The Beginning of The End
Chapter 63

Suer leads us to the medical wing, the door guarded by people that they can trust, people who they know won't betray King Ryker.

But I think that's a little optimistic right about now, because his own men did try to kill him.

They tried to tear him apart.

They almost succeeded.

Ryker is laid on a metal table, bandages covering most of his body, his eyes clenched shut as he fights back the pain.

As he tries not to gasp or moan or show us just how much it hurts.

But I know it's hurting him, I can see it.

I can sense it through the bond we share.

I step forward, cautiously approaching him, I don't even know if he wants me here.

Maybe he won't want me to see him like this.

Maybe he won't want my sympathies.

He might hate it.

"Ryker?" I call, "Ryker are you ok?"

I stop beside the bed, looking down at his bruised and beaten body, it hurts to see him like this. It physically hurts my heart.

He blinks several times before he looks at me, a scowl on his face. "I didn't ask you to come." He says.

"No." I whisper, "you didn't. But I wanted to, we are mated Ryker, whether you remember that or not, whether you care about me or not." I take a deep breath, now is not to time to get angry. "I am here."

He looks at me like he doesn't recognise the person he is staring at, "I didn't realise you cared." He says, voice soft, carefully soft.

Do I care?

Do I really want to be around him?

Do I want to be there for him?

Yes. I do.

I want him to know that he is not alone, that I am here for him, and whilst it might not mean much to him. It means the world to me. It means I'm finally letting go.

It means that maybe I don't have to live in fear all the time or worry that I'm going to lose control and destroy as many of them as I can.

Maybe revenge against Ryker isn't on my mind anymore, maybe a future with him doesn't frighten me.

It actually makes me excited.

It makes me want to get up on the coldest of mornings and face another day.

I want Maddox too, I want them both.

I want them to care about me, hold me, tell me it's all ok.

I want to be happy.

So I say, "I do care, we are mated together as one, you told me yourself that we'll be together until the end of time." I gentle place my hand over his heart. "And maybe one day we will earn each others love."

He looks startled by my words, genuinely shocked, maybe a little emotional, and he doesn't speak right away. He opens his mouth several times only to end up closing it again.

"I didn't realise." He finally says, brows furrowed. "I didn't realise your hate for me had gone."

"It hasn't." I admit, "not entirely. But I'm finally ready to try."

"Then so am I." He smiles, I can see the pain the action causes, yet he doesn't seem to mind.

He's too focused on what I said, too focused on the shape of my body and the fullness of my lips. His eyes are everywhere, all over my body, memorising every inch of me. "Don't leave me out of this." Maddox growls, stepping forward. "I want a moment of peace too."

He's jealous, and I laugh, I laugh so hard that I'm afraid I might pee a little.

"Don't worry." I giggle, placing both of my hands on his chest, the erratic beating on his heart soothing to me. "I want you just as much." I whisper in his ear. "We have unfinished business."

He looks down at me, eyes blazing with lust. "I'll hold you to that." He growls softly. "I'm counting on it." I smile.

He plants a soft kiss on my head, but I'm distracted, my eyes are Ryker as he struggles

to get air into his lungs, wincing whenever he tries to take a deep breath.

I frown, my hands clenching in anger, who did this to him?

More importantly, why did they do this to him?

Then it clicks, it's like all the puzzle pieces fall into place all at once and my mind sees the picture for what it is.

It's like a fog has cleared and I suddenly can see the stars without needing the light of the moon.

It's because of me.

Ryker was attacked because he accepted me and his fated mate, because he didn't kill me, because I am fae.

It's all my fault.

They tried to kill him because he's taking me with him to the other realm, because he's taking me to his home, to the villi age he commands.

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I can't believe it.

I can't believe they would do that.

But what I do know is this: they are going to pay for it with their lives.

Revenge has never looked so sweet and it's coming for those who decided to betray the dragon king.

"Who are they." I growl, talking to anyone who would listen.

Maddox smiles, it's a cruel smile that sends a shiver down my spine. But not because

of fear, I shiver for an entirely different reason, and I have to clench my thighs to make sure the smell of my arousal doesn't fill the small room.

"I thought you'd never ask." Maddox says, "I was hoping you'd help me take care of them."

"They'll regret the day they were born when we're done." Is all I say.

Maddox smiles again, crueler this time. "Then let's go." He says, "before you change your mind."

I want to say that I won't change my mind, that I won't let them live after what they've done to Ryker.

But then there's a new voice in my head, my conscious that seems to decide now is the perfect time to make its opinion known, and it says; "when did you begin to care about them so much that you'd take another life to avenge them?"

And I suddenly hate my inner voice.

I hate it so much.

Because it's right.

When did my hate become passion?

When did my want for vengeance change directions?

I'm lost, dear god, I am lost.

And I don't know what to do