Klepto✔︎

12 ❀ Try

     Reid scowls down at me before winding a gentle arm around my waist and hoisting me into a semi-upright position. I can barley stay still, my body dizzy. I gasp as agony sweeps through my ribs, but I bite my tongue.

     I can't show weakness.

     "Klepto. Who did this to you?" He seethes, his interrogation not quite over. "Why are you out here? Why won't you tell me who attacked you?"

     I squeeze my eyes shut. I want to point a finger at Nathan so bad that the temptation almost aches more than my injuries.

     Knowing the consequences of being a tattle tale, I clench my jaw in determination. I have to stay strong.

     "No. I can't... I can't tell you." I ramble out aimlessly, my gaze racking the surrounding forest in case there are any eavesdroppers. As if Ezra would pop his beautiful head out and see that his suspicions are confirmed. His mate is nothing but a helpless punching bag after all.

     "Fine don't tell me. I'll just try to figure it out for myself." He says, running a hand over his short hair.

     After a few minutes of silence, he speaks again.

      "At least let me help you to the pack clinic. You need a doctor." He insists, his eyebrows drawing together, eyes raking me as if trying to spot and assess all of my injuries.

     "No. No. H.. he can't find out. He can't find out." My eyes swim in tears as I shake my head furiously, my emotions getting the better of me by controlling my every action. If Reid doesn't know any better, he might think I'm some sort of deranged lunatic.

     His face falls and he cocks his head to the side, he looks around and then pulls me closer to him.

     "Who? Who can't find out?"

     I don't want you telling anyone about this. Any of it. Us being mates, that we can't have a relationship. Not even us speaking beyond what others see. Nobody can know.

     Ezra's stern command floats around me like a nightmare I can't forget. I can't even tell Reid who he's not allowed to tell because it might hint to our relationship.

     If Ezra finds out I was attacked it will only make him hate me more, I just know it will. It'll confirm my weakness.

     I am in a predicament.

     "Nobody. Everybody. I don't know, just... nobody can hear about this. I.. I don't want to make a fuss." I ramble, trying to scoot away. A hiss flushes through my teeth when I feel a twinge of pain climb up my spine.

     Worry flashes across Reid's features and he dives towards me, catching me before I hit my head on the ground.

     "You need medical attention, Klepto. Your health is more important than what others think of you." He makes a good point, but my mental health is at stake, and that's deteriorating at a much faster rate.

     "I'll be in trouble if Alpha Green finds out." I mumble, but I know he hears it. He's a lycan after all. Well, that and the fact that his eyeballs nearly pop right out of his face when I tell him.

     "This pack is so screwed up." He says under his breath before rubbing his forehead in clear irritation. He rocks on his heels as if trying to decide what exactly to do with me.

     "Look, we're going to go to the pack clinic, and somehow we'll convince the doctor to keep quiet, okay?" I can tell his temper is starting to flare, and the last thing I want is to anger a lycan... again.