AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ryan laid her in his bed instantly, grateful that he’d cleaned out any trace of Hayley after their breakup.
Oh, God Hayley. The thought of the other woman and how he’d behaved with her in front of Kelly made his blood heat with shame.
CHAPTER TWELVE
She was floating on a cloud, it was the softest most luxurious thing she’d ever felt. She sighed as she sank deeper into the fluff, never wanting to leave. The scent she was surrounded with was familiar and comforting. She snuggled into it, letting her concerns float away.
Kelly woke sometime later, uncertain how long she’d slept. She kept her eyes shut, afraid to open them. She’d never been in Ryan’s home but she knew without seeing that’s exactly where she was.
She felt a cool hand on her brow and flinched at the touch, her eyes popping open with the contact. Kelly found herself blinking up into Ryan’s gaze. She swallowed grimacing when her throat felt like sandpaper. She tried again and let out a whimper of discomfort.
“Here, drink some water.” He held the glass for her and although the thought to stubbornly refuse was her first instinct, the need for water had her accepting quicker than she liked.
“Thanks.” It was all she could manage while struggling to lean on her elbows so that she could drink. Suddenly he was behind her supporting her weight and helping her hold the glass. When she’d had enough she pushed the cup away ignoring Ryan’s frown. “Why am I here?”
“You need your rest.”
“No, I mean here. Why am I here?” She gestured weakly to the room around her “My house was closer.” she said, settling back into the pillows, her side aching with protest.
“It may have been closer but there’s no way that I was going to leave you alone.”
“Like you’ve never done that before.” She muttered, she knew he’d heard every word as if she’d yelled at him, but she couldn’t hold the words in. He was looking at her like he’d never seen her before and she felt different than she had when she’d walked into the woods.
His eyes softened while he continued to gaze at her. She squirmed under the intense scrutiny, wincing as pain lanced through her side with the movement. It seemed to bring him out of his thoughts and back to the moment.
He shook his head then blinked, “Get some rest. I’ll see if I can get Jonas here soon.”
***
HE SAT IN a chair in his bedroom watching over her as she slept, still in awe of his discovery. Was what he’d felt when he laid his hands on her and pushed his power into her to bring the change to heal her real? It couldn’t be, could it? He would have known, would have felt some kind of connection between them.
Ryan, 24
“You’ll be the youngest Alpha the packs have ever seen.” The excitement in Carl’s tone was unmistakable and it pissed him off.
“Yeah never mind the fact that my dad may never walk again.” Ryan couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice. Carl was full of himself, running his mouth about things he had no business talking about.
“Your dad will be fine,” Carl said casually, shrugging off Ryan’s concern. They were walking from the training area when the most alluring scent caught the wind teasing his nose.
“Looks like the nursery let out early,” Carl sneered. Ryan’s nostrils flared as he drew her scent into him memorizing every nuance. He narrowed his eyes hardening his features. Forcing himself to ignore the rich aroma wafting from her and the feelings the scent stirred in him. She was just a kid. Practically a baby compared to him and he didn’t have time for frivolous things now that he was training to be pack alpha.
“Where’s your babysitter?” Carl asked, laughing while he cast a look at Ryan searching for his approval. Ryan assumed this was how it would be from now on, pack members always vying for his attention and cringed.
“Get out of here!” Ryan spat the words at her his teeth clenched tight. As he tried not to breathe in the scent of her.
“Leave!” He shouted when she hesitated, he felt his control slipping and if she stayed even a moment longer he feared what he’d do. It felt wrong that she would provoke such a strong attraction in him at such a young age.
He was jerked out of his reminiscing when she whimpered in her sleep. The pain-soaked sound tore through him. She was dreaming, that much was obvious but given how she was thrashing around he doubted it was a pleasant dream.
“Ryan, please.” She twisted and writhed on the bed.
“I’m here Kelly. I’ve got you.” Ryan stroked his hand across her brow. It was hot and feverish. He kept his hand there for a moment hoping that the cool contrast of their skin would help but it seemed to make her more agitated. He left the room to avoid disturbing her further and waited for the doctor, tempted to call him a second time.
When Jonas arrived shortly after Ryan’s call he received a tongue lashing like he hadn’t had since he was a pup.
“You may be alpha but you can’t just assume because she shifted that she’s fine. This wasn’t a splinter you plucked out of her finger. She was shot with an arrow for crying out loud.”
“I know Doc, believe me, I know.” A shudder worked its way through him as he remembered the sight of her laying on the ground in pain and bleeding to death.
