Avenging Nina (hiatus)

Chapter 7: Her Heat

Ryan instructed the volunteers to burn the dead bodies and load Lachlan into the back of a van they had with them. While driving back to the pack house he could only think about Nina and getting home to her. While the volunteers were told via mind-link they could go home Ryan and Tim went to Nina's house.

When they arrived Ryan let himself in and mind-linked Charles to meet him in the foyer. Charles along with his beta Ronald appeared. Master Nicholas came to the door as well out of curiosity. Nina did not appear to Ryan's amazement.

Ryan smirked, "I have a gift for you gentleman. I killed the rogue who blinded Nina." All three men stared and then clapped, thrilled. "I brought him for you to burn if you wish it or we can bury him. I wasn't sure how you would like to dispose of him." Nicholas raised his eyebrow, "How old-fashioned of you to present him like he is an offering." Ryan nodded, "Anything to prove how serious I am about Nina." The old man nodded. Ryan took that as getting his blessing. Ryan looked to Charles, "Do I have your blessing to steal your daughter away now?" Charles nodded, "If she is ready you have my blessing." Ryan smiled and then ran up the stairs. He went straight up to the third floor to the bedroom on the left.

He pushed the door open and found Nina laying in her bed on her side, facing the wall. The nurse was patting her forehead with a wet rag. She looked up with a concerned look on her face. Ryan ran to his mate. "Nina, baby, are you sick?" Nina did not respond at first. Her eyelids fluttered and she stuttered, "Ryan? It hurts so b-bad..." Ryan looked to the nurse. Her name was Fannie. "What's wrong with her?" Fannie rewet the rag, placed it on Nina's face, and said, "Her first heat started about 45 minutes ago. She begged me to wait for you and not tell her father." Ryan felt his face flush red and then he grabbed Nina's hand, "Nina, is there anything I can do?" She cried out in pain and pulled her hand away so she could wrap her arms around her abdomen. Ryan could see she was sweating profusely and shaking.

Fannie looked up at Ryan and said, "May I speak freely and bluntly, Alpha?" Ryan nodded, hoping for anything to help. "She has been in non-stop pain since it started. The first time is always the worst and can last up to a week. For many women it can literally be 24/7 until it ends. Luna Beatrice was one of those women. Miss Nina is probably the same way. There is a way to ease the pain but it is a very intimate decision you both would need to agree to. You would need to mark her." Ryan felt his heart race as he imagined how satisfying it would be to mark his mate.

Nina thrashed around on the bed, barely tolerating the pain she was experiencing. "Ryan...Ryan..." She mumbled his name over and over. Ryan put his hand on her cheek and said, "Baby, I can ease the pain but it means marking you." Nina cried out, not answering. Ryan began to panic and suddenly shouted "I killed the rogue that blinded you! Now we can get married and I can mark you! Say it's okay and I'll do it!" Nina whimpered, tears in her eyes. "Make it st-stop," she pleaded.

"Please leave the room, Fannie." The nurse nodded and exited, closing the door behind her. Ryan crawled on to the bed and hugged Nina before pushing her hair aside. "Baby, please don't hate me for doing this." She was still flinching in pain when he kissed her neck and bit down. Nina's eyes bulged and she cried out as she thrashed violently. Ryan wrapped his arms around her, restraining her limbs. His bite lasted a few minutes and by the end of it Nina had stopped flailing. Her breathing evened out and eventually she relaxed her body almost limp. Her body temperature remained higher than normal, something to be expected with being in heat. Surprising to both Nina and Ryan, the pain that had been shooting all over her body was replaced by an ache of arousal and desire.

Once Nina was able to tolerate sitting up she immediately pulled Ryan in for a kiss. She unsuccessfully tried to unbutton his shirt and was disappointed when he stopped her. "Nina, love, I don't want you to do anything you may regret later." She shook her head and said, "You're the one who said we are getting married. Why not?" Ryan shook his head, laughing, "Baby, I just marked you. Let's take it one step at a time." She pouted, pursing her lips. "Besides..." Ryan said, "I'd rather your father and grandfather not hear that. Let's get you moved to my house first." Talk of moving in with her mate perked her up.

Nina's first heat lasted a full week and the pain would come and go. She spent most of the week in bed whining to Ryan that she needed him to "take care of" the ache she was feeling every time she smelt him. Ryan had to hold back and ignore his own growing desire to mate with Nina. He was determined to wait till he had moved her into his home. Due to the number of unmated males living in his pack house he made Nina stay at her father's house that week since there were fewer men in the house to smell the pheromones radiating from her body. In the meantime he moved her things from one house to the other.