Chapter 5

Rylan

Something began to happen after Mateo was saved. I was relieved. He was saved because of me. Without him, I didn"t know what would have happened. Probably not anything good. I didn"t think I would ever feel this way about him, but here I was and this was what I thought about him. I actually couldn"t imagine my life without him. I chuckled just thinking about that. So much had changed.

I began to have dreams about me and him. They started not long after Mateo"s fight with Vance. Something was connected to it, but I didn"t know what it was. Not to mention, it didn"t matter what it was. What mattered was that I was having those dreams and it could only mean one thing — something that made me equally terrified and excited at the same time.

The dreams were vivid, haunting my sleep and lingering in my mind long after I woke. Every time I woke up, I felt like I had just finished running a marathon. And, I also had to lie to Mateo about them. I didn"t want him asking me questions regarding what I was dreaming about.

In those dreams, Mateo and I were different, free from the confines of the prison walls. It was crazy and unbelievable. After spending so much time in the prison, I actually couldn"t imagine myself living anywhere else. I knew I"d had a job and hobbies before all this, but they might as well have happened in another life and I was reborn into the person I was today.

Mateo and I ran through forests, our wolf forms graceful and powerful, the moon guiding our path. We could be ourselves. We could be anything we wanted. We could transform and be the wolves we were.

In one particular dream, we stood atop a cliff, the wind ruffling our fur. The view was spectacular. I could keep looking at it for the rest of my life.

Mateo turned to me, his golden eyes glowing in the moonlight. "We are meant to be, Rylan," he said, his voice deep and rumbling. "You are my fated mate."

I shivered as his words resonated within me, stirring something deep in my soul. Somehow, as much as I didn"t think it was possible, I knew he was right. There had to be a reason why we were put together in the prison.

"I know," I whispered, my own eyes reflecting the moon"s silvery light. "You are mine as well."

I was different in the dream. I felt like I knew everything and wasn"t uncertain about anything. I know he was my fated mate and I was happy we were together. But it was just a dream and not reality.

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, yet comforting. Some things about him never changed. I felt the same way in real life.

"Then let us be what we are meant to be," he said, his voice a low purr. "Let us embrace our bond."

I wanted him to say the same thing in real life, but he never would. He saved me and recently was becoming more friendly towards me, but it still didn"t mean anything. When we were out of here, he wouldn"t seek me out.

I felt a pull, an irresistible force drawing me to him. I shouldn"t be feeling this and yet, here it was. It was a weird feeling, but my body welcomed it.

Our bodies moved as one, our muzzles touching gently, our tails entwined. I had always imagined that happening. It was something I had always wanted to do.

A rush of warmth spread through me, a sense of completion, as if a missing piece of my soul had finally been found. Could it really be? Could it really be that he was the one meant to be with me for the rest of my life?

The dream ended there, leaving me awake, my heart pounding, my skin tingling with the memory of Mateo"s touch. I lay in the darkness of our cell, my eyes fixed on his sleeping form.

This time, differently from before, I woke up happy I was still here. I was fearful it was all nothing more than a nightmare. It wasn"t. I was here and he was with me.

Mateo stirred, a soft grunt escaping his lips, and I wondered if he, too, was haunted by dreams of us. If he were, it would explain everything. My suspicion would be confirmed.

As the days turned into weeks, the dreams persisted, each one more vivid than the last. I was glad they didn"t stop. If they had, it would mean he wasn"t my fated mate. I didn"t know what I would do if that had happened.

In our dreams, we spent so much time together, our connection growing stronger with each passing night. We hunted together, played, and simply existed as the wolves we were meant to be.

Our lives were so much better. We didn"t have to worry about anything. The only thing we thought about was what we were going to do next time we had sex.

During the day, Mateo and I rarely spoke of the dreams. We didn"t know much about what the other was going through. Despite spending so much time together, we didn"t have much intimacy.

What was happening was kind of like an unspoken agreement — we acknowledged what we were going through was something we were still figuring out.

We went about our routine, our interactions marked by a newfound tension, a subtle awareness of the bond that existed between us.

It was not welcomed. It was very simple why it was like that. We didn"t want to feel even more tense about each other. It just wasn"t fair.

One afternoon, as we sat in our usual spot in the prison yard, Mateo turned to me, his eyes intense. "The dreams," he said, his voice low. "They"re not just dreams, are they?"

I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest. My body began to sweat. I didn"t expect him to start talking about that. I thought we would keep ignoring our dreams until they stopped happening. But, it wasn"t going to happen that way. Not anymore.

"No," I whispered. "They"re real. They feel real, at least."

I knew I would have to admit that one day. It was happening today, apparently. This felt like another dream. It didn"t feel real and yet, it was.

Mateo nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. It was as though he was looking right into my soul. Maybe he really was. Maybe it was his special power.

"They"re more than real," he said, his voice rough. "They are telling us what we really feel about each other."

I swallowed, my throat dry. I knew he was telling me the truth. I kind of just didn"t want the change. I knew it was going to be significant.

"I know," I said, my voice barely above a breath. "And I know that"s exactly what"s happening."

