My Mate's Touch

Chapter 32 - Elias

Luca, Aspen and I had made it back to the apartment complex and they were opening their doors, but I was distracted. Xander confronting me yesterday made me feel extremely nervous and guilty. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't tell anyone about what I was going through right now, especially not Xander. He'd made it more than clear that he would get rid of me himself, and I doubted it would be merciful.

After Luca and I had made it inside of his apartment, he made his way to the restroom and I headed over to the couch, plopping down on the soft gray cushions. I'd closed my eyes for less than a second before I opened them up widely, and my breaths became shallow. It had been three days. I had to meet Ryland this evening, and I'd gotten nothing for him.

I grabbed at my hair in an anxious gesture and tried not to have a panic attack. There didn't seem to be a way out of this situation at all. I had attempted to leak private information about the unrivaled Shadowclaw pack, an act that should have gotten me tortured or even killed on the spot. To make matters worse, I'd failed at getting the information, meaning that Ryland was going to punish me and most likely murder my parents. I was trapped in an unrelenting box, unable to refuse what was asked of me but also unable to avoid the consequences. I was hopeless.

When Luca opened the bathroom door, I had straightened myself back up, smoothing out my messy hair and leveling my breathing back out. He sat next to me on the couch and we talked about random things, laughing after every other sentence or two.

It was comforting to be distracted like this, just sitting in the presence of someone who genuinely cared about me when it felt like I currently had the short end of the stick. Luca was a treasure of a friend, and I hoped that if he ever learned what I was doing that he wouldn't hate me for it. Even with my parent's lives on the line and my heightened anxiety, I felt that losing a friend like Luca was my biggest fear.

I stood and walked over to the window in Luca's apartment. I pried open the blinds with my fingers and peeked through them, admiring how the previously light blue sky was now mixed with hues of orange and purple. I closed the blinds back and took a deep breath. It was time for me to go soon.

"Hey, Luca?" I said, fiddling with the door handle and mentally preparing myself for whatever might happen in the near future. "I'll be ba— um, I'm going out for a bit." I didn't know what tonight would hold or what a dissatisfied Ryland would do, so I didn't want to give Luca a false hope.

"Oh, ok," He responded, arching an eyebrow in skeptical curiosity.

I made my way towards his door and turned around before twisting the handle. "And, um, Luca? You're the best friend I've ever had. I just wanted you to know that."

I smiled at him genuinely before walking out of his apartment, not allowing him to respond. What I'd told him, I never would have said if I didn't think it could be the last time I saw him again. It was a heart-wrenching thought, but it was something that needed to be considered given my current circumstances.

By the time the sun had just about touched the horizon line, I'd made it to the pack territory border near the forest, waiting nervously for Ryland. I tried not to think of how he would react and what he could do to me, but it was hardly working. Still, I fought to keep myself from breaking down, taking a few deep breaths and hoping for everything to go as smoothly as possible.

"Hey, kitten."

I looked up to see a mischievous smirk on Ryland's face as he emerged from the dark forest. He walked towards me in a nonchalant manner, his hands in his pockets. I internally shuttered. His cool boy facade would be shattered when he learned that I hadn't done what he wanted.

"Hi," I muttered, avoiding eye contact with him.

Ryland stood up straighter, his broad shoulders and tall figure making me feel small. He intimidated me to the core, especially when I knew that I was about to make him angry.

"Did you get dirt on the Shadowclaw pack and their alpha?"

I hesitated, chewing on my lip. "N-No."

Ryland looked down at me, his eyes almost black. The expression on his face was indifferent and I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I wished I was joking when I figured he was probably trying to determine the most painful way to kill me, but I wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case.

"Hm," he said, pursing his lips.

I gulped, awaiting his outburst of anger. It never came. Instead, Ryland walked slightly away from me, going back and forth with his hand on his chin. He stopped pacing for a moment and turned his head to look me in the eye.

"Was my threat not enough?" He asked in a deep, reverberating voice. "Are you going to actually make me kill your parents for you to do what I fucking say?"

I flinched at his harsh tone and sharp words. "I-I couldn't get close enough," I said, slightly bending the truth. "I... I can try aga—"

"There is no trying again, not for you," he spat. "You tried and you failed. I don't give second chances."

Ryland took a few steps closer to me, making me back away reflexively. He caught my wrist, gripping it tightly and making me squirm. He stared into my eyes with his darkened ones.

"I'm sure you knew I was going to be disappointed," he said coldly. "I am. You're not getting out of this unscathed, you useless piece of shit. I'm going to make you wait for your punishment, and it'll come when you won't expect it."

All I could do was shiver in fear after listening to Ryland's words and watching him walk back off into the forest. If he had a punishment in mind for me, then would he possibly spare my parents? I knew I couldn't give myself hope like that. I knew deep down that he'd probably still kill them, too. I walked back to Luca's apartment in defeat. I had failed miserably and now I and the people I cared about would pay the price.

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Elias has a punishment in store for him from Ryland, yours truly. What will it be? If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a vote and comment what you thought! I love to read what you guys have to say ♡ - D