The Wallflower Mate

34

As soon as Mary regained consciousness, she shoots into a sitting position. The abrupt movement and sudden bright lights caused her head to throb painfully. She grimaced and covered her eyes.

"Shit," she grumbled.

"Careful," her mate whispered next to her.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Letting the light in ever so slowly to prevent shooting pain.

"You hit your head pretty hard." Ryker sounded worried and upset.

When she could finally open her eyes, she looked around the plain medical room. A small beach painting hung on the wall, but it looked so out of place. Her eyes wandered from one side of the room to the other side.

There she saw that her mate was sitting on an adjacent bed. Mary looked down her body and noticed that she was wearing matching hospital gowns. Then Mary felt a sharp pain on right temple. She groaned and gently touched the bandage that wrapped around her head.

"Are you okay? Are you feeling pain? Should I call the doctor to look you over? Mary, answer me, baby." Ryker was getting riled up by the second.

"I'm fine." She lifted her head. "It just hurts a little."

Her injuries were minor compared to Ryker. She looked Ryker over. He didn't look so bad. Although, his skin was a little paler than usual and his eyes had dark circles underneath.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, remember how injured he was during the challenge. Mary shoved away her blanket, moved her feet over the edge of the bed before standing up. The room spun.

"What are you doing?" She heard Ryker moving before he moved to stand in front of her. His firm hands took hold of her shoulders and urged her back into her bed.

"No, no, no. I'm fine. Go to back to bed."

Instead of listening to Mary, Ryker crawled into bed next to Mary. She scooted back a little to allow Ryker to join her on the tiny hospital bed. The bed squeaked under their weight. Mary was half afraid the bed will collapse, but when it didn't she settled further into Ryker's side.

It was a little crazy. She stepped out of her pack to find love and discover herself. Then landed herself in an Alpha's lap—a very possessive and loving Alpha. Underneath her, she could hear his heartbeat. Slow and melodious. It comforted her like nothing else.

Ryker's free hand moved up to the side of her face. He threaded his fingers into her hair. The feel of his fingers against her skin made her eyes fluttered closed. A soft sigh escaping her lips.

She realized that she has fallen so deeply in love with Ryker that there was no way she could reverse what she was feeling. Their mate bond was unique, but the fear that coursed through her when she saw how hard he fought—how much he was bleeding. Her heart clenched in her chest.

"I thought I was going to lose you," she whispered in a pained voice.

His arms tightened around her, and he pressed his lips against her forehead.

"I'm right here."

He was. That was what mattered.

There was a knock at the door before the door slid open. Mary felt Ryker's head lifted. He was looking toward the door.

"Good morning," a feminine voice greeted.

Mary wanted to see, but Ryker held her face close to his body. It seemed she wasn't the only one feeling this way. The need to be close to each other. To hold and savor their warm bodies pressed against each other.