71
71
CHAPTER 71
ANNA’S POV
Back at the house, Grandma and Mom wouldn’t let me rest. The moment we stepped in, they both kept hovering around me, asking questions one after the other as if I could even think straight right now.
“Anna, are you okay? Do you feel dizzy? Should I call the doctor?” Grandma asked, her hands on my shoulders as she stared straight into my eyes, her voice filled with worry.
Mom was no different, moving closer and touching my arm gently. “Anna darling, you look pale. Do you need water? Tell me if you want tea. Or maybe juice? Anything you want.”
All I needed was Ryan, but Ryan wasn’t here. He had gone with Dad, Beta Logan, Gamma Steve, and Alex to the company because there was an emergency meeting that couldn’t wait. So while I had to follow Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom back home, Ryan went straight into the fight I knew was waiting for him, and I was left here feeling like a piece of me had been cut off. (1
After taking my bath, I slipped on a very simple gown. Mom called me downstairs to join them at the dining table. Almost all eyes turned to me the moment I sat down. Not eyes filled with disgust, not even a little, but eyes heavy with worry and concern, and it was so much that I didn’t know where to look.
Grandma leaned forward, her face soft and careful. “Anna, sweetheart, are you hungry? Do you want soup? Or rice? Just tell me what you want and I’ll have them bring it to you.”
I shook my head slowly, my voice weak. “I’m fine, Grandma.”
Mom frowned. “You don’t look fine. You need to eat something. Even a little bread or fruit will help. Please
, my angel.”
Grandpa cleared his throat, his voice calm but steady. “Anna, no one is forcing you, but you must take care of yourself. You’ve been through too much today.”
I let out a small sigh and pushed my plate back gently. “I… I just don’t feel okay. I think it’s the jet lag, everything is spinning and I just want to sleep.”
I forced a small smile so they wouldn’t worry too much, even though inside I was burning up and shaking at the same time. My body felt feverish, but it wasn’t the kind of sickness that medicine could fix. It was the kind that only Ryan could fix, and not having him beside me was making it worse. I needed him close , not just beside me but inside me, connected to me, because it was as if I couldn’t function properly
unless he was there.
Mom’s chair scraped against the floor as she stood up immediately. “Let me support you up the stairs, Anna. You look weak. I don’t want you fainting.”
1/5
71
+15 BONUS
I quickly shook my head, forcing myself to stand on my own. “No, Mom. Don’t worry. I can go up myself. I’m fine, really.” My voice cracked, but I couldn’t tell her the truth, I couldn’t tell her that what I needed right now wasn’t sleep or food, it was Ryan.
They all watched me as I made my way upstairs, their eyes following me with so much worry that I felt guilty for pushing them away, but my heart couldn’t handle anything else. I just wanted him. Nothing else mattered. Not food, not comfort, not words. Just him.
When I got to Ryan’s room, his bed was neatly made, the sheets fresh and clean like it had been waiting for me. I laid down, hugging his pillow tightly, and inhaling his scent, pretending it was him, and for the first time since the chaos began, I closed my eyes. Sleep dragged me in almost immediately, and the last thought in my mind was how badly I needed Ryan, how badly I needed him to come back to me.
A dip in the bed woke me, the mattress sinking slightly under a familiar weight, and while I opened my eyes I saw Ryan, shirtless, his skin still damp from the shower, tiny droplets sliding down his chest and disappearing into the waistband of his shorts.
His hair was wet too, messy from the towel he’d clearly run through it, and the fresh clean scent of soap
and his cologne clung to him so strongly it made my whole body ache with how much I’d missed him.
I hadn’t even noticed when he came in or when he’d taken his bath, but now he was right here, climbing
onto the bed beside me, pulling me into his warm, damp skin as if he couldn’t stand being away from me
for even another second. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, his voice soft but heavy with exhaustion.
“Hey baby,” he murmured, sounding so worn out yet so full of me.
