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With Elix’s heart rate matching mine, we fell into synched breathing until sleep overcame me, and I was back in slumber.
This time, my sleep was dreamless, as if my demons had been chased off by the comfort of Elix by my side.
But when I woke up again, the room was pitch black, and Elix was no longer there. Blinking, I looked around for her, but there was no indication of her in the bathroom or anywhere nearby. I sensed someone in the room, however, and I tensed.
“Elix?” I called out, my throat raspy again.
“Alpha?” the healer whispered from nearby. “Can I get you something?”
“Where is Miss Elix?”
“She returned to her room for the night, Alpha,” the healer explained, laying a cool compress over my forehead. I brushed it aside and sat up, all the previous fogginess now totally gone.
“When?”
“Almost as soon as you fell asleep,” she replied. “She asked me not to disturb you.”
Grunting, I shoved the covers aside, against the healer’s wishes. I wasn’t about to sleep alone or let Elix lay awake all night stewing about what had happened. She belonged at my side, and I had to show her that.
Chapter 18
Elix
When I gave up trying to sleep, I paced the suite, which now felt huge and lonely. Once, it had felt like the epitome of luxury, but all alone, it seemed larger than the entire world as the night dragged on.
I had wanted to lay in Jace’s arms all night while he slept and healed, but suddenly, I’d found myself fidgeting and twisting, unable to lie still a moment longer as he drifted off into oblivion, leaving me alone with my endless, racing thoughts.
This isn’t going to be okay. I almost killed him, no matter what he says.
I realized I was overwhelmed with the idea that I had also taken a life that night, even if that life had endangered someone I cared about.
No. Someone I loved.
Is that what this is about? Am I climbing the walls because I’m in love with Jace?
I whirled around at the sound of the front door opening, my wrists twisting to make fireballs, my back arched to attack in case they failed me—again.
“I come in peace!” Jace joked, hands up over his head as he grinned, shuffling forward. His movements were still slightly sluggish, and I immediately dropped my hands to rush toward him.
“What are you doing out of bed?” I demanded, ushering him toward mine. “Did the healer say you could leave?”
“Nope. On the contrary, actually. She wasn’t impressed with my ambition in the least.”
“Jace…”
“The question is, what are you doing out of my bed?” he went on, perching on the side of my mattress and cocking his head to peer at my face pensively. “You look stressed. You haven’t slept at all, have you?”
“I can’t,” I admitted. “It’s almost morning, anyway.”
Extending a hand, he pulled me toward him, and I sat, keeping my palm in his.
“You should be resting,” I scolded him. “You could have texted if you wanted me to come back. I thought you were still sleeping.”
“I sleep better when you’re with me, Elix.”
My heart pattered at his confession.
“I sleep better with you, too,” I admitted. His hand reached up to stroke my hair, lingering at the top of my shoulders.
