Significance (Significance #1)(54)

I slumped against the bed. The room looked like a cell - an old, musty, nasty cell. There was nothing to do but wait and feel the wretched pains and kinks in my muscles from withdrawals. Would it be like drugs? Would I be in withdrawal and sweat in pain for a few days, then be all right and not need him anymore? I knew that wasn’t true, but I had to think that the Watson clan had a purpose. Not just to kill Caleb and I with our own bodies turning against us just to see what happens. But that could be exactly what they were doing.
Caleb. Caleb, can you hear me? Please hear me.
I waited. I waited so long. I kept saying his name, trying to send him my feelings of longing, even letting him feel my pain, anything if I thought it would help.
Nothing.
But then something, faint, hazy and broken. Like a CB radio that was way out in the boonies.
Maggie? Can you...me?
Caleb! Are you ok?
I’m...you better be ok or I’ll...Oh, G...Maggie. Please be ok. Tell me...you are?
I don’t know where I am. A cell or basement maybe? The Watsons have me.
I know. I’m...sorry. Baby, p...forgive me. I’ll get you...there, I promise. I’ll find you. What happened? Your heartb...
They’re keeping me drugged so you won’t find me. They want to keep us apart so we won’t ascend and then find out why we imprinted. Caleb...
I choked. I didn’t want to tell him how scared I was. He was scared plenty for us both and it would just make him feel worse.
I know. I know. I...I’m coming for you. Just...
My dad? Beck?
He hesitated.
It’s been a day and a half already. I had to...Dad. He freaked. Call..ps. They are looking...find you. But they won’t. They are...things worse. I’m keeping...on your dad. He’s fine. Are you ok?I’m ok. I hurt, so bad.
Me, too. Baby...sorry.
It wasn’t your fault.
It was...trick. They followed...to get to you.
I know.
No, no! You’re fading out. Stay with me.
I felt like I was fading out, too. My head swam worse and I felt drained and even more tired and out of control.
I’m sorry. They did something to me. Can’t stay awake.
I will find you...promise. I love...Magg...you’re scared. Don’t be. I love you.
I love you, too. I’m sorry I didn’t say it before.
Me, too.
And then he was gone and I was in so much agony I couldn’t even enjoy the fact that he said he loved me. It seemed for the short time we’d talked, I felt a sliver better. But as soon as our connection broke, I felt like cold water had been thrown on me. Too cold, freezing, stinging water and it hurt all over to be separated from him. I believed his words. That he’d keep my father safe and would never stop looking for me. But if he never found me and spent his whole life looking in pain and agony, somehow, that sounded worse than even death.
~ ~ ~
I woke up again some time later with the worse headache of my life. I felt nauseous as my back was locked in spasms. My legs cramped, curling my toes painfully. I heaved over the side of the bed but they hadn’t given me anything to eat or drink so nothing came up. My stomach cramped violently as I leaned back on the pillows and tried to catch my breath.
I now had an even bigger respect for Gran.
And this was only day two. As my body jerked on its own accord, I heard the creak of the door opening. I looked over as much as I could and saw Marcus there. Smirking.
“Dead yet?”
“Get out, Marcus.”
Someone else was already in my room. I looked further over to the corner to see his uncle sitting in a chair, watching me.
Marcus slammed the door, leaving me alone with his uncle.
“The next time you’re alone I’d put those clothes on Marla gave you if I were you.”
I looked down and saw my bare legs tangled up in the sheets. I quickly pulled them under with me and tried to glare at him but I felt terrible and I’m sure I didn’t pull it off. He was handsome, which irked me. His hair and eyes were dark and he couldn’t be more than forty five. If this was Harry Potter, he’d definitely be in Slytherin.
“What are you doing in here?”
“Watching you sleep. Watching you withdraw. Studying you.”
I continued to feel like death was kicking in the door, but I kept my eyes on him. I did not feel safe with him in my room, especially with a lack of clothing.
“So, you’re the one who hacked my dreams.” 
“Yes. You are very special, Maggie.”
“I wish everyone would stop saying that,” I muttered. “I definitely don’t feel special.”
He laughed and leaned back to cross one leg over his knee.