He searched my eyes as if seeking confirmation. And, he found it. It actually wasn"t hard to find it. It was pretty much written all over my face.

"We"re fated, you and I," he said, his voice soft but steady.

I knew what he was thinking. He was thinking it was impossible, that it shouldn"t be happening. It challenged so much about what he knew.

After hearing his words, I nodded, my eyes dropping to the ground, unable to meet his intense gaze. He couldn"t even blink. That was how much all of this affected him.

"I know," I murmured. "It scares me." I took a deep breath in, considering my next words. "I didn"t want to say that, but it"s exactly how I feel about it."

He reached out, his hand closing around my wrist, his touch sending a shiver through me. Who would"ve ever thought he could be gentle? He was a beast of a man, muscles on top of muscles, and so big that his body challenged reality itself.

He chuckled and I knew he was going to say something that was going to resonate with me. "It scares me too," he admitted. "But it"s what we have between us and we can"t change it."

I looked up, meeting his gaze, and saw a mixture of emotions swirling in the depths of his eyes: fear, uncertainty, and something else I couldn"t quite name.

Who could have ever thought he could look exposed? If somebody had told me before he was going to be behaving this way with me, I wouldn"t have believed him.

"What do we do?" I asked, my voice shaking.

It was a very good question. I didn"t know what we were going to do. I was hoping he was going to guide me and illuminate me.

He squeezed my wrist, his thumb brushing against my skin and I noticed, again, how calloused his hand was. "We accept it," he said, his voice firm. "If there"s something I learned after spending so much time with you, it"s that I want to spend more time with you. Nothing wrong with that. And I know you feel the same way. Why keep lying about it? Why keep pretending it"s not happening?"

I wanted to argue, to deny the inevitability of our connection. But deep down, I knew he was right.

It was crazy how we were going from hating each other to doing something that meant we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. It was a lot to take in. It made my head feel dizzy.

And I knew this was right. Our dreams were more than just fantasies; they were a reflection of the soul-deep connection that existed between us.

The moment hung between us, thick with anticipation. I felt Mateo"s gaze on me, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. My heart hammered in my chest, my breath coming in short, rapid gasps. I knew what was about to happen, and yet, I was utterly unprepared for it.

He closed the distance between us, his steps slow and deliberate. I felt his presence, his warmth, as he stood mere inches away. I could sense his hesitation, his own internal struggle as he grappled with the enormity of what this moment meant.

Our eyes met, holding each other captive, conveying a thousand unspoken words. I saw the desire in his gaze, the same longing that burned within me. My lips parted slightly, my breath catching as I awaited his next move.

And then, ever so slowly, he leaned in. I felt his breath mingle with mine, his lips hovering just a hair"s breadth away. My heart stuttered, my entire body thrumming with anticipation.

Our lips touched, softly at first, like a whisper, a question asked and answered in the same breath. It was gentle, tentative, as if we were both afraid to fully embrace the intensity of what we felt.

But as the moment stretched on, something shifted. The kiss deepened, our lips pressing together more firmly, our mouths molding to one another. I felt the soft caress of his tongue against mine, a silent invitation that I eagerly accepted.

The kiss ignited a fire within me, a rush of desire that spread through my veins like wildfire.

Later, we went about our routine, our interactions marked by a newfound awareness of what lay between us. There was still so much to be resolved between us, but for now, we were at peace we accepted this new reality.

The fragile peace we had found was about to be shattered, though. I knew something bad was going to happen. I had this gut feeling that something was going to challenge us, but I didn"t fear it. I was prepared for whatever it was going to be.

It was Vance. He and his crew ambushed me in the hallway, their faces twisted with malicious intent. Even after Mateo made it pretty clear he was protecting me, they still didn"t give up on me. They had an obsession with me.

"Thought you could get away with that little display in the yard, did you?" Vance sneered, his eyes cold. "Well, we"re here to remind you of your place, omega."

I tried to back away, my heart pounding, but they had me cornered. They thought this through, no denying it. If Mateo didn"t show up, they were going to beat me up and possibly kill me.

I felt their hands grab me, rough and calloused, their touches invasive. I remembered their touches when we were in the shower room that time, sometime after I was put in prison. It was abhorrent.

I struggled, but they were too strong, their numbers overwhelming. There were so many of them. It felt like they were everywhere.

"Let him go!" Mateo"s voice boomed, cutting through the hallway. Relief washed over me. Especially after confirming we were fated mates, he was always around. Just like so many times before, he was going to protect me.

He stood at the end of the hall, his body tense, his eyes flashing with anger. He wanted to kill all of them. If they didn"t put up a fight, that"s exactly what would happen, and I would be overjoyed.

Vance smirked, his gaze flicking to Mateo. "Looks like your little omega"s in trouble again, Solstice. You sure you wanna keep protecting him?"

He didn"t even have to answer that question. Of course that was exactly what he was going to do. There was no denying it.

He advanced, his steps purposeful. "Back off, Vance. I won"t warn you again."

But given what happened last time they brawled, Vance wasn"t going to fear what Mateo might do. If worse came to worst, I would step up and get involved in the fight.

