Page 74 of Two Years Gone

Sophie walked to me and embraced me tightly.

“Thank you for finding our girl.” She sat down on the bed and pushed the stray hairs from Ella’s face.

“I don’t understand what happened...,” Declan mumbled as he leaned against the end of the bed, looking at his friend with concern.

I looked up at him.

“I don’t either, but I promise my dad and I will find out.”

Sophie nodded her head before placing a kiss on Ella’s forehead.

My father, Sophie, and Declan took turns sitting with her and trying to convince me to get some rest. But I wasn’t going toleave her side. Not until she woke up and until I knew she was okay.

Hours turned into days. Ella still hadn’t woken up. The doctors assured us she wasn’t in a coma, that for some reason she just wasn’t waking up, probably just her body recovering from the shock.

I was becoming a mess. My shirt was wrinkled, my hair unkempt, and my face unshaven. Dark circles formed under my eyes. I hadn’t slept properly in days.

The day of the luna ceremony came and went, and I was angry that our day had been taken away from us. I wanted her to be with me. I wanted to hold her, to kiss her.

Once again, morning came, and I had dozed off beside her bed.

“Zane.”

It was just a whisper, but it was enough to wake me. My head shot up and my eyes met those bright, beautiful hazel eyes I had wanted to see for so long.

“Ella,” I exhaled and smiled.

She smiled sleepily at me before looking around the room.

“What happened? How long was I...?”

“You’ve been unconscious for almost a week. You were found in the woods. Gashes and claw marks all over you. You were barely alive.”

Ella knotted her brow.

“I almost died.”

I nodded my head.

“You almost died. If I hadn’t gotten there when I did, I don’t… I lost my control and choked up, the tears spilling out of me.”

Ella rested her hand on my head.

“But you found me. I’m here.”

I took her hand and kissed her palm.

“I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”

Ella smiled warmly at me.

“Come here.”

She patted the bed next to her and I sat beside her, wrapping my arms gently around her and inhaling her scent. It calmed me.

I looked down and met her eyes.

“What happened?”