Chapter 21: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… The visitor!

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Ryan looked up when he heard a small knock on his door in the hospital. “Enter.” He called out and watched as the door opened to reveal a beautiful black woman who looked to be in her late fifties but could easily have passed for a thirty-year-old.

For a woman, she was tall. She had really long black hair with flecks of silver, which fell past her shoulder. In white slacks and a sexy grey peplum top, she looked simply elegant and classy. She was beautiful.

“Hi there.” She gave the most brilliant smile and Ryan found himself smiling back.

“Hi.” He sat up against the headboard and watched Miss Elegant approach.

“I’m Gloria,” Gloria said, placing the basket in her hand on the table in the room. “And I know you’re Ryan.” She went to stand beside Ryan, who was still smiling like a simpleton. “May I?” Gloria spread her arms and waited till a surprised Ryan leaned forward. Then she hugged the shit out of him. “I’m so, so happy to see you.” She whispered. Even when they pulled out of each other’s embrace, Gloria kept Ryan’s hands in hers.

Ryan gave a breathless laugh. “You’re not going to believe this but although I don’t have any idea who you are, I’m thrilled to see you too. Come on…” He said, patting the space beside him.

“Thanks.” Gloria chuckled as she sat down beside the man she couldn’t help but think was beautiful. “How’s the leg?” She asked with concern on her face.

“Better actually. Thanks.” Ryan answered.

“Good to know. I hope you’re being treated well.” She asked with a slight frown.

“Can’t complain.” Ryan laughed softly.

“Yes, you can. If there’s anything you don’t like…”

“No, no I’ve very fine. In fact, I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect treatment. The doctors and nurses are all so nice.” Ryan said with a wistful look on his face.

“But…” Gloria prompted.

“I’m so bored I could scream.” Ryan gushed, making Gloria burst into laughter.

“I know what you mean my dear. I hate hospitals.” Gloria wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes. “But I can see lots of magazines…”

“Gloria, I’m a professor. I need to lecture…research. That’s my life. This right here…lying in bed with nothing to do, is killing me.”

“I understand. But why can’t you at least do your research in here?” Gloria asked curiously. “Lecturing I know you can’t do in this state but all you need is a laptop, to do research work.”

Ryan’s face fell. “I don’t know what you’ve been told but…I’m not exactly a free man here.”

“What?” She whispered.

“I’m a prisoner, Gloria. I haven’t even been able to inform the school that I’m injured and will be away for a while. In fact, I don’t even know whether I will ever be allowed to get out of here.”

“Why would you think that?” Gloria looked genuinely surprised. What in hell was her son doing to the man, she wondered.

“Gloria…” Ryan didn’t know whether he could bring up the subject of the wolf with Gloria. She looked nothing like someone who could turn into a wolf. But how else could she know who he was if she wasn’t part of the click? “Who are you exactly, Gloria?” Ryan finally asked curiously.

“I’m the mother of that little twit who treated you with utter cruelty.” Gloria watched as Ryan’s eyes widened in shock. “And I know that merely saying sorry is not enough but I’m so sorry for his behaviour.” Her eyes flashed with sudden anger.

When he finally found his voice, all Ryan could say in a whisper was… “He’s not little.”

“I know.” Gloria gave a deep sigh, her eyes filled with guilt and regret. “I’m so sorry.” She whispered.

“You didn’t do anything.” Ryan was surprised at the raw emotion on the woman’s face.

“I’m his mother, Ryan. I feel responsible for any bad thing he does. I know he wasn’t himself at the time but he should have fought harder to…never mind. What he did was terrible and I’m ashamed.” She wiped at her moist eyes with the tissue Ryan pressed into her hand.

“What do you mean he wasn’t himself?” Ryan couldn’t help but pick up on what Gloria had said.

“Oh… It’s a long story.”

“Does it have anything to do with the colour of his eyes?” Ryan pinned his intense deep green eyes on Gloria. He really wanted to know. At Gloria’s pained nod, Ryan turned to fully face her. “What was that about?”

“You really want to do this now?” Gloria sighed. “Shouldn’t we at least get to know each other first?”

“You’re right.” Ryan nodded. “We should.” He got back into his previous position, with his back against the headboard. Then he gave a frustrated groan. “But I really need to understand Gloria.”

Gloria took one of Ryan’s hands and began to rub the back in soothing circles. Then she proceeded to tell Ryan all about the Ojah powers that Jeremy had and his hatred for hunters. By the time she was done, Ryan understood perfectly what had happened but he was also even angrier at Jeremy.

“So you’re saying he actually got so angry he allowed himself to be possessed by this Ojah thing and did all that to me when he didn’t even know for a fact that I was a hunter?” Ryan gave a laugh so bitter Gloria cringed. “He bit me painfully, threw me into a cage like an animal, turned me into one, raped me…and all for what? A mistaken identity! What utter nonsense.”

Gloria remained silent, wishing she could strangle her son. She knew that Ryan was entitled to his anger and didn’t want to stop him from freely letting it out. Hell, she was angry too.

“Let’s even say I was really a hunter, Gloria. Are you saying I’m the first hunter Jeremy has come across after the murder of your husband and son?”

“No. You’re not.” She answered quietly.

“Did he go Ojah on the arses of all the other hunters he came across?”

Gloria went quiet for a moment. Yes, her son had actually unleashed his Ojah power for the very first time, after the death of her husband and son. He’d killed a lot of hunters before he’d snapped out of the haze. He was still a kid then. Since then, Jeremy had never harmed any hunter. He handled them in a totally different way when they were caught. So no, her son didn’t usually go Ojah on hunters he came across.

“No.” Came Gloria’s shaky whisper. Gloria didn’t feel it was her place to tell Ryan about the main reason that had caused her son to snap. That was for Jeremy to tell his mate.

“So what was so bad about this time that he had to be so angry he actually had to fall off the wagon? Is it me? Was it something about me that triggered it? Was he going insane at that particular time? I just don’t get it.”

“I’m sure whatever his reason was, Jeremy will explain it himself soon Ryan,” Gloria said but Ryan only shook his head with anger and confusion on his face.

“I’m sorry but your son obviously has issues, Gloria. You are a very nice person but your son…”

“Are you saying he still treated you cruelly after his eyes turned blue?” Gloria was grasping at straws and she knew it.

“I really don’t give a rat’s arse how he acted after, Ma’am. He was a sadistic asshole and that’s all that matters. I’m very sorry but that’s how I feel.” Ryan added softly, seeing the misery on the elderly woman’s face.

“I understand.” Gloria wanted to bawl her eyes out but she composed herself. After a really long silence during which both seemed lost in thought, Gloria stood up and picked up the cell phone she’d placed beside the basket of muffins on the table. “What do you say we get you an i-pad so you can inform the school that you’ll need some time off because of the injury?”