Protect Me

Chapter 5

Pretty picture of Riley------->

Riley POV

As soon as Nate left the cell, I felt cold. I realized that I would feel cold until he was near me again. I shook my head. Be strong Riley. You don't want to be one of those  needy girlfriends. Girlfriend. Was I Nate's girlfriend now? I know I would consider him my boyfriend. I know I won't ever want anyone else. That's the purpose of mates. Well, whatever I am to him, I know one thing for sure. I want to be strong for him. He has a lot on his plate, I can tell from the way his jaw is always tightened and his hands are usually in fists. He doesn't need me being weak to add to all of that stress. As I was having an internal battle, I almost didn't hear someone speak up. 

"So you got a thing for Palmer, huh?" he said. Palmer must be Nate's last name. I looked around the area until I found a guard, his eyes gleaming in the darkness. "Yeah, most of the girls here swoon after him. Don't get too excited. Boss always kills 'em before they can talk to him again." he said. I started shaking. I guess he was satisfied with my reaction because he laughed and walked away. 

I can handle this. Nate is going to be back in less than 20 minutes now. Then we could catch up from where we left before... Just thinking about that moment made my heart speed up. God, he's perfect. And before I knew it I was drifting off thinking of the way Nate half-smiles...

Nate POV

The whole way up to Jack's office, I was trying not to think of Riley in her cell, alone. Which was pretty d*mn hard. The thought makes me crazy. Let's just make this quick. I knocked on Jack's door. 

"Whoszthat?" I heard Jack slur. F*ck. He's drunk. "Nathaniel." I said. "Natey! commmon in," he said. I opened the door. He was on the floor with an empty bottle of vodka, a cracked picture of Lucy in his arms. "Jack I need to ask you something." I said. 

"You know Nate, I never even got to see her after she died. They said the body was unrecognizable. I never got to give her farewell." He hiccuped. "Well D*mnit I wanted to see my mate! Oh god, my mate..." He said as he slumped against the wall. He actually looked kind of pathetic. I don't feel sorry for him. I was done feeling sorry for him a long time ago. "Jack, focus. I need something. I never ask you for anything. Just listen," I said forcefully. This got his attention. 

"Okay Nathaniel, what." he said. I took a deep breath. Please let this be easy. "I want to sleep in the new girls cell. I'm-I'm not finished with her yet." I said. Jack raised an eyebrow at me. "Someone got an attachment?" he asked, meaning for it to be a joke, but I didn't see playfulness in his eyes. This was a test. 

"Honestly Jack I couldn't give a sh*t about her. I just haven't had this good of a f*ck since I was 14." I said even though my wolf was screaming at me to do so. "You remember that night right Jack?"  That was the time Jack took me to a strip club. That was also the night when I watched him kill one of the girls working there. She said something about him having a girlfriend. 

Jack smiled at the memory. "Alright Nate go ahead. Have your fun. Just don't be in there too long I want to get the job done by tomorrow afternoon," he said. I clenched my fists so tight my knuckles turned white. He means kill Riley. Come on Nate don't lose it now. I gulped my anger down and nodded once. Walking out the door and down the stairs to see Riley. 

When I got to her cell, she looked at me with wide eyes. Her long legs sprawled out in front of her. Even with blood and dirt on her she still took my breath away. I grinned at her, and she took that as a sign that everything was going to be okay. I loved that I could give her that reassurance. She gave me a soft smile. 

"You okay?" she asked. She's the one with a gash on her head and clothes all ripped up and she's asking me if I'm okay. She really is amazing. I quickly unlocked the cell and stepped inside. I walked towards her and sat down in front of her, leaning my forehead against hers, gently. I don't know why I always do that. It soothes me, knowing that she's close to me I guess. "Are you okay? No one came in here right? I took the key so I'm sure no one could get in, unless- did anyone come in? If they hurt you I swear I'm-" I didn't get a chance to finish, she cut me off by pressing her lips to mine. I guess I was rambling again. Whatever, I'll talk forever if she kisses me to shut me up. 

"Nate," she breathed as she tangled her hands in my hair. I groaned, this girl has known me for a day and already knows how to drive me wild. "I'm fine," she continued, "You're going to have a heart attack if you keep worrying about me this much." I chuckled. "Baby, do you realize how much you mean to me? I'm never going to stop worrying about you." I said. Nate, stop screwing around. If you want to keep her safe, stick to the schedule. You have limited time together. Right. The plan. I'm getting her out of here. 

"Riley, we don't have much time tonight. So I'm not going to sugar-coat it for you." I said. She gulped and nodded for me to continue. "Jack's planning to kill you tomorrow. I've got to get you out of here tonight." She narrowed her eyes at me. 

"Nathaniel Palmer." She said. How does she know my full name? "You will NOT get yourself killed for me. Don't be such a f*cking hero. We're mates. If you die, a part of me dies. We're connected. So don't try to get me out of here. Get us  out of here. Because I'm not leaving here without you, ever." D*mn she's sexy when she's mad. Calm down Nate this is serious. 

"Okay." I said. She looked shocked, she expected me to fight with her about this. Honestly, we don't have time. She will always be my main priority, that's just how a male wolf works. She'll see that. "Okay sweetheart. We're in this together." 

"There are three exits, with three guards at each one," I began. "I'm pretty cool with two of them down at the east exit. We should escape from there." She nodded. "When I tell you to run, Riley you shift and run you hear me?" Again she nodded. "Follow me, until we get to the train station. Then we head off to anywhere in the world you want to go and we'll be gone." 

"Nate?" she asked. "Yeah sweetheart?" 

"The only place I want to go after we escape, is back home, to my pack." she said. I used my fingers to brush out the golden hair in front of her eyes. "Then that's where we'll go. Home." I liked the sound of that. Home. I haven't had a home since I was ten. "We have to wait until Jack's asleep. He's drunk, so it won't be too long." I said. 

"I have an idea of what we could do until then," she said as she ran her hands down my chest, setting me on fire. Instantly I had her in my arms, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. I tried not to think that if we failed, there really would be no tomorrow. God I hope this plan works...    

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