Arrow Inferno
Chapter 47: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks ~ Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… Humiliation!

***

Ryan couldn't help but feel sorry for the doctor as he checked his vitals. Dr. Sanders, the head doctor, wasn't in so one of the junior doctors was attending to Ryan. It was obvious the man was nervous. Who wouldn't be with Jeremy, Philip, and Stan standing around with grim looks on their faces?

"Gentlemen, why don't you sit down?" Ryan tried but couldn't mask the amusement in his voice. When none of the men acknowledged his suggestion, he sighed and looked at the doctor. "I think those three need medical examination even more." He muttered.

The doctor looked alarmed for a moment, then a chuckle burst from his throat. "I'll pass." He muttered.

"You know we can hear you right?" Stan asked just as the door opened to reveal a regal-looking Gloria. "Everything alright, Mama G?" He asked.

"Couldn't be better," Gloria responded as she placed her handbag on the table in the room and started towards the bed. "Hey, sweetie." She smiled as she sat beside Ryan on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good." Ryan grinned. "But these three insisted I get checked out so... Looking good."

"Thanks. Not looking too bad yourself. Lovely shirt. But you do reek of blood."

"I know. Lost a lot, thanks to your son and his...Camille." Ryan grunted as he sat up.

"He's okay Alpha." The young doctor informed Jeremy. "Nothing a good rest can't sort out."

"Good." Jeremy nodded, moving from where he stood. "Come with me to the bathroom Ryan." The alpha walked briskly towards the en suite washroom.

Ryan looked at the others and blushed. He knew that at least Philip and Stan knew the reason Jeremy needed him in the bathroom but that didn't stop him from being embarrassed. What would the doctor and Gloria think? "Can't we sort that out when we get back to the roo..."

"Now Ryan," Jeremy ordered as he entered the washroom."

"The earlier the better, Prof," Philip said quietly as the doctor hastily left the room.

"I'll be waiting for you," Gloria said softly as Ryan got out of bed. "It's necessary he rectifies it now."

"You know?" Ryan whispered. And at Gloria's nod, Ryan gave a sigh of relief and went into the washroom.

"You really should stop challenging me when I say things," Jeremy said immediately after the door shut behind Ryan. "If you hadn't stopped me from accompanying you to the washroom, that attack could have been prevented." His angry growl shocked Ryan.

"Jeremy..."

"Is it too much to expect you to just do as you're told?" Jeremy's eyes flashed angrily.

"I don't think you're being fair to me right now Jeremy," Ryan gasped. "Let's not forget that if you hadn't compelled me to leave your pack alone, I would have been able to defend myself," Ryan said in a voice filled with pain and shock.

"Do you have any idea what I would have done to you...in that state...if you had attempted to attack any member of my pack as freshly shifted werewolves are known to do?" The alpha snapped.

"That didn't give you the right to fuck with my mind and forget about it," Ryan retorted, his fists clenched by his sides.

"I admit I shouldn't have forgotten," Jeremy answered smoothly. "But I would appreciate it if you don't question my directives where you are concerned. As alpha and your mate, I know what's best for you and you'll do well to remember that," He said curtly.

"Now strip and shift."

"You can't throw orders as..."

"Now!" Jeremy bellowed. It wasn't his compelling Alpha voice but the authority it packed couldn't be ignored.

Ryan and the three inside the room who could clearly hear the argument between Jeremy and Ryan gasped at the command. It was obvious the alpha was angry at Ryan. Without a word, Ryan began to strip with shaky fingers, the only indication of his anger being his flushed face. He was so angry he didn't want to be in the same place as Jeremy. In fact, Ryan wanted to be so far away from Jeremy at that point that he literally felt a wall go up in his mind. When he was completely naked, he went on all fours and shifted. The beautiful white wolf stood quietly, its eyes downcast, waiting for the alpha to do whatever he wanted to.

***

Back in the room, