Like A Luna

Chapter Forty Five: Back To Square One

Rylee POV

Everyone felt guilty for what happened, and no matter what I said I couldn't change their minds. I couldn't get them to understand that I knew what I was and what the risks were when I came back to live in the pack's territory. I'd experienced the same treatment at Terramend, I was just more tired and hungry. It was survival, I survived.

As I knew Evan was back, when he arrived by the waterfall to save me, I was relieved and I had never been so happy to see him. But that's where my conflicts came. When I saw him, I was relieved and content, but after he left I was sick. My body would fight me, making me ill for hours or days after. It's how it always was since I had met him. So that worried me, what if I accepted the mating? Would it just get worse? I didn't want to be sick all the time and didn't like the feeling of being vulnerable and reliant on people and if that's what happened I would be reliant on his presence to get rid of the illness.

Yet, I still craved his touch and nuzzled his hand on my cheek. It was a selfish instant relief, temporary, but one I needed. I had spent the rest of the afternoon with him, in the penthouse as we ate and talked about what had happened. To me and him.

He said the Luna there made the decision to accept the treaty after he saved her, but he didn't say why she trusted his reasoning for being there. I didn't fully understand, but it was good that he had the treaty, he had an ally in this fight.

As for Dean, he was being held somewhere, that's all Evan would tell me. No one else knew where he was, only that the Alpha wasn't worried and he knew of his whereabouts.

After spending a night being sick I was hesitant the next day to see him. I spent the next couple of days trying to be distracted by our houses renovations that needed doing and moved out to sort it. I had rested for a day and eaten a lot and got my strength back somewhat, at least enough to clean the house.

Trying to distract my mind was difficult, so I had earphones in blaring music. Although occasionally I thought I could smell him and it made me shake my head, trying to justify it. It was in my head and the paint fumes were just messing with my mind.

But as I felt a hand on my arm I jumped back into the wall and ended up seeing him stood before me.

"Don't do that!" I complained trying to calm my racing heart and pulling the earphones out.

He smiled. "Sorry."

"How did you get in anyway?"

"Your mom gave me a key."

"Of course she did... So whats wrong?"
"Why does something have to be wrong whenever I want to see you?"

I rolled my eyes. "What's up?"

"Just making sure you're okay."

"I'm fine." I said stepping forward to pick the brush up off the floor and stopped as my shirt stuck to the wall. "Well I was." I stepped away from the wall and pulled my shirt round to see the paint all over my white shirt. I sighed. "Dammit... Can't you knock like normal people?"

"I did, you didn't answer."

"So you thought you'd break in?"

"Key." He said holding it up.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever." I said and picked up the paintbrush.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." I could feel his presence behind me. I took a breath about to apologise then I changed my mind.

"Do what?"

"Roll your eyes at me."

"What you gonna do about it?" I had said it before I could think through the repercussions. I just stood looking at the wall waiting for a reaction.

"Roll your eyes again and we'll see."

"No thanks." I mumbled and went back to painting the wall.

Seconds later he appeared in my peripheral vision, he had leaned on the wall.

"You know ignoring me won't make it go away."

Sighing I dropped my head. "I-I know, I just... I dunno, I just don't know." I said and glanced up at him, noticing he had fully leaned on the wall. I bit my lip fighting the laugh and smiled as I looked back down to the brush in my hands rotating it in my fingers.

"Wh...The paint's wet." He muttered.

"Uh huh."

As soon as he moved my eyes glanced up, he placed his hands either side of me, against the wall.

"It's still wet." I whispered.

"I know." He stepped closer and I stepped back hitting the wall. His body was so close I could feel the electricity. His eyes scanned my face, focusing on my eyes.

"You're not sleeping." He said softly as his hand touched my cheek. At that point I didn't even worry about the paint.

"I'm fine."

"Why?" He pressed, ignoring me.

"I can't sleep."

"Why?"

"I-I don't know. I just can't."

"Come back to the pack house for a few days, I don't like the thought of you being alone."

"I'm-" I began but his eyes cut right through me making me sigh. "I'll consider it."

His eyes stayed focused on mine, until he sighed and closed them as his head dropped.

"Why are you avoiding me Rylee?"

"I'm not." I gulped.

"You're hiding out here. I've tried to call you, you won't answer... What have I done? Please tell me."

"Nothing, I just... I..."

"Please Rylee."

"If im around you, then I get sick after." I ran the tip of my tongue across my bottom lip nervously, making sure my eyes were on the floor.

"What do you mean?"

"I feel drained, im not hungry and can't sleep. It hurts worse to turn and I'll be sick... The more I see you the worse it gets."

"What about when you're with me?"

"I don't notice." I mumbled.

"Then we need to work on it."

"Wha-" The doorbell rang interrupting me as I jumped.

"That'll be the pizza." He smiled and pushed away from the wall, walking out.

"You ordered pizza to my house?" I asked confused following him.

"Of course. You're hungry."

"How would you know?" I crossed my arms as I stood at the top of the stairs.

"You're always hungry." He smirked at me before he opened the door.

Growling, I was beginning to feel annoyed, although I wasn't sure if it was more for the fact, he had ordered the pizza, had a spare key to my house or that he was right.

"Dammit." I grumbled putting the brush down and making my way down stairs as my stomach rumbled.

No one could read me, but he could.

And he knew it.