Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.

"Wake up!"

Thump thump.

"Jaxon please wake up!"

Thump thump.

"Please wake up."

Thump.

"Jaxon?"

Thump.

"Jaxon . . . please . . ."

My breath stops in my throat and I gasp and sputter as a metallic liquid fills my mouth. I cough violently, my lungs stinging and my stomach aching.

I slowly pry open my heavy eyelids, spitting out the blood that coats my tongue and dribbles past my lips. I wipe my mouth on my arm and grimace at the bloody streak it leaves on my skin.

"Shh just stay still."

"What's—" My voice gives out. I cough violently, my entire body convulsing at the force that racks my chest. More blood spatters onto the stone.

"Please don't talk—you're going to make it worse."

Ash?

"I'm right here," he whispers. I can feel his leg beneath my head and his hand gently stroking my hair.

What's happening?

"The blade has poison in it and he . . . he cut you," my mate murmurs.

Am I dying?

His sharp inhale pierces my ears like a knife. "Jax please—"

Ash am I dying?

"Not exactly—"

Ash please what's happening to me? I plead, my chest tightening.

"It's the poison. It won't kill you but it will make you try to kill yourself," he whimpers in defeat.

How?

"I don't know—it just—" he growls in frustration. "It's just a fever right now—a really bad fever but nothing more. It's setting your insides on fire but it won't kill you."

And once that's over?

"You'll start seeing things. You won't be able to tell what's real and your worst nightmare will come to life," he mumbles dejectedly.

That doesn't seem that bad, I murmur.

"I thought you'd be able to fight it but—" I feel him tug on the metal collar around my neck and wince sharply. "—the cold iron in your blood is going to make it worse and the cut from his knife isn't helping."

How long?

"I don't know," he admits.

How will I know when I'm starting to hallucinate?

"You won't," he mutters. "You won't know what's real and what's just in your head. I promise I will do whatever I can to keep you from hurting yourself."

Why would I hurt myself?

"That's what the hallucinations make you do. Even if you know it's coming you can't stop it."

That's just great.

He places a shaky kiss on my cheek. "Just rest okay? You need to get as much sleep as you can, you're going to be exhausted," he whispers, his voice breaking.

I love you Ash, don't you dare forget that, I tell him firmly.

"I love you too Jax," he whimpers, burying his face in my neck.

His tears hit my skin making me swallow the thick lump in my throat. I let out a quivering breath that forces me into another coughing fit. More blood lands on the floor, dark red against the light stone.

I can hardly keep my eyes open. My lungs hurt. My stomach aches. Every muscle in my body howls with fatigue.

I desperately try to stay awake. I try to comfort my mate but even his soft cries can't keep the poison from lulling me to sleep.

******

"Jaxon! Jaxon wake up!"

My eyes snap open to see my sister hovering over me. "What?" I ask, noting the fear on her face.

"It's Ash!"

I leap off the bed, my heart fluttering with panic. "What happened? Where is he?" I demand.

"I'm sorry Jaxon I don't know what happened!" She sobs, pointing towards the hallway.

I shove the door open, ignoring the jarring bang it makes when it hits the wall. My gaze locks onto the figure sprawled in the hallway.

My heart drops. "Ash?"

His blonde hair covers most of his face but I can still see that his brown eyes are glazed and distant.

"Ash?" My voice cracks and my knees give and I crumple to the ground.

"Jaxon I'm so sorry," my sister whimpers behind me.

"Get the guards, tell them to find who did this," I growl, gritting my teeth as I squeeze my eyes shut.

I wait until her footsteps fade before letting myself collapse. My head falls onto his chest and my shoulders shake with each sob that leaves my lips.

This is your fault, Azazel growls.

"What?"

This is your fault! She snarls. If he is dead and you are alive it is because you killed him!

My mouth falls open in horror. I gasp at the searing pain inside my chest that comes from the icy realization.

My fingers curl into his shirt and a small whimper escapes my mouth at the feeling of his blood on my skin. It's still warm.

"I'm so sorry Ash," I whisper hoarsely.

Tears blur my vision completely but it doesn't matter. His lifeless body is etched deep in my mind. I can see it when my eyes are closed.

"This can't be real!" I growl in frustration.

Take the blame Jaxon! How dare you try to pretend you are innocent? My dragon spits.

I'm not I—my voice falters.

I can't breathe. My stomach flips and I grimace at the bile in my throat.

With each passing minute, the nausea grows worse and so does the throbbing in my skull.

I bite my cheek, my breathing growing more ragged as I look over my mate's dead body. I slide one arm under his shoulders and the other under his legs and lift him up.

My lip curls into a pained grimace when his head immediately falls backwards. My limbs feel numb but I still manage to carry him to my bed.

I gently close his eyes, sitting down in the chair beside him. I bury my face in my hands, muffling my sobs in my palms.

This isn't right! How could I kill my own mate?

You should be dead Jaxon. You should not live while your mate is buried in the ashes of the volcanoes, Azazel snarls.

My hands cover my mouth as I try to stifle my cries. I quickly move to lock the door before rifling through the nightstand.

I carefully remove Ash's dagger from his mess of clothes. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the blade and hardly recognize myself. It takes me a moment to realize my dragon is in control.

My fingers curl tightly around my mate's, my thumb brushing over the back of his hand. I position the dagger at my throat and let out a harsh yelp as I drag it across my neck.

There is screaming in my mind that makes me start to panic. I tightly close my eyes, my breathing shallow and my heartbeat erratic.

Then I recognize the voice. I can hear him, I murmur, my lips lifting into the tiniest of smiles. I'll be with him again.

Why is he screaming?

I vaguely hear the blade clatter to the floor. My neck throbs and pulses and I can feel the blood running down my chest.

A sharp pain shoots through my mind and I open my eyes with a gasp.

It's flashing. Warm and cold. Light and dark. There's stone but then it turns to fiery marble and back again. They both feel so real.

"Jaxon please stop! Please!"

My head pounds with each flash and I cover my eyes but it doesn't help. I can still see the agonizing flashes—the image of my dead mate.

I cry out in frustration and fear and claw at my eyes. The pain is overwhelming and I feel myself collapse, blood covering my face.

"Stop please!" His voice was shrill with a harsh sob.

I shake my head, clapping my hands over my ears. My chest feels like it's going to burst. Each pulse is like my heart is ramming against my rib cage, desperately trying to escape its confines.

"You're okay! Jaxon you're okay—please stop you're—"

*******

I am so sorry guys!!! (But not really tbh, I like making you guys freak out 😈)

So next chapter is going to be Aurelia's POV (she's the evil chick that was questioning them)

Mate To The Queen is almost at 1 million reads and I'm so excited!!!! I'd love to have two stories with 1 million+ 😁

Love you guys ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