“Hey,” I whispered back, yawning. “What’s the time?”
“It’s already late. Eleven p.m.” he said, his voice low and rough.
I nodded slowly, pressing myself against him. “Is this when you arrived?”
“Yes, baby,” he said simply, tightening his arms around me.
I held him close, and he brushed his lips against my temple, his warmth calming me. “Everything’s okay now,” he said after a moment. “All the posts are already taken down from the internet. They’re still trying to trace the person who started it all, but for now it’s calm.”
“Ryan…” I called softly,
“Mm?” he hummed, his hand rubbing my back lazily.
I wanted to tell him about Sophie, about seeing her at the game center and again at the private exit of the airport, how her smirk had cut straight through me like she knew something, but then again maybe it wasn’t her, maybe I was just overthinking. Her dad was Dad’s good friend, and I didn’t want my
2/5
71
+15 BONUS
suspicions to spoil that. Maybe she hated me, but would she really go this far? I swallowed hard and shook my head. “Nothing… just that I miss you so much.”
I hugged him tighter and let my hand slide into the shorts he had changed into, craving him so badly, resting my head on his chest as I moved my fingers.
“Come on, baby, let’s just sleep, okay?” he said softly, kissing the top of my head. “Tomorrow’s a big day and I need to rest. I’m so fucking tired.”
I froze, my hand stopping, embarrassment flooding through me. Slowly, I pulled back and turned away from him, my chest aching. “So you don’t want me anymore, huh? Who knows, maybe you’ve already gotten it from somewhere else, and that’s why you’re rejecting me tonight.”
His voice came quick and desperate. “Come on, baby, no way. I’d never do that to you, not to us. I love you so much, and you’re the only one I want to make love to, no one else, baby, never. It’s just… I’m so fucking tired tonight. The whole day’s been hell, my love.” He leaned in, trying to kiss my forehead again. “Huh? My love.”
I turned my face away before his lips could land. Tears burned in my eyes as I yanked one of the pillows and put it between us, pushing him off. “You don’t understand, Ryan. I haven’t been myself for hours. I feel so weak, and it’s not my fault, it’s my body. It’s the baby. It’s the wolf inside me. My hormones are all over the place, and I don’t know what to do anymore. You caused this, Ryan. You gave me this baby. You
made me like this, and all I want right now is you but you’re rejecting me.”
The tears rolled freely down my cheeks, my voice trembling with every word. Ryan stared at me, stunned, his expression breaking into guilt and shock.
“Oh no, baby,” he whispered, his voice thick with regret. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry, baby, I’m so
fucking sorry.”
He reached out to pull me into his arms, but I pushed him away, shaking my head as more tears came.
He groaned, dragging his hand through his hair. “Oh fuck! Baby, I’m sorry, mm?” His voice cracked with
frustration and helplessness.
Before I could even react, he suddenly grabbed the pillows I had put between us and threw them aside, yanking me into him roughly, the way he knew I liked, making me gasp. His lips pressed against my cheeks, kissing my tears, licking them away, his mouth desperate as he whispered against my skin. “I’m sorry, baby, I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t mean it, don’t ever think I don’t want you.”
I whimpered against him, my body softening as he held me tight. Then his mouth claimed mine, rough and urgent, his hand sliding down to cup my face while the other roamed over my body, pulling me even closer until there was no space between us.
“I miss you, baby,” he groaned against my lips, his voice raw, his breath shaky. “I fucking miss you. Always.” His mouth moved down to my neck, kissing, sucking, making me tremble, his hand sliding under the thin gown I had been too tired to take off. His palm pressed against my breast, squeezing
3/5
71
+15 BONUS
firmly. “So full,” he murmured with a low growl. “You’re getting fuller, baby.”
All my thoughts, all my doubts, all my tears flew out the window as Ryan’s fingers slipped into my panties, making me gasp against his mouth as his touch burned me alive.
