Thantophobia

Chapter 18

A knocking sounding at the door pulled me out from my dreamless sleep, and made me aware of the situation I was in.

After the movie Ransom and I both just talked about random things before I fell asleep accidentally. It looks like he fell asleep as well.

The knocking sounded again, and I yawn, not wanting to move away from the warmth Ransom radiated. But I got up anyways and answered the door.

"Arina? What are you doing here? And how did you find my place?" I rub my eyes, still staring at Arina's figure in front of me.

If there's one thing that changed over the last six years, it's that she's definitely gotten more intimidating and confident.

"I have my ways. May I come in?" She asks me.

I thought about shutting the door on her for a moment, but I end up letting her walk past me and into my place.

She looks around slowly and carefully, her eyes stopping on Ransom for a moment, before continuing to look around my place.

"It's more quiet in the kitchen. Let's go there." I lead her to that part of my house, and she follows me without hesitation.

"Why are you here?" I ask her.

"I made that clear at the cafe." She smirks, and I groan, rolling my eyes.

"Not this again."

"Yes this again. You can't hide from this any longer Kyle." She puts her hands on her hips.

"Did you ever think for a moment that maybe I have a new life here? One that I don't want to leave behind?" I gestured with my hands to my place.

"I know you have a life here, but you also have a life in Ohio waiting for you. Don't you miss your friends and family?" Arina seriously asked me.

"Of course I miss my friends and family, but I also have friends that have become my family here. I can't just leave them behind." I sigh.

"You certainly had no problem leaving us behind in Italy. What makes it so different?" She narrows her eyes at me.

I was about to snap at her, but Ransom interrupted.

"Kyle? What's going on?"

Arina looks over at Ransom, and I can tell she recognizes him from the couch.

I clear my throat. "Uh, Ransom, this is Arina." I lightly gesture to the Alpha.

Ransom nods in greeting. "Hello." Arina replies.

"Uh, what's going on?" Ransom asks again.

"Nothing important." I shrug. Ransom narrows his eyes.

"This idiot won't come back to our pack and be a beta. That's what's happening." Arina explains.

"Your pack? Beta?" Ransom lifts a finger and points between me and Arina. "I thought you didn't have a pack?"

Arina glares daggers at me.

"I don't! Well, I did. It's, uh, complicated. Ransom, can I talk to you alone for a moment?" I start to burn up with embarrassment, but Ransom nods and Arina doesn't protest.

I walk Ransom out of the kitchen and back into my bedroom.

"You didn't tell me you had a pack. And that you were a beta." He begins.

"That's the point! I didn't tell anyone because I don't want to go back. But now my Alpha is in my kitchen trying to convince me to go back and do a job I don't want." I quickly explain.

"So let me get this straight, she's trying to convince you to go back to where you came from?" He sounds like he's trying to clear his head.

"Yes. But she wants me to be beta again and it's not that I don't want to do it, it's just that I can't do it." I try to keep from panicking.

"Why can't you do it?" Ransom curiously asks me.

I stay silent, but I don't look away from him. Realization soon crosses his face.

"Oh, your wolf."

I just sadly nod.

He doesn't say anything. He just pulls me into him and I quickly hang onto him.

"I can't leave you or Jaden and Berkeley. I won't leave you guys." I declare.

"I'm not saying you have to leave. This choice is all up to you." He pulls back a little to look me in the eyes.

"And I'm not sure if this is too soon to say, but I'm not trying to lose you again. I'll be with you no matter what you decide, whether you like it or not." He tells me firmly.

I'm stunned, I clearly did not expect that type of answer from him at all.

"Was that too much to say?" He quickly asks me when I don't respond to that.

"No, I just wasn't expecting it." I respond.

"That's fair. Let's go back out to see her then?" He suggests, and I reluctantly let go of him.

We walk back out to the kitchen, where she stood waiting for us to come back from our private conversation.

"Give me more time to think about it." I tell Arina.

She opens her mouth, clearly ready to protest.

"You need to understand that I have a life here that will not be easy to think about leaving behind. The least you can do is let me think about it and get back to you when I'm ready." I don't let her interfere with my plans.

She purses her lips, clearly in thought, before sighing.

"Fine. You still have my number, right?"

I shake my head. "I actually don't. I washed it off my arm without taking a photo of it or writing it down."

She rolls her eyes, and Ransom tries to hide a laugh at her frustration.

She takes a piece of paper laying around my kitchen somewhere and writes down her number again.

"There. Now you can't wash it off. Please put it in your phone before you forget about it."

I nod. "Sure."

"Alright, I'm gonna head out. Sorry for barging in on you two. But thanks for not saying no, Kyle." She gives me a tiny smile.

I shrug it off. It wasn't a yes either.

"Don't get your hopes too high." Is all I tell her.

She rolls her eyes and waves goodbye before walking out of my place.

Things were quickly turning upside down, and I'm not sure how to feel about it.