In The Woods Somewhere

Chapter Nineteen: Temperarily

Edan didn't leave her side. Not for a minute. Holding her hand tightly, listening to her heavy breaths. She's been asleep for hours, the sun was already starting to come up.

Things were finally where Edan wanted them to be, and this happened.

After waiting for so long.

He finally had her.

"Hey," Everest came into the room. Watching Edan brush his thumb back and forth on Glory's cheek. "How's it going?"

Everest wasn't usually one to ask how one was doing, but she asked her brother. No matter how awkward it made her feel.

"Her fever is getting worse," he eyes didn't remove themselves from her face. She was burning up intensely. So hot it almost burned Edan's fingers - as much as he minded the heat, he could bare it. Glory, however, might not be able to.

Edan knew exactly what Everest was thinking. He wanted to shun her for having such things on her mind. But then he'd only be a hypocrite. The thought had crossed his mind to.

The fever had hit to sudden. To forcefully. She had thrown up to much at once.

The fact that this could happen to her hadn't crossed Edan or Everest's mind.

Her wolf was too strong to be contained so forcefully, so abruptly. The thought hadn't crossed Edan's mind that when he went through the phases he shifted once or twice because he couldn't hold it back.

With Glory, she had Edan to help her control her wolf. And her human side was a whole lot stronger than most wolves.

Sometimes being strong can lead to your downfall. That was exactly what was happening to Glory.

While Everest and Edan's animalistic side was stronger than most of the populations. Glory's human side was stronger then any Edan or Everest had ever met. Which said a lot.

Fortunately, her fever didn't get worse like the siblings expected, it cleared up pretty quickly. Only lasting a total of twenty-four hours. 

"How are you feeling?" Edan had his hand wrapped around her, supporting her.

"Dizzy," she just woke up. Glory didn't want him to know how incredibly weak she felt at that moment. She felt the effects of the flu, it was a horrible feeling. 

"That's normal, you'll be fine in a couple hours," Edan couldn't express how grateful he was that she made it through those twenty- four hours. Next time she might not be as lucky.

The cold air hit her face rather harshly, she hadn't realized how cold it was beginning to get outside. Edan noticed the rise of goosebumps going up her arms, "you've lost some of your wolfs heat."

A wave of disappointment hit her, sadness etched into her heart. She was really going through with this. It's only going to be a matter of months before she will lose everything her wolf had given her. She wasn't ready. Not at all. While she may have lost some of the heat, and even some of her tracking instincts, she still had her hearing. She heard Edan's heartbeat thumping unsteadily and Everest's footsteps coming towards them while she was still hidden behind the trees.

Edan's eyes snapped up to meet his sisters while Glory's had been staring at the spot the whole time waiting for her to appear.

"Hey," Everest smiled, surprised that Glory was well enough already to walk around. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. . . I guess," Glory still hadn't gotten all her energy back. Including the will to raise her voice while speaking to make herself more audible. "I'm tired, obviously, a little weak."

Everest waved her hand in the air as if to dismiss her words, "you'll be running around in no time at all. We haven't gone hunting together for a while. We should do that when you're better."

Glory weakly attempted to smile, "yeah, I'd like that."

"But now you should rest," Edan interfered with their conversation. "I should take you back inside."

"Yeah, what are you doing out here?" Everest questioned.

"She wanted some fresh air," Edan rolled his eyes. The statement seeming ridiculous, they lived in a cabin that had cracks in the walls and open doors and an open window. Fresh air was all that was inside.

However, when the air becomes cold and the days become shorter, they hang up animal furs on the walls and over the door and window to stop the cold air from reaching their lungs. In the summer it becomes too hot so they take it off when the temperature begins to rise.

"Well take her back inside," Everest ordered, not caring what the younger female wanted.

Glory was too weak to protest, there was no will to argue with Everest inside her so she just let Edan lead her back inside.  "Edan," she whined when they were inside.

"What?" He bit his lip, he really wanted to kiss her at that moment but he knew she wouldn't appreciate it considering the sickness was contagious.  

"You don't have to baby me, I can take care of myself," sure Glory didn't mind that Edan was supporting her weight and leading her around, she even was thankful for that. It was the other stuff he was doing, again it's not that she minded, she liked the attention, but she didn't want him to think she was helpless. Even though she sort of was. She wanted him to think of her as strong and independent even in the hardest of times.

She had her moments when she felt insecure around him, fragile. He was strong, Everest was even stronger, she was basically nothing compared to them.

Glory's never had problems with being insecure, but ever since she started feeling things that were higher than a simple crush she's been having problems. It wasn't something she couldn't handle, her mental state was solid, she knew how to control her emotions. She knew how to fight them. But it didn't matter how her rational thinking was, there was still that part of her brain that couldn't help but be not good enough sometimes.

"That's funny. Because you do the same thing to me and you don't hear me complaining."

Glory smiled at that, a rush of heat forcing it's way to her cheeks. It was true, Glory was by his side all the time when he was sick, she was there to aid every one of his needs.

"Whatever," she mumbled silently under her breath.

"It's okay," he grinned, brushing his thumb across her cheek. Teasing her, "I happen to like it when you smother me with your attention."

More heat fled to her face, cheeks pink as can be. She slapped his hand away, embarrassed.

"Go get me some water."

He chuckled at her, she was adorable when she was embarrassed.

"I'm at your service, Glorious."

🌲

I'm sick. And have been for almost two weeks now so I had to force myself to publish this.

Everyone has insecurities, especially in relationships. Just putting it out there.

Who's your favourite character?