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The muffled sounds of an argument stirred his consciousness.

His chest felt heavy, and his eyelids were not cooperating.

‘Where am I?’ he wondered.

He wasn’t home, he could tell that.

Again, he tried to open his eyes. This time, the blurred room and the light started to pierce the darkness of his vision. He was tired and found it challenging to keep them open any longer.

The yelling was getting louder.

‘I can’t just lay around in bed,’ he thought to himself, ‘I need to know what all the yelling is about.’

He tried to sit up, but he couldn’t. He could raise his head, and he felt some movement in his shoulders, but that was all.

He let out a soft groan as he struggled to try again.

“Caleb…?” Ashleigh’s voice whispered beside him.

He turned his head, and the blurred vision began to clear. He saw her curled up on a small reclining chair, a blanket laid over her. Her hair was in one of those loose braids she often wore. But her eyes looked tired.

She smiled, tears glistening back at him.

“Caleb…” she whispered again.

“Hey…” he whispered back.

His voice, even at a whisper, was shaky.

Ashleigh smiled happily and then suddenly sat up.

“I need to get Bell!” she said, jumping up from the chair._.

The blanket fell to the floor, and Caleb saw that she wore a hospital gown with a sweater.

“Wait…” he called to her before she moved too far towards the door.

She hurried to his side.

“Are you ok? Do you hurt anywhere?” She asked with worry. “I’ll get Bell. It’ll be ok.”

“Wait…” he said again.

Ashleigh looked down at him, her eyes full of worry and relief.

“I’m here,” she said, reaching out and taking his hand in hers.

He saw her do it, but he didn’t feel it.

Caleb swallowed the building fear he had. He focused on her instead.

“Why… are you in that?” he asked. “Are you ok?”

Ashleigh looked down, realizing he meant the hospital gown.

“I’m ok,” she smiled. “I just had to have a checkup.”

He smiled at her.

“I don’t believe you.”

Ashleigh laughed and let out a sigh of relief.

“It was more than a checkup, but it was nothing compared to what you’ve been through.”

Caleb swallowed, again feeling that fear in him rising.

“What exactly have I been through?”

Ashleigh took a breath and let it out slowly.

“I think I should get Bell, so she can explain it to you.”

“Ashleigh, please,” Caleb pleaded.

She wiped the tear that fell and nodded. Then, pulling over the small stool, she sat down beside him and adjusted his bed so he was sitting up more. Taking his hand in hers once again. Ashleigh took a deep breath before she spoke.

“It’s been two days since the Fae creatures attacked. There have been no other sightings, reports of attacks, or anything unusual, here or anywhere else.”

“Two days?” Caleb asked.

Ashleigh nodded.

“You… were hit by a poisoned arrow. The tip was coated in–”

“Wolfsbane.” Caleb finished the sentence. “I remember.”

“I’m sorry,” Ashleigh said softly. Fresh tears falling. “If it wasn’t for me, Granger never would have…I’m sorry.”

“Did you teach him to take cheap shots?” Caleb asked.

Ashleigh shook her head.

“Then it’s not your fault,” Caleb smiled.

Ashleigh smiled at him, rubbing her thumb along his hand.

He saw it, but he didn’t feel it.

“The wolfsbane…” Caleb began to ask, but he couldn’t finish.

Ashleigh saw the conflicted look in his eye, the way he looked down at her hand. She bit her lip and then told him the truth.

“It penetrated your spine,” she said.

Caleb closed his eyes.

“At this point, there is no way to know the severity of the damage or how long it will last. It could be a few hours now that you’re awake, a few days, maybe weeks….”

“Maybe never,” Caleb smiled bitterly.

“Bell and Peter both agree that there is an excellent chance that’s not the case for you,” Ashleigh said quickly. “And Bell said she saw something in the research files from Summer that might help if it is worse than they think.”

Caleb nodded.

“Ok,” he said. “Let’s talk about something else.”

He turned his head and looked her in the eye. The sudden intensity made her gasp.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was you?” he asked.

His eyes stared into her with a longing she didn’t expect. It made her throat feel parched suddenly.

“What?” Ashleigh asked.

“The white wolf,” Caleb said.

Ashleigh looked away, a flush in her cheeks.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you were getting sick because of me?” She countered.

“What?” he asked.

“The time I had wolfsbane poisoning, or when my heart stopped?” she stated with a bit of fire in her, “you didn’t tell me our bond was affecting you like that. What if Galen hadn’t been with you when your heart stopped?”

Caleb looked at her carefully.

“You said ‘our’ bond,” he said softly. “Not ‘the’ bond, or my bond, ‘our’ bond. That implies a shared feeling.”

Ashleigh licked her lips nervously but still gave him a slight nod.

“Then…” he began, “your true mate….?”

Ashleigh looked away before answering quietly.

“It’s pretty difficult to keep claiming he was my mate when I tried to rip his throat out for attacking you.”

Caleb didn’t react other than to take a deep breath and close his eyes.

Ashleigh felt the anxiety in her bubble over.

“Look, I know I messed up a lot. I lied, and you’re angry, and I understand that I really do,” she said quickly, as tears streamed down her face. “But I thought I was doing the right–”

“Ashleigh,” Caleb interrupted.

Ashleigh swallowed down her remaining words and looked down.

“Yes?” she answered quietly.

“I can’t move,” he began, “I can’t lift my arms or turn more than just my head to face you.”

Ashleigh nodded.

“So, you’ll have to do all the work,” he said.

Ashleigh nodded, then looked up, suddenly confused when the words registered.

“What?” she questioned.

“You are going to have to be the one to kiss me this time,” he smiled, opening his eyes, and looking at her.

Ashleigh let out a breathy laugh of surprise. She smiled back and felt a swelling of relief in her chest.

“But I lied, and I hurt you,” she cried.

“And we’re going to talk about that, all of it,” Caleb replied. “But right now, what I want, and I hope you want, is just to be near you. To kiss you again.”

Ashleigh stood up from the small stool and lowered the bed rail. She climbed into the bed and laid down beside him, pulling his arm to rest on her waist. They looked into each other’s eyes, and both felt the deep connection that flowed between them.

Caleb tilted his head, bringing their lips closer together.

“Caleb,” Ashleigh whispered.

“I told you, Ashleigh, we can talk later.”

“No,” she said, “I need to say this now.”

He relaxed and nodded.

“Ok, go ahead.”

Ashleigh smiled and brought her hand up to his cheek. She looked him in the eyes as she spoke.

“I love you, Caleb.”

Caleb felt joy like he had never known. Even the memory of her words at the full moon did not feel as satisfying or touching as this moment.

“I love you too, Ashleigh.”

She smiled brightly at him, and then she lifted herself just enough so she could get a better angle before she leaned forward and kissed the man she loved.