Feral Born (Viciously Yours #1)

Chapter Twenty-One: Come Back To Me

"Now that you're doneeee. It's time for candy!" Ryan exclaimed excitedly, picking up our plates and tossing them into the sink with a clatter. "I'll wash them later...or buy you new ones."

Smiling gently, I watched as he raced around the kitchen searching for the colorful packages he had bought at the store. Snatching them up off the counter, he came racing back before ripping them open and spilling their contents all over the island. Picking up one of the pieces, I inspected the brown wrapper and gave it a quick sniff. Chocolate and peanut butter. The next one was in a bigger package that smelled sour and fruity followed by another that was sweet. All of them had that faint chemical smell clinging to them like most human food did.

He opened up one of the brown ones and handed me a chocolate cup, "A buttercup for my Buttercup."

Laughing at his words, I felt a pang in my chest because I knew I'd have to cut our time short soon. Taking the sweet treat from his fingers, I pulled the black paper away from it and took a small bite. Flavor bursted over my taste buds, chocolate and peanut butter combining in the most delicious way. And I couldn't even taste the chemicals I had smelled earlier.

Ryan bounced lightly in his chair, "Well? What do you think?"

"So, this is what you've nicknamed me after." I remarked, glancing at the treat.

"Yea, you like it?" His body was tense as if he truly wanted me to enjoy it.

I placed the rest of the sweet on the table, "It's delicious. I didn't think I'd like it but I do."

"I knew you would."

He went to open up a different piece of candy but I placed a hand over his, "Total honesty time."

"I take it you're finally ready to tell me about what happened earlier."

My lips twitched, I should've known he'd see right through my lies, "I'm going to the Lunar Soldiers tonight."

Ryan's expression fell, "What, no. We still have a week."

"We did but there was a male hidden in the forest by the store today. They're done waiting for me, I have until midnight to meet them."

"And you're just going to go? Ignore them like you did before. We haven't even finished talking about giving you a watcher. You can't, I won't know where to find you if something goes wrong. It's too dangerous." He pleaded, shaking his head in disbelief.

Flipping his hand over, I laced our fingers together, "They had a little girl, Ryan. A Feral Born pup, they threatened to slit her throat if I don't go. The male I saw was cured and it was...wrong, Ryan. His eyes were dark red like they'd been dulled somehow. I don't want to see another of my kind like that. He might have been willing but I know most of us won't be. I have to go."

"You think they'd really kill her?"

"I don't know but I swore to protect her. I have to go now."

He gave a painful laugh and ran his other hand through his dark locks, "Does it make me an asshole if I said I wish you hadn't?"

I squeezed his hand, "No."

"I really don't want you to go, Kai."

"You're acting as if I'm not coming back." I replied, tilting my head at his heartbroken expression.

He yanked his hand from mine and snarled, "But that's the truth of it, isn't it? Your going moon knows where, full of people who want to 'cure' you. With the hope that the others of your kind, who are already there, will help you. What if they don't want help, Kai?" He stood abruptly knocking the stool back and barked harshly, "You're leaving me! You're leaving me and the worst part of it is-is that I have no idea if you'll even come back to me."