#Chapter 68: A Mysterious illness


    #Chapter 68: A Mysterious Illness


    At first, I don''t want to touch him; I don''t know what''s wrong and I don''t. him.


    "What''s wrong?" Ohhhh...


    "Ahhh..." is his only reply.


    want to make it worse. I kneel beside


    His breathing becoines erratic. I sit on my knees and scoop his head into myp, lightly touching his hair, afraid to touch him anywhere else.


    "Sssomeone-help!" I cry out, but my voice cracks.


    Alex''s eyes are closed tight and he''s taking great pains to steady his breathing. "O..." he moans, still grabbing his stomach.


    "I don''t... Don''t know what to do..."


    I look back at the door to the house but no one''sing. I''m afraid no one heard me.


    "I''m going. To get help," I tell him as I move to lift his head off my thighs.


    Alex grabs my wrists. "No," he moans. "Just wait."


    My eyes start to tear up. It breaks me to see him-my strength-this way...in this much pain. "What isss it?"


    "I don''t know. The pain...just...came out of nowhere."


    We sit like that for moments. He is eventually able to unfurl as the pain subsides. As his breathing starts to even out, he.


    I gently run my fingers through his hair, and it seems to calm him more. "Isss that okay?"


    He exhales. “It is," he says with an audible sigh. "Could you do something else for me?"


    "Anything!"


    He closes his eyes. "Kiss me."


    I bite my lip. "Of course," I whisper, then lean down and show him how grateful I am that he is okay.


    The feeling between us ignites, and he pulls me down, closer to him. I want to wrap myself up in him and get lost. I can''t imagine never having this again.


    I hear the door when Ryan walks out. "I thought I heard something."


    Alex and I break our kiss and look up, and I feel a little awkward. "He''s hurt." "What happened?"


    Alex sits up, still holding his stomach. "I don''t know, man. Cynthia and I were out here talking when the pain started...shooting through my body. It was so intense." Ryan squints in disbelief. He can''t hide his skepticism. "Out of nowhere..."


    Alex nods. "Out of nowhere."


    Ryan helps me up, then Alex.


    "Let me get you settled in a room," Ryan says. "We''ll want to turn in soon if we''re going to be out early."


    Alex nods, but I can tell he''s still struggling. I put my hand on his back like I may actually be helpful to him. At


    #Chapter 68: A Mysterious Illne


    least it makes me feel helpful.


    Ryan helps Rita to one of the spare bedrooms, then shows me to the other. Guess he doesn''t know I''ve already been through his house...


    Alex takes the couch, and after I wash my face and finger brush my teeth with Ryan''s toothpaste, I go back to the living room to check on Alex.


    The sound of voices stops me. I can hear Alex and Ryan talking.


    I can hear Alex: "I don''t know what could have happened to me. I''ve been here all day."


    "Rita''s your mate? Maybe it has something to do with that


    Silence.


    "I don''t know. My body''s been doing weird things since yesterday."


    "Your birthday.''


    "Yeah."


    "That''s normal. Your hormones are on hyperdrive."


    "But it''s not just her...I don''t think."


    "You mean your human?"


    Then I don''t hear anything.


    "If she''s confusing you then you need to let her go. I don''t know why your pack is watching her."


    "She''s in danger from hanging out with me...when I was gone.''


    "I get that, but she''s only going to put your future in jeopardy if you don''t send her back soon."


    Again, silence.


    Wish I could see them, see the expressions on their faces. Is Alex upset? If so, is he showing it? I know he doesn''t trust Ryan, so I can''t imagine him letting on that he cares about me. But Ryan sure doesn''t seem to be dropping it.


    "Look, get some rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, we''ll leave at first light. If we find they''ve set up a camp somewhere, then we can deal with this once and for all. Then we can get back to your brother, see if there''s anything we can do." "Yeah, you''re right."


    I hear someone move and tiptoe back to my room, closing the door as quietly as I can so I go unnoticed.


    I lean against the door, waiting to hear Ryan walk by.


    I just don''t understand how my life became this mess! Alex loves me but can''t be with me. He''s jealous of Ryan, who may or may not be interested in me...or was. Now, Ryan''s ready to throw me to the wolves. Pun intended. I can''t tell, based on what I heard, how Alex feels about all of this.


    The real shitty part is that none of our feelings in the end. At the end of the day, we''re screwed one way or


    the other.