“Shh.” I hushed, speaking past the lump that had formed in my throat “uh...arsenic, probably.”
“Activated charcoal, then. Keep him puking.”
“Right.” I grimaced, sticking my fingers down Matthew’s throat until he vomited again, holding him up.
“You’re okay.” I mumbled in what I hoped was a reassuring tone “you’re okay-“
“Don’t.” Matt choked out, gasping “let me go.”
“What?” I muttered back, holding him through another vomiting session.
“I want to go with her.” He whispered frantically, clasping my sleeve in a death grip “let her…please…let her take me with her. I want to go with her.”
My blood ran cold. I had an inkling that he was talking about his mother, who happened to be dead.
“Forget it.” I snapped “she can have you when I say so.”
“Th-“
“No.”I spat “keep throwing it up. There you go. You’re not going anywhere, ya massive idiot.”
“Theo.” Matthew shuddered violently, face screwed up in agony “please. Please, I can’t-“
“Keep. Throwing. Up.”
“I’m tired.” He sobbed weakly.
Dean moved forward beside me, resting a hand on my back as he spoke to Matt, “it’s okay,” he murmured, “you’re gonna be okay.”
CHAPTER 24
Theo
Matthew had been taken to the healers base in Draelon just like Stryker.
Jack had practically screamed in my face about it when it hadn’t exactly beenmyfault. I’d screamed back as such, but only Stryker stepping in had gotten the lad to shut up.
Thankfully, Jack left the next day, giving me a sharp warning to make sure Stryker ate. It had confused me but I’d agreed, childishly pulling a face behind his back once he’d turned because the guy wasirritatingand had a worse temper than myself, which was…unbelievable, really.
Matthew and Stryker both had the patience ofsaints, but even Stryker lost his temper more than Matthew.
He returned a week later, still suffering from bouts of vomiting and a mild fever but relatively better. It was a relief. I had missed him- Johnathan hadn’t allowed visitors. According to him, the only reason I’d been allowed to visit Stryker was because the commander himself was going. I didn’t find that fair on everyone else, but whatever.
“I’m never drinking ever again.” Matthew declared after a round of vomiting that had followed a plate of probably too saucy pasta- Alex could be blamed for that.
I leant against the wardrobe door, arms folded, a smirk pulling at my lips at the statement.
Matthew was sprawled out on the bed, his eyes closed, one arm draped around his stomach. His voice was hoarse, like his throat hurt, which was unsurprising considering the violentbout of vomiting he’d just finished riding out. I could still hear his stomach gurgling, trying to settle, but I knew better than to draw attention to it.
“Really?” I mused “never ever?”
Matthew grunted “that’s right.”
I rolled my eyes “sure.” I drawled “or you’ll just get better, forget about how much you suffered and get right back to it.”
His brows furrowed slightly, then he cracked an eye open to look at me and raised the arm that wasn’t curled around his aching middle “that’s somethingyou’ddo. Comehere.”
I rolled my eyes again, pushing off the wardrobe and settling down beside him on the bed, gently resting my cheek on the slightly- six months-older boy’s shoulder. Matthew’s eyes fluttered shut again and he pulled my hand to rest over his own on his stomach.
