Second Chance Mates

-43- 🌹 Without You

"And I know everything about you, I don't wanna live without you. I'm only up when you're not down. Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground."
~Taylor Swift, 'I'm Only Me When I'm With You'

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*Ryland's POV*

The cool morning air nips at my cheeks; my eyes closed as I listen to the singing of the birds. I had gotten out of bed before Landon to come and sit next to the stream behind the cabin.

It's been several days since we mated, which means we only have two days before heading back home. I've tried reaching out to River several times, but he's been too weak to speak. My heart aches, longing to talk to my wolf again. Now that I know he's not feral anymore, it hurts even more that we still aren't communicating. I desperately want to know what's going on inside his mind, but he's blocking me out.

'River?' I try again, keeping my hopes low. 'You probably have a lot of questions, and you're probably really confused and hurt, but... I'm here. I'm here to talk and answer any of your questions.'

When I'm met with silence again, tears fill my eyes.

'I miss you,' I say, wiping my face. 'Goddess, these past five years without you have been hell.'

'Ryland...' River's soft voice floats into my mind, and I nearly fall into the stream out of shock.

'River?! Holy shit, you're actually talking! Oh my goddess, I can't believe this! How are you feeling? Why didn't you sp—"

'Ryland,' he repeats, his voice a little hoarse. 'What did you mean?'

I pause my rambling. 'About which part?'

'You said these past five years have been hell without me,' River says slowly. 'What did you mean by that?'

I suck in a sharp breath. He doesn't know. River doesn't realize he's been feral for five years.

'What's the last thing you remember?' I carefully ask slowly.

'I remember... an Alpha coming to visit our pack,' River recalls, and my stomach sinks like a rock.

'What else?' I prod, trying not to let my worry show.

'We met the Alpha, right? Yeah... yeah! I remember him, he was gorgeous,' River sighs dreamily, his excitement only making my heart hurt more. 'Wait... our mate. He's our mate. Oh my goddess, Ryland! The Alpha is our mate!'

'Keep going,' I instruct, pushing him towards what happened next. River falls silent, making my panic skyrocket. 'River?'

'He...' his voice is shaky, and tears fill my eyes as I feel his pain. 'He rejected us. Oh goddess, Ryland, we were rejected? Why? Why would he do that to us, without even giving us a chance?'

'I never found out,' I tell him truthfully. 'That was the last time I saw him. River, what happened next? Do you remember anything after that?'

River's quiet for a minute before answering. 'Pain. Everything hurt, and there was a blinding light. It only lasted for a second, and then... nothing. I felt like I was stuck in a cold, dark crate for a while. Not able to move or speak. Unable to talk to you, or even hear my own thoughts. It was as if... as if I had stopped existing.'