Alphas family

Chapter 17

My eyes fluttered open a fraction before white light slipped beneath my eyelids and blinded me. I let out a croaky groan at the thumping in my head and the heaviness of my eyes. When they finally peeled open, I instantly recognised my bedroom and felt an immediate feeling of safety. I was home.

"Here, drink this," Zach's soft, husky voice ordered before a glass of clear water appeared in my vision.

My eyes continued to droop as I tried to focus on his perfect face. "Nice to see you too," I grumbled with a huff.

He moved forward in a blur before his soft yet rough lips were moving against mine, clinging to them desperately and filling my mouth with the familiar taste of him. "There, now drink this," he ordered with his usual daring edge in his tone.

I leant forward so my lips were on the cool glass and he tipped it slowly so the cold, refreshing liquid slid down my throat. He didn't stop until I had gulped down the entire glass and once I did, my vision started to clear a little.

"You need to drink lots," he told me with a gentle, worried and sympathetic smile. I simply nodded in response and felt around on the bed until my hand was secured in his. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok," I assured him, shuffling over on the bed. Big mistake. As soon as I moved it was like the whole world flipped around and spun for a while, making my own head spin with it.

"Woah, careful." Zach steadied me so the spinning would stop and then took another glass of water from the bedside table. I took a long sip before he took it back and smiled. "You will be ok once the moon rises," he told me.

"Ok," I responded, taking in his features now I could see properly. 

His sparkling blue eyes had dulled slightly and had dark purple bags hanging beneath them from his obvious lack of sleep. His usual complexion had lightened a few shades, giving him a deathly white colour except the dark hollows of his eyes. His lips were dry and cracked and his clothes looked scruffy and crumpled.

"Zach, when was the last time you ate or slept?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I will sleep when I know you're ok," he replied, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear and keeping his eyes constantly on me.

"I am ok," I assured him, leaning forwards and pressing my lips to his, kissing him gently and lovingly before tangling my fingers in his hair and biting on his bottom lip while his tongue explored my mouth. Slowly, we pulled away with our foreheads pressed together and our breaths short and ragged. "See." I smiled.

"God, I missed you sweetheart," he breathed, running his hand up and down my arm.

"I missed you too," I told him. My hands cupped his face, my thumb rubbing over his stubbled chin while my eyes stayed locked on his. "But don't change the subject. You need to eat and get some sleep," I instructed, pulling away and leaning back against the headboard.

"Baby, let me take care of you ok? I am fine now you're home." He smiled solemnly and I knew that us being apart was just as hard for him as it was for me. "Lie down."

 I stared for a moment, raising my eyebrows at him. "Sweetheart lie down," he ordered in the daring voice I was so used to and that I had missed. As slow as possible, I lowered myself so I was lay on my back, wondering what exactly Zach was going to do. Ever so carefully, he brushed my shirt up to just under my bra and ran his finger lightly over the cut on my stomach.

"It's already healing," he told me. "How did it happen?"

"I don't know," I told him and his eyes flitted from the cut up to my face, confusion and anger written in them. "I woke up with it."