Second Chance Mates

-55- 🌹 Let Go

^ Picture of Roman and his wolf, Ryker

"I won't wander, I won't let go. 'Cause there's more life in my bones than you give me credit for."
~Lewis Capaldi, 'Let It Roll'

~~~

*Ryland's POV*

The chilling growl makes everyone freeze. Even Leon, whose head snaps up at the sound. River whimpers in my mind, cowering low.

The sound is disturbing enough on its own, but a heavier sense of dread forms deep in my gut.

"Oh shit," Lucca whispers. "Guys, it's probably that crazy wolf I told you about. Fuck, I knew it wasn't just a rumor."

"This is not the time for one of your crazy stories," Ronnie hisses quietly.

"Maybe it wasn't so crazy," I say, nodding towards the top of the stairs. A shadow casts on the wall; the obvious form of a large wolf. Landon protectively steps in front of me, as Leon does the same for Lyn.

Bones crack and fabric tears as Enzo shifts, and his wolf, Everette, stands tall. Ronnie and Lia follow suit until Valeria and Odessa are standing side-by-side, guarding those of us in human form.

The growl rumbles again, and I grip Landon's arm tightly. He looks back at me, glowing blue eyes wide with worry.

"It's probably one of those bastards who left me down here," Leon growls, starting to advance towards the stairs. Lyn grabs his arm, yanking him backwards.

"What did we just talk about?" Lyn hisses.

"This is different! I have to protect my family."

"Your family wants you to stay here. Whatever that thing is, it hasn't attacked us. There's no point in provoking it. Let's just wait and see if it leaves."

Leon grumbles, clearly unhappy with that plan, but stays next to his mate. We hold our breath, waiting to see what the wolf does. It paces around for a while, the growls growing quieter and quieter. Eventually, the shadow vanishes altogether.

"Let's go," Landon commands in a whisper. The group starts heading up the stairs, with the wolves in front to make sure the coast is clear. I'm about to follow them when I notice Mateo kneeling on the floor, unmoving.

"Mateo?" I call out gently, unsure of how to handle this. When he doesn't respond, I try again. "Mateo, we need to leave before that wolf comes back."

"Leave me," he mumbles almost inaudibly.

I grab his wrist. "Come on, we need to go."

"Let go," Mateo growls, ripping his arm out of my grasp. "Leave me here."

"What? No."

"Why?" He raises his head to look at me; his dark eyes void of everything except for pain. "What's the point? I can't go back. It's only a matter of time before everyone finds out that I killed Easton. Leon may have spared my life just now, but that doesn't mean I'll be welcomed back. And when Silas finds out? Ryland, I stayed with their family for years after what I did. If Leon doesn't kill me, Silas will."

Kneeling in front of him, I tell him, "I'm going to be the one to say this, because I doubt anyone else will." He furrows his brows, and I carry on. "What Easton did to you was unfair. He shouldn't have put you in that situation. You pulled the trigger, but he killed himself. You don't deserve to die because of it."

More tears fill Mateo's eyes. "There's not a single day that has gone by where I haven't thought about that day. I thought that if I continued to serve the Butler family, protect Leon and his mate, that I could somehow atone for what I did. But I can't. I know that, and Silas will too. He'll kill me, Ryland, and I won't stop him. It's better if you leave me here. I'll find my own way back to the pack and receive my punishment."