The Alpha's Lifeline

~Chapter twelve~

Rylan and Adeline got caught in the rain, running in through the door slightly damp.

"Rylan Cooper! How dare you let your mate get all cold in the rain." His mother came into the hallway and smiled. "How are you both sweeties?"

"Good." Rylan smiled at Adeline who was taking off what she could. "Go get warm, I don't want you getting cold." He told her and she nodded, going up the stairs quietly.

"Dr. Isaacs was right, in just a few days you've changed. I know you're not fully there yet but look at you!! You're smiling for once and taking care of yourself!" His mum told him, and he couldn't deny it, she had helped him relax so much. He did feel good.

"Yeah... I guess..." He mumbled grinning, taking off his shoes.

"Go on, go, and get changed." She gestured up the stairs and he jogged up to his room.

He put his damp clothes in a small pile and took a quick shower before changing into jogging bottoms.

"Rylan?" Adeline knocked lightly on his door. She had freshly washed hair and had also had a shower.

"Yes?" He replied grabbing a long-sleeved t-shirt from his cupboard.

"Sorry." She apologized after coming into the room, realizing he didn't have a shirt on.

"Don't worry." He smiled. "What's up?" He asked and she smiled.

"You know how great I am?" She asked and he nodded, knowing she was going to ask for something.

"And you know it's raining and cold outside?" She carried on.

"What can I get you?" He asked, smiling. He put on his socks.

"Can I borrow a hoodie?" She asked and he nodded grinning, getting up and showing her where they were.

"Are you all dressed?!" His dad knocked on the door.

"Unfortunately." He mumbled, getting cheeky. "Yes." Rylan replied and his dad poked his head round the door.

"We're going to put on film downstairs, I don't have anything else on today." His father said.

"We'll be down in a minute." He told him and he smiled, going back down the stairs.

Rylan went up behind Adeline as she looked at Rylan's wardrobe and he combed his fingers lightly through her damp hair, keeping himself calm. He was beginning to love the feeling of her, it was a foreign feeling, but one he couldn't resist.

They went downstairs. Rylan took his blanket down with them and put it on his giant bean bag.

He went into the kitchen to make a drink for the two of them.

Adeline had sat down on Rylan's bean bag, under his blanket. He passed her a few cushions and went to sit on the floor. He didn't want to push it or make her feel uncomfortable. A few of Brody's and Rylan's closest friends were also there, they were practically family and always round the house.

"Want to have a cuddle?" She mouthed quietly and he hesitated. He thought about it, fiddling with his hands.

"You'll be fine Rylan." His mum encouraged him, she had overheard Adeline's quiet voice. He nodded, knowing this was a step he needed to take for them to get closer.

His biggest fear was his back, chest and wrists. He sat right beside her on the bean bag, and she shuffled over, covering him with the blanket, she waited for him to take the lead so he could do whatever he was comfortable. He wrapped one arm round her shoulder, taking a breath, and held her hand, slowly lowering himself down so she was leaning against his chest. He liked the feeling but wasn't used to hugging or cuddling, it made him uncomfortable. And yet minute by minute he found himself being able to relax a bit more. He was tense, but Adeline knew this was a bit step.

They put on a movie of some sort... Adeline seemed to know what it was, but within half an hour everyone in the room were on their phones apart from Adeline.

"You can go and do something else if you're bored," Adeline suggested but he shook his head, he was slowly relaxing into her. His breathing was more steady now.

"Oh! Rylan! I forgot to tell you both, we're going to have a big family dinner tomorrow! The twins are coming down. I've invited Adeline's parents back too!" Rylan's mother squealed and they both looked shocked.

"Where's everyone going to sleep?" Rylan blurted out, tensing up. Adeline squeezed his hand gently.

"Well, we thought that Adeline could just move into your room now, as last night went fine. And then Jessica and Robert will have the spare room with Issy, and Tyler can have the upstairs room with Mia and their kids." She went on and Adeline looked confused, her family was much smaller than theirs.

Rylan began to explain, "I have an older sister and brother, they're twins and they both have kids already... Jessica is my sister, and her mate is Robert. They just had a baby, Issy. We haven't even met her yet, just over Skype. Tyler is my brother, Mia is his mate and they have twin boys called Marcus and Andrew." Rylan explained and she nodded, still looking slightly confused. "It gets confusing, I don't think they knew about you yet, but I'm sure mums told them now."

"How many rooms do you have?" Adeline asked slightly shocked.

"7. The house looks much larger than it is. There are another two other levels. Our room, Rylan's room, Brody's room, and one spare bedroom are on the first floor up, and then two spare bedrooms, and the attic. If your parents come will your brother join us? Has he got any children or anything yet?" Susan asked and Adeline's mother scoffed slightly.

"No, he hasn't. He barely looks after himself... He's waiting. To find his mate" Adeline replied.

"This is so stressful." He leant his head into Adeline's cheek without thinking, taking a deep breath of her scent, which seemed to calm him down. His nose rested on her cheek, she looked shocked and tried to stay still as not to make him move.

"Well, they only live in the housing sector so Jessica is coming tonight, and Tyler will probably get here in the early hours of the morning and Adeline's mum said that she'll be back tomorrow."

"Best make the most of our alone time." Rylan nudged Adeline's cheek with his nose and kissed her cheek gently. She smiled, trying to contain her excitement, he hadn't kissed her yet.

They stayed downstairs to watch the rest of the movie, had lunch together, and went into the conservatory with their blankets to listen to the rain.

"Rylan! Jessica will be here in 20 minutes!! She just texted me, Tyler will be about an hour, why don't you move Adeline into your room?" She shouted through from the kitchen.

"Yeah in a bit," Rylan replied, looking up at the conservatory. "I'm so happy that you're here."

"Why?" Adeline asked, looking out of the garden, he sat beside her.

"It hasn't fazed you that I was fucking kidnapped and tested on for 16 years, you weren't shocked at my scars, you're not pushing my boundaries, you seem to care." He went on and she smiled, shuffling up to his shoulder and leaning her head against him. He wasn't fazed by her touch this time, he relaxed. "It's everything I could have asked for so thank you."

"I do care." She told him.

"You're so amazing... I would have been so freaked out... But you're just... Fine with it." He looked down at her.

"If it were the other way round, you would be the same. I'm not going to try and be properly touchy with you, I know you don't like it..." she explained, and he smiled, stroking her hand.

"You know I was crying, yesterday?" She asked him and he nodded.

"That was because I was worried about you after all that time spends locked up in a cell, you shouldn't have to go down into the basements and identify people... I thought you would be been scared and I was worried about you."

"I don't want you to cry over me," Rylan told her. "I'm big enough and brave enough to handle this. I don't want to drag you into it too..."

"I want to help you with this... And I hope am..." She told him and he nodded gently.

"You're doing more than helping, you're changing me... For the good."