Vance laughed, a cruel, mirthless sound. "Or what? You"ll beat me up? You"re in no shape for a fight, Solstice. Looks like your little omega"s on his own."

But that wasn"t true. Mateo was actually in much better shape than Vance gave him credit for. He was strong. Even though he wasn"t at 100%, he could still beat up most people in prison. He could still take on several inmates at the same time.

I struggled against their hold, my heart pounding. I wished I could do something, but I was so weak. I hated myself for being that way.

"Stop!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Please, just leave him alone!"

It kind of happened without me thinking about it at least a couple times. I was so worried for Mateo. I didn"t want him to get hurt. I knew he was going to be okay, but… I still couldn"t help but feel concerned.

Vance"s eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking between us. "Oh, so now you"re begging for him, omega? How pathetic."

I felt a surge of anger, a protective instinct rising within me. How dare he! Just because I was worried for my alpha, it didn"t mean it was pathetic. If anything, it showed my strength.

"He"s my mate," I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "My fated mate."

Vance stilled, his eyes widening in surprise. He thought there were so many things going on between me and Mateo, but he never considered the possibility of me having found the person who was going to be with me for the rest of my life. It surprised him. It shocked him, to say the least.

He turned to Mateo, a mixture of emotions flashing across his face. "Is this true, Solstice? You and this omega?"

There was something very truthful about my statement and yet, he still couldn"t believe it. Not without Mateo"s confirmation, he couldn"t.

Mateo stood tall, his eyes fixed on me. "It"s true," he said, his voice steady. "He"s mine, and you will never touch him again."

For a moment, Vance said nothing, his eyes darting between us. I thought he was still going to try to hurt me, but then, he laughed, a bitter sound coming out of his mouth. "Well, well. Looks like I underestimated you both. A fated pair, huh? Guess that explains your obsession with the little omega."

It actually explained a lot more than that, but I didn"t say anything. The less I said right now, the better it was.

Mateo took a step forward, his body coiled, ready to strike. "You"ll pay for what you did to him," he growled. "And I won"t stop until you"re begging for mercy."

Despite that only increasing the danger between us, I liked it. He was overprotective of me and that was something I had always wanted from someone I was dating.

Vance"s crew shifted, their eyes darting between us, uncertainty flashing in their gazes. He didn"t know what he should do. When he saw me, he thought he was going to finish what he started, but after finding out that Mateo and I were meant to be together, his plans changed.

He held up a hand, signaling for them to stand down. Wait, what? I didn"t think he was going to do that at all. I was so shocked it was like the world around us didn"t exist anymore.

"Fine," he said, sounding annoyed. "You two are more trouble than you"re worth. Consider this a truce."

My eyes widened. I thought he didn"t even know what the word "truce" meant.

With that, he turned and walked away, his crew following suit. It didn"t matter what he did. Those people were always going to be with him.

I stood there, shaking, Mateo"s protective presence at my side. He had already closed the distance between us. He knew I felt vulnerable after Vance threatened me, so he was right here, right by my side, making sure I felt better, and I did.

I also felt a rush of emotions: happiness, gratitude, and something more—a sense of connection to the alpha wolf at my side. I realized not too long ago that because we admitted we were meant to be together, he always completed me. He always made me feel that, no matter where we were, we would always be happy.

Without a word, Mateo pulled me into his arms, his embrace possessive and comforting all at once. I felt his bodily warmth and it was so good. He made me breathe easier.

I continued willingly, my body molding against his, our bond strengthening with each passing moment. And his arms around my body gave me everything else I needed.

I felt his lips descend on mine, his kiss gentle yet passionate. It wasn"t our first kiss. Far from it, but it was different because we had just resolved something that had been bothering us so much. Vance wasn"t a problem anymore.

The guards intervened, their whistles piercing the moment. I knew something was going to stop us. Nothing could be perfect in this prison. As long as we were here, we would never be able to do the things we wanted. We had to get out.

"None of that!" One of them shouted, his face twisted in disgust. Jeez, was he jealous? "No fraternizing between inmates!"

I chuckled. Mateo and I had been doing so much more than just fraternizing.

The guards pulled us apart, their hands rough as they separated us. They didn"t have to be like that with us. They only had to ask.

Still, I felt a pang of loss as Mateo"s lips left mine, the connection between us severed abruptly. I knew we were going to be kissing each other very soon, but I still didn"t want this to happen.

"You two will be spending some time in solitary," the guard said, his tone cold. "Maybe that"ll teach you to keep your hands to yourselves."

Wait, what? This shouldn"t be happening. We were only kissing and not doing anything more egregious. What the fuck? This was so weird.

We were marched down the hallway, our eyes locked, and there was so much we wanted to say to each other. I felt a sense of dread as I realized what awaited us: solitary confinement, separated from each other, our bond strained by the distance.

This was not fair! I didn"t think I would have to do this, but it was time to put a desperate plan into motion. It might not work, but it was better than nothing. Otherwise, Mateo and I would remain separated.

It was all or nothing at this point. Anything for my alpha.