Destined for Disaster ✔️

Chapter 43

"Austin!" Carry burst into the infirmary.

"Volume," Ridge said, shaking his head.

She ignored him and dashed to Austin's bed. She hugged him as tightly as she could without hurting him – or, well, she tried. Austin placed a hand on her back to comfort her, forcing a smile.

"I'm fine," he said. "A bit sore, but fine."

"Damn, you run fast, girl," Conall said, entering the infirmary, followed on his heels by Ellis, Julie and Sky.

They all gathered around his bed and Austin felt crowded. He wondered if Ryleigh had felt the same way, being stuck in the infirmary that long.

"Alright," Ellis said. "You got to see him, Carry, now off to bed with you." He nodded sternly towards the door and with an exaggerated sigh and unintimidating glare, she removed herself from the infirmary.

"How are you feeling?" Julie asked. Her hand moved towards him, but she caught herself and pulled back.

"Better than Ryleigh, I'm sure," he said. "Any word of her?"

"Conall and I have searched all night and day and haven't found her," Sky said. "We went all the way up to Golden Dawn territory. There was no sign of her. Others are still out there. Perhaps they'll have better luck."

"We did find the feral wolf," Conall said. "Or a feral wolf. Washed up on the riverbank – dead." He paused. "You didn't feel her die or anything?"

Austin glared at him. "No, I didn't."

Conall gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Just asking. Maybe you wouldn't feel it. You're not mated yet, after all."

"He'd feel it," Ellis said. "Their mate bond is strong. She's alive."

For once, Austin chose to believe Ellis.

"Of course she's alive," Julie said. "Have you met her?"

"Then where is she?" Conall said, raising a brow. "We've looked everywhere, and so did the others."

"This is why you should've mated when you had the chance," Ellis said. "If you had, you could just link her."

"When was he supposed to do that?" Julie said. "We only broke up the day before yesterday." She shook her head. "We have to consider the possibility she washed up in Golden Dawn territory. We can't search there."

Austin pushed his covers off and moved to the edge of the bed. He was unable to keep the pain from showing on his face, but it didn't stop him. It would take days for him to be fully healed, but Ryleigh didn't have that long.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ellis asked, crossing his arms. "Did Ridge clear you?"

"I told him that if Ryleigh wasn't back by morning, I'd go. I've already waited longer than that, and now a whole day has passed and she's still not back." He slipped off the bed, his hand moving to his ribs.

"What if she just left?" Conall said, stopping Austin dead in his tracks. "I mean, everyone knows you asked her not to reject you. What if she freaked out and just ran?"

Austin's eyes darkened. "She wouldn't."

"Wouldn't she? She said she was leaving tomorrow, and you clearly weren't thrilled about it. Perhaps she thought you'd change your mind about letting her leave. Perhaps she took this as an opportunity to get out of here. I wouldn't blame her."

"Conall, shut it," Ellis said.

Conall raised both of his hands. "Apologies. I always forget I'm not allowed to say anything bad about mates in front of you lot, like how fate is a joke and mate bonds are lies used to tie people together who have no business being in each other's lives. Don't mind me."