My Alpha is Wilde

Chapter 23

I'd gone in and out of consciousness for the past three hours now, struggling to stay asleep only to be woken up by my own violent vomiting. I woke up again, not to puke this time, but to my own screaming.

My eyes were wide as I clawed at my stomach. My abdomen was in extreme pain. I felt like a red hot piece of metal was in my uterus and was only being swished around.

"Make it stop!" I begged as River pulled me into his arms and I began to sob. "Where's my mom?! RIVER, MAKE IT STOP!"

He placed his hand on my stomach which relieved over half of the pain. I closed my eyes and placed my forehead onto his chest. He'd left for too long. If he was gone for over a certain amount of time I'd be in pain, but if he stayed for too long he would start to lose control. It was a balancing act at this point.

"I'm sorry." He sighed as he laid down on the bed. "You're going to have to shift soon."

"I can't. I've been trying, but it won't work." I argued quietly, not opening my eyes yet.

"Then it'll hurt. Nothing like that just did, but close." He said gruffly. "I've called two of the pack doctors to come and help. Hopefully they can figure something out for you."

I laid quietly in his arms. My private parts were starting to ache and burn. This was only getting worse. I started to cry silently while I laid next to him on the bed. I didn't want him to notice, but I knew that he would.

He sighed heavily and placed his hand on my back which helped with my muscle spasms. I sniffled slightly and kept my eyes closed.

I hated this!

I was sweating and my hair was matted to my head and I was way too hot. All I wanted was a break. Just a quick break from it all, but I knew that I'd have to wait it out. This was the only thing my parents had permitted me to know about mates while I was growing up. They'd kept everything they taught me very traditional, meaning I was spared from ever having to discuss mates with them past understanding heat. They were sexist, as was the rest of the werewolf world, but my parents almost extremely in a sense when it came to keeping me sheltered.

I stood up slowly. I wanted a cold shower. It would feel way nicer than the sheets that were beginning to feel like sweaty sandpaper and it would give River a break from me for a bit.

He watched me, ready to jump up to my aid at any moment as I stumbled towards the bathroom.

"Are you alright?" He asked, sounding more concerned than anything.

"I'm going to have a shower. I'm too hot." I told him, almost daring him to tell me I couldn't.

"I'll help you, then." He got up and off the bed and started to walk towards me.

He was an idiot if he thought I was just going to let that happen. I frowned at him and he nearly rolled his eyes at my new expression.

"No! You will not!" I growled at him.

"Rory, you can barely stand on your own. If you're not going to let me help you, then you can have a bath. I don't want to have to deal with you getting hurt on top of this, okay?" He was frustrated with me.

I was equally frustrated with him. Why did he have to dictate everything I did?! I just wanted to take a fucking shower! That's not a hard task. If I took a bath I'd just be sitting in sweaty water and I wouldn't feel as refreshed. I didn't want help. I didn't need it!

"I just want to do something on my own!" I growled at him. "You're hardly in as much pain as me! Can't you just be understanding for once?! Fuck off, River!"

"Aurora, do not speak to me like that. You may shower but you can sit on a stool in the shower then. I don't want you wasting your energy or getting hurt. Don't lock the door. I won't come in unless you call for me." He caved!

"Fine." I pretended to be unhappy with having to sit on a stool, but I was honestly relieved about it.

He left to go get a stool and came back quickly. He put it in the shower for me and turned the water on before carrying me into the bathroom. I protested immediately, but he just rolled his eyes at me and plunked me on a towel next to the shower.

"Call if you need anything, Babydoll." He said as he closed the door behind himself.

I immediately stripped and went under the cold water. I jumped at first getting in, but soon grew accustomed to the temperature and sat down on the stool. It felt good. I had some space, I was slowly cooling down for a moment.

I sighed when u couldn't make the water any colder and the aches started to get worse. I slowly stepped out from under the water and towelled myself off. A new pair of clothes had been laid out for and I put it on, not bothering to get upset over the fact that he'd come in.

"River?" I called out not really knowing why I was about to ask him about anything. "If I come lay with you do you promise to answer my questions?"

He opened the door and looked at me with an expression that was trying to hide his excitement. He told me he would and pulled me from the ground. He combed my hair for me.

"What do ya wanna know, babydoll?" He asked as we fell onto the bed together.

"How come you were always so mean to me growing up?" I asked. "Like, I get you not liking me or something, but I mean, really?"

"What?" He asked, literally sounding like he had no idea what I was talking about.

"You handcuffed me to your jeans in the ninth grade." I deadpanned. "And plopped mashed potatoes in my hair on picture day in the sixth grade."

"I heard some sophomore was planning on trying to convince you to go under the bleachers with him when you were only a freshman." He was embarrassed which somehow made me want to giggle. "And when you were in the sixth grade everybody thought you looked really cute and I was mad they were all looking at you."

So he really was just out to get me? He didn't want to me to get a chance to have a little crush or ever fool around growing up? How was that even remotely something that seemed normal to him.

"What?" I was somehow pissed off. "So what?!"

"So what?" He repeated almost laughing. "The first time I ever met you the Moon Goddess told me I was your mate. I knew I was. I felt the sparks every time I ever touched you growing up. Rory, I've known since before you were in the first grade, okay? I'm sorry for being a bit protective but I couldn't exactly just say that to you."

Okay, well that was not what I'd been expecting.