I gazed silently at the ceiling above me, the light was shut off but there was sunlight peeping through the curtains from the windows in Marina's room.

The letter I had written was placed on the pillow beside me, tears were quietly trailing down my cheeks before disappearing down the white shirt that I had borrowed from Marina's closet.

My hands were placed under the hem of the shirt, touching the skin of my slightly rounded tummy and rubbing it absentmindedly — a feeling of emptiness remained in my heart.

I didn't realize how having a Mate; no matter how bad he was, made me feel so full, but now — without him, I feel so broken and lonely.

"Celine." A small voice called from outside of my door, it was vaguely familiar but I didn't even feel like acknowledging it; I had no left energy to.

The door creaked open, but I kept my glossy gaze on the ceiling above me, my heart was slowly beating under the layers of my skin; my breathing leveled.

"Celine, are you alright? How're you feeling?" This time I knew it was Marina from how close she was to me; her presence had an impact on me. Almost as though we had a bond.

"Bad Marina." I replied hoarsely, coughing when the words left because they made my throat scratchy and sore; my chest heaved at the movements before I composed myself.

"Are you hungry?" She asked softly, the bed dipped sideways before it was leveled again, and I slowly lowered my gaze to look at her, tears lingered on my cheeks and she noticed them.

"No." I replied breathlessly, I spoke inaudibly because it hurt to. Any form of speaking or moving, hurt very badly and it pained me to do so anyway.

"Are you sure? Y-you lost a lot of blood downstairs — I-I think we should get the Pack Doctor to check you out." She suggested kindly, her wide worried eyes took in my facial features frantically and I felt my stomach drop — at her suggestion I shook my head helplessly.

"There is no need to. That was not my blood." I replied lowly, placing a hand over my chest seeing as it started to burn — she noticed and slightly pushed herself closer to me; she made it seem as if I was going to die right before her.

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously, her hand falling over my knee comfortingly; almost as if to assure herself that I really was in front of her, alive — I shrugged at her words, not wanting to answer them, but sadly I had to.

"The blood was not mine, it was the spirits. Black is a symbol of darkness, and the spirit thrives on it. It is removing the blood, so that it could take over my own completely. It is confusing, but think of it as removing the old and staring fresh. It wants to darken my own blood; fill me up with its darkness." I explained slowly, goosebumps rose on my arms at my words and I shuddered in disgust, Marina did too and her face fell at my words, I watched her eyes well up before she exhaled shakily.

"So, the blood didn't leave your body weak or with less energy?" She asked, her brows furrowed while a stray tear trailed out of her left eye making me bite my bottom lip to prevent from crying out, I nodded my head.

"It did, but my body is already weak. I am a walking corpse, my day's are coming to an end and I can already feel it. Even now, my heartbeat isn't as strong as it should be, and I pant whenever I speak; take now for example." I stated weakly, breathing heavily between each word because my body was struggling to keep up with everything that I was doing, she noticed and huffed out sadly, raking a hand through her hair before tugging the ends almost angrily.

"Then don't speak, don't do anything that'll tire you out. You need your energy." She told me almost frantically, her glossy eyes wide with both fear and pity, I could only watch as her shoulders shook helplessly while she gazed at me — I nodded with teary eyes and brought my gaze back up to the ceiling; oddly enough, my body felt warm.

I felt Marina lay beside me, her shoulder grazing mine as she moved around a bit to get comfortable — once she did, she huffed out before copying what I was doing.

"Marina." I called out after a moment of silence, she flinched beside me before turning herself slightly, I licked my dry lips before looking at her through my glossy vision.

"Thank you. I love you." I whispered gratefully, nodding my head while gulping — she gasped before smiling sadly, her eyes bright with a glossy sheen.

"I love you too. You're like the sister I never had." She replied happily, tears pouring down her cheeks as she watched my eyelids droop; my body was too tired to stay awake, but I fought against it.

"You too." I stated breathlessly, my lungs were getting tighter and I gripped the sheets below me to gain some strength to not cry out.

She smiled before looking up at the ceiling and wiping her cheeks, I could hear her sniffs and they made my heart clench tightly — but I didn't say anything as I felt myself drifting off into a dreamless sleep, tears still lingering on my cheeks.

