ARTEMIS' POV
Her heart's pounding, a rhythm almost as loud as mine, thumping like it wants to break free from my ribcage. I muster a cool smile to hide my jitters.
Words are just too weak to capture the storm of emotions swirling in me from finally seeing her-those hypnotic green eyes, after days locked away in that boring, soul-sucking room.
Days without her voice, her laugh, the comfort of her presence.
Days that drove me nearly mad, figuring out that nothing-absolutely nothing-mattered more than getting out and getting to her.
My wolf is practically buzzing inside me, itching to close the distance between us. It craves the simple comfort of her nearness, aching to breathe in her scent like an addict in withdrawal.
I want all of that-Goddess, how I want it.
But I hold back, every fiber in me straining to keep control. I don't want to spook her, not when I'm still trying to figure out what I even want.
Fuck, I've missed her.
Missed her so much that everything else blurred into insignificance.
My mind was a mess, fraying at the edges as I counted the seconds, the minutes, the eternities she was away.
And what stung the most? She never came. Never even sent a message through Jasper or Ace.
Like a psychopath, my emotions swung like a pendulum-angry one moment, shattered the next. Until I hit the raw truth: she wasn't coming, and maybe, just maybe, I deserved it regardless.
And now I'm here, standing right in front of her. She's silent, eyes wide, and her quietness starts to prick me.
Is this a mistake? Should I not have come?
"Sera, please," I almost whisper, voice filled with a quiet yearning. "Say something. Anything."
I'm hanging on, waiting for some sign, some flicker in her eyes that says she felt even a fraction of what I've been through.
But then tears break through, rolling down her cheeks, and my heart drops into panic.
"Shit," I curse under my breath, closing the distance between us. "Are you okay? Is it something I said?"
She shakes her head, tears flooding faster now, catching me off guard. I'm scrambling mentally, flipping through every possible way to fix this, when she makes the first move.
She rushes into me, arms flung around my waist in a hug that her smaller frame can't fully carry. Her face is buried in my chest, her sobs wetting my shirt, and in that moment, something deep within me understands.
There it is.
The response I've been aching for.
I'm caught off-guard, momentarily dumbstruck by her sudden leap into my arms. The intimacy of this, initiated by her, floods me with a burst of overwhelming emotions.
"You're okay!" She's crying the words into my shirt. "I was so scared, so worried. Thank goodness."
Just like that, every bit of resentment for her not visiting me washes away. Knowing that she's missed me, even a smidge, stops the little storm cloud of doubt that had been lingering in my mind.
My arms wrap her, hands patting her back gently, protectively. A grin I can't hold back stretches across my face. We stand like that for what feels like both an eternity and a heartbeat, until her tears finally run dry.
She pulls away, sniffling, wiping at eyes that are now tear-streaked but glowing.
"'How do you feel?"
"Like shit, but lighter somehow." She's smiling that frail smile, and it's like I've won some sort of victory.
"Well, that was a pretty ugly cry though - worthy of an award if you ask me," I can't help but tease.
Her glare is playful as she swings a fist at me, a move I dodge with ease.
"Shut up!"
I laugh, catching her next attempt mid-air, her small fist encased in my hand.
"That's cute, thinking you can actually throw a punch at me,' I tease again, and she huffs, wrestling her hand free.
The air feels different now, cleaner.
The shock of my sudden appearance seems to have gone, replaced by something softer, something that feels like the first note in a new melody.
The atmosphere shifts as she changes the subject, and I sense the guilt weighing down her words.
"What are you doing here, though? Shouldn't you be getting treated after everything that happened?"
Her head is lowered, so I reach out to lift her chin, making her eyes meet mine.
"Listen, Sera. None of this is your fault. Morgan would have done his thing regardless. If taking that hit means you're safe, I'd do it again in a heartbeat," I say, locking eyes with her to drive home my sincerity.
Her eyes still carry doubt, but she nods, seemingly a bit reassured. With some reluctance, I let go of her chin, consciously tearing my gaze away from her lips-still slightly swollen from her emotional outburst.
