The Fighters Return Book Two

Bears POV

Not taking my eyes off the women in front of me I suck in a sharp breath. There's only two people I know that have those unique purple eyes, one of which is sitting in the compound gulping down a beer and wallowing in his sorrow. "Raelyn?" I whisper and she visibly flinches as if someone's just struck her. "No one calls me that anymore Bear" she snaps and frowns. I sigh heavily, this is not the Raelyn I once knew, who any of us knew for that matter, she's harder...colder...
Swallowing heavily I take a step towards her ignoring how her shoulders tense, "everyone's missed you tiger" I say softly but her face remains stoic. "Don't call me that" she says and for a second I think I hear sadness in her tone. I smile sadly at the girl who took a piece of everyone's heart with her when she left all those years ago. "What do people call you then?? I ask and she sighs, "Ameryis, they call me Ameryis" she says and I hum in acknowledgment of her answer. "That's a pretty name, but it's not you, none of us know you as Ameryis, to us you were and always will be Raelyn" I inform her and she nails me with a glare. "Come give Ole'Bear a hug will ya?" I say and without waiting for her answer I wrap my heavily tattooed arms around her and she stiffens, I frown as she puts and hand on my chest and pushes me slightly as if to try and get me off her. She could get out of my hold if she wanted to but I know that somewhere deep down inside she's still the same Raelyn she was five years ago. I just hug her tighter and frown, I know she doesn't like strangers touching her but I'm not a stranger to her, no one in the compound is I think to myself as I release her from my hold. "Why don't you come in and see everyone? They'll all be thrilled that you're back" I suggest and she shakes her head. "I'm not staying Bear, before I left I wrote a letter to Colton and left him a pair of keys, I need them" she says and I narrow my eyes, "really Raelyn? You've been gone five goddamn years without contacting any of us apart from the two letters you left for Phoenix and Colton. The least you could do is come in and let everyone know your still alive! Fucking hell girl, Phoenix thought you had ran off and died somewhere, considering you were in the midst of healing when you decided to up and fucking leave!" I snap in aggravation remembering how Phoenix broke down in front of everyone, something that he swore would never happen, since that day he's just simply been existing. The only thing keeping him grounded right now is his son. Raelyns eyes turn angry and for a moment I think she's gonna flip me the bird but when she huffs stubbornly I know she's given in. Besides the only way she's getting those fucking keys is if she goes inside and gets them. "Ok! Ok but only for half hour... And hour tops, after that I have to go I have places to be and people to see" she snaps and I smile. She hooks her sunglasses to the front of her v-neck and straightens her shoulders. Grinning triumphantly I turn and gesture for her to follow me towards the compound. From the corner of my eye I see her take a deep breath, determination fills those pretty purple eyes of hers... Yeah, the old Raelyns in there somewhere, she's just hiding...