"Okay." Kyren dropped his hand that remained out. He lifted his nose and took a deep breath. "Where is she, sister?" He asked again. 

Lea clutched her toweled arm; a need to hold something solid, more than pain. "I'm not your sister. You didn't answer my question. Why did you attack them?" Her confidence was stronger now. She didn't feel threatened by him, despite his rogue or intruder status. If he was going to kill her, he would have done it... or at least, she'd get answers first. 

His face twisted as a growl escaped him. "That mutt... I heard her screaming and found him on top of her. The only reason he's not dead is she begged for mercy." He spit the words, as if they were bitter on his tongue. His gaze softened as he finally looked at her, "Is she okay?"

Her throat tightened and she forced herself to swallow. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his and the urge to lie dissipated. She shook her head, "No."

"She's still alive though." 

She nodded, despite it not being a question. "If you call it that... She can't eat, she's screaming and trying to hurt herself." Lea lifted her mostly healed arm. "I have to force her not to. I-i don't know what to do." Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked them away, looking up at the stars. 

Kyren sighed, running his hand in his long dark hair. She took a moment to study him; his skin was a dark tan, lighter cuts scattered across it, with muscles rippling underneath. He was extremely fit and ready for a fight at any moment. Dangerous. Her eyes traced the scars marring his torso. Lea was weak in comparison; her wounds never scarred, never deep enough to last. 

"Take me to her." Her eyes widened at his request. "Please, sister." He pleaded,  hunching slightly to appear less intimating. And it worked; he was less intimidating, he looked wounded even. Lea felt her heart squeeze, conflicted. 

"I cant." she whispered weakly. He knelt in front of her and repeated the request. Lea closed her eyes and decided to trust her instincts this time. "If my dad smells you..." She warned but he shot up, looming above her, nodding aggressively. 

"I can mask. I won't let an Alpha keep me from my mate." She nodded absently, before cautious leading the way back to the cabin. The word again. Mate. 

Hayden had sworn Mates didn't exist but now this rogue was claiming to be hers, and the worst part was that Lea believed him. Despite his status and appearance, he seemed genuinely concerned for Hayden's health and Lea couldn't fight the feelings he gave her; security in place of fear. She couldn't explain it, however the last time she fought her instincts, her sister disappeared.  

The cabin came into view and she stopped short. "Uh.. let me check for my parents." The family's sleeping habits had changed drastically since Hayden's disappearance and she wasn't sure who would actually be inside the cabin, and strolling in with a rogue felt like a bad idea. She stepped up to the window and peeked inside. Finn was sitting on her bed, starring at Hayden who slept quietly in his bed. No Emon or Viola in sight. 

Lea took a deep breath and opened her mind, reaching for Finn's. A shiver ran through her body as the connection was made, 'Where's mom and dad?' she asked through the connection and Finn's eyes widened. The mind-link wasn't commonly used unless you were on patrols or the Alpha needed to spread urgent news. Lea didn't particularly like using it, it was jarring to have someone else in her head.

'They left a while ago. Didn't say where.'

Lea sighed in relief, before crawling under the porch railing and entered the cabin. The dark presence followed her obediently. Finn glanced up before jumping up. "What the hell, Lea? He's... He's-"

"Yeah, but he says he can help Hayden." She whispered, looking at the limp body of her sister. Finn inhaled sharply.

"Fine, but he's naked!" He whispered back. Lea rolled her eyes, opening her father's trunk for some shorts.

"Like you've never seen a naked man before." She teased as she tossed the shorts at the bulky figure.

"What?" Finn hissed with a blush.

"What?" She whispered back innocently, sitting on her bed next to him. He glared at her, dropping back onto the bed. They hadn't spoken above a whisper and it felt right. The dark cabin and the secret rendezvous paired with the fear of Hayden awaking into screams. After dressing, Kyren sat on the floor next to Hayden and stared at her. Lea watched him carefully, curious about this mate-bond he supposedly had with her sister. 

Finn leaned toward her, "How is this helping?" She shoved him away from her.

