Dark Moon (The Moon Series #2)

Nine

Jay's POV

I jolt forward with a sharp scream, my back arching off the soft surface beneath me as guttural screams fall from my lips.

A hand that sets my body ablaze with sparks gently grabs my arm, the other cradling my face. "Shh, love. I'm here." A soft voice speaks near my ear, trying to calm me as I scream and writhe.

"Please! MAKE IT STOP!" My voice raises, my body blazing with angry fire.

Tears flow down my face as I cry and scream, kicking out and hoping that someone would make it stop.

"Don't!" Ash yells, but a second later a feel a pinch in my arm.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. But she has to be sedated." A mousy voice replies as I sag back against the bed. The pain slowly becomes dull, and only now do I feel ice packs lining my entire body. I relax, unable to speak, my eyes closing. I wasn't going to fall asleep, I just didn't want to feel the strain of keeping my eyes open.

"Is she going to be okay, doc?" Ash asks, clutching my hand as if his life depended on it.

"At this time, we don't know Alpha. Her condition is severe, and it might be best that if she survives this heat, you mate quickly. She won't survive much longer." The same mousy voice answers him. I feel a weight hit the spot next to my hip. I assume it was his head. I feel soft shaking beside me, and small, soft sobs affirms my suspicions.

He's crying. I hear footsteps walking away from me, and since my mate hasn't let go of my hand, I believe it's the doctor. The door clicks closed, leaving Ash and I alone.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He sobs against me, clutching my hand close to his chest. With every ounce of my power, I force my other hand to cross over my body and lay on his head. I tangle my hand within his soft hair, fighting the sedative so I could move to comfort him.

I feel him look up, my hand slipping out of his hair. My arm hits the bed, and I open my eyes. He looks over me with watery, ocean blue eyes.

I love you. I whisper into his mind, he smiles sadly.

"Go to sleep, Love." His voice cracks, I force my head to shake.

I'm worried about you. C-can you lay beside me?

He nods, crawling into bed beside me and holding my close. He buries his head into my chest, crying against me. Forcing my arms to cradle him against me, I break free of the physical restraints the sedation gave me. I rub his back, gently brushing my fingers through his bronze hair.

His tears soak through my shirt, his body shaking against mine. "I don't want to. I don't want to make you." He cries against me, shaking his head.

What do you mean? Make me to do what?

"Mate with me." He whispers, as if those words hurt him as they made their way out of his mouth.

You won't be making me, silly. I want to, you know, it's just... we're so young. But I will because I love you.

"Really?" His voice squeaks, I laugh inside at how childish he sounds.

Yes, goofball. Really! I love you. He looks up at me, smiling through his tears.

"I love you." He whispers, kissing my cheek. I close my eyes as the sedatives finally make me fall asleep.

I make my way down the staircase slowly, Ash gently holding me up as we go downstairs. It was my last day in heat and I wanted to leave the med-room. As I step into the dining room, everyone pauses in shock. "Jay, careful!" Ash reprimands, just picking me up as I almost hit the corner of the table. He sets me down in my chair, kissing the top of my head and grabbing me a plate full of food.

"Well, sorry Mr. Alpha. I can't exactly control if I run into a table or not yet. You try being in pain." I retort, grabbing the plate out of his hands. He pouts, sitting down beside me and watching me as I ate. "Want some?" I offer him a bite, he shakes his head.

"You need to eat." He shrugs, I roll my eyes and shove the bite of food in his mouth.

"So, do you and there's plenty of food on my plate." I huff, he takes the bite of food and chews it as I pull my fork back to myself. I quickly eat my plate, making sure he ate some too.

A sharp pain hits me, I double over with a groan. Ash gently sets one of his large hands on the middle of my back, rubbing it softly. "I'm sorry, Jay." He whispers, as if it was his fault.

"I'm the one who made you mark me." I retort through the pain, he sighs.

"Some days I wish I didn't." He mutters, I look up in shock, forgetting the pain.

"Asher! I would be dead if you didn't." I exclaim, he looks down.

"But you're in even more pain. Every month since. And you could..." He cuts himself off, shaking his head.

"I know I could die, Asher! Everyone in this room knows it! I knew ever since we were ten, we've had to rush things and I'm sorry about that. I wanted you to think about every decision before you accepted me as your mate, before you marked me, before any of this. I wanted to grow up and meet my mate like normal! But no, I have to have all these damn powers that I can't use on myself. And I'm sorry I have to be your sorry mate who can die any minute today or if I miraculously survive today, I could die tomorrow or the next or my next heat. I'm sorry." I growl out, tears flowing freely down my face.

Echo takes over, forcing my body outside and into the car. She recedes, letting me turn on the car. I race out of there, not able to take seeing him. I drive to Luca's, Erik's, and Miles's place. I pull into the driveway, staggering out of the car and leaning against it in exhaustion. Miles runs out, shutting my car door for me as I cry against my car. He picks me up, knowing I couldn't walk.

I hold onto him, crying, as he helps me into the house. I'm laid down on the couch, a blanket on top of me as a movie comes on for background noise. Luca and Erik race down from upstairs, sitting down around me.

"What's wrong, Chica?" Erik asks, I sob softly. Shaking my head gently, I just cover my face with my hands. I didn't want to say anything yet, they'll just go after Ash.

"Jay, tell us now." Luca orders, I sob louder.

"He said... said that he sometimes w-wished that he never marked me!" I cry, they all tense and begin to get up. I grab Erik's wrist, all of them stopping as I cry. "No! Please!" I cry, they slowly sit back down.

Miles stands, heading upstairs. Within seconds, he comes back down and places an icepack on my forehead and helps me take some painkillers. They're silent as they help take care of me, just watching the movie as I slowly stop crying and just watch the movie.

A banging on the door interrupts the end of the movie. All three get up, moving in sync towards the door. I don't bother stopping them, letting them open the door for my mate. He tries to shove past them as I sit up, looking at him coldly, but they keep him from entering the house.

"She came here crying! Because of you, and you want to make her life even worse? No, get out!" Miles spits, pushing Asher further out and off the porch. They slam the door as they leave the house, blocking me from seeing.

"Let me in, boys. I need to see my mate! JAY! PLEASE! I'M SORRY!" Ash yells, I push myself to stand. Legs weak and wobbly, I don't think I could make it to the door.

I take an unsure step forward, but I trip over my own feet and stumble into the wall with a low thud. "JAY! What was that? Let me in!" Asher shouts, panic in his voice. I groan, my head pounding as the room around me moves around in circles. Closing my eyes, I still feel that dreadful dizziness.

My body slumps to the ground, unable to supportme, just as the door is thrown open and all four boys rush inside. Blacknesscoats my vision.