Bastard | ✓

BASTARD: chapter fifty-three [part two]

Big update. Read chapter fifty-three [part one]

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The moment I see him, my steps speed up. I don't pay attention to anyone else as I stomp down the hall and toward Raiden who gives me a guilty smile.

"Hey, babe!" He tells me when I'm close enough.

I ignore his greeting and pull him closer to me. My arms wrap around him, but my anger doesn't disappear as I stare up at him.

"Who the hell told you that you could run off and get hurt?!" I scowl. "After you told me you would come back to me!"

Raiden's eyes soften and he stares at me guiltily. "I'm sorry for scaring you," he says.

"You better be," I scold. "And don't do it again, you fucking asshole!"

"I won't," he promises and I nod.

"Good, now let's get you back into bed."

Before he can protest, I lightly push him back into the empty room and toward the bed. Raiden stares at me amusedly but takes a seat. His arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me with him. He opens his mouth to say something but stops before pulling me closer to him. He sniffs around before looking at me with a frown.

"Why do you smell differently?"

I fight back a wince at the question. I knew he would eventually ask me and I wasn't surprised that he noticed so soon. Before I would've made up some lie, but I knew that he would want to know the truth. Even if the truth ultimately hurt him. So I tell him, carefully watching the way his face drops and morphs into one that reminds me of a kicked puppy. I raise my hand and run it through his hair.

"I'm sorry," Raiden mumbles, his voice quiet.

"Rai," I pull his head to me. "I didn't tell you that for you to feel bad and beat yourself up."

"You lost your wolf for me. Something I knew you cared about."

"I love my wolf, don't get me wrong," I tell him. "But I love you also, idiot. You're my mate and yeah, I don't have my wolf anymore, but that's okay. I'm used to that Raiden. Losing you is something I never wanted to go through."

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asks me hesitantly.

"I am," I confirm. "As long as you're okay, then so am I. I love you, you dumbass."

I lean forward and capture his lips. Raiden returns the kiss and his hands move to my sides. We stay like that for a minute. Enjoying the other's touch and company.

After being away for so long and returning home just to find him injured, it was long overdue. The only thing I wanted to do was go home and curl up on the couch with him like we'd done when I first got here and watch shitty movies together, but when I catch Tatum moving around in the hall, I push my want to the side and turn to Raiden with my arms crossed over my chest.