Kyren huffed, annoyed. "It's helping." He lifted his hand and cupped her face, his shoulders relaxing. Hayden hummed softly and Finn gasp, launching himself to examine her. Lea grabbed his shirt, pulling him back. "This is that mutt's fault." The rogue muttered, stroking her head. "I have to see her again. The more I see her, the better she'll get." 

"Okay." Finn said crossing his arms. 

Lea snapped her head to stare down a t him. "Okay? Okay? Suddenly, you're on board with is?"

He shrugged one shoulder, "Look at her..." Lea did, closely, for the first time in a while. Hayden's breathing had evened, still short and shallow breathes but not as frantic as before. Her skin, while still coating in sweat, wasn't as pale and her heart beat had slowed. In just a few minutes, her state had improved substantially. 

"It's amazing." She whispered.

Finn nodded, flattening his lips together. "We just have to get him past patrols, and mom, and dad,... and not get him seen by anyone." She cringed, hugging her stomach as a knot grew inside it. Finn sighed loudly, "This is gonna suuuuck." They locked eyes, an understanding between them. "I'll keep watch." He glanced at Hayden then the rogue, shaking his head and left the cabin. Lea pulled her legs onto the bed and let her chin rest on them, feeling anxious.

___________________

"Where is he!?" Finn hissed as he paced the cabin. The plan had been in place for almost two weeks and most of it orchestrated by Finn, but Kyren hadn't appeared the last two days and with the sun setting, their hopes were dwindling. Despite Hayden's improvement with Kyren nearby, as soon as he'd leave it would regress again. "He SAID he'd come! I'm working my ass off and he just-"

"Finn!" She scolded from where she sat at the table. He stopped to look at her with his eyes wide. "You... you don't think..." She didn't want to finish the sentence out loud. Finn shook his head, pacing again. 

"Dad would've said something. He'd be boasting nonstop." He stopped again. "Do you think he left?" He whispered, staring at the floor. 

Lea shook her head aggressively, "No way." His eyes lifted to hers as his brows furrowed, a mix of devastation and pity playing across his features. 

"What else could it be?" He whispered. Lea dropped her gaze and remained silent. He huffed, storming from the cabin, the door slamming behind him. A whimper drew her attention to Hayden who laid curled on her side, shivering. An ache pulled at her chest. Her bright and loud sister, someone Lea had been convinced was made of sunshine, was suffering and there was nothing she could do. 

She walked through to the kitchen, filled a bowl with water and grabbed a clean towel, before sitting beside her sister. She soaked the towel and began wiping away the newest layer of sweat. The heat of Hayden's flesh warmed the towel. Every so often a whimper escaped or her fingers  twitched. The cabin door opened and her mother paused, staring at the bed. Her arms carried a basket of fresh vegetables. She stepped into the kitchen and began unloading the basket. They sat in silence for a long time before the bed dipped beside Lea. 

"You forgot the herbs." Viola stated, glancing into the bowl. 

"They're gone. The doctor said he'd have to get more." She whispered softly, setting the bowl on her lap and fiddling with the wet towel. 

Her mom deflated; her head fell into her hands. "Fuck." Her voice wobbled as she started to shake. Lea leaned her head on Viola's shoulder but said nothing. "She's... Oh, goddess..." She sobbed. Lea would have comforted her; stroking her back and cooing reassurances in her ear, but she also knew that if she did, she'd also spiral. 

With her family falling apart, she couldn't let that happen. Lea would cry later... When Hayden was better, ...or not, for now she had to take Hayden's place. Her eyes clouded over and her chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. She inhaled a shaky breath. Lea was nothing like her sister and she knew it, damn did she know it. Viola shot up, startling Lea. She stormed toward the door and Lea couldn't resist the pull to follower. 

She stood, taking a few steps. "Where you going?" 

Her mother pulled the door open with a jerk, "To find your fucking Father!" The door slammed behind her and the cabin was silent again.  She swallowed, the anxiety bubbling in her stomach. The bubbling turned to a boil and she chucked the bowl across the cabin. It bounced off the wall and skidded under the table. She dropped into a crouch, hugging her knees as the tears threatening her fell. 

"I'm useless." she sobbed, the sound echoing the cabin.