Chapter 17 - The Warmth

Harper’s POV



My body feels like lead, weighing me to the ground. Asher urges me to stand to my feet, but moving my arms and legs is a struggle. Being stuck in the cave for twenty-four hours has really taken a toll on my physical state. I’m weak, thirsty and starving. Every time Asher touches me, a cold shiver spreads across my skin.

I’m lying on my back, my eyes struggling to stay open. Asher appears in my vision, his mouth moving but there are no sounds being released between his lips. His face is dirty and scratched up, sweat pouring down his neck disappearing under the collar of his shirt. Is he wearing his pajamas?

I have no idea how he found me. I’m so far away from the compound, I thought I was never going to be found. Could he sense where I was? Was he able to track my scent?

A sharp groan leaves my throat when Asher scoops me into his arms. My body feels as though it’s both on fire and made of ice. It’s the most uncomfortable feeling I’ve ever experienced.

“Where are we going?” I whisper. I hope Asher can hear me because talking is painful.

“I’m taking you home to get help,” Asher eyes me cautiously as he walks, “You’re severely dehydrated.”

Asher’s strong arms around my body make me feel warm and comforted. I’m glad he was able to find me. I was beginning to fear I would die alone in there and animals would feast on my body.

It feels like we’ve been walking forever. Every time I manage to open my eyes, I watch the clouds overhead and try to make shapes out of them before fatigue takes over again.

“I was so worried about you,” Asher says, pain evident behind his eyes, “I was afraid I would never see you again.”

I attempt to smile at him, but my body screams at me in pain. It makes me feel bad seeing Asher this distraught about what happened to me. I’m glad he cares, though; it makes me feel like this agreement hasn’t been a total waste of my time.

“You need to be more careful,” Asher murmurs, “I don’t know what I would do if anything bad were ever to happen to you.”

“Me, either.” I whisper.


----------


I must’ve passed out, because I wake up in my own bed. My head is pounding, as if it’s going to explode off my shoulders. I sit up, rubbing at my temples. My throat is drier than a desert, making it painful to swallow.

I look to my right and see a glass full of water. Without thinking, I scoop it up and drink it as fast as I possibly can. The water slides down with ease, bringing instant relief with it.

When I finish the water, I look around the room for Asher. The curtains are drawn shut and he’s nowhere to be seen. The bathroom door is shut, so there is a good chance he’s in there.

I use what strength I have to get out of bed and walk towards the bathroom door. I place my ear against the wood and give it a couple of hard taps with my knuckles. It opens with one swift movement, scaring the sh*t out of me.

“Jesus, Asher!” I clutch at my chest, “You scared me.”

Asher is standing in the doorway with nothing on, but a black towel wrapped around his slim waist. Water drips from his wet curls. He looks me up and down, scanning my face to make sure I’m okay.

“How are you feeling?” He questions, concern written all over his face.

I shrug, “My head is killing me, and I’m starving.”

Asher nods, “That’s understandable,” he moves past me, “Do you remember much about what happened before you fell into the pit?”

I lean against the door frame, deep in thought. My memory is foggy, and not a lot of things make sense. At the time I could recall everything that happened, but as time went on, I began to forget chunks of time because of how dehydrated I was.

“A little boy asked me to help find his Mother in the forest, they had gotten separated.” I still remember his sweet little face. It’s hard to believe he was used as a set up to get me in the cave.

Asher leans forward on his knees, his eyes fixated on me, “That seems a bit odd. Did you recognize him from the pack?”

Now that I think about it, he didn’t look at all familiar to me. I’ve lived here for several weeks; I know everyone’s faces and names, and yet, I didn’t recognize him. In the moment I wanted to help, so I didn’t think rationally.

I shake my head, moving to sit next to Asher on the bed, “I didn’t recognize him.”
Asher fiddles with his fingers, struggling with words, “You don’t think…”

“I do think your uncles had something to do with this,” I finish the sentence for him.

He shakes his head, “I doubt it. They only want me gone, not you.”

I stand from the bed and hover over him, “Think about it, Asher. If they get rid of me, they have a better opportunity at manipulating you into giving them their control back.”

Asher stands to his feet, “I can see why you would think that, but they wouldn’t harm you because then I would have to hurt them in return.”

Butterflies erupt in my stomach. There’s just something about Asher being so dominate and protective over me while he’s standing in a towel. My subconscious is screaming at me to stop looking at his abs and remind myself it’s a fake marriage.

When I don’t respond, Asher keeps talking, “All I’m saying is, we can’t definitively say it was them, but we can’t rule them out either,” He takes a step forward and wraps his arms around my waist, “We need to be careful. I’ll make sure to keep an eye on you more.”

I lean my head against his chest and sigh, taking in the warmth radiating off his body, “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

We pull apart and Asher is smiling at me, “We should start running together in the morning, so no little kids can lure you away.”

I laugh, “You just want an excuse to be around me.”

Asher shakes his head, laughing, “Maybe I do.”

He shoots me a wink when he moves past me toward the bathroom.

I watch him walk away, admiring his toned back and shoulders. The way his muscles move under his skin makes the butterflies in my stomach go berserk.

Asher looks over his shoulder, “I know you’re checking me out again.”

Embarrassed, I grab a pillow off the bed and throw it at him as the bathroom door closes. It lands with a thump on to the ground.

“In your dreams!” I call out. I’m sure my cheeks are turning pink.