“Well, we could argue about it all day, but you are. And Caleb, too,” he grumbled, “though I hate to admit that. This has happened to you for a reason. I can only imagine the abilities you would have possessed. I bet they’d have been exquisite. But that’s behind us.” He sighed and leaned forward on his knees. “I am not happy to do this to you, by any stretch, but I feel, as the champion of my clan, that I have to stop this. For my clan.”
“Even though I have nothing to do with your stupid feud? Even though Caleb wasn’t even born yet? We met at a stoplight. It wasn’t something we could control. We didn’t choose it, it chose us.”
He stood abruptly startling me.
“Yes! Exactly. That’s why! Why you? Why him? Of all the clans to pick from, why the Jacobson’s again? They are always favored with whatever it is in the universe that controls us and our imprints, our lives. Why them again when the rest of us have plenty of willing and waiting people to claim their mates and abilities?”
I just shook my head and closed my eyes. There’d be no reasoning with him. He was a mad man.
“Just go. I want to get dressed and I don’t really want you to watch me while I sit and cry in pain…that you caused me.”
“I told you, I don’t want to do this to you.”
“But you are! You have no intentions of stopping even though I haven’t done anything to you. You actually have to wonder why God would pick other clans for special treatment when this is how you treat people! Just get out!”
“I know what you’re going through-”
“No you don’t! Have you ever been away from your significant before?”
He paused and had the good graces to look a little guilty. “No.”
“Then you have no idea what this feels like. Get. Out!”
I started to cry big fat, hurtful tears. It wasn’t just physical pain, though there was plenty of that. It was anger and frustration and feeling useless and hurting for Caleb, knowing he was feeling every pain I was and more.
I heard him shuffle out and shut the door gently so I tried to get up, wrapping the sheet around myself just in case but my legs cramped and hurt so bad that I collapsed to the floor.
I lay there in a heap and I screamed. I cried. I yelled. I cursed. I did anything and everything that came to mind. I called Caleb’s name over and over, screamed it. I could feel it when I yelled his name in my bones. Like it wasn’t just my mouth but my entire being was calling to him.
It hurt so bad, I didn’t know how it could be worse. No one came in again and I didn’t get dressed; just continued to lay there. Eventually someone slid a tray of something into the door slot and left it there but I didn’t look.
The day dragged on or so I thought. I had no concept of time except that every excruciating minute seemed to pile on top of each other. I tried to call Caleb again and again, but couldn’t reach him. I imagined him, laying there on his bed, his dad and mom standing over him as he groaned and rolled in pain, just like I was doing. Maybe he wasn’t lying on his bed. Maybe he was stronger than me. Maybe he was up pacing with his family and trying to come up with a plan.
It hurt so much to think about him, but I had to. I needed to. It could be that last thing I did.
I fell asleep again. I dreamed I was on the beach with Caleb, the same small beach between the rocks he brought me to. My clothes were the same as that day, the wind felt the same, smelled the same. I saw him standing on the sand in front of me a few feet away. I knew instantly it was a dream, but I still wanted it so badly that I ran to him. He smiled and held his arms out for me. But when I touched his arm with my hand it burned and jolted me. Like an offense mark does. I leapt back to see him and saw that it was still Caleb’s face, but his eyes were dark and brooding. His t-shirt had changed from green to black, like Marcus’s.“What are you doing? I’m already your prisoner, why do you have to torture me in my dreams, too?”
“Because it’s fun,” Caleb\Marcus said snidely. “Uncle Sikes says you’re having a real hard time. That it’s real painful to be without this face.” He rubbed a hand down his cheek and then smacked it hard with his palm.
I winced and he seemed to like that response. He took a step forward.
“Isn’t he the one helping you do this echo dream?” I stepped back.
“He doesn’t have to be awake to help me anymore. He’ll remember it in the morning, but he doesn’t know I’m here until then.”
“Why? I didn’t do anything to you,” I creaked.
“Ahh, cutie,” he crooned and tried to touch my cheek, but I jerked back. “You made me look bad in front of my clan. I couldn’t kidnap one little human girl. You know how incompetent that made me look to them? Plus, Caleb doesn’t deserve you. He doesn’t deserve to have this handed to him like he was more important than the rest of us when-”