, stepping forward. "Take your nasty fingers off my mate!"
"I’ll do that if you ask kindly," Dash replied, completely unfazed. He turned to face the others, still holding my hand. "Except that, Elyse here... she’s my mate too."
"Your mate?!" they exclaimed at the same time, eyes bulging and jaws slackening in pure disbelief.
