Discovering the Ligon

Chapter 2 - Ryker

She looks so fragile sitting there with her head in her lap. Dammit, I hate myself for causing her any type of pain or upset. When I left three years ago it was for both of us. But the aftermath... I hate it and I especially hate Crystal for causing Ava to think the worst about me. About my feelings for her. I guess it had worked out better. People left her alone. Well, I am sure Crystal and her friends didn't but the guys sure did. I had Zeke keep an eye on all the females to make sure she wasn't physically or emotionally hurt too much. Enough so that Ava wasn't completely terrorized daily but not enough that people suspected anything. The guys would not touch her after thinking she had been with me, mate or not.

Except I hadn't realized how bad it would be until today when I saw her being harassed. When I had first walked into the dining area, the crowd had hushed. I was afraid they had given me away, but Ava barely even looked up from her book. I was on my way to her when I noticed Crystal. Looking for Zeke, I saw him watching with a bored look on his face from several tables over and not doing anything about it. Which greatly went against my instructions for him when I left.

When I had caught Ava and wrapped my arms around her, I had tried to keep my face and eyes blank of emotion. I hadn't wanted Crystal or anyone else to see how I still felt. The timing wasn't right. But I wonder if seeing me look at her like she was nothing was the right thing to do.

Hearing her ask why she had to punch me, I let out a low chuckle and tell her, "Because you were always feistier than you let others, besides me, see, Hummingbird." She startles and turns around, staring at me with her big green eyes with gold flecks. I have always loved her eyes. They change with her mood, becoming dark green when angry or passionate. Right now, they are pale green, showing how upset she is.

She stands up and walks over to me, pokes me in the chest, and looks me dead in the eyes. "Don't call me hummingbird. You lost that right three years ago when you lied to me and left me alone to deal with a mess. So, you can fuck off, Your Highness." Then she takes a little bow knowing it's not been in practice for damn near one hundred years. Her voice would burn me if she had an elemental power. Which she doesn't yet, thank goodness, or I would be a crisp right now.

She never was afraid of us. Now that I understand why, it's not surprising. When we were younger we all used to wonder why the alpha, or higher rank, tone never worked on her. Despite not fully coming into my powers, I have always shown more power than my dad but I hide it to avoid issues. But with her, it hadn't seemed to matter.

"You are going to have to learn to forgive me. I am back, and I am not leaving you again." She hears the resolution in my voice because her eyes widen, and her mouth forms a little 'o'. She sees me staring at her lips, the way I have for a long time, she just never noticed before that night.

Ava slowly licks her bottom lip as she closes her mouth and I let out a low groan. Damn. I have been wanting to kiss that mouth for three long years. I close my eyes and take a deep breath to reign in how I feel about her and my frustration with myself. She must hear it because she tells me, "Don't even think about it." I have to stop myself from telling her she is mine. Arguing with her will not help me win her back, nor is the timing right.

"I need to talk with you, explain things. It's important. I don't want to do it here. We need to meet privately. Don't shut me out. Let me explain." I plead with her. This will probably be the only chance I get to be with her alone, without an audience, even if handpicked by me. Sometimes I really hate being under such close scrutiny.

She eyeballs me like I am a worm she wants to chew up and spit out. A stain on her existence. I would almost believe it if I had not seen her face when she first saw me. Misery with happiness.