KAYDEN VARG

Rylan’s pov I'm nervous and anxious at the same time. And that has never been a good combination. I had just been informed that the pack members were ready and waiting for me. They were waiting for their new clan leader, and here he was panicking like a goddamn wimp. My uncle had just finished encouraging me and had left. I was to be down in five minutes. Five minutes. I sat down on a chair by the door trying to calm my raging heart. “Ugh, please not today of all days” I sighed knowing what was happening. I remembered taking my meds earlier this morning, so what was happening? I made circular motions on my chest around my heart, a coping mechanism I'd learnt through my years battling with panic attacks. I took in deep breaths counting as I did so. “f**k!” it wasn't helping. I dragged myself off the chair and sat on the floor. Why now when I was about to address my people for the first time as their new leader? I'd left them alone for long enough now, I couldn't even address them like the leader they needed. I was now crouched down by the chair I was seated on earlier. I could hear footsteps. Hopefully, it was my uncle looking for me. He'd know how to calm me down. He always knew. “Alpha Rylan?” a voice called out. It was definitely not my uncle. It was a vaguely familiar voice. “Alpha Rylan?” The voice drew closer and so did the footsteps. They walked past me by the door and stopped a few feet away. They had probably seen me by now. “Alpha, are you okay?” The voice asked still at the point they stopped. I shook my head. I was clearly not okay. My breathing was coming out in ragged puffs. I was about to force some words out of my mouth. 'get my uncle' or 'get me the orange medication container in my desk' anything to ease the tension building up in my chest. Then a sweet scent hit my nose. I could feel my wolf wagging his tail at the scent. The heck! I pried open my eyes as I looked up at the figure that was now in front of me. I reached out my hands and motioned for them. I heard footsteps and the figure was crouched down beside me. Judging from the clanging of metal, I gauged that he was a knight. “Closer” I gasped out. Desperate for whatever scent it was that was coming off of him in waves. Whatever it was, it was calming my raging heart. “What?” He asked, jerking back. I understand the idea of asking a man to come this close to me was ludicrous, but I was on the verge of passing out, so I didn't care. The scent was helping and I needed any amount of help I could get. I reached out and yanked him closer, putting that wolf strength to use. He landed beside me bracing his arm on the wall by my head, and went still. I sighed in relief. I could feel myself calming down. I took in whiffs of the sweet scent. Breathing it in like my life depended on it. It felt like it did. I don't know how long we stayed like that but, I was calm now and he hadn't moved an inch. I had to give him credit for keeping quiet that long. I suddenly became aware of how weird this looked. I cleared my throat, signaling for him to move now. He took the sign and backed up. His hands were no longer on the wall so that he was in a kneeling position and dangerously close to my face. He stared at me with his icy blue eyes. Assessing my face as if checking for any sign of the panicking mess I was in. Then suddenly I remembered why his voice sounded familiar. "Kayden Varg?" I said, pretty sure my face held a look of shock. He stopped his assessment and smiled in that mischievous way only he knew how to. "Took you long enough to recognize me, Alpha" he said, smile still in place. I was suddenly uncomfortable with how close we were. I slid away from where I was and got to my feet. He followed suit. Kayden Varg, the son of my chief commander and my childhood rival. We used to train together when we were younger. Though I was older than him, he always had an arm up on me. I hated that. Then he left the clan to train in another pack as all our chief commanders in line did. I hadn't seen him in five years. When did he get back? “He's such a pathetic prince. What kind of prince doesn't know how to sheath a sword properly? "Some of the kids I trained with laughed at what Kayden had said. After that incident I learnt everything I needed to know about swordsmanship. Coming second to no one except him. He noticed I was staring at him and his smile transformed into a smirk. “What?” He asked as he adjusted his armor, smirk still in place. “Kayden,” I said, dumbfounded. In my defense I was still in shock. “I thought we already established that it was me,” he said mockingly. I suddenly remembered I had a pack to address. “Are they still waiting for me?” I asked, walking over to my desk to pick up the paper I wrote my speech on. “Yes. In fact, that's why I'm here” he said, putting the last piece of his armor in place. He was staring at me now. Uncomfortable with the scrutiny, I walked over to the door. Feeling way better than I felt moments ago and ready to be anywhere but near him. “Alright, let's get going,” I said, making my way through the doors. “Wait” he said, holding me by the arm. I glared at where he was holding me, he unhanded me immediately and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Yes?” I asked. He clearly wanted to say something. He cleared his throat again. He didn't seem this nervous a while ago when he was smirking like the cocky bastard he was. “Uhm, are you okay?” He asked, a serious look in his eyes that were now a shade lighter from the icy blue they were moments ago. Had his eyes always been that mesmerizing? “What?” I asked, lost for a second. “It's just that, you looked really worked up back there” he said. Oh right, he had seen that. “Oh that. I'm fine. We should go now” I said, completely evading his observation. “Are you sure?” He asked, reaching out for my arm again. I jerked back and glared at him. “I said I am fine, didn't you hear me.” I barked out. I didn't mean to sound so harsh, but I was going to be alpha soon. I couldn't allow him to have a sense of familiarity with me. He stared at me for sometime before bowing his head slightly. “I'm sorry, it won't happen again Alpha” he said. I nodded even though a part of me felt bad for yelling at him. I walked through the doors and he followed behind me. It was the first time we'd seen each other in years and things were back to being tense now. And it was my fault. I don't like the guy, doesn't mean I have to be an asshole to him. I guess things change when you're about to step into a life altering position. We stopped in front of the doors, waiting for the doorman to announce my arrival. “Kayden.....” I said, looking forward. “...you will speak nothing of what you saw.” I said firmly. He glanced at me briefly then looked forward and nodded. “Good.” I said as the doors opened. I walked out of them to address my people with my head held high. This was the Rylan Pierce they knew Not a pathetic person who crouched down in a mess whenever he was panicking or nervous. Not someone who barely slept at night when his memories creeped in. The Rylan Pierce they knew was strong and brilliant and wise. He was their leader. And it would remain that way. It had to. It was the only way for me to get to the bottom of my parents death. And I was willing to do it or die trying. Little did he know that his encounter with his childhood rival would change the course of his life.