Love in limbo

VIOLET 

…And she left the human world to the academy where she was trained to harness her powers, but she fell for the alpha of the academy… such a bummer."

My voice echoed softly in the quiet hospital room, blending with the rhythmic beeping of the machines monitoring Ryan’s fragile state. He’s been hooked to those machines for five days now, and there’s still no sign of him coming back to life.
To me.

I lowered the book slightly, glancing at his face, as still and pale as it had been.His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, a silent battle against the darkness that had claimed him.

A lump rose in my throat, but I swallowed it down and forced a smile, even though it was just for me. "You’d probably roll your eyes at this, wouldn’t you? ‘An alpha and a chosen mate,’ you’d say. ‘What kind of nonsense is that?’ But you know what, Ryan? You’re stuck with me reading it, so deal with it."

The attempt at humor fell flat in the suffocating quiet. I placed the book on my lap, my fingers brushing over its cover absentmindedly. This was the fifth book I’d started reading aloud since the day he was brought here. I didn’t know if he could hear me, but it was the only way I could keep myself from falling apart.

"I wonder if you’d even let me finish this one," I murmured, leaning forward to adjust the blanket over him. "Probably not. It’s all about destiny and soulmates—stuff you’d probably call ‘cheesy’ or ‘overrated.’” A faint, hollow laugh escaped me. “And then force me to watch your old basketball replays instead."

I sat back, my gaze locked on him. Five days. Five agonizing days of watching him like this, unable to do anything but wait. I ran a hand through my hair, now messy from days of neglect, and sighed.

"You know," I continued, my voice quieter now, "I keep telling myself you’re just sleeping. That any second now, you’ll open those stupidly beautiful eyes of yours and say something sarcastic, like, ‘Miss me, mouse?’ But then I look at you, and it… it doesn’t feel like sleep. It feels like something’s taken you away from me, and I’m terrified you won’t come back."

The words spilled out before I could stop them, raw and jagged. My fingers trembled as I reached out, brushing lightly against his hand. It was warm, reassuringly so, but it didn’t move.

"Ryan," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Please. If you can hear me, fight. Come back to me. You’re not allowed to give up—not after everything we’ve been through."

A tear slipped down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away, determined not to fall apart. I picked up the book again, opening to the next chapter.

"Let’s see what happens next, okay? Maybe this time, the alpha doesn’t screw it up," I said, trying to steady my voice. "It’s a long shot, but hey, we both know I’m rooting for the underdog."

I began to read again, the words flowing from my lips in a soft, steady rhythm. Even if he couldn’t hear me, I wanted him to know I was here. That I wasn’t going anywhere.

The soft creak of the door broke my rhythm. I glanced up to see Ashley peeking in, holding a takeout bag in one hand and a cup holder with two drinks in the other.

"Food’s here," she announced with a small smile, stepping inside. "And don’t even try to tell me you’re not hungry. You’ve been running on fumes for days, Violet."

I sighed, setting the book down on the table beside me. "I’m fine, Ashley. Really."

She arched an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Fine? You call skipping meals, barely sleeping, and sitting in the same spot for five days ‘fine’? You’re not convincing anyone, you know."

Ashley walked over and placed the food on the small table by the window. The aroma of something warm and savory wafted through the room, and my stomach betrayed me with a low growl.

"See? Even your body’s siding with me," she teased, pulling out two takeout containers and handing one to me. "Eat. You can’t take care of Ryan if you’re passing out from hunger."

I hesitated, my gaze flickering back to Ryan. "What if he—"

"Violet," Ashley cut me off gently. "I promise, nothing’s going to happen in the five minutes it takes you to eat. You’ve been glued to his side, and it’s not going to change a thing if you take a tiny break. Please, for me?"

I let out a breath, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly. "Fine," I mumbled, taking the container from her.

She smiled triumphantly and sat down in the chair beside me, popping open her own container. "Good. And don’t think I’m leaving until I see you actually eat something."

I glanced at the food—a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup—and picked up the spoon. The first bite was warm and comforting, and I realized just how much I needed it.

Ashley leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of her coffee. "You know," she began casually, "Ryan’s going to owe me big time when he wakes up. Do you have any idea how many takeout runs I’ve made this week for you?"

A small smile tugged at my lips despite myself. "He’s definitely going to owe you. Maybe I’ll make him cook you a five-course meal as a thank-you."

Ashley laughed. "I’ll hold him to that. But seriously, Vi, you’re doing everything you can. He’s strong. He’ll pull through."

I nodded, swallowing another spoonful of soup. Her words were meant to comfort, but the gnawing fear in my chest refused to let go. Still, I was grateful for her presence. "Thanks, Ash," I said softly, setting the empty container aside.

"Anytime," she replied with a grin. "Now, go back to reading to him. I’ll clean this up."

I picked up the book, glancing at Ryan again. His face remained peaceful, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

"Okay, Ryan," I murmured, opening the book to where I left off. "Let’s see how our girl gets out of this mess."

The door creaked open again, interrupting Ashley’s attempt to clear up. I glanced up, half-expecting to see Max or Mom, but the figure standing in the doorway was neither.

It was Kyle.

"Kyle?" Ashley’s voice broke the silence, surprise laced in her tone as she spun around. Her hand froze mid-air, clutching the empty takeout container. "What are you doing here?"

Kyle didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stepped fully into the room, his gaze sweeping over Ryan’s still form before landing on me.

"It’s obvious," he said with a shrug, though there was a softness in his voice. "I came to check on my friend."

From the look on Ashley’s face, it was clear she hadn’t told him about Ryan’s accident or even mentioned that her trip to Italy was to visit me.

"I never told you," Ashley said, her voice a mix of confusion and defensiveness. "How did you find me, Kyle?"

He took a deliberate step toward her, and I didn’t miss the way Ashley’s breath hitched, her cheeks growing pink. If Ryan weren’t in a coma and I wasn’t drowning in worry, I might’ve teased her about how obviously gone she was for him. But now, I could only watch the unspoken tension between my best friend and this man who seemed to know her too well.

"I told you, freckles," Kyle began, his voice dropping into something softer. "I can’t let you out of my sight. And if you think I wouldn’t find out about your little trip to Italy, you’re wrong. Because no matter where you go, I’ll always know where to find you."

Ashley’s cheeks deepened to a rosy hue, and she opened her mouth to protest, but Kyle wasn’t done.

"You can call it fate," he added with a smirk, though his eyes held something genuine, something tender. "Or just me caring enough to keep tabs on the woman who drives me crazy every single day."

Ashley blinked, her breath catching again, and for a moment, the tension in the room was almost palpable.

Kyle turned his attention back to me, his expression softening as he glanced at Ryan. "How’s he doing?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat, glancing at Ryan. "The same. No changes."

Kyle nodded, his jaw tightening. "He’s strong," he said quietly. "If anyone can pull through this, it’s him."

"Thanks," I murmured, my voice wavering slightly.

Kyle reached out, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You’re strong too, Violet. Don’t forget that."

He straightened and turned back to Ashley, who was still holding the takeout container as though it might shield her from the weight of his gaze.

"So," Kyle said, his tone lightening just a fraction. "Have you been eating, freckles? Or do I need to sit here and make sure you’re not skipping meals too?"

Ashley’s flustered expression gave me a momentary reprieve from my worries, and I couldn’t help the faint smile that tugged at my lips. Whatever was happening between them, it was clear that Kyle was real.