Can’t Win Me Back

"Jas..." Alyssa looked at Jasper with an unfocused gaze.

Her breaths were shallow, and she was slipping in and out of consciousness.

Mentally, she was confused.

"Yes, it's me—Jasper!" Jasper's heart clenched as he saw the color drain from her face.

Her body trembled uncontrollably, fragile as a leaf caught in the wind.

She resembled the kitten he had saved as a child—frozen and alone in the alley that bitter winter night.

A deep sorrow flooded his chest.

"Jas... per..." Alyssa murmured his name, her voice strained, her tongue numb from the cold.

A faint, mocking smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"It seems...

like I am about...

to freeze to death...

How could he be here...

He will not come back...

He doesn't want me anymore..." Alyssa's vision blurred as her eyelids grew heavy.

lean, her body sagging to one

heart was pierced, the pain unbearable as he saw

forced himself to push through the agony, opening his arms

your eyes! Look at me!" For someone in a state of hypothermia, falling unconscious could be fatal, even more so when the will

heart raced with terror as he watched

up if she closed her

them felt suffocating, as though it were closing in, swallowing any hope they

with tears, gazed

eyes burned with a fire she hadn't seen in

skipped a beat, racing

fire had long been replaced by shadows ever since he'd

become darker than the night,

it was him—Jasper—the last person she wanted to see

bitter laugh escaped

eyes fluttered closed, and with what little

"You are Jasper...

but...

need you anymore..." Jasper's brow furrowed, a wrenching

had clouded her mind

sliced through

reached for the soaked fabric clinging to her, the icy slush weighing

"Don't touch me...

Alyssa's eyes

could do nothing else to resist him

Jasper stripped off his coat and wrapped it around her trembling form, trying to share what little warmth