Escaping the Alpha, Claimed in the End novel Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Ryder’s POV

Amelia barely stirred for the next two days. She’d sleep, wake just long enough to sip water, then slip under again Every time I brushed hair off her forehead, her skin felt too warm, her lashes too heavy

Samantha came by midmorning with her satchel. She checked Amelia’s pulse, her breathing, then lad a hand over her chest, eyes closed like she was listening to something deeper. I stood at the foot of the bed, my arms crossed right urving not to hover

“Well” I finally snapped.

“She’s fine.” Samantha said calmly. She looked at me, not rattled by my tone. “This is just exhaustion. She poured too much of her energy into you. Sleep is what her body needs now.”

Are you sure?”

Her brows lifted. “Do you think I’d stand here if I wasn’t?”

I clenched my jaw. “She looks-”

‘Like she’s resting,” Samantha cut in. “She’ll wake when she’s well rested. Don’t keep shaking her awake, Ryder You only low her recovery. Let her sleep. Feed her when she wakes. That’s all she needs from you right now.”

That was supposed to settle me. It didn’t. But I gave a stiff nod.

After she left, I sat by the bed until my legs went numb. Amelia looked so damn small tucked under the blankets, her hand curled against her pillow. I kissed her knuckles and whispered, “Come back to me soon, baby.”

Later, I forced myself into the office. Paperwork stacked high didn’t care if my mate was unconscious. Lucas was aireads here, skimming reports like always.

He looked up. “You’re actually here. I thought I’d have to drag you in.”

dropped into my chair, rubbing my temples. “Don’t push me.”

de smirked. “Just saying. You’ve been glued to Amelia’s side for forty-eight hours.”

didn’t answer, flipping through a set of patrol notes. I read the same line three times betore Lucas tossed his oil

Alright, out with it. What’s really on your mind? And don’t say border disputes”

leaned back, staring at the ceiling. The words burned in my throat, but I said them any way Iwant-ojaupine

Silence Then Lur as grinned so wide I wanted to punch it off his face “Finally

“Don’t start,” I warned

“I’m not starting. Fusclebrating About damn time

I narrowed my eyes at him “You think it’s too soun

“No.” he said firmly “You’ve loved her since the day you met her she loves you. The only question is how qui to torture both of you before making it official

1/4

7:58 am Pp

Chapter 43

ared down at my hands, flexing them once “She’s been through hell I don’t want her to feel pressured”

“Then don’t pressure her, Lucas sand simply “Just ask Straight Honest Trats who you are after all. All that matters is you’re being sincere

1 let out a breath, leaning back in my chair. He made it sound so damn easy “You know, for a guy who pretends he doesn’t care, you’re getting real sentimental on ine.”

Lucas smirked. “Maybe I just know you better than you think ”

Yeah, yeah.” I shook my head, trying to brush it off. “Let’s get back to work before you start writing me love notes”

108

t was on the fifth night that Amelia finally stirred, and the fourth night I had towel-bathed her thinking of all the wavi ould get her to be my wife. I had been so lost in my dreams about our future that when Amelia blinked at me and gave me faint smile, I smiled back, thinking it was one of my perfect dreams where Amelia smiled after saying yes to my proposal t was only after I heard the multiple whispered “Hey’s,” each more confused than the other, that I snapped out of it only hen realizing she wasn’t a figment of my imagination. She was indeed awake.

was at her side in a moment.

Hey, baby.” I kissed her forehead, relieved and embarrassed at my momentary lapse. “How do you feel?”

Like I could sleep another week,” she murmured.

helped her sit up and slid a glass of water into her hands. She sipped slowly, then leaned into me, her head resting against ny shoulder. For a moment, we just stayed like that.

couldn’t stop staring at her face – the soft curve of her cheek, the faint color of her lips, even the way her lashes brushed er skin when she blinked. Amelia was awake, real, and so beautiful in a fragile way that stirred something in me

All I could think was how lucky I was to have such a beautiful, wonderful, strong, selfless woman as my mate my person, 718 over. Suddenly there couldn’t have been a better moment than right now, right here, to propose to her. Of course the lowers, the ceremony, the ring and all those grand things could come later, but right now she just had to hear how much eeded her forever in my life. It felt right for it to be this moment.

Marry me.” I blurted, surprising even myself, then panicked. What if she found it rude? I was going to tell her how her h he meant to me first-how did my brain skip that and…

No, I mean… Yes. What I mean is it’s not sudden. You have to marry me. what am I saying You don’t have to You ha vant to No, what I mean is…”

‘Yes’ That one word from Amelia silenced my rambling

Huh?” I said dumbly

1

“Yes, Ryder Of course I’ll marry you”

“I thank you You’re everything to me My mate My life

Amelia shut me up with her lips shy at first, then bold. There was a split second where I thought she’d just woken und we shouldn’t make things escalate, but I lost all sense of reason once she probed her tongue against nume steepened the kiss lying over her, soon it became a battle of dominance among our mouths. Her fingers tangled in my hat pulling the lower and I lost whatever restramt I had left I cased her down against the pillows, my body braced over hers

“You sure you’re ready for this?” I asked, giving her one last chance to stop the

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Chapter 43

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