Reaching You

Chapter 33: Ryder

"Landon, you've in charge of securing the perimeter. Chase, make sure to let the pack warriors know of the new formation. We can't rogues entering in and out whenever they please. " I say, with my Alpha command. I was disappointed in the drop in productivity. I knew that it was partially my fault as I was giving most of my attention to my mate. Ashley pats my arm as I finish the paperwork.

"We're sorry. It just got too much." Chase says, looking guilty. He knew there was nothing more I wanted to do than cuddling with my mate.

"If you finish this up, you can get back to Paige!" Ashley says in a singsong tone. I flick her arm, annoyed. "Whose paperwork is this?" I say, which makes her give me a sheepish look. My Delta Cameron's phone buzzes and judging by the look he makes when he reads it, it's from his mate. I growl at him and he quickly shoves his phone back into her pocket. Chase wraps his hand around my shoulders and laughs. "Big Bad Alpha seems jealous." He declares, making me shoot him a glare that effectively silents him.

After about 20 minutes, I finish and everything is in order. I yawned and stretch out my legs. Ashley packs her things into her bag and Chase gives Landon a high five. "Come on, let's get something to eat in the kitchen," Chase suggests, as we leave Ashley and Landon. I groaned. All I wanted was just to get back to my mate. When we enter the kitchen, I make my way straight to the fruit bowl. I pick up an apple and wipe it on my shirt before devouring it. Chase shakes his head at me. "Someone's being impatient." He remarks, making me roll my eyes at him. He grabs a banana instead and gobbles it up. "Remember absence makes the heart grow friendlier," He says, with his mouth full.

I smirked as he messes up. "You got it wrong. It's absence makes the heart grow fonder, dumbass." I corrected him, throwing away the apple core. He frowns, losing the smug look that he had on. "Same thing. You know what I mean! Take advice from me. I'm the more experienced one in the mate department." He says, trying to save face. We hear the door open and see Louise in her pyjamas. She sighs and grabs Chase's arm.

"Stop your yapping and come to bed. Good night, Alpha." She says, making me smile. Chase protests with his mouth but obediently follows her. "I was just teasing." He complains, throwing me the banana peel he had in his other hand. He is quickly silenced by his mate's glare. I throw it away and wash my hands before heading upstairs myself.

Today was the last day that Paige and I shared together. And we, unfortunately, spent most of it apart. I was stuck with an emergency meeting that I couldn't leave. Perhaps life was full of missed timings and regrets. After I showed her the garden, she had cried and I felt like a burden was lifted off my shoulders. She was light in the darkness.

After being in the dark for so long, I was scared of light. As it reveals imperfections and flaws. So I chose wrong. My wolf was howling at me to claim my mate but I knew that I would never force her. We had been through so much. I could only pray to the Goddess for strength if she left. I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I made my way upstairs into my room.

I paused at the doorway as I took in the view. I saw my little mate curled up in my bed. Moonlight shone on her face. Her hair was sprawled over the pillows. Her cheeks were pink and she had a small smile on her lips. I looked at her flawless face, memorizing every dip and curve on her body. The small freckle she had on her neck. Her full bottom lip. Her tiny hands. Her laugh. Her smile. She was a vision.

I could only hope that my absence today had made her heart grow fonder. I occupied my thoughts with ideas on how to woo my mate. I knew our mate bond was fragile so I was determined to show her that deserved so much more. I quickly shower and get ready for bed. I changed and slid into bed beside. I hold her small figure to me and bury my face in her neck. Her delicious scent of vanilla relaxes my wolf and me. Before long, I fall asleep beside the nagging thoughts in my mind.

The sunlight hits my eyes and I roll over in bed. I open my eyes to see the other side of the bed empty. No sight of my mate shyly staring at me or sleeping soundly against my chest. No sight of her messy bed hair I sit up with my heart pounding in my chest. I run to the closet and yank the door to see her clothes still inside. But the scent of her is fading. I run down to see the pack kitchen empty. There was no trace of my mate cooking with her apron on. Pain bursts through my chest as it hits me.

My mate was gone. She had left. I run to my room. Tears swarm my vision as I see my empty room. My dark-haired nymph was nowhere in sight. I slam the door shut. I hear voices and I knew that my pack was feeling my pain through the pack link. I locked the door and slumped against the door. I shut down the mind link. "RYDER, OPEN THE DOOR!" Yells Chase, but I growled to warn him. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" I bellow, using my Alpha command. My vision is blurred and all I see is red. My wolf takes over and I lose control.

I succumb to darkness.