Her Mate Is A Deadman

Chapter 3: Ryder

Chapter 3: Ryder

Malia had another nightmare again. I could tell. She looked pale this morning and most of the day today. She hardly spoke, only to Aiden when he tried to cheer her up.

"Mommy, I picked you a flower!" He said cheerfully, holding up a pretty Daisy to his mother's face. Malia looked at Aiden and actually smiled at him.

"It's beautiful, Baby. I love it," she said picking it out of his tiny hand and giving him a big hug. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mommy. Can you smile now?" He asked, looking at her. I gave a crooked grin as Malia seemed to light up at our son's words.

"Just for you, I will. Okay?" She replied to him. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pouted playfully at her.

"What about me, Mommy? Does Daddy get a smile too?" I asked, my voice child-like. Aiden laughed.

"Nooo, she only smiles for me, Daddy! She's my Mommy!"

Malia giggles- Actually giggles. "How about, I smile for both of you?" She asks, setting Aiden on her lap, giving him kisses on his cheek.

"Okay!" He says, cheerfully. I bring Malia to my chest and rest my chin on her head. I'm glad our son was able to get her to talk and smile again. I'm glad she's here with me.

I'm glad we found out Dimitri killed her brother. I'm glad it was him. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have Malia right now. Is that selfish? Probably, but I don't care. I love her so much. And now she's mine. All mine.

"I can deal with that," I mumbled, looking at Aiden. He nods and gives me a big smile. I kiss the top of Malia's head. "You okay now, Baby?" I mumbled in her ear. She turns her head to look me in the eyes. She still looked more pale than usual, but she gave me a bright smile, a genuine smile and she nodded.

"I'm fine." I smiled at her.

"I'm glad," I said as I buried my head in her soft, blonde hair. I could smell the strawberry scent shampoo she loves to use on it.

"Mommy, come play with me," Aiden says excitedly pulling on his mother's hand. Malia laughs and gives my cheek a quick kiss before being dragged off by our son.

My heart skipped a beat at her carefree posture, as she played with Aiden. It was like her worries washes away when she lays eyes on him. If she were to ever lose Aiden, it would probably break her more than anything. I can feel her emotions right now, happy, but fearful. Carefree, but worried and stressed.

I want nothing more than to protect my mate, with everything that I am. She is my life, my love. I would do anything for her.

"Hey," Kaiden came up beside me and sat down. "How are they?" He asks, nodding his head to my son and my mate.

"Aiden is still oblivious, while Malia is on edge," I said. "I wish there was more I could do..."

Kaiden sighs. "You can't be the hero all the time, Ryder. Let her save herself right now. Because she's the only one who can do it."

Realizing he's right, I try to swallow my pride and nod. "I... Okay," I said finally, not wanting to argue that I want to protect her more than anything. That I don't want her to lift a finger and let me carry her baggage.

--

Around evening, Malia, Aiden and I walk to the shining crystal blue lake, the one where I told Malia the lie of the century. I couldn't handle rejection back then. Malia was so dead set on finding her one true mate, I just couldn't say anything.

So I said I was gay.

Again, lie of the century. Over the years, I found it hard to keep my true feelings for her in. I wanted so badly to be her true mate, so she would accept me, but it didn't work like that. Instead, fate continued to torture me, when Malia came home with that Hybrid, Dimitri.

It irked me to no end, that Malia would ever consider a half-werewolf, half-vampire to be her true mate. I continued to ask myself: What the hell did she see in him, that she didn't see in me? What could he give her, that I couldn't?

It haunted me for weeks.

When Mason died, he had a certain scent on him. It was an off scent, with a hint of cinnamon. Yeah, cinnamon. It was familiar, I couldn't pinpoint the scent. The day Malia was in charge of the pack and Dimitri came along and passed me... I found my chance.

I helped Dimitri tell Malia. I didn't mean to, but I did. When I started, I knew I couldn't stop. I saw the way Dimitri looked at Malia that day. He was afraid. He was afraid of losing her. That was why I tried to get her to not reject him, by saying not to do something she would regret... But she did it anyway. My actions cost me.

After she rejected him, I watched her crumble more and more every day. It was like she was dead, but she was still breathing. She wouldn't look at me for weeks. I had heard from her father that sometimes, he would hear her crying in her room. She would stick with Kaiden most of the time and wouldn't talk to anyone else.

It broke my heart to see her so empty. Then, I finally got her to talk to me again and before I knew it, she had become my girlfriend and then... My mate. She was mine. And I was over the moon. She will never know the intensity of my love for her.

I live with the guilt of tearing her and her mate apart, even if I know it wasn't my fault, I instigated it. It hurts me everyday and if Dimitri is really back, after so many years... I have to be ready to be rejected.

Yes, I firmly believe that once she lays eyes on Dimitri, she'll crumble and go back to him.

"Baby?" Malia snaps me out of my thoughts and I smile at her kindly. "You okay?"

I nod. "I'm fine, Babydoll." I wince, remembering that Dimitri called her that. Malia stiffened, seeming to remember as well. "Sorry," I mumbled to her.

"It's alright," she breathes out and lays her head on my chest, as we watch our son run around the lake.

This is where I belong.

More like this is where I want to belong.

--

A/N: Y'all finally get an inside look at Ryder. :) I mean, come on, who can hate him? :( Honestly, he's my favorite character. Aside from Kaiden and Mason. They're the shit.

By the way, you all will be very happy with me soon. ;) or I hope so. xD

Anyway, comments? Votes? No? :c

Hope you enjoyed!! :)

- xSG