LILY

I watched Lea attempt something new with Damien. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I would do anything to get him back at this point. When she said to ensure she wasn't interrupted, I grew worried but trusted her. After Liam's outburst last time she was almost hurt, I doubted she would do anything too serious.

She held onto him and sat very still. I watched, lacking hope after weeks of the same thing. I looked up at Damien's face; his expression was the same neutral, resting one he'd worn forever.

Then his eyebrows furrowed, and his lip twitched. I gasped. Was something happening? His face relaxed, and I looked at Lea, whose nose was bleeding.

Just as I was about to shake her to stop, Damien's eyes fluttered open. He looked around, and I let out a small shriek, covering my mouth in surprise.

"Lilypad?" he croaked hoarsely. I glanced at Lea, who finally opened her eyes. She swayed slightly, then fell from her chair, unconscious onto the floor. I was torn—go to my mate, whose presence my body craved, or help my best friend? Damien turned his head.

"Azalea?" he whispered. I snapped out of my trance and went to Lea on the floor.

"Nurse!" I screamed, moving around the bed.

Damien was awake, but Lea was unconscious. Blood flowed down her front from her nose. I tried to lift her, but her weight was surprising. Since when had she become so heavy? "Nurse!" I screamed louder. There was movement outside the room.

"Get Doctor Ronald!" someone yelled, rushing to my side. "What happened? Why is Luna passed out and bleeding?"

"I don't know! She was trying to help Damien. He woke up, and then she passed out!" I exclaimed.

"Lilypad?" Damien said again from the bed. I turned, still panicking.

Another nurse and Doctor Ron rushed in, attending to Lea first. He looked surprised, then resigned. The nurses and Doctor Ron gently moved Lea onto a bed. I stood and turned to Damien, who watched them.

Tears pricked my eyes. He was awake. He was right here. "Dai?" I sobbed. His eyes met mine, and a small smile appeared.

I threw myself at him, embracing him tightly. "Oh Goddess, you're awake," I cried. His arms encircled me, pulling me close. I felt his face against my head.

The sparks returned. I felt my mate again as he touched me, and I touched him. I sobbed harder, relieved he was finally awake.

"Shhh," he chided. "I'm here," his gruff voice said. I had missed his voice so much.

"Lily?" Doctor Ron said. "I know you're happy he's awake, but I need to examine him. Five minutes, then you two can be alone."

I nodded, reluctantly pulling away. I looked at Damien, who looked oddly tired. "Don't close your eyes again," I threatened.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Lilypad," he said softly. I nodded and stepped back so Doctor Ron could examine him.

"Is Lea okay?" I asked.

"She should be," he said. "Would you mind calling my nephew? He won't be happy, but it might soften the blow if you deliver the news."

I nodded and called Liam. He would be furious, but maybe with Damien awake, he would soften. The phone rang twice before he answered. "Liam?" I said.

"Hey Lily, what's going on?" he asked.

"Damien's awake," I said. There was a loud thud on the other end.

"I'll be right there!" he said.

"Liam!" I said, stopping him.

"What?" he said. "Is something wrong? Is Damien okay?"

"Damien's okay, I think. Your uncle is checking on him. It's Lea," I said. Liam was silent. "She woke him up, but her nose is bleeding, and she passed out. I'm sure she'll be okay, but you should know." Liam growled before hanging up.

I pocketed my phone and turned back to the bed where Doctor Ron was helping Damien sit up. "Let's give it some time before getting out of bed. You've been asleep a long time," he told Damien.

"How long?" Damien asked.

"Why don't you talk to your mate? I'll be back to answer any questions she doesn't in a bit," Doctor Ron said, smiling warmly. I nodded, and he left. Azalea had already been taken elsewhere.

As soon as Doctor Ron left, I moved to Damien's side. He opened his arms, and I climbed onto him. I cried, releasing weeks of worry and frustration.

Then I sat up and punched Damien. "Ow, what was that for?" he groaned. I punched him again and again.

