His Hunter

XVII | Art

GUYS, this chapter is steamy so if you're a youth I'm not going to tell you how to live your life but don't blame me I warned you.

Cole awoke to the sound of gentle sobs. When he eased his eyes open, he saw that it was Lionel. He lurched upright. "Are you ok? I can-"

Lionel grabbed him and pulled him back down on the bed. He shook his head. "I'm ok," Lionel said. "Don't wake him up."

Cole was confused for a second. But then he realized that Albert was unconscious, wedged in the little gap between their bodies. "Oh," Cole said, closing his eyes in relief. "I can't believe I fell asleep. I wanted to stay awake in case you had a bad dream, but I guess I was too tired."

Lionel didn't say anything. Cole opened his eyes and looked at his mate. Lionel was staring. "What?"

"I don't know," Lionel said. He continued staring. Cole felt his face heat up.

"Stop staring at me," Cole said. He wanted to look away and hide his blush, but he couldn't. He'd missed Lionel's eyes so much. He didn't want to tear his gaze away anymore.

"I can't," Lionel said. His eyes got a little bit glassy. "You know how sometimes you just can't wrap your head around something? Something happens or you feel something, and it's impossibly true. It's too big and life-changing and important. You just can't believe that reality is real."

"I think so," Cole answered. "It's like looking at the sky and realizing that it goes on forever. Or it's like staring at your hand and remembering that it's made of atoms."

"Miracles are only so amazing because they're so impossible," Lionel said quietly. "That's how I feel about you."

"You wh-"

"I was just thinking about stuff. Honestly, I don't know what would've happened over the past week if you hadn't been there for me. I might have lost my mind," Lionel said. "Well, I sort of did. I had a breakdown so I guess I'm crazy now."

"You're not crazy. You were under an insane amount of stress for a long time," Cole said. He was frustrated.

"Ok, I'm not crazy. But I would have been if you hadn't kept visiting me," Lionel said.

Cole looked surprised. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lionel smiled and rested his head on the pillow beside Cole's. "I could hear you when you visited me. It was strange because...I didn't remember you. In there, I had no idea who you were. I was a scared kid again..." Lionel looked weak and afraid. "I love you so much, but I kept asking you who you were when you spoke to me. I knew you, but I hadn't met you yet."

Cole's heart was being torn apart. He was terrified of the idea. He hadn't realized it, but losing Lionel was probably the scariest thing that could happen to him. And when had that become the case? The reality was, though, that Lionel was just as important to him as Kaia was. Maybe more so...

Without Lionel, Cole would be alone. Lionel's love would leave this gaping, cavernous hole in his heart. He could shout into it, screaming Lionel's name over and over again. But all he would hear would be an echo of his own voice, Lionel's name shouted back at him. He'd never hear his own name coming from Lionel's lips again.

Cole gasped as if the knife of realization had plunged into his heart and he was suddenly bleeding out how much he had to lose. It had been under his skin the whole time, flowing in and out of his heart...but he hadn't realized it until he saw it now. If he lost Lionel, it would feel like everything. Everything would be gone. He'd be irreparable like his very lifeblood had vanished.