Ember

Chapter 17

My eyes slowly blinked open, adjusting to the bright light that surrounded me like a cloak.

It was difficult to move, my limbs ached and I was yearning to close my eyes and go back to sleep.

I cautiously sat up, for a moment confused as to where I was, the new bed we had to purchase after my burning it down meant that the sheets hadn't become saturated with Marcus' scent yet.

I looked up, and for the first time noticed Marcus sat, cross legged, on the bed next to me.

His eyes were glued to me, a deep pain and sense of regret evident in his expression.

"Marcus?" I said, sitting up straight and wincing as the movement hurt me.

He winced as I did, but his eyes remained stuck to my flesh.

"Rose I'm so sorry." He whispered, his eyes full of pain.

"What do you mean? I'm fine?" I asked.

He simply shook his head.

"I've been here all day, I don't want to leave your side, I'm not sure I can. Not now." He sighed.

"I'm confused." I told him.

He stood up and walked around to my side of the bed and ever so gently lifted me up, his light fingertips hovering around me to ensure that I had my balance and wouldn't fall.

I gave him a small smile before turning to look at the large mirror besides me.

The first thing I noticed was my face.

My skin had gone pale, highlighting the dark bags below my eyes, there was only the slightest tinge of pink to my cheeks.

My lips were swollen and bruised, looking like I had smeared purple across them, they looked disgusting.

I began to look down at my body, i was almost completely naked, only wearing underwear and a thick bandage across my chest.

The exposed skin had many dark purple - some green - bruises. Running up and down my arms, my stomach, my legs. Purple marks that resembled fingers that had dug into my skin. The sight of them flashed memories through my mind. Adam.

"Why is there a bandage?" I asked, breathing heavily, "Is it really bad?"

"No." He told me, "I just... that's the worst part and I just couldn't... handle seeing it. I almost killed the doctors because of it."

I cringed, it was bad enough to repulse my mate.

"No." He said again, firmly. "I hate the bruises because I hate that I couldn't get there in time to save you."

I reached out and gently touched his hand, well I tried to, but my hands were coated in thick bandages.

"My hands too?"

"He snapped your wrists." He told me solemnly.

"Right. I remember."

I began to slowly unpeel the bandage covering up my chest.

I winced when I saw the first hint of purple.

Scary, red, purple blotches covered the entirety of my chest. Each bruise stung if I touched it.

I began to unwrap the ones around my hands too. The skin there was red, but wasn't as bad as the other marks.

My hands felt strange, as a wolf I now healed faster, so they weren't exactly broken, just bruised.

In an attempt to fix the friction burns, I lit up my hands with fire, only to wince as scalding flames burned my skin.

I cried out as it happened, Marcus catching me before I fell from the shock.