Arrow Inferno
Chapter 103: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks ~ Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… Need for escape!

***

Ryan wasn't too surprised when he materialized in Gloria's garden. He hadn't meant to go to Jeremy's mother when he'd desperately blinked out of the suite. All he could think at the time was how he needed some peace and calm within to prevent himself from going insane. Well, what better person to give him that peace than Gloria Stanton. He saw her as his mother too after all. Ryan stared at the elegant woman who seemed to be oblivious to his presence. With a deep breath, he released his aura. One moment Gloria seemed engrossed in whatever she was doing with the flowers, the next, she was sniffing the air. Then she turned in Ryan's direction with a huge grin on her face. But that grin wavered and then disappeared. She frowned, sensing that all was not well with her son-in-law.

Gloria watched as Ryan's mouth opened as if to speak, and then closed. She saw his eyes brim over and knew that he was falling apart. Ryan opened his mouth again but then closed it again. Gloria didn't need to be a genius to know that whatever was causing Ryan's misery had something to do with her son. Her eyes hardened for a split second in anger. But then watching Ryan, she knew that he didn't need her anger that very instant. Gloria's face softened, became even more stunning. She opened her arms and whispered;

"Come here, darling."

Ryan didn't realize he was crying until he felt the wetness on his cheeks. He walked into Gloria's arms and then just let himself go, pouring out his confusion and hurt in a storm of tears. And although Ryan didn't break down into sobs like he really wanted to do, he allowed himself to accept the comfort that spilled out in volumes from the woman he'd come to see as a mother.

***

'Anything?' Jeremy asked his friends on their mind-link. And when both said they still hadn't found Ryan, he let out a frustrated roar.

They'd been searching for Ryan for hours to no avail. He'd gone to check Ryan's apartment, campus, the fucking woods, no Ryan. It was only natural for an upset werewolf to shift and go for a run. But obviously, that wasn't how Ryan rolled. As a wolf, Jeremy's best bet was to track his mate by his scent. But apart from the fact that he couldn't feel Ryan, Jeremy couldn't even smell him. He'd been gone since two p. m. that afternoon. And it was already after eleven p. m. Jeremy could say for a fact that Ryan was nowhere within that pack house. Fuck!

"Where are you, baby?" Jeremy whispered to himself as he walked dejectedly out of the woods.

He saw Phillip and Stan pulling on their shorts with worried looks on their faces. They'd scanned every inch of the woods and beyond in their wolf forms but there was no sign of Ryan anywhere. He took the shorts and sexy sleeveless t-shirt that Stan held out to him and unhurriedly, wore them.

"Listen, I'm very grateful for your help guys," Jeremy said quietly.

"You know we're always here for you," Phillip said. "Where do we go next?"

"I'll take it from here," Jeremy murmured. "At least he's alive. Although I can't feel him, I would have felt it if he was in danger or..." He trailed off but his friends knew what he wanted to say.

"That's good," Stan said, leaning forward to give Jeremy a hug and a light slap on the back. "He will be back. The guy loves you too much not to."

"Well, it's not like he has a choice." Phillip chuckled.

"I hope you're right." Jeremy sighed, accepting the one-armed hug from Phillip. "I'll just pass through mum's and tell her what's going on before she finds out that Ryan has gone missing." "You had better do that dude." Phillip chuckled. "I wouldn't wanna be you if she finds out any other way. All the best."

"And if you find him, you know what to do." Stan drawled, making an obscene gesture with his tongue.

"Fuck you." Jeremy laughed despite himself.

"No, thank you." Stan laughed. "But you know who would welcome that. See you tomorrow bro."

And even as Jeremy parted ways with his friends, his heart pounded with dread. He knew his mother was going to kill him. Fuck, he wanted to kill himself too. The only thing stopping him from doing that was the fact that it would be ruled as suicide. He cursed darkly as he took the longest route to his mother's house. He should have shifted and ran but he preferred to walk to give himself time to think. He would just tell his mother that Ryan had blinked out after a misunderstanding. Then he would promise her that he was going to sort everything out. With that plan made, he hastened his steps.

**

Jeremy wasn't surprised when he found his mother watching TV in her living room. Since he was a kid, the earliest that woman went to bed was one a. m. He thought it strange though that his mother didn't even turn to acknowledge his presence.

"Mum?" He went to sit beside her on her plush maroon couch. "Are you okay?" He asked with concern.

Gloria slowly turned her head to look at her son. She saw the concern and confusion in his eyes and wondered why he looked confused. Surly Jeremy should know that she wouldn't be happy with the way he'd made Ryan unhappy. "Did you just ask me whether I was okay?" Gloria asked with an incredulous look on her face.

"Well, I thought...wait, has Ryan said anything to you?" Jeremy twisted in the seat to face his mother. "Do you know where he is?"

Gloria looked shocked for a moment but then quickly schooled her features to one of indifference. Jeremy obviously didn't know. Ryan was something else, she thought amused. In fact, Gloria was so amused she couldn't control the laughter that erupted from her throat.

"What's going on?" Jeremy frowned. "Why are you laughing?"

"Oh, Jeremy." Gloria threw her head back against the headrest and gave a deep sigh. "Why are you here?"

"I'm beginning to think you know why I'm here." Jeremy rasped, not amused. "Has he called you?"

"Who?" Gloria managed to maintain a straight face.

"Don't play with me Ma," Jeremy growled.

"Don't you dare growl at me." Gloria hissed, suddenly angry. "I'm trying very hard to hold on to my temper because of what you've been through so don't test me, Jeremy Stanton."

"I'm sorry," Jeremy mumbled. "I just...I'm worried about him. Not knowing where he is, is killing me."

"Well, you should have thought of that before driving him away with your shitty attitude," Gloria said sternly. "We all know that it's going to take a while to bounce back after your experience at the Fort but the last person you should take your frustrations out on is Ryan. That boy has been through a lot and doesn't deserve any shit from you. After what he went through at the hands of that stupid sperm donor of his, you should be treating him with kid gloves, not hurting his feelings. What did you say to him to get him so heartbroken?"