"Secondly, I'm good. My healing game is strong; stronger than most wolves. Staying in that room felt more like torture than treatment," I explain.
Her concern deepens. "Artemis, that's not how treatments work. You're supposed to stay put until a doctor clears you."
I shrug, my stance nonchalant. "We're not mere humans, Sera. Rules like 'stay in bed' don't necessarily apply. And trust me, being here does more for me than any treatment could."
And it's true.
Just a few minutes in her presence have steadied my thoughts, silenced the crazed state in my mind. It's a strange sort of miracle, her effect on me.
"You coming?"
She blinks, her gaze turning quizzical. "Coming where?"
The look on her face is tempting-inviting even-and for a moment, I'm tempted to close the distance between us, maybe ask for another hug to fill this growing emptiness inside me.
But I resist, pulling back the reins on my emotions. There's a lot to sort out, a lot to understand about what I'm feeling-and about her.
"It's a full moon, Sera. Wolves run under it. I assume the human girl has never been on a run before?"
"Because I don't turn into a four-legged beast, no offense," she retorts, her tone laced with wit.
I laugh. It's a genuine, easy laugh, and I find myself agreeing with her.
"Fair enough. Then do you want to find out what it's like? I get the sense you're out here because you can't sleep either. Will you come with me, experience your first run under the moonlight?"
I extend my hand toward her, palm open, an invitation.
I watch her eyes dart between my outstretched arm and my face. She's waging a silent internal battle, but this time, she surrenders to her curiosity much faster than usual.
Her hand grips mine, her face a canvas of resolve and anticipation.
In a single fluid motion, I pull her into my arms and leap off the balcony, her body snug against mine. She lets out a surprised squeal, and I can't help but grin.
We hit the ground smoothly, and I set her down beside me.
"A heads-up would've been nice," she mutters, still catching her breath.
"Heads-up, then," I reply, turning away from her, ready for the shift.
For the first time ever, I'm on edge with anticipation at the thought of letting her officially meet my wolf form.
It's a meeting long overdue, and my wolf is practically prancing in my mind, desperate to make a grand first impression. He's eager to flaunt our deep midnight black fur, towering height, and unrivalled majesty.
It's an eagerness I've never before felt, not even when introducing my wolf to Kamilla, my own mate.
I feel my body tense, then let go, surrendering to the shift. Bones break and realign, muscles stretching and condensing.
My form expands, almost doubling in size, as I let out a guttural growl that transforms into a howl, a tribute to the moon above us.
I turn back to look at her, my eyes now a deeper, more vivid shade of gold, reflecting the moonlight. I'm both eager and anxious to see her reaction, now sharing a consciousness with my wolf.
Initially, she takes a step back, her eyes widened at our transformed appearance.
Reading her signals, we move forward cautiously, keeping our head lowered and maintaining eye contact to assure her of safety.
We won't ever harm her.
Her tension melts away, as if she could read into our unspoken words, and seizing the opportunity, we eagerly run our tongue over her cheeks.
Her laughter fills the night air, infectiously joyful.
"Stop it," she manages to say through her giggles.
When we cease, she rewards us with affectionate head rubs that send a soothing wave of pleasure down our spine.
Taking this as a sign, we lower ourselves further, silently inviting her to climb on. As she secures her position, gripping our fur for balance, the pulse of her heartbeat echoes in our ears-fast and hesitant.
"On second thought, maybe I should-"
Interrupting her, we burst into motion, the world blurring as we rush into the night. She lets out a scream, holding onto us as if her life depends on it, and I imagine her knuckles white against the dark strands of our fur.
The wind whips past us, lifting her hair and sending an electrifying surge of energy through our being.
Then something magical happens. Her screams evolve into excited laughter, punctuated by the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins.
In this moment, we are free.
Together, we let go of all restraint and surrender to the thrill, feeling the wind weave its fingers through her hair and our fur. With her here, and the moon acting as our silent guardian, the universe condenses into this small, perfect moment.
In that instant, I realize that in these past few weeks, she's perhaps the only right thing that has happened me.