The Hybrid

Chapter 20

Ryder sat by Kyra’s bed watching her willing her to wake up, he wore some blue scrub pants a nurse brought him earlier. Theodore left to grab a coffee from the cafeteria while Sally was taking a nap on the little couch, they’ve been there all night.

Gregory stopped by earlier to check on things, Ryder filled him on everything. Ryder swore him to not say a word to anyone, not even his wife.

Ryder asked Theodore how he was keeping all this from the hospital, he told them it was because of her Lycanthexia but when they run test they’ll see she don’t have it.

Theodore told Ryder he’s been conducting the test and forging some of the test to show Lycanthexia, anger bubbled a little in his chest but he understood. This is a delicate situation they’re in, he’s not sure how the pack with feel about a hybrid being among them. Let alone being mated to the Alpha and being a future Luna, Ryder had to carefully plan his next moves.

Theodore walked in with a coffee and a clip board, “I don’t understand it, all her test results are negative. She’s perfectly healthy, nothing is damaged. Why isn’t she waking up?”

Ryder shrugged, “Maybe it was a defense mechanism, her body recognized something was trying to hurt it and was trying to fight it off. Maybe in order for it to prevent further damage her body shut down and it’s trying to reboot its self.”

Theodore nodded, “Maybe, it just.. We just wanted what’s best for her. To save her the heartbreak.”

Ryder furrowed his brow, “What do you mean?”

Theodore looked at him sympathetically, “We knew the day would come when she would find her mate, but never for a second did we think it would be an Alpha. When she would watch the ceremonies of pack members finding their mates, she would look up at me with her big bright eyes and ask in a little soft voice ‘Will I ever find someone who love me for who I am?’.” A tear fell from his eye, “I never knew what to say, what could you say to a little five year old. Growing up all she wanted was someone to love her for who she was, but when she got older she realized that it was too dangerous. Specially after what Wyatt did to her, after that she was terrified.”

Ryders heart aches for her, “Well I’m not Wyatt, I would never hurt her. I will protect her no matter what, I don’t care what she is.”

Theodore face went dark, “But will your pack accept her, will they accept a hybrid as a Luna. What kind of heir will she give you, if she can give you one? Will your pack accept a hybrid as their Alpha, will your allies and the rest of the packs accept it? Ryder we have no idea what the future holds, there never has been anything like her before, we know nothing about her kind except for in theories.”

As much as Ryder hated it, he was right. What would his pack think or his allies or the other packs think? Ryder’s feelings for Kyra are intense and conflicted, especially given the loss of his first mate, Kari, and their son. The bond with Kyra awakens emotions he thought he had buried: love, hope, and protectiveness, but also fear. His heart yearns to embrace Kyra fully, but his mind wrestles with the responsibilities of leadership and the risks her presence poses.

Loving Kyra could create tension within his pack and among allied packs in the region. Her hybrid nature is a dangerous secret, and if exposed, it could lead to mistrust, fear, and even war. Other packs may see her as a threat or a weapon, challenging Ryder’s authority and straining alliances. Additionally, his devotion to her might make some wolves question his ability to lead with objectivity, suspecting that his emotions cloud his judgment. After his father a worked so hard to regain all of that.

Yet, Ryder’s love for Kyra also fuels his determination to protect her, no matter the cost. He sees her strength and resilience, qualities he admires and which remind him of Kari. Ryder believes their bond could make him stronger as an Alpha, but he knows that walking this path means navigating the fine line between love and leadership, duty and desire, trust and betrayal.

A light moan came from the bed, Sally jumped up from the couch and ran to the side of the bed.

Ryder leaned a little closer, “Kyra, you awake?”

Kyra’s eyes fluttered open, she blinked rapidly adjusting to the bright lights.

She groaned, “What the f**k happened?”

Tears fell from Sally’s eyes, “Oh Kyra you’re ok! We’re so sorry sweetheart we just wanted to help you.”

Kyra furrowed her brow, “What do you mean? What did you do to me?”

Anger started to bubble in her chest.

Theodore looked at Ryder, he nodded.

