"Wake up," whispered a voice in her ear. "Wake up, Anaya." 

She jolted awake and sat up in bed, her heart thumping heavily in the loud silence. Her gaze swept the room, and she frowned when she found it empty. She tried but failed to recall the voice as if it had all been a hallucination. Yes, that was it, Anaya thought with an audible sigh and got out of the bed. She padded to the bathroom, careful not to get her feet pierced by the splinters of wood. She splashed water on her face while staring at her reflection, which looked like someone else. She had dark circles beneath her eyes, and her sunken cheeks were devoid of color.

Hearing muffled footsteps outside her room, she held her breath. Mrs. Hans entered the room with Icarus and Immanuel. She watched them in the mirror, her fingers tightening around the towel until her knuckles turned white. It was only when Icarus took a step forward did she turn around, holding his gaze, wordlessly begging him to stop. He did not. He took another step, and she instinctively stepped back, crashing with the edge of the counter.

Icarus paused and turned to face Mrs. Hans. His expression was unreadable, but Anaya could tell he was mind-linking by the way their eyes clouded. Finally, he nodded and moved over to stand beside Immanuel.

"Luna," Mrs. Hans said, her voice coming out soft. "It's time for you to take your medicine."

Anaya walked into the room with a tentative demeanor and settled on the bed, staring up at Mrs. Hans expectantly. She handed Anaya a small bottle. "You need to take this every day. It will kick in after a few hours, but it's effective to alleviate your hallucinations."

Nodding, Anaya swallowed the pill and washed it down with a glass of water. "Thank you." 

Mrs. Hans smiled and exited the room, leaving Anaya with the two brothers. They looked at her like she was a delicate doll on the verge of breaking. Unnerved, she narrowed her eyes at them. "What?" 

"How do you feel?" Immanuel asked.

"I have been better," she snapped, but realizing her tone was harsh, she dropped her head against the pillow and pulled the comforter over her. "I don't feel too well. I would like to rest."

The message was loud and clear. She wanted to be left alone. But Icarus hesitated. His eyes locked on hers as he waited for her to tell him to stay.

Instead, she shifted her gaze towards the ceiling.

Immanuel flung his arm around Icarus' shoulder and ushered him out of the room. "When is the carpenter arriving to repair the doors?" 

"In the afternoon." 

"Oh, good..." 

Their voices faded as they descended the stairs. Anaya gulped the tightness in her throat and closed her eyes. She was nothing but a nuisance. How could she look after the werewolves when her life was in shambles? Pain surged through her, its invisible grip coiling around her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. She couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. 

"Why are you upset?" She heard a familiar voice. She lifted her head and found Megan and Diya sitting at the foot of her bed, looking down at her with sorrow written all over their faces.

"Tell us what's bothering you," Diya said.

"Leave me alone." 

"Are you mad at us?"

"You aren't real. Leave," Anaya said under her breath. Her frustration rose tenfold when they disobeyed her. Screaming, she hurled the alarm clock at them. They disappeared into thin air just as it fell to the ground with a loud 'clang' and shattered into pieces.

She knew others would rush in anytime, but she was not ready to deal with them. She felt a sudden urge to flee to a place where no one could find her. She flung out of the bed and dragged herself outside. Her eyes landed on the flight of stairs leading to the third floor. She knew no one went there uninvited, and she did not know what Icarus' reaction would be, but she needed the space. She climbed up the stairs, and upon reaching the locked door, she turned the knob, pushing the door open. Her eyes widened at the huge pool situated at the center, the clear water glistening like crystals under the sunlight and beckoning her in for a swim.

She walked across it to the wooden lounger and took a seat. The sun streamed through the open roof, and she tried to let its warmth consume her, but looking at the still water, she was reminded of her life, which had stopped moving forward, and she couldn't help but feel cold. 

"Anaya."

Startled, she raised her head to see Icarus standing in front of the door, his hand firmly clutching the handle. "How did you find me?"

"Your scent." He exhaled deeply and approached her with cautious steps, his eyes never leaving hers. She recognized the emotions he expressed so openly and hurt slithered through her for hurting him. She wanted to put distance between them, yet here he was, a look of relief and love on his face.

He sat on the other lounger and took her hand, placing it on his lap. 

She frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Let's swim." He grinned.

"No." Her frown deepened. She was persistent in her refusal to spend time with him. It would only make things worse for him.

"Anaya, nothing can keep me away from you."

She felt the roughness of his fingers, accompanied by heat as he rubbed circles in her palm. "Icarus, please. We can't." 

"I'm willing to give you space. But if you want me out of your life, I am sorry. I am not letting you go."

"But—"

"Would you leave me if I were suffering?"

"I can't drag you with me."

"That does not answer my question."

"No, I wouldn't," she answered with a tremor in her voice.

"Good. End of discussion." He pulled the T-shirt above his head and dove headfirst into the water before breaking the surface and taking a big gulp of air. He swam in her direction and rested his arms against the steel railing, imploring her with his eyes, but she made no attempt to join him.

"Come on."

"I can't swim, remember?" Anaya hadn't done it intentionally, but his gloomy expression made her realize she'd just reminded him of his fault, Casey's technically, but he did not know the truth. Yet.

 "It's not that deep."

"Then do you see my clothes?" 

"I dressed you." 

"So, uh, you know I am not wearing anything underneath them."

"Yeah. But no one is here."

"You—"

"This should do." Icarus held out his T-shirt to her. "No more excuses."

Anaya snatched it from his grasp with a huff and headed to the nearest door. Luckily, it turned out to be a washroom. She stared at the dark material in her hands, struggling with the conflict between her heart and mind, one flowed with emotions and the other with reasons.

Would it be selfish to give in? 

Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes—

Icarus' words reverberated through the walls she'd built, overpowering every other voice in her head. Her resolve cracked, and a sense of calmness washed over her. 

She changed into his T-shirt before walking out. With every step she took towards him, she felt certain of her decision. Leaving was just not an option anymore without getting scarred. She was too deep and so was he. 

Love would conquer all, she assured herself. 

She waded gingerly into the pool, wary of drowning, but much to her relief, the water barely reached her shoulders. 

"I told you."

She turned around in time to see him approach her. Silence blanketed over them. It spoke far more than words ever could. It soothed her until hope blossomed within her. Hope to make it through everything with Icarus. As if he could read her mind, he closed the distance between them and wrapped her in his arms, dropping a kiss on her lips before pulling back. The feathery touch made her heart flutter in ways she could not describe, leaving her yearning for more. She cupped his neck and drew his face closer, kissing him. It was tender and soft at first, then it became frantic and hard as they wholly succumbed to the desire that burned through their veins. He knotted his fingers in her hair and deepened the kiss. Her lips parted, and he took that moment to invade her mouth. As their tongues tangled, dancing with passion and absolute sweetness, the world came to a standstill, disappearing into nothingness, and all that remained was them. 

Breathless, they broke apart, and she rested her cheek against his shoulder and circled his waist, relishing in his familiar warmth and comfort, her home. 

"We will be okay."