"I figured you would want to know even if she farted in her sleep," - Draven Ray
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"She's never waking up Ryker, give it up." I've never wanted to punch someone as much as I did at this moment. I wouldn't even punch Thomas first if he was a choice, and that's a feat if I ever saw one.
"Then leave," I growled. Draven Ray didn't even spare me a glance but instead kept looking at the woman lying deathly still in bed. He was the man that was like a brother towards Kei, or so I've been told. I still had my doubts about the relationship between them being totally innocent, but that was mostly Axel's suspicion more than mine.
"It's been two months Ryker, and it has been the same thing every day." He spoke somberly, his eyes dull. "No response, no movement. Even if she wasn't, she might as well as be dead.
"But she is alive, no matter what you call it," I said, clenching my fists as I stared at her serene face. "One would have faith instead of drowning in sorrow, Draven." He didn't say anything and his silence made my anger rise.
Hearing his words of complete defeat made me feel as if she was truly gone, but I knew without a doubt that she wasn't. She promised she would come back, and I trusted her word more than anyone else.
"She is part of my family, and I pray to the goddess every day to bring her back. Yet, two months have passed and she still hasn't answered. What else am I supposed to do, Ryker? This nagging sorrow just won't go away." He looked up at me with tears glistening in his eyes and all of my anger drained out of me, sensing the true depth of his misery.
"Draven, you should know how strong she is. Do you honestly believe that a measly arrow will take her down forever?" I waited patiently for his answer, seeing the battle of dark emotions in his eyes.
"I don't believe that she would let Leon kill her off before taking him with her." He smiled weakly and he reached over to grab her limp hand in his own. I forced down the growl of possessiveness at the contact, telling Axel to let the man seek some comfort. "I believe that no Hell could prevent her from coming back to get her revenge on him."
"Now that, I can truly imagine. She is as stubborn as six bulls," I say in amusement. He chuckled and nodded in agreement. After that, we fell into a delicate silence, the peace ready to be broken at the sound of clouds passing. The delicateness of the space around us was truly full of disquiet, yet it was the most restful that it had ever been during these last two months.
I took this time to study my mate lying before me in her comatose state. Although I've been doing this for the last two months, I still felt as if I made a new discovery each time I looked at her face. Her expression was that of a woman content in the world that was not this one, her face relaxed and serene. It was not marred by any of the stresses that were brought upon a person when they were awake, the sins of the world not touching her at all.
Her lips looked as if they were a constant tiny smirk as if there was a joke that we didn't get. Her silver hair reminded me too much of the moonlight that shone almost every night, a constant reminder of how far out of reach both of them were to me. Too soon, the quiet was broken by a knock on the door.
"Alpha." My beta walked in through the door, his mood somber. Clark Davis waited patiently for my response as I took one last moment to gaze at her face before finally addressing him.
"What is it?" He bowed his head in respect before straightening.
"Just now, two rogues were found and captured, and it seems they may be related to Leon somehow." Internally, I gave a sigh while nodding outwardly.
"And where are they now?"
"They are being kept in the cells down in the basement," he reported. "However, they haven't spoken since they've been caught."
"I'll go pay them a visit later. For now, I have other business to attend to. Clark, take some men and search for any backup that might come."
"Yes Alpha," he bowed once more and left. I frowned slightly before turning to Draven.
"Come get me if you see her move even a millimeter, got it?" He didn't look up as he waved his hand dismissively.
"Yeah, I figured you would want to know even if she farted in her sleep. Now, go and do the boring part of being an alpha." I chuckled lowly before stepping closer to her side.
"Wow, I can feel the love." We both froze as the new voice joined, this one womanly and light. Simultaneously, our heads snapped towards the once sleeping Kei, only to see her sitting up and wide awake.
"Kei?" She sat up with little difficulty and I noticed with astonishment that her eyes were now simply two different colors. Her right glowed like the brightest ember, something writhing in the depths as if there was an uncontrollable flame.
Her left glimmered with its own shine, an emerald so green it made me get lost in the forest of leafy green.
"Hey King, how're things been going?" I just stared at her, before a laugh bubbled its way out of my chest.
I staggered onto the bed and laughed. Tremors shook my whole body and I felt both Kei and Draven's stare. It was hilarious how normal she sounded as if she was just waking up from a nap instead of the dead.
"Draven, did you break him?" Her voice was accusing and I could hear him stutter his response.
"N-no! He's just crazy I believe." I stopped mid chortle and glared at him. He shrugged his shoulders but he couldn't stop staring at Kei.
"Nothing is wrong with me, Lune. I'm just glad that you're awake," I say, smiling at her tenderly. "It's been one hellish month without your sarcastic remarks." She laughed and it made the last two months disappear in an instant, the feeling on my shoulders lighter than ever.
"My goddess, I am so glad that you're okay." Draven cleared his throat but his eyes still had the mistiness of emotions. Kei lifted her hand and patted him on the head gently, smiling at him brightly.
"I must've worried everyone to their death beds. Especially you, King." I didn't miss the hidden joke nestled in her words and I shook my head.