Theodore cleared his throat, “We gave you a potion to.. try and help you but it seemed to backfire instead. Your.. Lycanthexia must have voided it but caused pain.”

Kyra turned to look at Ryder, “Why are you here?” She asked raising an eyebrow.

Ryder looked at Theodore, “I was told you were having a.. reaction to an experimental drug for Lycanthexia. So I came straight here to check on you, I’m glad you’re awake.”

Kyra felt butterflies, but she could help feel he was either lying or was told a lie. She cleared her throat, “Can I have a moment with my aunt and uncle please.”

Ryder nodded, “Sure, I was hungry anyway. Do you want something from the cafe?” Ryder offered.

Kyra shook her head.

Ryder nodded, “Alright, see you in a bit.”

Ryder walked by Theodore giving him a disapproving look.

Ryder stood up from the chair, Kyra noticed he was shirtless and she couldn’t help but stare. His physique was striking—broad shoulders and a strong, sculpted chest tapering into a lean, powerful frame. The way his muscles shifted under his skin with every movement was mesmerizing, as if he were carved from stone yet alive with raw energy. His skin glowed faintly under the light, a mix of ruggedness and warmth that only added to his magnetic presence.

Kyra felt her pulse quicken, she felt the heat creep up her neck to her cheeks. His body and his scent made her ache for him, she wanted to touch him so bad it hurt.

He walked out the door with his scent and closed it behind him.

“Kyra, we’re so..”

Kyra stopped Theodore before he could finish, “What did you f*****g give me?” Her tone was deep and dark.

Theodore hesitated, his eyes darting toward Sally for reassurance, but she looked just as stricken under Kyra’s fiery glare. Kyra sat up in the hospital bed, pale but alive, her arms crossed over her chest despite the IVs and wires connected to her. Her burgundy eyes burned with unrelenting fury.

“You have one chance to explain,” she said, her voice low and trembling with restrained anger. “What did you do to me?”

Theodore sighed heavily and sat in the chair near her bed, his hands clasped together. “Kyra, we were only trying to protect you,” he began, his voice calm but laden with guilt.

“Protect me?” Kyra snapped, her tone cutting. “You poisoned me, made me feel like I was dying! How is that protecting me?”

Theodore flinched at her words but pressed on. “The potion… it was meant to sever the bond between you and Ryder. We thought—”

“You thought what?” Kyra interrupted, her voice rising. “That you had the right to decide who I’m bonded to? That you could just rip away something so sacred without telling me?”

“We thought it would save you!” Theodore’s voice cracked, the weight of his emotions breaking through. “Kyra, we’ve seen what happens when people like him find out what you are. You’re strong, but the bond makes you vulnerable. If he rejected you or betrayed you, it would destroy you. We just wanted to spare you that pain.”

Kyra’s laugh was bitter, sharp. “So instead of trusting me to handle my own life, you decided to play gods with it? Do you even realize what you’ve done?” She gestured to her hospital room, the wires, the machines. “What if I never woke up!?”

Sally finally spoke, her voice trembling. “We didn’t mean to hurt you, Kyra. We love you. We’ve spent your whole life trying to keep you safe.”

“Safe?” Kyra repeated, shaking her head in disbelief. “This wasn’t love or protection. This was control. You don’t get to decide who I am or what I feel. That’s not safety—that’s betrayal.”

Theodore looked away, guilt etched deeply into his face. “We thought we were saving you from heartbreak. From Ryder finding out what you are and turning on you.”

Kyra’s eyes softened for a moment, but her voice remained firm. “You don’t get to make that choice for me. Ryder deserves the truth, and so do I. If he rejects me, then that’s my heartbreak to deal with. But at least it’ll be real, not something you tried to force.”

The room fell silent, heavy with tension and unspoken regret. Theodore lowered his head, and Sally wiped away silent tears. Kyra leaned back against the pillow, her chest heaving as she tried to reign in her emotions.

“I’ll never forgive you for this,” she said quietly but with steel in her tone. “Not until you realize that protecting me doesn’t mean controlling me. You’ve done enough damage.”