Caught in the crossfire

8

His heart ached at the though of the pain hidden behind those cold eyes. They didn't have to be mates for him to see how much he'd hurt her and her words pierced strait through his heart. He'd messed up royally and he didn't know if he could ever make it right. She wasn't a shifter, she didn't feel the bond the way he did, so he needed to have gotten it right the first time! She might not give him another shot. He was lucky that as a human she even knew about shifters and mates to begin with. That should have made things so much easier but no! He just had to ruin things!

"Cy." He ran his hand over his face dejectedly. "What am I supposed to do, huh?"

"Tch, well what are you looking at me for? You've got no one to blame but yourself for this mess." his Beta replied.

"I know, but she's your sister" he moaned. "Clearly, she wants nothing to do with me."

"No really?? I wonder why..." Cy replied sarcastically. "Maybe if you hadn't tried to kill her..."

"I told you. I wasn't going to kill her!" Alaric threw his hands up in frustration "Just... scare her a bit. I thought..." sigh, "I thought it would be easier if... if she left on her own. Only when she really did... and then I found her in that state..."

"You couldn't stand it" Cylas finished, "the fear, the worry, the loss... it hurt didn't it?... So why'd you do it Lec?"

For a moment the office was filled with silence, a heaviness bearing down upon the pair. Finally it was broken by a deep, regretful sigh. "I sure picked a fine time to find my mate. I can't afford to have any weaknesses. Especially not right now."

"... I see." Answered Cy knowingly, "Perhaps you're just looking at it all wrong Lec. She doesn't have to be your weakness, let her be your strength. Besides, if I know Kay she's far more capable than you or anyone knows. She can take care of her self, don't worry."

"Yeah, and that's how she ended up three days unconscious in our hospital." Alaric replied dryly.

"About that, did she say anything?"

"No... why don't you give it a try. I don't think she wants to talk to me... Maybe I should just give her some time." Muttered Alaric.

"You're just avoiding the issue. It'll never be resolved if all you do is run." Scolded Cy.

"You're one to talk Cy. Does she even know yet that you're not dead?" He snapped back.

Cylas bit back a retort and merely clinched his jaw in response. Neither man spoke after that. They didn't need to. Truth was they both had to face her. Funny how this one petite little human girl had both shifters scared.

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It was evening now and Kay sat staring at the bowl of soup set before her. She knew she needed to eat to regain her strength but she just didn't feel like eating. Alaric had been awfully scarce for someone who had "hardly left her side." In fact, he hadn't been back at all since their initial interaction that morning. It was better that way, she thought, but it still hurt. Stupid mate bond.

A soft knock on the door snapped her from her momentary depression. As the door slowly opened her eyes grew wide in astonishment at the figure before her. "Cylas?!?" She gasped.

"Hey sis" he smiled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck, "how are you feeling?"

Slowly, eyes never leaving her brother, Kay moved her tray of food off to the side and slid off the hospital bed. Cylas shut the door and came to meet his sister halfway. Her eyes searched every inch of his face and she reached out a shaky hand to touch him. Real. Not a ghost, not some figment of her imagination, he was real and he was here. For a moment they just stood there, staring, really taking the other in as if for the very first time. Quick as a flash and without any warning Kay infused a burst of wind in a spinning back kick cracking ribs and sending Cylas crashing hard into the wall where he left a dent.

Picking himself up with a groan, "I guess I deserved that..."

"That and more." Kay fumed and she stalked towards him "Do you have any idea what you put our parents through?!"

He hung his head in reply.

"Did you not think, or did you just not care how much we" slap... "I've missed you. So. Much." she breathed as she fell trembling into his chest. As if the dams broke, tears streamed unrestrained down her face as she clung to him like she'd never let him go. Wrapping his strong arms around her, he held tight too.

After a long while, when they'd both calmed down, they went to sit side by side on the bed.

"Everyone though you were dead." Kay began. "Your car went over the bridge and was smashed to bits on the rocks in the river... We searched for weeks hoping maybe we'd find you washed up down river or something. What happened?"

"I got lucky." He breathed. "I realized my brakes weren't working before I made that last bend and was able to jump from the car in time."

"Why?..." she choked.

"It wasn't an accident Kay." He replied, rubbing circles on her hand and gazing sadly into her eyes. "It was a deliberate attempt on my life. I had no choice but to fake my own death and flee. I'm so sorry Kay. I never wanted to cause you or anyone grief. I just didn't have a choice."

"What?!" She exclaimed. "Who?!?"

"I'm sorry Kay, please don't ask," he pleaded, "that's not for you to know."

The look in his eyes told her there was no room for argument so instead she asked "How'd you end up here then? Silver Fang isn't exactly known for its benevolence towards strangers."

"I found my mate." he replied with a hint of pride "Alaric's sister actually. The Alpha, their father, couldn't very well kill his own daughter's mate so I got to stay. Eventually I gained his trust and became best friends with Alaric. Now I'm Lec's Beta."

"Oh, I see."...

"Dad gave up the Betaship you know." Whispered Kay after a moment of silence. "No one blamed him for what happened or questioned his capabilities or anything but he said if he couldn't even keep his own children alive how could he be entrusted with the lives and wellbeing of others."

"I had heard Rock Creek got a new Beta. I'm glad to hear it wasn't Dad's death that caused it though. I had feared that..." he trailed off.

"No." She interjected, "they're both doing well. You are going to tell them right? They deserve to know."

"Yeah," he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "when the time is right, I'll let them know."

Pursuing her lips Kay gave her brother a pointed look before leaning into him. He draped an arm around her and they remained in silence, enjoying each other's company for the first time in years.

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Ok. So this was such a sad chapter for me :'( Everybody's all heartbroken. But hey, sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better right? On the plus side Kay is finally reunited with her long lost brother :)

So what do you think? Who was after his life? Why?