Mated to my Alpha's Rival

Chapter 26

AN: I've changed the cover for this book, so that way it'll match the future books covers as well. Hope y'all don't mind it! <3

Elias' POV

The taste of metallic blood in my mouth is apparent as I push my wolf's body past it's threshold, in a hurry to get back to Ryder.

My four legs move rapidly as I make my way through the forest in between the territory of the two packs.

Eventually, I make it to the Ascota packs border. I don't bother to sneak into the familiar territory, not having time to spare. But not that I needed to anymore, since I now bear the mark of Ryder.

I transform back into my human body just before I reach Ryder's house. I burst through the front door causing it to slam into the wall inside. "Ryder!" I yell out, rushing through the house.

There is no response. "Ryder!" I yell again, as I pop my head into every room I past, trying to get a glimpse of my mate. I groan out in frustration as I've nearly been to every room and there's still no sight of him.

Praying in my head, I head towards to the bedroom, hoping he'll be in there.

"Ryder, please answer me," I plead, before I enter the bedroom.

Nothing.

His scent lingers in the room, but I can tell he hasn't been here for awhile now. I'm about to walk out the room, until I notice the wardrobe and drawers open as if someone had been rummaging through them. I walk over to them, and notice clothing missing from them.

Next, I walk into the bathroom. Ryder's toothbrush and toothpaste is also missing from the cup holder. It is obvious he has left.

My vision begins to get blurry as tears well up in my eyes. Retreating back to the bedroom, I sit on the edge of Ryder's bed with my head in my hands.

I don't know where Ryder would go. I don't know where to search for him.

"Fuck," I groan out in frustration, slamming my head into my hands. Salty tears fall off my face as I cry for what feels like the millionth time today. "I'm sorry Ryder," I sob out.

"I'm sorry for pushing you away, I'm sorry for being a bad mate to you, I'm sorry for being scared, I'm sorry for leaving you." My voice cracks as I sob out my apologies to empty room. "Please, please... come back to me," I plead.

"I need you Ryder," I hiccup. I look up to the ceiling with my eyes tightly shut as I try to breath in and out slowly.

I don't know how long I stay in that exact spot for. Time doesn't feel real anymore as I sit there begging over and over for Ryder to come back. "Elias?" A voice questions softly. I don't open my eyes.

A hand reaches out, resting on my shoulder, as I try forcing my cries to stay inside of me. "What happened?" The feminine voice speaks up again. Eventually, I open up my blood shot, teary eyes to see Arabella crouched down in front of me.

"I- I messed up," I croak out. "I'm sorry, I fucked up," I sob as Arabella pulls me into a hug. My head falls onto her shoulder immediately as my tears drench her shirt.

Arabella hands rubs my back soothingly. "It's okay," she tells me softly. "It's okay," she repeats, her hand continues to rub circles into my back.

"I hate myself," I confess, tearfully.

Arabella shushes me, "don't say that. You're just worked up right now, take deep breaths for me," she instructs me, gently. I decide to listen to her, taking a deep breath in, holding it, before exhaling. My sobs begin to slow down after a few minutes with the support from Arabella and the deep breaths.

Eventually, I pull away from Arabella, wiping my eyes with my knuckles. "Do you know where he went?" I ask Arabella, once I settle myself.

Arabella shakes her head with sad eyes, "no, he didn't tell us where he was going, just to take control of the pack until he returns," she informs me, with a sad smile. I notice her eyes trail down to my neck, to where Ryder's mark lays before she looks back up to me again.

"He didn't say how long he'll be gone?" I ask, my voice cracking.

She shakes her head again. A single tear falls down my face. "Blaze is trying to follow his scent now, but Ryder has covered his tracks carefully," she informs me. I nod my head at that. I take another deep breath in before standing up, "where are you going?" Arabella asks me as I walk past her towards the bedroom doorway.

"To go find him," I tell her before leaving the room. I can hear Arabella follow my footsteps as I exit the house and towards the packs territory border.

*

2 weeks later

Ryder's scent fills my nostrils, as I take a deep breath in through my nose. I hold onto the t-shirt tightly in my hands, hugging it to my body. His scent is slowly disappearing from the bedroom. The few remaining pieces of clothing of his are in a pile on the floor, since they no longer hold the scent of my mate.

The last t-shirt is within my hands, but it too will soon no longer hold the scent of him. But I try not to think about it. My body is exhausted from not being able to sleep for longer than two hours at a time. It feels as if there's not enough water in my body to form tears from my eyes.

A knock sounds from the bedroom door, but I don't have the energy to answer or get up from my resting position. The door swings open, as a figure enters the bedroom. "Elias, I've got your dinner here," Blaze tells me as he walks over the side of bed I'm on, placing the tray onto the bedside table, next to my lunch from earlier today, which hasn't been touched since it arrived. Blaze picks up my lunch tray, "you didn't eat any lunch," he states, as if it was new news.

"Wasn't hungry," I mumble, looking straight ahead.

"You haven't been hungry for weeks," he informs me. I shrug, making Blaze sigh. "Ryder wouldn't want you to be slowly killing yourself," he try reasoning with me.

"Well, he isn't here to tell me that is he," I say, despondently.

I can feel Blaze's eyes on me, but he doesn't respond. Instead he sighs again before walking towards the bedroom door. "Please, just try eat something," he says softly before leaving the room.

My eyes drift over the tray on the bedside table, but I don't bother moving my body.

Tobias has been hibernating for the past two weeks, leaving me to feel more lonely than ever. But, I guess I deserve it.