•
•
•

"She is sleeping — yes, sleeping." I stirred on the bed uncomfortably at the voices that I heard and groaned when I heard my backbone pop; all the muscles there loosened.

"M-Marina?" I called out quietly, rubbing my hair while slowly opening my tired eyes — my eyelids were too heavy to move, but I fought against the tiredness.

"Yes, are you alright?!" Marina replied frantically, running from her place by the door towards the edge of the bed before taking a seat, I chuckled hoarsely; my throat still sore and itchy.

"Yes." I stated softly, my eyes trying their hardest to remain open as I gazed at her, she smiled weakly her eyes roaming my face worriedly; her facial expression made me frown, but I said nothing.

"Who is at the door?" I asked curiously, turning my head to glance at the doorframe, she sighed before turning her own body to face the door.

"Elijah, come inside." Marina said, her shoulders were slouched and her hair looked slightly messy; as though she was previously tugging it and running her hands through it mercilessly — my stomach dropped.

"Hello." Elijah greeted awkwardly while shutting the door behind him, he gazed at the window which now was barely spreading any light into the dim room before looking at me with some form of understanding in his eyes; I grimaced.

"Hello, Elijah." I replied weakly, pushing my body up slightly so that my head laid pressed against the headboard — I groaned inwardly and shut my eyes tightly as a wave of pain ran up and down my spine.

"How're you feeling?" He asked me softly, his eyes holding genuine concern for me — similar to Marina's, making me turn my head to look at the window instead of him; because their faces only managed to bring tears to my eyes.

"Fine." I croaked out hoarsely, clearing my throat as I felt it dry up; I heard Marina sniffing from where she sat and Elijah's shaky breaths could be heard from a mile away.

"I'm sorry, I wish there was something I could do to help you because you evidently aren't fine and I am an idiot for always asking you how you feel, when all you do is lie to my face because you are too good to others and want to prevent our pain, but you do not have to do that anymore." He cried out helplessly, his deep voice was hoarse like mine and hearing him sob made my heart clench tightly; tears welled up in my own eyes and I gasped lowly to prevent any whimpers — Marina continued weeping beside me.

These people, my family, they care for me; it is evident that they do. And it feels so good.

"Listen Elijah, please, lets talk about something else; anything else. I have had enough of crying and being pitied, I want to laugh and feel good even for a second, so please — just tell me a happy story." I told him, almost pleadingly as tears trailed down my cheeks, my wide eyes locked with his and the sight of this dangerous man; who was crying for me, made me place a hand over my hammering heartbeat gratefully.

"Yes-yes, of course. Marina, how about we tell her the story of the man who found the golden crescent necklace." He suggested hesitantly, I could sense the pain that rode off him in waves as he spoke but he held his tears back and made way towards the bed before sitting across from Marina and to my other side, Marina wiped her cheeks before nodding.

I took hold of his large calloused hand and grabbed onto Marina's small hand as well, with my other one, this way I knew I was safe and not alone — because that empty feeling was still inside of me, and my heart couldn't bare feeling lonely.

"So, long ago; in our Pack-land, a man named Sebastien worked as an Omega for the Alpha at the time — named Laurence. He hated his life here, and the torture that he had to go through; so he went to a witch, and a seer; he wanted to see what the future had in store for him. They told him that he would die in the upcoming days by his own hand, he hated the news but the witch gave him a way to prevent it from happening; a way for him to be happy-"

"He had to go out to the villages in the human world and look for the golden crescent necklace; it held a power that no one in this world could grant him — happiness. It was a struggle, and the Alpha sent his best warriors to find him and kill him for leaving the Pack without permission. But, in the end the man found the necklace, but it was not the necklace he had realized that would give him the power of happiness; but the woman wearing it. They were Mates and they bonded completely, with their happiness came a life that they both cherished, and the Alpha couldn't find them there — so he let them be after two whole years of searching; he was left in complete despair for losing the only friend he had, the friend that he drove away in the first place..."

The story made me wonder about my situation with Dustin, and my stomach dropped; my eyelids got heavy and I once again found myself drifting off — my hands tightened around Marina and Elijahs and they squeezed back reassuringly.

Wet tears from before lingered on my cheeks and my heartbeat slowed as I quietly felt myself fall asleep, before I did I whispered something to the both of them.

"I love you guys." And I truly did mean it.