Arrow Inferno
Chapter 61: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks ~ Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… Emotions explode!

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"I can't believe they got Sasha," Jeremy muttered. The Russian alpha was one of the oldest and strongest alphas on the planet and his boss. So to think anyone had succeeded in kidnapping him in the first place was rather strange. "As I said, the very toughest alphas are the targets." Paige sighed. "I just hope Sasha lives. He's in a really bad shape Jer. Agyemang was really lucky to have escaped before the psychos started draining him. The others weren't so lucky. They seriously think you're next, Jer."

"Well, they have to show up today or miss me for two years." Jeremy drawled. "Blood and bone marrow huh? Who the fuck are these people? And what are they up to? At least now we have an idea where they're located. Please be careful when you go on the mission. I don't want to lose any of you." Jeremy said seriously. All the top warriors in the various packs were to meet and go after whoever was kidnapping and maiming powerful alphas. The alphas were usually returned dead or half-dead as their blood was usually virtually drained. "Fuck."

"They must be a very determined bunch," Stan said. "I mean if they were the same people who made you go psycho all those years ago during the alpha conference, then they sure are coming back stronger and better now. This is war." "Obviously taking all of us out hadn't worked at that time so now, their strategy is to take us one by one." Jeremy sighed. "I really wish I would be here to help but I know..." He trailed off when Ryan burst into the conference room with his face wet with tears. "Ryan?" Jeremy felt his heart drop.

"Why did you do it?" Ryan whispered, coming towards a gloomy-faced Jeremy. "Why did you use your wish on me?" He began to sob. "Why?"

"Oh, Ryan." Jeremy sighed as he automatically started towards his sobbing mate. "Please don't do this..." Jeremy pulled Ryan into his arms.

"You could have asked to go with me." Ryan sobbed. "You could have pleaded your case. Why didn't you tell her to waive the punishment?" He was crying so hard. "It was a wish damnit. You could ha...have asked for any...anything. Anything Jeremy. Why didn't you...didn't you just...ask to be spared?"

"Ryan I deserve to be punished," Jeremy whispered shakily, feeling his eyes fill with tears. Fuck, he couldn't break down there. Not in front of his people. He was their alpha and therefore couldn't show weakness in front of them. But he could feel himself crumbling. Jeremy buried his face in Ryan's hair. "Baby please, don't let us do this here." He whispered shakily. "Please."

But Ryan was weeping so hard he didn't even hear Jeremy's whispered plea. "You could have saved yourself." Gut-wrenching sobs racked his body. "I c...can't sur...survive this, Jer." "You'll be okay." Jeremy choked.

"How do you expect me to be okay when...when you're going through so much pain? Do you think that little of me? Strip me of all this supernatural crap and I'd still go crazy at the thought of you in pain. So don't you dare tell me I'll be okay 'cause I won't."

"I'm an alpha, Ryan." Jeremy didn't even feel the wetness on his own face. "What kind of example would I be setting if I don't accept punishment when I make mistakes?"

"But it wasn't you." Ryan felt as if his heart was breaking. "Everyone who knows about it knows it was not your fault. Didn't you think about your pack at all? Don't you think your pack needs you? How about me? How am I to live without you? What have I done to you to deserve this Jeremy? Please let me know and I'll apologize. What wrong have I..." Ryan was sobbing so hard he couldn't even speak again. He just bawled his eyes out.

Seeing his mate break down so completely and pitifully in his arms was Jeremy's undoing. "You've done noth..." He started to say shakily but the words got stuck in his throat. The alpha couldn't hold back anymore.

And right there, in the conference room, in front of his three best friends, his mother, and Joel, the alpha collapsed onto his knees with his sobbing mate in his arms and wept like never before. Gloria, Joel, and Paige sobbed too. Stan had his forehead against a pillar, with his body so tensed up it looked as if he was about to explode. Philip just stared at his best friend and alpha with undisguised helplessness, his eyes red from unshed tears. The beta obviously didn't know what to do as he'd never seen Jeremy in that state before.

After what seemed like hours, Joel went to pull Jeremy up. The alpha's arms remained around Ryan who kept taking deep breaths to try and bring down his heart rate.

"You have to go home son." The elderly man urged. "I'm sure Philip, Stan and Paige can handle things here. Come on, I'll take you."

Jeremy could only nod. He wiped his and Ryan's faces with tissues that Philip gave him and then turned to follow Joel out of the conference room. In the car and on the elevator ride, Jeremy didn't remove his arms from around Ryan even once. And when they got out of the elevator, they automatically turned towards Jeremy's suite. At the door, Jeremy programmed Ryan's thumbprint into the system to enable him enter his suite whenever he wanted to. And inside the suite, the two men stripped to their boxer briefs and got into bed where they just held and breathed each other in. There was so much each man wanted to tell the other but neither said anything for hours.

"Hungry?" Jeremy finally asked but Ryan shook his head, no. "You still owe me a run." He croaked. "We had a date remember?" Ryan nodded. "We were to go yesterday but you picked my mother over me." "I'm sorry." Ryan finally whispered. He hadn't known the day before that he was going to go for years without Jeremy. He'd taken him for granted. And now... Ryan started crying again. "I'm so so sorry Jer." "Hey, come on." Jeremy crooned, pressing a kiss to Ryan's forehead. "I didn't mean to upset you. You can pick that old woman over me any day."

Ryan tried to laugh but what came out was a sob. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry."

"This is not your fault, baby," Jeremy said softly. "And I will be very angry if you blame yourself. I disrespected Luna and in effect, sealed my fate." He said quietly.

"No, you don't understand," Ryan said shakily. "You accepted that punishment because you're on a guilt trip. And I put you there..."

"Ryan..."

"I'm so sorry Jeremy." Ryan wept quietly. He was convinced that in a way he'd pushed Jeremy to accept that punishment. Reminding Jeremy of how badly he'd treated him any opportunity he got, and never really making any effort to forgive him would easily make Jeremy want to atone for his sins. "I tried not to. I really did. But..."

"Hey, listen to me." Jeremy took hold of Ryan's chin and tilted his head back to see his face. "I know what's right and what's wrong. So I know I deserve to be punished. This is on me, not you. Never think it's your fault. How about that run?" Jeremy asked softly and waited till Ryan gave a shaky nod, then he got off the bed and went to the closet to pull on shorts and a t-shirt. He took same to Ryan who had his head buried under a pillow, sobbing quietly. "Come here, Ryan." Jeremy pulled his sniveling mate to him and quickly dressed him up.

Then the alpha and his mate finally went on their planned first date.