Sapphire's pov
“I am, I am ready,” I let out with all the courage I had left in me, even though I wasn't ready and I felt like my life was ending right in front of me.
He moved closer and pointed to a line where I was supposed to read. I took in a deep breath and started.
“Elementals are mysterious creatures of the wild, different from regular werewolves. They are an ancient creature that appears once in every thousand years…” my voice trailed off, I was almost choking. What did they mean once in every thousand years?
“Breathe…” Jason said, rubbing my back with his palms. The weight of what this meant had just settled on me. He had seen it too and that was why he warned me before he began.
“You…you…you saw it right.. right?” I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. I cupped my mouth with my hand and my wolf let out sobbing sounds. She was also feeling the pain. We were elementals, she was also in this. We were in this together.
I burst out crying and let my tears flow. After all these years of my life, this revelation could change everything.
“Do you want to go back? We shouldn't have come here in the first place, what was I thinking.” He reached to take the book and close it shut but I held his hands and stopped him.
“I'm fine,” his eyes pleaded with me not to lie.
“I'm fine,” I feigned a chuckle.
“See, I'm smiling.” Tears also came out with this chuckle and I could tell that I looked like a wasted teenage girl crying over her crush.
I didn't like him seeing me like this, so vulnerable and open to loving him, open to letting my wolf's feelings get the better of me. Open to letting him know about my secrets.
“I insist,” he said and started wheeling my chair away after putting the book back on the desk.
“I said no!” I got up. The same energy that came into me when I wanted to hold my mother as she lay in that bed came to me at this moment.
We both stood there deadpan. He was frozen because of the shock when I stood up and I was frozen because I was scared of falling again once I tried to move.
“You…you got up.” He stated the obvious.
“Yes,” my voice was still shaky and the tears were still flowing. “And I'm scared Jason, I'm very scared of falling.” I cried, stretching my hand out to him for support.
He was about to take a step towards me, but then he stopped.
“No. Come to me instead. You shouldn't be scared of moving, you shouldn't be scared of falling. The only thing you should be scared of is not being able to stand again.” He had tears in his eyes too.
“Come.” He gestured.
I let the tears fall out again.
“Now's not the time for motivational speeches Alpha and I'm not one of your pack members needing encouragement, I need actual help, please, I'm scared.” I said still standing on the same spot unmoved.
He turned around and paced from the desk to another table. Then he punched it and wiped his eyes aggressively.
“Arghh,” he growled.
“Walk! Walk to me. It's the second time you're getting up so walk. You need to use your legs. My Luna can't be stuck on a wheelchair for life.” He said pain in his eyes as he looked at me, all the while avoiding eye contact with me.
“No, I'll fall again,” I sobbed. I was so scared, why couldn't he see it.
“This is not about me being your Luna. I might hurt myself if I fall. My legs are shaking. I need your help. Aren't you supposed to be my alpha?”
It wasn't even about him anymore. Why couldn't he hear the fear and frustration in my voice. I was scared. Very scared and my alpha didn't find that as a good enough reason to help me to my wheelchair.
“I'm sorry,” he said and wiped his tears. He walked to my wheelchair and took it away. He pushed it to the end of the room and in that moment, I hated him more than I had ever done.
“I hate you! You're so selfish! You brought me here to kill me and make me feel so helpless before you do so. All you care about is yourself Alpha Jason. You're saying your Luna can't be in a wheelchair but you'll let her fall? Why can't it be a gradual process for me to learn how to walk?”
“You don't understand Sapphire! I want what's best for you.”
“That's not true you liar!”
“Can you just shut up!” The room became graveyard silent and the chills that accompanied graveyards? I could feel it. The cold ran through my skin and it tortured me as I tried to balance myself without moving my legs. I hated him so much. The words of the moon goddess saying I should align with my mate and let him mark me crossed my mind. He was so evil, definitely not the kind of man I would love to mark me.
I stretched my leg to move and I got the first step, but then the second step, I fell.
“Arghh!” I screamed. He ran up to me and crouched beside me on the floor trying to help me but I pushed his hand away and just sobbed. Another hand came behind me.
“Pumpkin,” I was worried sick, how did you get here?” My father asked. I hugged him tight, letting his warmth feel my body. I was so happy to see him, a familiar person who could comfort me.
I looked at Jason and my wheelchair and that answered his question.
“How dare you?” He was about to charge at Jason but I held him down.
He looked at me, and we locked eyes.
“Father, who are my real parents?”