I woke screaming.

My eyes flew open, unrecognising my surroundings. Panic drenched me in a cool sweat, and I glanced around, scanning my whereabouts. Through the tears of fear in my eyes, I slowly pieced together the furniture and darkness of the room.

I was somewhere I didn't know...

Vaguely, I heard someone shouting my name, but I was too busy hyperventilating to make out the voice.

Slowly, I realised Darius wasn't here

I was in bed.

I was home.

Darius wasn't here.

It was just a dream.

"Tulip!"

My eyes widened as Asra came into my line of sight.

Asra?

Oh no, I was still dreaming.

I felt my walls crumble, the guilty, heart-stricken fear knocking me down until I was a mass of teary, snotty mess. Asra's scent wrapped around me, pulling me into his lap. I curled up into a ball, accepting the dream of my mate. Warmth enveloped me, tingles erupting on my skin where we met. He was shirtless, and the smooth, hard plains of his skin seemed tougher, more toned.

"Tulip..." He sighed.

My sobs turned to hiccups as I lay in his lap. Why did my dreams have to torture me so much? Why give me my hidden memories just to force me into my mate's arms? I thought I was dead. I thought Azriel had killed me. I thought-

I gasped, sitting up straight.

Azriel.

Asra.

He snapped out of the spell.

Does that mean?

I turned to look at the man in question, my eyes wide as I searched his own. Dark blue skies littered with tiny silver stars blinked back at me. They crinkled in the corners with sympathy, and I blinked, trying to focus.

My heaven.

This dream seemed...

My hand reached out, touching his skin. The tingly warmth ran down my arm, hitting me in the chest and knocking my breath away.

But how?

I licked my lips, my throat dry. "Asra?"

It was barely a croak, but his head dipped in acknowledgement. "That's me."

"But-but y-you-I-the curse-your brother-I..."

He hushed me, pulling me into his body. My head fell into the crook of his neck, and I stared down at his tattooed chest with confusion.

"It's okay." He murmured. "You're safe. I'm back."

"You're back?"

"I am."

"It's safe?"

"It is."

"How can you be so sure?" I whispered, leaning away from him again. "I had horrible dreams, Asra, I..."

I became distracted when my eyes caught sight of his mate mark, watching the way it glimmered dully against his tan skin. In the room's darkness, it was hard to spot, but there was no mistaking the moon marks of my teeth.

"This is real?"

"It is."

"But how?" I croaked. "I thought I was dead."

His face fell, eyes dropping to stare in the middle of us instead of my face. "I did too."

"What happened?"

"Let's just get you settled first, okay?" He murmured. "I will get you a drink, something to eat, maybe a bath, and then we can talk."

Although I wanted all of my answers now, I nodded. I was thirsty, and my entire body had a strange ache, like I had slept on a solid floor. Asra shifted us, placing me back on the back as he stood. It was only then I noticed a machine stabbing me in the arm. I glared at the cannula in my skin before trailing my eyes up to the clear liquid in the bag. It was half-empty.

"It's been a few days. There is a lot to talk about, so let's just take our time," Asra soothed me.

Swallowing, I nodded, whispering okay. He gave me a gentle smile before entering the en-suite. I sat in silence, looking around the dully lit room. Everything was the same, almost too-similar. He must've not been sleeping in here. The sheets smelled fairly fresh, apart from the scent of medicine.

The sound of the taps turning on followed by Asra creaking open some doors, possibly looking for a towel. After a few seconds, the door creaked again, and he reappeared with a glass of cold water. My eyes lingered on his body as he moved, noticing a slight tenseness in his leg. I downed the lukewarm liquid, grateful when it sated the itchy dryness of my throat. Once it was empty and he took it from my grip, I voiced my concerns.

"What did you do?" I wondered, staring at his calf.

"The bath..." He frowned. "Did you want a shower instead?"

"No," I swallowed, still thirsty. "Your leg."

He shifted, lips dropping into a frown. "You are attentive."

I winced a smile. "It's you, of course I am."

He hummed, picking me up into his arms. "It's nothing to worry about. Just healing from a scrap."

"Still?" I quirked an eyebrow, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "You're meant to heal fast. How is it still healing?"

"He tore the entire muscle. I'm lucky it still tried to heal."

"He?" My eyes widened. "Who?"

He didn't look at me as he grabbed my IV drip and walked us to the bathroom. "My brother."

My body tensed, wondering what had transpired from that fight. He placed me on the vanity's side, hands falling to settle at my sides. He frowned, fingers curling around my waist with a low grumble.

Deciding to distract him, I poked him in the chest. "This story time better be long and detailed."

"As should yours?" He quirked an eyebrow, glancing down at my bruising waist. "This is different."

"So is this." I poked him again.

His grumble turned playful and his hands tickled down my abdomen. "Need help?"

"Well, I haven't stood yet, so I don't know."

"Your bones are still fragile, you just don't feel it through the drugs." He smirked.

"What is the extent of my injuries?" I wondered, glancing down.

Somebody had dressed me in one of Asra's shirts and some baggy shorts that dropped to my knee. They bandaged my foot and calf on one leg, so long it trailed up the shorts. My ribs ached softly with every breath, but other than that, I couldn't see anything beneath the clothes.

"In simple terms, we are lucky you are alive."

I let out a small laugh. "I thought as much."

"It is nothing to laugh about, Tulip."

My eyes fluttered closed, warmth in my chest as he murmured my nickname. A soft smile lifted my cheeks, and I knew right then that this reality was the best I had in a while.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's just nice to hear that stupid name again, Butterscotch."

His eyes softened, lips quirking. "If it wasn't for the nicknames, I wouldn't be here right now. You got me out of that spell."

