07/27/2017

Kristin's mind took this opportunity to relive the previous day's events once more, images flashing through her closed eyes.

She wrapped her hands around the cold metal bars, tugging at them desperately.

She needed to get out.

She continued to struggle, knowing she would never be able to escape.

Suddenly she looked to the floor, where a dark red liquid was oozing into her cell.

Blood.

She gasped, taking steps back before it could reach her feet.

The cool, hard surface of the wall hit her back, and she was trapped.

The blood was now filling up the room, she was trying to climb higher, but there was no where to go.

She was going to drown--

"Kristin, snap out of it!" She felt someone shake her shoulders.

Her eyes flew open, the bright light piercing her vision.

She grabbed onto the arms that were on her for comfort, before she could snap back to reality.

"What happened?" Ryder's eyebrows were scrunched, as he worriedly looked at Kristin.

Her wide eyes were full of shock. After looking around the room, she focused back on Ryder.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking down to where she had a death grip on his arm.

She loosened her hold, leaning back into the pillow.

"I'm okay," she breathed, not knowing what had happened, but not wanting to think about it.

"Do you want me to let your parents in?" he asked, worried about the state she was in.

She nodded at him, "Yeah, it's okay."

He gave her one last look before getting off the bed to open the door.

"Kristin," her father said, rushing to her bed.

He looked unusually tired as well, worry in his eyes.

"I'm okay," she said reassuringly, trying her best to smile.

"After we heard what happened, we were so worried," her mother said, moving to the other side to hug Kristin.

"I'm okay," she repeated, not knowing what else to say. She looked behind them at Ryder, who was leaning against the far wall.

"You heard what happened?" she questioned, looking back to her parents.

"Ryder had already brought you here when he told us everything," her father said.

"Everything?" she questioned, not knowing if Ryder had given them all the details.

Her mother nodded, "Ryder told us how Rickard was using you to help take over our pack."

"He didn't touch you, did he, Kristin?" John spoke angrily, awaiting his daughters reply.

"No, he didn't hurt me," she shook her head.

He just made me watch him kill--

"It's okay now, Kristin," her mother soothingly rubbed her arm.

"Ryder brought me back here?" she questioned, looking at him.

He was leaning on the door with his hands in his pockets, clenching his jaw.

Kristin tried not to focus on how good he looked, despite the previous events.

"Yes. He said you passed out and once you arrived here, we had the doctor give you medicine to help you rest. We," her father paused, trying to think of how to say his next words carefully, "We knew you'd need the rest, after everything that happened."

So that's why they gave her the medicine to help her sleep.

She was thankful since she was sure she would never get a good night's rest ever again. Every time she closed her eyes... she was back in the cell.

Her gaze went back to Ryder, who was looking away, his eyes unfocused.

Kristin figured he was mind-linking someone, which was actually kind of weird for Ryder.

"I owe him," her father told her, about Ryder, "I had no idea what was happening at Rickard's pack, and if it weren't for him," he shook his head, eyes darkening.

"It's okay, father," she squeezed his hand, "I'm okay now."

Just a second ago she had been the one needing comfort from Ryder, but now she was trying her best to comfort her parents.

Truthfully, she was lucky.

After seeing so many deaths, Kristin had been sure she was going to have the same fate.

If it weren't for Ryder, if he hadn't showed up when he did, things would have been even worse.

Ryder had basically saved her.

Ryder's eyes met hers, and she finally let her guard down.

She had been holding herself back from the wolf world for so long, from Ryder.

As she took in his tall, muscular figure, his thick dark hair, his strong jaw, his dark blue eyes... she let her mind open to the idea that they actually were mates, and she felt her body react to him in a different way.

She felt the bond.

"You are going to stay with us for a while, until Ryder can get everything sorted with Nightfall," her father spoke, interrupting her daze.

"Let's bring you to the house, and you can rest more," her mother nodded.

She snapped her eyes back to her parents, "I don't think I need to rest anymore," she said, not wanting to be left to her thoughts.

"You look exhausted Kristin, you are going to rest more," her father stated, almost as an order.

The life of having an Alpha-Father.

"I'm going to talk with Doc for a minute before he can come and take the IV out," he continued, walking towards the door with her mother.

They both left down the hall to find the doctor, leaving Kristin and Ryder alone again.

This time it was different however, Kristin was... nervous.

"Where are we going to stay after you sort out the pack?" she asked, when he stayed silent.

"Nightfall," he replied, looking over at her.

"Where?" she asked again to confirm her realization.

"I have to stay at Nightfall," Ryder repeated, watching her reaction.

It took her a minute, but she finally figured out why Ryder was suddenly so busy with his pack.

"You're the..." Kristin's eyes widened at him, just now realizing what he was.

"Alpha," he smiled, though it wasn't humorous, "Yep."

"Right," she said, her head spinning. Kristin sighed, rubbing her temples.

She knew Ryder said he would have to stay at Nightfall, but the thing was, if they were mates, then...

"You don't look so well," Ryder chuckled, walking over to sit back on the chair.

She stared at him, her mind racing.

Ryder was an Alpha.

Her mate was an Alpha.

Yep, she knew what that meant.

