Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Chapter 23

Kas's POV

I peek in through the little window of the hospital room.I can see James hooked up to machines, sleeping peacefully.

A strong pang of guilt courses through me when I see there are bandages around his neck.

Delilah is curled up in the chair that’s pulled up to the side of the bed.

She is holding his hand through the railing of the bed.

"You can’t talk to her from the hallway, Kas,"

Bronx whispers in my ear from behind me, "I'll wait here until you're ready.Just mind link me."

I nod, then take a deep breath.I quietly open the door and step inside the room.I close it behind me and take a step into the room.

Delilah's breath hitches in her sleep, but she doesn’t wake up.I take slow deliberate steps until I am next to the chair.I squat down and put my hand on her forearm.

"Delilah?" I whisper, "Wake up, please."

Her brow furrows as her eyes flutter open.Her deep sapphire blue eyes take a moment for her to recognize my face, but when she does, they immediately turn royal blue.She gasps and throws her arms tightly around me.

"Kas," she sobs in a loud whisper, "I was so worried about you! Are you okay?"

"Oh, Delilah, I’m fine now.I-I’m so sorry.I don’t know what came over me.You know I would never do this on purpose, right?"

I finally stop trying to hold back my tears.

This is my best friend.I can be myself with her, "I thought you would hate me.I didn’t think you would want to see me."

She pulls me back from her embrace and holds me by the shoulders with her long, spindly fingers.

Her eyes and nose are red and puffy from crying, but she looks relieved that I am there, "Kas, I could never hate you.Never.I know whatever happened must have been an accident.This is not you.Whatever happened yesterday, that was not you.I’m sure of it."

I breathe the enormous sigh as I feel the vice around my heart loosen just a little.I will never understand the mind of a pacifist, but I am grateful at this moment that my best friend is one.

"Delilah, when James wakes up, we can talk more about what happened, but I have a couple of questions.Bronx needs information that could be related to my kidnapping or maybe one of my past lives."

"I will help in any way I can.What do you need to know?" She looks at me attentively.

can perform gray or dark magic that can manipulate a person’s mind.Bronx thinks she is part of a group called the Feral.Have you ever heard of a coven or a group

she is racking her brain, trying to remember anything

can ask

coming here?" I feel my eyebrows rise

with everything going on, yeah.Beta Lenora and I thought it would be for the best for her to

to see her.In fact, Bronx thinks maybe I was influenced by magic and that is what could have caused me to..." my voice trails off as I look over to the bed and see sleeping James

back at her, "We’re going to figure out what is going on here, Kas.We

smile weakly at her and nod, "Delilah, Bronx and I would like to speak to James.D-Do you think he is in any shape to talk

he will definitely be able to listen, but yesterday, he was having a little trouble with his voice.The doctor said something about his vocal chords.We are hoping his wolf helped heal it overnight.I used some of my healing magic, but we both know it isn’t the same as when

him? I can step out

have missed you so much.I have so much to tell you once we wake James

a chair in the hall and

did it go? You're crying and smiling.I don’t

speaking with us.The doctor said there is a problem with his vocal chords, so we don’t know if he will be able to speak right

sinking in that no matter how many people try to reassure me, this

he will

not a mind reader, Baby.You'll just have to ask him and find out," he rubs

hear the door

out, "You

takes my hand, and leads

sable hair is ruffed up and his eyes are looking much more alert than I remember from yesterday.He tries to mess with the bandages on his neck, but Delilah steps up and stops him, whispering

him to stop, she sits in the chair

tips his head and regards him.He tips his head in return,

look at Bronx, then back at

you're

hand.I step up

carefully climb up being careful to avoid the wires they hooked him

to say, then he takes both my hands in his and places my palms on his neck.He nods and closes

my heart is completely removed now,

what we started,"

peel back the bandages from around

fully healed and bright red marks in the areas that were healed.You can see clearly defined scars developing on the

to make this right, James," I say, trying to

gives a quick nod and closes his

essence as I can into him, blurring the lines of who he is and who I

in

no sign of infection before I pull

and look at him,