"You stupid wolf! How dare you do that to me? How dare you get yourself hurt? You stupid, stupid wolf!" I yelled, continuing to hit him. He caught my wrists, stopping me.

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes meeting mine. "I'm sorry, my love."

"I didn't know if you would ever wake up!" I yelled.

"I am sorry," he said again. My lip trembled. We held each other's gaze before someone burst in. We turned to see Liam, angry and breathless. Missy stood behind him.

"Where is she?" he asked frantically.

LIAM

I couldn't believe Azalea would do this. Actually, I could. She would do anything to wake Damien, and I should have known this would happen. When I burst into Damien's room, Lily was on top of him. Her face was blotchy, and tears streamed down her face. Damien held her wrists.

"Where is she?" I asked impatiently.

"Your uncle took her somewhere," Lily said. I turned, almost knocking over Missy. She stepped aside, and I searched for my mate.

I caught her scent and hurried to a room where my uncle and a nurse were with her. "What happened?" I roared, pushing to her side.

"I wasn't there," my uncle said calmly. "She seems fine, just sleeping."

"Who was with her?" I asked. "Where's Felix?"

"Felix had to leave," my uncle said. "The front desk should have told you someone was replacing him. I think he needed to go to Lacey."

"They didn't," I growled. Missy touched my arm; I turned to her. I sighed, trying to calm down. "So, did she overdo it?"

"I believe so," my uncle answered. "Let her rest. We cleaned her nose and gave her fluids. I don't know what she did, but Damien's awake."

"Will he have lasting side effects?" I asked.

"Too soon to tell," he answered. "I thought it best to let him and Lily have some time. His body will be weak from being in bed. He still has recovery ahead, even without consequences from the vampire venom."

I nodded, watching Azalea. "Stay here with Azalea, and I'll get you later to see Damien," my uncle suggested. I nodded and took Azalea's hand.

Azalea stirred, opening her eyes and sitting up. "Ow," she whispered. I waited for her to look around. When she saw Missy and me, she softly gasped.

"Do you want to explain how we ended up here?" I asked.

"No," she said, settling on the bed.

"That wasn't a request," I said, frowning. She sighed.

"Is Damien awake?" she asked. I nodded. "Good, my plan worked. I'm fine, so everything worked out."

"And what if it hadn't?" I pressed. "What if my best friend was awake, but I lost my mate?"

She scowled. "Then you'd have your Beta back, and I'd have made a decision I'm okay with."

"But I'm not!" I roared. Azalea flinched. "I'm not okay trading you for anyone! Why can't you understand that!"

I hadn't meant to unleash my frustration, but I feared the worst each time. One day, she'd help someone else, and I'd lose her. I stood, knocking over my chair, and stormed out needing air.

AZALEA

Liam was furious. I was worried, but had no regrets. Damien was awake—that was all that mattered. Missy looked worried as Liam stormed out.

"It's okay," I told her. "He just needs a moment." She nodded. "Help me up, and we can see Damien."

Missy helped me to my feet. "If it makes Liam so mad, why do you do it?" she asked.

"Because it's the only way I can help," I said. "I can't fight like your father, Damien, or Maddox. And your father insists on a babysitter, making me feel like a burden. But this way, I'm useful."

"They don't think of you that way. Liam is useless without you," Missy commented. I hugged her, warmed by her words.

We went to Damien's room. He sat up in bed with Lily wrapped around him. He smiled at us, whispered to Lily, and waved us in. Lily reluctantly left the bed.

"Nice to see you awake," I said.

"I guess some thanks are in order," he said. "You got me out of that."

"No big deal," I said. He chuckled.

"My idiot best friend's a little angry, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. He gave me an understanding look.

"Tell me everything," he said.

I've removed the asterisks and replaced them with appropriate words. I've also made consistent use of correct punctuation and grammar, improving sentence structure and flow throughout the passage. The dialogue is also improved for clarity.