KADE’S POV
My eyes slowly opened to soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The first thing I saw was Ivy's face looking down at me with worry written all over her features. Her green eyes searched mine, and I could see the concern she had been carrying.
"You're awake," she said softly, relief flooding her voice.
I managed a small smile, and she returned it immediately. But then the memories came rushing back like a flood. The pain, the screaming, the way I had destroyed her room. The shame hit me like a punch to the gut, and I felt my face burn with embarrassment.
"Hey," Ivy said gently, noticing the change in my expression. "It's okay."
"No, it's not," I whispered, looking away from her.
For two whole days, she had stayed by my side. Two days of helping me recover, bringing me water, checking on me every few hours. She hadn't left once, and I knew she must be exhausted.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, starting to stand up from the chair beside my bed.
Before I could even think about answering, she was already moving toward the door to get me food. Something inside me panicked at the thought of her leaving, even for a few minutes.
"Wait," I said, reaching out and grabbing her wrist.
She stopped and looked back at me with surprise.
"Sit down," I said quietly. "Please."
She hesitated for a moment, then came back and sat on the edge of the bed.
"I'm not hungry," I told her, keeping my head lowered so I wouldn't have to meet her eyes.
"Kade," she said softly. "Are you feeling ashamed because of what happened?"
I didn't answer, but my silence was answer enough.
"You don't need to feel that way around me," she continued. "Not ever."
I finally looked up at her. "You saw what I become, Ivy. You saw how dangerous I can be."
"I saw someone in pain," she replied firmly. "Someone who needed help."
"But the things I destroyed, the way I screamed..." I shook my head. "You could have been hurt."
"But I wasn't," she said. "You stopped yourself when you saw me. That means you're stronger than you think."
I wanted to believe her, but the fear was still there, gnawing at me.
"How did it start?" she asked gently. "The curse, I mean."
I took a deep breath. This wasn't easy to talk about, but if anyone deserved to know, it was her.
"It's been going on for years," I began. "At first, the transformations weren't so bad. Painful, yes, but manageable. But they've been getting worse."
"Worse how?"
"More violent. More painful. And I..." I paused, the words catching in my throat. "I lose myself completely when it happens. I can't think, can't control what I do. That's what scares me the most."
She nodded, encouraging me to continue.
"I've hurt people before," I admitted. "Guards who tried to help me. I didn't mean to, but when the curse takes over, I'm not me anymore. I'm just this... thing."
"That's why you lock yourself away," she said, understanding dawning in her eyes.
"Yes. I can't risk hurting innocent people. I can't risk hurting..." I looked at her. "I can't risk hurting you."
"But you didn't hurt me," she pointed out. "Even in the worst of it, you recognized me."
"This time," I said darkly. "But what about next time?"
"Do you feel better when I touch you?" she asked suddenly.
I blinked in surprise at the question. "What?"
"When I used my healing power on you, when I touched you, did it help with the pain?"
I thought about it. The moment her hand had touched my chest, the burning agony had started to fade. My mind had cleared, and I had felt like myself again.
"Yes," I said honestly. "It helped more than anything ever has."
Her face lit up with hope. "Then that's something, isn't it? Maybe we can find a way to help you control it."
"Ivy, I can't ask you to—"
"You're not asking," she interrupted. "I'm offering. I want to help you, Kade. I want to stay by your side no matter what."
The sincerity in her voice made my chest tight with emotion. No one had ever offered to stand by me through this nightmare. Everyone else ran away, and I couldn't blame them.
"You don't know what you're saying," I whispered.
"Yes, I do," she said firmly. "I know exactly what I'm saying."
She started to stand up again. "Now, you really do need to eat something. You haven't had a proper meal in two days."
Before she could take a step, I reached out and caught her hand again. She turned back to me, and when our eyes met, I felt that familiar pull in my chest. The same feeling I'd been trying to ignore for weeks.
I couldn't help myself. I stood up slowly, never breaking eye contact with her. She didn't move away, didn't flinch. She just watched me with those beautiful green eyes.
"Kade?" she whispered.
Instead of answering, I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her. It was soft at first, hesitant, but when she kissed me back with the same intensity, I deepened it. Her arms came up around my neck, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. There was no curse, no pain, no fear. Just her.
When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathing hard. I rested my forehead against hers, trying to gather my thoughts. There was something I needed to tell her, something important. But was it the right time? Would she understand what it meant?
The silence stretched between us as I debated with myself. She deserved to know the truth, but once I said it, there would be no taking it back.
"What is it?" she asked suddenly, noticing my internal struggle.
I looked into her eyes, those eyes that had shown me nothing but kindness and acceptance. She had stayed by my side through the worst of my curse. She had healed me when no one else could. She had promised to stand by me no matter what.
Maybe it was time to be completely honest with her.
I took a deep breath and made my decision.
"You're my mate," I announced.