"No-no! You did. You are the strength. I just told you what to do." I shook my head defiantly.

"You should give yourself more credit, Tulip. You survived all of that and came out of it alive."

"Surviving is barely something to be appraised for. It's not like I was on death's door before the fight."

He shook his head. "Let's talk about this in the tub."

I pursed my lips, looking down at the tub. "I want to go to the lake."

"Not right now, Tulip. Once you are better."

"I feel fine." I quirked an eyebrow.

"You have a needle in your skin, and you will not leave this room until you have had something to eat and drink." His face was stern.

Rolling my eyes, I agreed softly. It was then I noticed something blue in the bottom, and inhaled sharply to figure out what it was. It smelt salty, so I could only observe the obvious and figure out they were bath salts.

"What are you doing?"

"Seeing what you put in the bath." I looked back up at him, wriggling to get down. "It's nearly full."

He didn't shift, eyebrows furrowed. "With your nose?"

"Yeah?" I cocked my head, confused. "What about it?"

"Since when could you smell what's in a bath?"

I blinked, blanking. "For a while... It got stronger a few weeks ago."

He hummed, cocking his head.

"Help me into the bath? Please?" I begged. "I have a million questions to ask you."

"Of course." He murmured.

Slowly, he pulled the clothes from my sore body and I winced at a sharp pull on my shoulder. Once nude, he unwound the bandages that seemed to cover my entire body. I was clean from blood, but there were oddly shaped scars and yellowing bruises littering my skin.

Why was I even bandaged?

Once in the tub, I sighed with satisfaction, my eyes fluttering closed. Asra grumbled, and the sound of his clothes hitting the floor caught my attention. The water splashed, and I was gently cast aside as he slid in behind me. He groaned softly, and my entire body hummed with satisfaction. The few weeks apart were torture, and feeling him holding me like this made me feel like I was floating.

I missed him so much.

My emotions made my chest hurt, and I swallowed down the lump in my throat. Before he could catch onto my heart ache, I sighed and started my questions.

"What day is it?"

"November second."

I swear I choked on my tongue. There was no other explanation for the surprise that coated my entire being. Rock solid in Asra's grip. My brain tried to understand just how long I had been in a weird state. I knew I was with Azriel for nearly two weeks and locked in the cell here for nearly one week.

I just didn't think that a month could pass.

Asra remained silent, breathing steadily behind me. Slowly, I exhaled, a soft wow escaping my lips.

An entire month of my life gone, purely because of greed.

If it wasn't natural aging that took the years of my life, it was other people's selfish desires.

"Okay, so moving on..." I breathed, determined to not think more of that. "What happened during the fight?"

Asra was tense, and I dug my fingers into his forearm, trying to settle his worry. He sighed softly, chin dropping to rest on my head. I turned into him, resting my cheek against his hard chest, finding comfort in the muted beating of his heart.

"Where do you want me to start?" He mumbled.

"From where you remember." I laughed.

"That isn't very much." He admitted. "But okay. After I came to, I felt the bond, and I spoke to you, and the next thing that happened was you gaining this random burst of energy."

He seemed to hide something. I could feel it, but I didn't pry, knowing it can come out later.

"After you got free from my brother's grip, I charged him." Asra explained. "Your nails blindsided him by ripping into his cheek, and the moment he closed his eyes, I pushed him down and clamped my teeth around him. It was so hard to concentrate on what I was doing, because I could feel your pain through the slither of the bond that opened."

"I don't remember much." I confessed. "But I remember wishing I could give in."

"You were so, so broken, and then I realised I had done it. I..."

"It's okay. We don't have to talk about that right now." I reassured him, squeezing his wrist. "Stick to the timeline first. We will hash out the deets later."

He chuckled softly, but whispered an agreement. "Piper tried to protect you. But I felt you slipping and paired with her whining cost me a distraction. Azriel took advantage. He shifted into his beast on the ground and wrapped his teeth around my leg. He pulled it so hard,he dragged me halfway across the field."

"Ouch." I muttered.

"Then I saw red, and most of the fight was a blur. I remember his claws and his teeth, and then more claws and teeth, before I finally got him pinned after I tore his leg off."

My head reared, spinning to stare at him in shock. "You what?"

"He hurt my leg, so I ripped his off." He shrugged.

"Azriel has no leg?" I squeaked. "Asra!"

"He got what was coming to him!" His eyes narrowed. "I had him pinned, and he submitted. Then, when Rio and Everett came to take him away, I came to you. Your heart kept you going for so long, baby. I was so scared when it weakened. I held you, and you saw me, but then you passed out in my arms, pale and bloodied and... I forced my blood into you right there. I'm sorry, but it was all I could think about doing."

"Is that how I'm alive?" I wondered. "Because you did it whilst I was dying?"

"You weren't dying." He demanded. "I won't ever let you die."

I snorted, humouring the tense atmosphere. "I may as well have been. It sure felt like it!"

He growled, his arms tightening around me. My chest ached, and I wheezed an ouch, which caused him to loosen them with a soft apology. He tilted my head up, cupping my cheek in his palm as he stared into my eyes. Mesmerised, I gazed into his midnight skies, a smile lifting my cheeks at the determination he held.

"Never, ever, will I let anything happen to you, ever again. If it means I never leave your side, I won't." He growled.

I grinned, rather manically. "Okay. That will be fine for about an hour, but then I will just annoy you to death, anyway, and then you'll stop."

Asra's face softened, the darkness slowly melting to humour as he smiled. "That is true, Tulip. But it's a good job I love you."

"I love you, too." I laughed, full of adoration.

"Good, now let's wash before you freeze." He chuckled. "That is not something I want to be admitting to if you happen to die."