Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Ryder sat at his desk, filling out documents that listed assets, fudging details to make the company look more profitable than it was. He looked at the clock. Almost 10. Soon he would be home, and he would pull Alecia into his arms and cherish the sweet strawberry smell of her hair. As he signed his father’s name to the document, he thought of buying Alecia some tulips since he hadn’t bought her any in a while. Hopefully, they’d put a smile on her face. It had been so long since he’d seen one. Something nudged in him - a feeling akin to regret, but he pushed it away. If he got distracted, he wouldn’t be able to accomplish what his father demanded of him. And nothing was more distracting than guilt.

The door flew open. Sose rushed from behind it. A chill swept over Ryder as he took in the man's werewolf appearance, and his bared claws. What was going on? The man looked like a rage boiled in his eyes.

“It's time. Let’s go.”

He jumped to his feet - his body stiffened. “Alecia.”

“The apartment is being watched. Now, let’s go.”

“We have to….”

“We’ll get her,” Sose said, grabbing Ryders arm and yanking him to the door. A pain shot up his arm. He raced after the black-clad man while his blood pulsed at a rapid speed. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. He had brought her into this life. And it was his responsibility to keep her safe.

“Little one,” Alecia whispered, trying to find a connection to the child she carried. Would she be able to love him? Tears brimmed in her eyes. Trina had broken down crying when she told her the news - very few people would welcome this child’s birth, especially its own mother. She caressed her belly. If she could only feel the life growing under her heart? Maybe then she would cherish this gift.

The door flew open, making her flinch. Ryder rushed in with another man she didn’t know. He slammed the door shut, and ran towards her as the shaking feeling poured through her. What was going on? He grabbed her arms and yanked her from the couch, making her crash against his chest as he wrapped her in his arms.

“Get dressed.” His eyes were dark, unsettled.

She looked at the man in complete black. “Alecia, don’t look at him!”

The man took a phone from his pocket. He looked at it before he said, “they’re here.” The man grabbed a black gun from his coat, and lowered a pair of goggles.

“They’re here?” Ryder asked. His eyes wavered as the color drained from his face.

Who was here? What was going on? She gripped Ryder's shoulders, digging her nails into his jacket.

“Lock yourselves in the bathroom,” the man said as he walked to the light switch and flicked it off.

Ryder dragged her into the bedroom’s bathroom, leaving her there. She stared at the door, clenching the sides of her nightgown. Her whole body shook. What could be going on? Her hands flew to her womb. Oh Please give me a chance to change - to be better.

The door opened, making her stumble back. Ryder slipped in with the pistol, he kept in the nightstand. He locked them in, and pulled Alecia as close to him as he could. His bared claws pressed against her back as she clung to her husband, burying her face into his chest. The darkness hid everything. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“Ryder,” she cried.

He wrapped one hand around her head and covered her mouth. Voices broke the silence that existed outside the bathroom. A man’s voice said, “they’re not here.”

Another voice said, “the papers are.”

Footsteps sounded on the hardwood floor. A thump broke the silence. Alecia jumped. Rydwr gripped her close. Another man yelled something out, but a thump covered his voice. Her whole body shook so fast that not even Ryder's firm grip on her could stop it. He whispered into her ear, but she couldn’t concentrate on what he said. A few minutes later, the darkness lifted a little as the light to their bedroom turned on. Someone knocked on the door. Alecia dug her fingers into Ryder's coat.

“It’s done,” the man said.

Ryder away pulled from her, even though she clenched onto him. “Stay here,” he said, then he opened the door, and walked out. Locking her in.

Ryder followed Sose to the living room, and spotted the two bodies covered in blood. He bent down and lifted one of the masks, studying the face in front of him, grim in his death. They had deep claw marks sunken into their backs. They had been stabbed from the back, Sose had probably creeped up on them and sunk his claws into their backs, and they had died, with no chance of fighting back. The Hendrix way.

“I guess this was supposed to be payback for Bauer,” he said.

“We’ll take care of the bodies.”

“Is this all of them?”

“The rest were cleared out earlier.”

Sose filled a needle with a clear liquid from a small glass bottle.

“What are you doing?” he asked, tilting his head to the side, furrowing his brows.

“She can’t remember this.”

“I don’t want Alecia drugged with that vile thing.” He had no idea what it would do to her.

They only used it on their enemies.

Sose lowered the needle. “Tell your father that.”

Ryder sucked in his breath. That was something he could never do. “Okay.”

He turned for his bedroom and walked straight to the bathroom. He opened the door. Alecia sat on the toilet with her knees bent to her chest. No trace of innocence remained in her eyes, but now a fog. That fog had been there for a while. “Come here,” he said.

Alecia stood, and walked out of the bathroom - the white nightgown she wore contrasted with the dark circles under her eyes. Her beauty was fading right before him. Ryder wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her to him and ignoring the wetness of her cheeks. The sense of guilt assaulted him.

“We’re going to give you something to calm you down,” He said.

Alecia shook her head as Sose walked towards them. “No,” she screamed and moved to turn her body.

“Alecia, stay still,” he shouted. Her small fists pounded his chest.

“Ryder, please don’t,” she cried. “I love you.” Tears poured down her face. “I love you, don’t hurt me.”

Ryder loosened his grip. She still loved him? The words sliced right through him. Alecia buried her face into his chest, her white fingers gripping his shirt. “My love….” His voice broke. He wanted to calm her, to take the fear from her, to even prevent what was going to happen. But his father’s wrath would be fierce.

Sose put the needle on the dresser, shaking his head. He walked up to her and yanked her from Ryder. She screamed as her fingers ripped at his shirt. It happened too quickly to remember the steps, but in a second she was on Sose's lap, her arms and legs pinned behind his, and her mouth covered. Her eyes wide.

“Give her the shot.”

Ryder picked up the needle, amazed at the calmness of his nerves. He had become calloused.

He knelt in front of her. The needle pierced her pale flesh as a couple tears slipped from her eyes. “Don’t worry. You’re not going to remember this.”

Placing his fingers on her eyelids, he pushed them down. In a second, she would be out.

“Go to sleep.”

Her body slumped; her head fell to the side. Ryder pulled her from Sose's lap onto the floor with him. He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Alecia,” he whispered into her ear. “I won’t let you be hurt again, but you won’t remember.”

Sose stood from the bed. “Stay in your room for the rest of the night.” He left the room, closing the door behind him.

Ryder cradled her in his arms, her body limp like the night he’d first held her. “My love,” he whispered above her pale face.