THE BLACK ROSE

MATE BOND OF THE BLACK ROSE

CHAPTER 10: MATE BOND

It happened on a Tuesday.

With sunshine and soccer balls and no warning.

---

Part 1: THE ACCIDENT

3:47 PM. The park.

Jackson was chasing a ball.

Ryder was watching.

I was on the bench with Callen, laughing about something stupid.

Then we heard it.

Tires screeching.

A car.

Coming too fast.

Straight for Jackson.

Time slowed.

Ryder moved.

He didn’t think.

He didn’t shout.

He just ran.

He grabbed Jackson and threw him to the side.

Out of the way.

The car clipped Ryder’s leg.

Hard.

I screamed.

Callen was already running.

Ryder was on the ground.

Jackson was on top of him, crying.

"Dad! Dad! Get up!"

Ryder was pale. Blood on his jeans.

But he was smiling.

"Hey, buddy," he said to Jackson. "You okay?"

Jackson nodded, sobbing.

"Good," Ryder said. "That’s good."

Then he looked at me.

And his eyes changed.

Gold.

Bright.

And something pulled between us.

In my chest.

Like a string tying us together.

Pain.

His pain.

I felt it.

In my leg.

Sharp. Burning.

I gasped. "Ryder?"

Ryder’s eyes widened. "You feel that?"

"What is it?" I whispered.

"Mate bond," Callen said quietly. "It snapped."

The ambulance came.

The pack came.

Everything was chaos.

But all I could feel was him.

His pain.

His fear.

His love.

---

Hospital. 8:00 PM.

Broken leg.

Three stitches.

But he was okay.

Jackson hadn’t let go of his hand once.

The doctor left.

It was just us.

Ryder was asleep.

I was in the chair next to the bed.

Holding his hand.

And I could feel him.

Even asleep.

Tired.

Relieved.

Happy that Jackson was okay.

Callen came in. "How are you?"

"I can feel him," I said. "Is that normal?"

"Yeah," Callen said. "That’s mates."

I looked at Ryder.

At the boy who left me.

At the man who came back.

At the dad who threw himself in front of a car.

"I love him," I whispered.

Callen smiled. "I know."

---

Part 2: THE CHOICE

Two weeks later. Home.

Ryder was on crutches.

Jackson was his "helper."

"Need water, Dad?"

"Need the remote, Dad?"

"Need a kiss, Dad?"

Ryder was the happiest I’d ever seen him.

At night, the bond was stronger.

I could feel when he was thinking about me.

When he was missing me.

When he was proud of me.

It was terrifying.

And perfect.

One night he asked, "Can we talk?"

"Yeah."

"About us," he said. "Real us. Not just co-parents."

I nodded.

"I love you," he said. "I have since I was twenty. And I’m done running from it."

"What if I mess up?" I asked.

"Then we mess up together," he said. "And fix it together."

I took his hand.

"Okay," I said. "Okay."

---

Part 3: THE RE-MATING

Full moon. One month later.

The pack was there.

But not as council.

As family.

Callen stood next to us.

As best man.

As uncle.

Jackson was the ring bearer.

In a tiny suit and bow tie.

He was so proud he almost burst.

Ryder was in a suit.

On two legs.

Leg healed.

Eyes only on me.

We didn’t do vows.

We did promises.

"I promise to show up," Ryder said.

"I promise to stay," I said.

"I promise to love you both," he said, looking at Jackson.

"And I promise to let you," I said.

Then the moon.

And the bond.

Bright and gold and warm.

And Jackson yelled, "They did it!"

The pack howled.

---

Part 4: EPILOGUE - ONE YEAR LATER

The white house on Elm Street.

It’s ours now.

Not a motel.

Not running.

Home.

Morning.

Ryder is making pancakes.

Burnt.

Jackson is "helping."

Which means flour everywhere.

I’m pregnant.

5 months.

Girl.

We’re naming her Rose.

Callen is at the door.

"Uncle Callen!" Jackson yells and tackles him.

"Hey, buddy," Callen says. "Brought donuts."

We eat at the kitchen table.

All four of us.

Soon to be five.

Afternoon.

Soccer in the backyard.

Ryder teaching Jackson to kick.

Me on a blanket, watching.

Ryder looks over and winks.

I feel it through the bond.

I love you.

I love you too.

Night.

Bedtime.

Two stories.

Three hugs.

One "I love you, Mommy."

One "I love you, Dad."

Ryder and I on the porch.

Quiet.

His hand on my belly.

My head on his shoulder.

"Do you regret it?" he asks. "Any of it?"

"No," I say. "Not the running. Not the coming back. Not you."

"Good," he says. "Because I don’t either."

We sit there until the stars come out.

---

THE LAST ROSE

I go back to the old house one last time.

The one from Chapter 1.

No black rose this time.

A white one.

I lay it on the doorstep.

"Thank you," I whisper. "For breaking me. So I could be rebuilt."

Behind me, Ryder pulls up.

With Jackson.

And Callen.

"Ready to go home?" Ryder asks.

"Yeah," I say. "I’m ready."

We drive away.

Together.

THE END

---

writed by Omahcbeauty

FULL BOOK RECAP:

Secret Baby - revealed

Twin Triangle - but Callen chose family

Hurt/Healing - 4 years to 1 year

Found Family - Callen is Uncle

Protective Alpha - took a car for us

Domestic Fluff - pancakes and soccer

Mate Bond - snapped and stayed

Total: 10 Chapters.