Predator

27.

"See?" Ryan took his hands and patted different parts of his hard exterior, "I'm real, this is all real. You're home again," annoyance was evident in his voice and truth be told, he was very annoyed. It was too early for Neela to come back, in his opinion. Egin should have let her be and wait until he could control himself. He even put on his gloves in preparation for Neela.

"I'll be leaving soon, it doesn't matter anyway," sadness was evident in her voice but she tried to cover it all up with a smile. "You're not leaving again, you're home. Remember when we talked when you were gone and I told you I'll be seeing you again soon? That time is now."

Neela couldn't hold her happy composure anymore, the tears were beginning to rain down. "It's not real anymore," she mumbled, "all the doctors said so."

Ryan looked at Damien, "doctors?" He was never told that Neela was in a mental hospital. Damien thought that Ryan was going to be damned, he thought that it would hurt Neela less if she just believed she was crazy. "What doctors? I thought you bought her a house?" Damien stayed silent and only shook his head, "I didn't know how long we would be gone. It would've been better for her to think we didn't exist at all."

Neela changed the direction of the conversation after she saw how upset Ryan was becoming, "Austin said you really love me." Everyone could see a hopeful glint in Neela's tearful eyes. Ryan released an exasperated sigh. "Who the hell is Austin?" Ryan threw his hands in the air in defeat.

Damien waved his hand in the air to gather Ryan's attention, "you come with me. I'll explain that to you and you can calm down. Let's go," Damien began walking to his office but Ryan stayed. "Let's go, Ryan!" He yelled in his alpha voice which made Ryan obey immediately.

~~

"Austin is a ghost. Neela's third eye opened when she was in the bus accident, she can see spirits now," Damien tried to explain the situation in the most simplified way he could. "So how does he know about me and our relationship?"

Damien spoke with the both of his hands in the air, "I don't know. That's something for you to ask Neela about."

~~

"This is all real. You're not leaving us again," Landon was sat at Neela's side, trying to comfort her and stop her everlasting flow of tears. "But the doctors said..." Neela became frustrated and just laid her head on her lap.

Remember all of your scars, the harm that you endured, you were near death. Ethan began speaking to Neela. All of that was real. How are we not? We've seen it all.

Neela suddenly lifted her head up to look at her scarred arm and thigh, even took the time to put her arms side by side to see the broken, but now healed, arm was still slightly shifted to the left. She stood up in frustration and confusion and began pacing the entirety of the 'L-shaped' couch. Neela breathing became labored as she fiddled with her nimble fingers. "Let's sit back down," Landon tried to lead Neela to the couch but she wouldn't go with him. "W-w-why would you let me be there for so long?" She looked at her older brother with betrayal evident in her glossy eyes.

"We didn't have a choice, Neela, it was all father. If it was our choice, especially mine, you know that I would have kept you here. Same with Ryan." Before she left, Neela always enjoyed how much Landon would defend her. He would always be there when she was on the hospital table, guarding her away from Ryan. Even when he would fight for her, she felt like she was no longer defenseless.

"Angel," Ryan sternly called out to Neela which gained her attention quickly. "What's your name?" He took one step closer to her. "N-Neela," cane her shaky reply. "Where did you get the scar that's on your back from?" He took another step. Neela only pointed at him with her hands to her chest. Another step, "your arm was broken twice, what broke it the second time?" Again, she pointed at him. "Your broken arm has a finger print on it. Who marked you?" He opened his arms only a bit as he took the next step, "you marked me."

He took one last long stride toward Neela and opened his arms even wider, "who am I?"

"Ryan."

"What am I?"

"A demon."

"What else am I?"

"The person who always loved me."

Ryan's lips twitched, he wanted to smile so badly but he knew he couldn't. He had to finish this. This time, he spoke slowly and in a whisper. In fact, he spoke so quietly, if the rest of his family were all human, they all wouldn't be able to hear him. "What else am I?"

"You're.." Neela squeezed her eyes shut tightly, hoping that she would wake up from the stress-inducing dream. "You're real," she opened her eyes as she spoke and everything was still the same. No hospital, no white room, no strangers. Instead, she got home, a big and beautiful house, and all the love she needed. "You're real," she spoke positively this time.

Ryan gave a light smile as it all wasn't done yet. He gently pulled her into his arms, his body instantly warming. The rest of their family slowly moved in to join the loving embrace.

After mere moments of the whole family basking in each other, Ryan broke himself and Neela free. Ryan started towards the stairs and looked back at Neela.

Ryan held a hand out for her to take and he spoke, "come with me."