"I'm just happy to see your humor has come out of it unscathed," I say dryly before sitting on the edge of the bed and reaching over for her other hand. Axel finally relaxed after so many days of pacing, relinquishing to her warm hand. She grinned at me knowingly.
"Quite good, don't you think?" I chuckled while Draven stared at the both of us with confusion.
"What am I not getting that you two are?" She gave him a sly smile and flicked him on the forehead. He cursed and moved away from her, rubbing the spot on his forehead. "What was that for?"
"Draven, why don't you go spread and tell the rest of your family that I'm up and kicking? I imagine they are worried, especially that mother of yours." Her words were warm as she spoke of his family, good memories surfacing in her eyes. He smiled, happy and carefree, as he nodded and stood.
"I will, and I know when I'm third wheeling. Now, next time we meet, please stay undamaged of anything, will you?"
"I can't promise anything," she said with a laugh. He opened his mouth to reply but when he caught my narrowed eyes, urging him to just leave, he huffed and turned.
"All right, I'm leaving. See you later, Kei." He turned to give her a little wave and one last smile before disappearing behind the door. Once he was gone for good, I heaved out a breath and raked my fingers through my hair.
"Dear goddess, I thought he was never going to leave," I grumbled grumpily, making her laugh once more. A small smile tilted my lips up and I just took the time to stare at her smiling face. She shook her head, and with a wide grin, she lifted my hand to her and kissed my palm. My heart warmed at the sight, her sweetness greatly missed with the time separating us.
We stayed silent for a few minutes, letting the presence of each other soak in. It was wonderful, my soul finally whole and complete as she sat beside me awake and smiling. The way her hair glimmered from the sun pouring through the window took my breath away, as well as her expressive eyes shining at me with the promise of happiness. And total aggravation but the whole package was worth it.
"What are you thinking?" she spoke suddenly, and so soft. It was if she didn't want to break my thoughts which were of her. How could they not be? I smiled and pulled her into a hug, making her inhale sharply from surprise.
"I've missed you so much," I muttered, hugging her tighter. She didn't say anything but wrap her arms around me and hugged me back.
"I've missed you too, Ryker." Her voice sounded almost thick and I pulled her away to see tears glistening in her eyes. But the way she smiled, it was the opposite of sadness but instead of complete contentment. I didn't say another word but instead bent my head down and kissed her. I felt the wetness of her tears on my cheeks as she kissed me back, and I realized at that moment how much that I couldn't live without her.
If she was truly gone from my life, I would become nonexistent - only a shell of what I would be. If she were to die, then I would make Clark take a gun and shoot me in the head like a real dog. Otherwise, there would be no point in living without her when she was my one and only Queen, the ruler of my whole world.
"Goddess, Ryker you won't believe who I met in the afterlife," she muttered against my lips. I pulled back to let her get some air while I tried to calm the blood coursing through my body.
"Who, exactly?" I asked. She leaned her head against my shoulder and I wrapped an arm around her waist.
"My parents, and dang it, it hurt to leave them." She clutched my hand tightly, pulling it close to her chest like a teddy bear. I could feel her heart pound in her chest and I felt my heart break for her. "But it was good to see that they were doing well."
"I'm glad," I told her, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Your father was a rather entertaining man." She chuckled and pulled away, making me reach out to her once more like some child.
"Yes, he is. Now, I think I need to spend some time with my other unrequited love." I growled and made a move to pull her back to me but even if she had just woken up, she was still as swift as can be. Maybe even quicker than before.
"Lune, your only love is sitting right in front of you and if you don't come back here, you'll never escape my arms ever again once I catch you." She laughed at my seriousness and instead turned towards the bathroom.
"Sorry King, but the shower is just calling my name. And you know I can never deny its call." She winked and before I could stand, she had shut the door behind her. I sat completely still, hearing her shuffle around. Sighing, I stood and began to change out of my suit. I opened up the mind link between me and Clark, feeling him instantly becoming aware of my presence.
"Alpha?" He inquired.
"Clark, after you're finished with the business pertaining to the rogues, I need you to attend a meeting in my place. Something has come up to where I can't attend."
"Is everything all right?" The alpha/beta relationship dropped away for a second, and instead, he was a close friend that was worried. I chuckled lowly and managed to get the tie off of my neck.
"Everything is all right, old friend. Better than ever, I would say." He seemed to have caught on to my lighter mood, his unspoken question poking me mentally. "Kei has just woken up."
I could feel his happiness trickle through the mind link, the worry that he had for her was finally lightened by the news.
"I'm happy for you, Alpha. And I'll gladly deal with the meeting. Just tend to your mate for now," he said warmly.
"Thank you, Clark. I'll owe you one after this," I told him.
"You bet you do. I will come to collect soon, Alpha." I rolled my eyes at his cackling and closed the link.
"I worry about him sometimes," Axel commented.
"You and me both." I finished undressing down to my boxers and was about to slip into some sweats until I heard a small shriek come from the bathroom. Without a second thought, I appeared before the door and slammed it open.
The sight in front of me was not what I was expecting, and it made me oddly happy and horrified at the same time.
Oh, how I've missed you Kei.