Nailiah rushed into the room, though if she wanted to she could listen in at what these two were speaking about she never deliberately listened in but that was different if she heard shouting.
After entering she saw the wheezing Jace and frozen Aurora. She quickly spun into action. She put her hand on Aurora's back and patted it gently while frantically pulling out the oxygen from the side.
"Come on Aurora calm down you need to breathe sweetheart." Nailiah pushed Aurora to lean on the headboard as she place the oxygen mask over her mouth and nose.
Yet Aurora's chest didn't move. Cursing under her breath she placed Aurora to lie down completely before she hastily began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Luckily as she covered her mouth on Aurora's gave the first breath, lasting one second and Aurora's chest rose she gave the second breath.
Before pulling away and compressing the bottom of her lungs and the top of her stomach.
Forcing the air out of her mouth and nostrils. Jace finally caught his breath and watched nervously as Nailiah did this.
Aurora did respond to this, which made Nailiah and Jace both let out sighs of relief. Aurora's head cleared bit by bit and she shakily let out a breath.
Sweat covered her forehead, Aurora felt like she had just had a brush with death. And when she finally came down Nailiah placed an oxygen mask on Aurora's face.
The trio glanced at each other nervously. Nailiah wanted to ask Aurora what happened but she could see a lingering fear in the young woman's eyes.
She could only drop it and go to Jace's side. After asking him a few questions she administered some painkillers through a needle.
She only left them after Aurora completely calmed down and no longer need the oxygen. Aurora sat on her bed silently.
She didn't say anything neither did Jace, they just silently stay there. One sitting and the other lying down.
A grunt came from Jace, this caught Aurora's attention because he never made noise no matter how his face twisted in pain he stayed silent.
But as he grunted some more this caused a red flag to begin waving in front of Aurora. Something wasn't right with Jace.
Aurora noticed Jace was grunts were getting louder so she moved off her bed to his side and asked."Jace? what is it?"
Aurora reached out and brushed back his hair gently, Jace struggled to open his eyes and look at her. She could see the pain so visible on his face and especially in his eyes.
"He's shifting." Morel's voice suddenly came from behind Aurora, almost making her throw herself on top of Jace in fright. "Sorry."
Morel knew she had startled Aurora and quickly apologized. Aurora nodded and looked back at Jace. a complicated look was in her eyes, but she quickly hid it.
"Are you here to help him?" Morel looked at the young woman and pursed her lips.
"No one can help him. It's up to fate that he has the strength to survive this." Morel told Aurora, "Just like how you survived."
"He wants me there," Aurora was silent for a second before informing Morel. Morel nodded, and without wasting time, she waved her hand and teleported the two teenagers to where Aurora had her last shift before setting up the barrier.
"I'll be right back. Also, don't touch him. It only makes his pain worse. " Morel glanced at them before disappearing.
Aurora looked at Jace, his face pale from the pain and covered in sweat. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he was breathing quickly and heavily.
She couldn't touch him. She knew from her shift how painful that was but looking at his t-shirt and shorts, and knowing he also had on underwear. She thought she should help him take it off.
But that wasn't the best idea. His thrashing around can leave her wounded severely. She had to wait. So she sat on her knees next to Jace and decided she should talk to him.
"Well, I'm here at your last shift like I promised. " Aurora paused, not sure what she should say. "I remember my last shift. In fact, I dream of it almost every night."
Aurora didn't know why, but she felt as if she should tell Jace everything. The nightmares she's been having weren't as half as bad as the nightmare she had earlier.
"That's not the nightmare I had today. I've grown somewhat accustomed to reliving my last shift, you know. Each time I dream of it, it gets harder because even as I dream, I can't feel Ren anymore. It's like the goddess is stopping me from even feeling Ren in my dreams. But the nightmare I had tonight was different. Worse." Aurora spoke softly.
"I can't remember the specifics, even the details, and images in it a vague. But I'm sure of one thing, There was the creature there, and it was horrifying. That beast was like anything ever seen. though I can't remember what it looked like, I knew whatever it was, it was going to kill me." Aurora told Jace.
Jace was in a tremendous amount of pain, but he was lucid. He could hear Aurora talking about her dreams. Something deep down in him felt like there was something about that dream.
But even if he wanted to, he couldn't think straight. The pain was getting worse. Each breath he took hurt.
"Something is unsettling about that dream. It makes me think of it now. I'm running and hiding, I'm being obedient and understanding, but in the end, I feel it's going to end up killing me." Aurora told him. Then she fell silent. not saying a word until Morel came back. Bringing Jace's parents with her.
"We're here," Morel told them before glancing at Aurora and Jace. "There's is nothing more I can do. But I'll stay here."
She couldn't stay for Aurora's last shift due to Jace, but she wanted to stay for Jace's not because she could help but because she wanted to witness a last shift with her own eyes.
"Beta Jason, miss Hailey." Aurora politely greeted them as they rushed to Jace before warning them. "Don't touch him. It'll make his pain worse."
The couple pursed their lips and nodded following Aurora's way of sitting they sat on the opposite side of Jace.
"Madam Morel, is it possible to take off Jace's clothes without harming him?" Aurora turned and asked the witch. Morel silently nodded and answered with her actions as she whispered something beneath her breath, and Jace's clothes melted away.
Nobody even felt awkward because of the naked young man. Shifting into wolf form was not comfortable while having clothes on.
Nudity was a way of life for werewolves. Aurora saw that the frown on Jace's forehead eased. His clothes really were bothersome.
Aurora, Hailey, and Jason took turns talking to him. Making sure he knew they were here. The hours seemed to tick by slowly but they went by as the sun shined down on them.
'Crack!'
When Aurora heard the first crack coming from Jace's bones indicating the shift had reached its final stage. She couldn't help but stiffen.
The memory of her being in this type of pain was taunting her. The memory of her last hours with her wolf haunted her. She felt numb all over, the wind nipping at her skin and her lips pressed into a thin firm line.
The cracks of his bones seemed to be louder than his tormented screams. Reminding Aurora that she could still faintly feel her bones aching.
The effects of the last shift never went away. She just ignored it. She wanted nothing more than to touch him and tell him it was alright to let go. That he didn't have to suffer on the account of others.
Something she should have said earlier when they were alone. But she couldn't bring herself to say it, not because she'd be alone with this pain but because she also accounted for others.
And seeing his parents leaning on each other, their faces distraught and bodies shaking. She couldn't say it. So she told him differently.
"You never committed any sin, this is not your fault. It never was and will never be. You can do whatever you want." Aurora leaned in and told Jace.
Aurora was sure this was running through his head because it ran through hers. But she also subtly told him that if he wanted, he could let go. Jason and Hailey may not have caught on, but Morel, who was standing with her arms, folded not too far away, understood.
Morel pursed her lips but said nothing. She could not say anything not because she wanted to cover for Aurora but because she wanted to see what he would do.