Hunted

Chapter 46: Reunited

Kora's POV:

I got out of the shower and dried off, getting dressed and letting my wet hair just stick to my back. I was too tired to care. Everything had been way too much, putting effort into my appearance wasn't going to happen today and besides, I was hoping Rykan would be here soon. It was getting late, they should be here soon. My wish came true when I walked out of the bathroom and felt him. I felt him before I even looked over and saw him standing in front of the door.

He looked as terrible as I felt. Dark circles around his eyes, his short hair somehow managing unruly. He'd been through hell, too, and it broke my heart to see him like that.

"Rykan," I said, feeling the tears already stinging my eyes as I stepped towards him.

He took a step towards me and that single, small movement made a world of difference in our bond. "Kora," he said, pain crossing his face. "I'm sorry."

Sorry. He was sorry. It wasn't even his fault. I ran over to him and threw my arms around him. I didn't mean to start crying but it just kind of happened. The moment we touched, all the emotions came out as evident through the tears but it wasn't an out of control feeling like it had been it, it was a relief to have him again, to have my Rykan again, my real Rykan who hadn't just flipped a switch and decided to hurt me like Evan did. I'd been feeling like I was destined to repeat the same patterns of toxic love in my life and a crazy part of me started to wonder if there was something wrong with me that just made people flip a switch and hate instead of love. Having my Rykan back was a relief of that, a relief that I felt so much safer when he was near me, a relief that he did love me, a relief to not have that ache in our bond from being apart, a relief to feel at home for the first time in days.

"Kora," he breathed, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my neck. "I missed you so much. I'm so sorry," he whispered, nuzzling against my mark. "I'm so sorry."

"Stop saying you're sorry," I said, holding him tighter and trying to keep my voice from cracking. "You didn't do anything. It wasn't your fault."

"You were still in pain because of words that came out of my mouth and for that I'm sorry," he said, pulling back and pressing his forehead against mine. "And I still did a lot of things wrong. Kora, I never want you to wonder if I'll respect your boundaries. That shouldn't be something you have to worry about it and I can't tell you how truly sorry I am for making you feel that way. You are everything to me, I will always give you what you need the best I can. I'm sorry for making you feel otherwise but I promise I'll do better. I just," he stopped, swallowing hard and pressing a kiss to my forehead before pulling back into the hug. "I just want to be good for you."

"You are good for me," I said, sinking against him. Did hugging him feel even better than it did before or was I just so overwhelmed and missed him so much that it felt better? I didn't care. It was the closest I'd felt to peace ever since I ran off Redwood territory. "You are exactly what I need."

"It's such a relief to be close to you," he said, sliding one hand into my hair and cradling my head while the other wrapped around my lower back, pulling me tightly against him. "I missed you so much, angel. I haven't felt whole ever since that night."

Hearing him say that again only released the floodgates more. "I missed you too," I cried, holding him tighter, burying my face in his chest, relishing in the feeling of his arms around me because although it was only days it felt like so much longer. "I missed you so much."

Everything was overwhelming to the point I felt unsteady, exhausted. I just wanted to lay down with him and be close to him. Every part of me felt weak after today. Talking to Francesca and learning all those things about my life was emotionally exhausting, trying to not break everything in this house and keep myself in check was physically exhausting, I just wanted to be with the only person that could possibly make me feel okay.