Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
“I feel like I'm gonna be sick,” he whispered. Wow, I misjudged that one.
But any worry that his illness was caused by my appearance quickly faded when I caught a familiar scent on his breath. Then, an entirely new and larger fear seized my chest.
“Tatum, what were you doing before you saw the bear?”
He let go of my neck to cover his mouth with his hand for a moment, as if he was holding back his sickness. After a few deep breaths, he removed it and replied, “I was really hungry. I found some berries to snack on.”
Fuck. Panic burst through me as I motioned towards a nearby bush, which was coated in bright berries. “It wasn't those, was it?”
He nodded, biting his lip in a way I'd find irresistibly sexy if I weren't about to have a panic attack. “Was that bad?”
I didn't want to scare him, but I also wouldn't lie to him. Not that it would do any good, as he was surely about to find out anyway from his symptoms. “Those are holly berries. They're pretty to look at, but they're poisonous to eat.”
Tatum's eyes swam with moisture. “Am I going to die?”
“No.” The berries wouldn't be fatal, though he might feel like death. It broke my heart to tell him, “But you're going to be very sick.” Now knowing what he ate, things were starting to make sense; why he slurred when saying his name, why he was nauseous, and why he got dizzy and slipped. He was beginning to feel the effects of the poison.
Thinking of what he was about to endure gave me physical pain as well. I didn't want my mate to be sick; I wanted to shield him from everything bad in this world. I only wanted him to feel happiness.
And it killed me to know I could technically put a stop to it all; my mating bite would bind our bodies and souls together. It would make Tatum immune to illness or disease of any kind. But this wasn't the way to make that sort of decision. It would be different if it were a life and death situation, and there was only one way to save him. But when it came to our bond, it needed to be Tatum's choice, made from longing and love - not fear. We needed to have long conversations first. He needed all the information.
Until then, there was something I could do. “I’ll take care of you. I won’t leave your side and I’ll do anything I can to help you feel better.” There was so much I didn’t know about Tatum, and equally as much he didn’t know about me. But neither of us asked any questions.
For me personally, as much as I wanted information about Tatum, I didn’t need it to care for him. I knew he was mine, and I would do anything for him. I would reveal everything about myself to my mate when it was time.
But for now, Tatum only nodded his understanding and agreement. All that mattered was his health. Though human, he would feel the pull of our bond as well. He wouldn’t understand the extent, but he would know he could trust me. I held him close to my chest and hurried towards my home.
Chapter Two
Weldon
Because I was so worried about Tatum, the trip back to my cabin seemed to take twice as long as it normally would. If I were in bear form, I could have sprinted quickly, but I needed my arms to hold onto my mate.
Especially since his strength was waning, and he was no longer able to hold onto me. I stopped twice along the way to allow my poor mate to vomit when his body lurched in my arms.
Tatum was terrified at the bright red color, worried that it may be blood, until I explained it was from undigested berries. My sweet boy tried to apologize for the scene, claiming it was ‘gross’, but I told him that he could never do anything to disgust me; especially when it had to do with his health.
And unfortunately, soon he wasn’t saying anything. By the time we reached my cabin, Tatum was completely wiped out. His skin was pale and clammy, and his body was limp in my arms. His eyes were closed, but I was comforted by the gentle rise and fall of his chest.
I balanced him in my hold to open my front door before hurrying him into the bedroom. I pulled back the blankets covering my king bed and nestled him against the mattress, making sure his head was cradled on the pillow. I slipped off his sneakers and placed them beneath the bed.
Once I was sure he was comfortable, I hurried into the bathroom to retrieve a trash can, which I placed beside the bed in case he needed it. I was glad he was sleeping for the time being; he wouldn't feel the painful stomach cramps as long as he was resting.