She was the Luna.

"You really don't think I'll make a good Alpha, huh?" he asked, making her jump.

She had been so focused on her thoughts she almost forgot she was staring at him.

She opened her mouth to say something, but knew he was joking when she saw the signature smirk.

"I never said that," she looked away, trying to hide her smile.

Seeing Ryder go back to his old smirking self, made her happy. It was like they were back to the way things were, before all the terrible things happened.

"Thank goodness I don't have to stay in that house anymore," she said dramatically, looking back to Ryder.

His lips twitched upward, but he clenched his jaw at the same time.

Kristin raised a brow at him, waiting for him to mention the fact that they were mates.

She had only said that so he would finally say something.

Yeah, they probably wouldn't stay in the arrangement house anymore, but they were sure going to live together in his pack now.

Instead, he sighed.

"Kristin, I have to tell you something."

The seriousness in his voice told her two things.

First, Ryder was about to tell her they were mates.

And second, this meant he didn't know she already knew about them.

"Why are you being so serious?" she chuckled, wanting to mess with him. She actually found the situation humorous, that she knew but he didn't.

She looked down to play with her ring, suddenly too shy to meet his gaze.

Ryder rolled his eyes at her, "Its kind of important."

Kristin remained looking down, waiting for him to finally say it.

After a minute of silence, she looked back to him, wanting to know why he wasn't saying anything.

"What are you looking at?" she smirked, liking the way he smiled from laughing at her.

He shook his head, his smile fading.

"I," he hesitated, looking towards the door.

"Ryder, just say it," Kristin said at the same time as the door opened, the Doctor walking in.

"How are you feeling, Kristin?" he asked, gently taking the IV from her arm.

"I feel fine, thanks," she distractedly said, still looking at Ryder.

He was watching the Doctor tape a cotton ball to her arm, a hint of a smile on his lips.

She looked down, her mind suddenly full of memories from their kiss.

She tried to hide her blush as she waited for the Doctor to finish checking her vitals.

"Alright, you look good. But, you do need to rest some more," he said, giving her a pointed look.

She rolled her eyes as he got up to leave, "Okay."

"You know you seriously have to rest more, right?" Ryder gave her a knowing look once the doctor had left.

"You too?" she asked, teasingly.

"I'm serious," Ryder said, his lips twitching.

"You don't look that serious," she shrugged, liking how they were back to messing with each other.

Flirting, a small voice in her head corrected

No.

"I'm an Alpha now, I can be serious when I want to," he fake scowled.

"I don't have to listen to you though, you aren't my Alpha," she said teasingly, yet she knew what she said wasn't true.

Technically, if they were mates, she would belong to his pack.

And he was now the Alpha of his pack. So...

He narrowed his eyes at her, playfully, shaking his head.

He muttered something under his breath, but she couldn't hear because her parents walked back through the door.

"Ready?" Her mother asked, excited that Kristin would be home for the first time in almost a month.

Kristin nodded, getting up off the bed.

Her legs felt really shaky and weak still, but she blamed it on sleeping for fourteen hours straight.

Ryder stood up and walked to her side, reaching out to hold her arm for balance.

"I'm not crippled," she snapped, heat rushing to her face from the feeling of his touch.

"Sure you aren't," Ryder nodded sarcastically, keeping his hand on her arm for balance.

They followed her parents down the hall and out the doors.

Kristin thought it was weird they had drove their vehicle to the doctor's, since it wasn't that far of a walk from their house.

They probably thought she couldn't walk that far, she thought, remembering how everyone was treating her like she was fragile.

Her father opened the door for her and Ryder helped her in the back seat.

She only let him help her so she could tug on his arm before he left.

"What?" he smirked at her grip on his arm.

"You're going back to your pack?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

What she had really wanted to say was, 'Can't you just stay for a little while longer?'

Yeah, she actually wanted Ryder to stay with her.

This bond was already taking its toll.

He nodded, "I have to."

He looked like he was waiting for her to say something more.

Like, 'I know we're mates so just stay here.'

But she was not going to give him the satisfaction.

Not with her parents in the front seat, listening to their conversation.

"Alright," Kristin tried to cover up the disappointment in her voice as she let go of his arm.

"What, no goodbye for your mate?" he teased, looking to her parents.

She had actually thought he was going to admit it, but she knew he was just 'keeping up the act for her parents.'

But why did they have to keep up the act when it was real!

She shook her head at Ryder, shutting the door so only her window was open to him.

Her frustration was the only thing that kept her from wanting to hug him goodbye.

Wait, hug him goodbye?

She didn't even know who she was anymore.

Maybe it was best that they had some distance, she thought, although she was just telling herself this to make it easier.

"Bye," she rolled her eyes at him, wishing her parents weren't there so she could've messed with him more.

He just shook his head, grinning at her as the vehicle started moving.

"Bye, sweetheart," she heard him say as they pulled onto the road.

She mentally scolded herself for feeling butterflies from his words.

"You two are the weirdest couple, I've ever seen," her mother laughed.

"You have no idea," she replied, meaning every word she said.

This surprisingly, even earned her a chuckle from her father.

•. •. •. •. •.

Chapter Twenty One!

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