Barely Breathing

I sighed, opening my eyes and hugging my pillow tighter. "I am trying to sleep Xyrus."
Xyrus inched his body closer to mine and buried his nose in my hair like he usually does, his arm circled my waist. His body felt
warm and surprisingly comforting. lt felt like normal for us to cuddle like this, far from how bad I thought this idea would be.
"Willow?" He mumbled.
"Hmmm."
"Do you still remember the day I found you at the boundary?"
"How can I forget." I groaned. "I almost died that day, if it were not for you."
"It was not me who saved your life, Willow." He spoke.
I turned upon hearing this, bewildered and lost for words.
He must have noticed my confusion as he added. "Yes I was the one who killed that rogue who attacked you, and brought you to
the infirmary...but it was your strong will to survive, which has saved you."
"I do not understand," I confessed.
He touched the tip of my nose and inched closer. "Do you remember what you told me that day when you were dying?"
I pursed my lips and let out. "I said I want to live."
"Exactly." He chuckled. "You should have died that day from all your injuries. It was almost impossible to save you even with the
pack doctor tending your wounds...but something miraculous happened. You shifted for the first time, even though, it should be
two months more. And your wolf helped you to recover, that was why you stayed in wolf form for several days."
His fingertips brushing my cheek lightly. "You have a strong will and mind. You must have had a hard life but you chose to live
and that made you survived. It is not because of me Willow, but your courage to withstand whatever comes your way. And that is
one of the things I admire about you."
"It is the least I could do." My voice cracked from swirling emotions inside of me. "For them, you see...my parents, my pack..."
He wiped the side of my eye but did not speak a word. Listening patiently to what I have to say.

"I owe them my life. They all died protecting me, I owe them that much." I confided.
"They love you." He added.
I gleamed at that.
Xyrus took a deep breath and moved. He laid on his back while staring at the ceiling. His hands behind the back of his head.
"I am sorry Willow."
"For what?" I asked. I, too, laid on my back and hands folded on my stomach, staring at space.
"For making you feel trapped like what Jasper did to you and your pack." He uttered.
I weighed his words in my mind. How possible he knows my deepest thoughts? Then it dawned on me that he could read my
mind. He marked me.
"You always knew, did you? Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded.
"I didn't at first." His quick reply. "I always wondered why you resist me. It was not until you tried to escape me."
"Xyrus?" I said after a moment of silence.
"Hmmm?"
I faced him and noticed his eyes were closed. He looked so calm and relaxed.
"Why me?"
I saw him slowly opened his eyes and turned. His hooded gaze made me want to melt right there and then. Why did I ask that? I
scolded myself.
"Because you are special." He gave a small smile and tucked my hair behind my ear.
I don't know which moved me, the gesture or his words, but I found myself leaning on his hand as he caressed my cheek.
We both fell silent after that. Lost on our own thoughts. It felt natural talking to him like this. It felt really nice.

"Willow, whatever happens, tomorrow, whatever you will know, promise me you won't be scared of me nor hate me..." He
whispered after a moment, prolonging his words.
"I will try," I whispered back, making myself comfortable in his arms as he pulled me closer.
Words need not be told as our hearts both knew what each other meant. He sighed and kissed my hair. Both of us fell in
comfortable silence again as sleep came and gently touched us in its spell.