Chapter 85: [Bonus ] Bared To You: Part Thirteen

Esme's eyes drooped open and shut, instantly blinded by a white light. Now with her lids closed, her vision was filled with an orangey / red hue from the sunlight piercing into her eyes. Esme moaned and moved her head stiffly to the side. 

"Esme!"

Her fingers were crushed, and she moaned again, the feeling of pain making her eyes open. She felt disorientated, dizzy from the new sights and sounds around her. She blinked, and a familiar face with puffy red eyes from crying beamed at her, her tears now seemingly of joy as Anastasia half cried and laughed. "Esme, are you really awake?" She croaked; her blue puppy-like eyes stared back at her in hope. It was a look she never wished to disappoint. 

"Hmmm, S-ia, I'm 'wake," Esme mumbled and licked her lips, grimacing from the taste of salt and the sudden burning sensation down her throat. 

Anastasia flung herself around Esme, and she held back a groan so as not to startle the girl. But the she-wolf suddenly jumped back and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Es! I just got so excited, I thought.. Well.. I thought you were going to die.. And.." Anastasia sighed and sat down next to the bed Esme was lying in. She looked past her friend and could see they were in a hotel room; the matching dark red colours and dusty golden curtains radiated of a cheap hotel in need of a good refurb. 

But who was she to judge?

Esme licked her lips again. "Water.." She whispered, grimacing at the idea of drinking, but her mouth felt parched. 

"Yes! Of course!" Anastasia rushed off to a cabinet where a kettle was placed with an array of biscuits, cups and glasses. She returned to Esme's side, placing the water-filled glass below her lips. Esme leaned over her left side and gasped, sputtering the water back on the carpet from using her right hand on the bed for balance.

"It's okay, here," Anastasia assisted her, and she gulped down the water, pushing past the razor blade feeling in her throat. 

Esme pulled away from the glass and flopped back into the pillow, staring up at the patterned ceiling. "Thank you, Sia." She wiggled her toes and fingers on the right side of her body, the movement normal, but the pain still vibrated across her body, but it didn't stop her from shuffling up into an upright position. 

"Oh, I don't think you should.." Anastasia trailed off and instantly helped Esme, making sure her pillows were comfy. "So stubborn.." Her friend smiled at her, but as Esme observed her gaze, she could see the sadness she was trying to hide.

"What's happened? Where are we?" Esme asked, then tensed at the sounds of footsteps from the other room. The door swung open, and Esme braced herself. 

"Well, you jumped off a fricken cliff, and the bones all on your right side shattered. With wolfsbane in your system, your healing was slow and with such mad injuries." 

Esme stared hard at the man leaning against the door frame with his arms folded; he was looking at her warily but at the same time with concern. She didn't know him, so why was he concerned? With those questions on her mind, it must have reflected on her face because Anastasia spoke up, "This is Rian, he is a rogue, and he is my mate."

Esme narrowed her eyes subtly. "What sort of rogue?"

Rian scoffed and shook his head, "Shit, Nyx. You really don't recognise me?"

Nyx..

Just as she guessed, he was a Hellhound. Her gaze moved away from Rian and to Anastasia, her mind trying to add up some calculation that wasn't making sense. Did the Moon Goddess really lose it? Anastasia was the kindest person she'd ever met, and she was mates with a Hellhound? Esme looked back at him, trying to find something familiar about his face, from his light blue eyes to his dark blonde hair and the tribal tattoos down his left arm.

Esme shook her head, "Nope, sorry."

Rian shrugged and stepped into the room before pausing as Esme watched his foot like he was about to lose it. "Still a scary motherfucker, even in this state you're in now," He sighed and raised his hands. "Look, I saved your ass from drowning. I'm an ally, and I'm Sia's mate."

Esme didn't answer and looked at Anastasia instead. "He's not forcing you-"

"Hey!"

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Anastasia smiled genuinely and shook her head, gently grasping Esme's left fingers. "He is my mate, and I am very happy with him," She glanced at Rian with a loving look, and Esme felt a pang in her chest, but she was happy for her friend.

Turning her head back to Rian, she pointed her finger at him. "If you upset her in any way.. I will come for you," She threatened with a glare.

"Why did I bother.." Rian grumbled quietly but gulped at Esme's stare. "I got it.. You'll slit my throat, and my body will never be found.." He shivered as though he just got the chills because both of them knew she would do it. 

Satisfied, Esme relaxed back into her pillows. She wanted to question more about this couple, but she could tell from Rian's worried glances and fidgeting that there were more urgent matters. 

"So.. Where are we? Where's Ethan? What is your plan?" She asked tiredly as though she was already fatigued by what they were about to say.

"We got you out of there and are about three hours away. We are safe from the pack. We threw the trackers off our scent, for now, so they are heading further south. The plan, for now, is to keep moving," Rian replied as he walked towards Anastasia and kissed her nonchalantly on the head before staring out of the window. 

Esme sighed and rubbed her eyes. She couldn't believe she was alive right now. The sudden thought kept her quiet for several minutes before she stared down at what she was wearing. Her white nightgown was still coated in her blood, and her left arm was bare. She looked away from the letters and felt her stomach churn before she gagged and threw up her empty stomach down the side of the bed.

"Oh, Es!" Anastasia stood up and rushed to the bathroom and back with a damp towel she dabbed across her face. Esme clutched her hand across her mouth and closed her eyes. "Es, get some more rest."

"We need to go," Rian interrupted, then released a sigh at Anastasia's silent protest. "We can go in a few hours?"

Esme pulled back the covers and shuffled across the opposite side of the bed, swinging her feet down to the thin carpet. "No need, I can rest in the car. You guys saved me; I'm not about to risk your attempt at fleeing the pack." She slowly stood up and groaned at the shooting pain up her right leg. But it wasn't as bad as she thought, and she didn't fall over.

"How did you-"

"I sent everyone away from the packhouse, but somehow you and your lover here saw me jump off a cliff. You were either secretly meeting or running away. I'm sorry if I ruined your plans," She spoke over her shoulder and limped towards the bathroom. 

"Esme-"

"Do you have any other clothes I can wear?" Esme asked Anastasia, interrupting what she presumed to be an apology for leaving her behind. But she didn't blame her, how could she?

"Of course, I do! I packed your bag after all," Anastasia replied and smiled as Esme turned slowly to look at the she-wolf in stunned silence. She raised a black backpack for Esme to take, but instead, Esme wrapped her arms around her friend as tears formed in her eyes.

"Thank you," She whispered and hid her face in Anastasia's shoulder.

Even though she wanted to curse the Moon Goddess for keeping her alive, there was a part of her wondering if her attempt at taking her life was part of the Goddess's 'grand plan' after all. Because here in her arms was somebody who risked so much and possibly risked a more leisurely escape for her and her mate, which would not include the Alpha's mate.

Esme's legs buckled beneath her, and the pair slid to the floor. "You.. packed me a bag?" She asked, her voice barely audible, wondering if she had really died and this was heaven. The thought alone made the unshed tears trickle down her face. 

"I started packing it as soon as I was assigned to you," Anastasia replied gently and stroked her hair like she was calming a child. "I didn't have a plan, but as soon as I met Rian.. Things started to fall into place." 

Esme raised her head, looked through the doorframe from the bathroom floor, and nodded her thanks to Rian; he nodded back and started piling their beds with the bags. 

"Thank you.. You're my saviours."

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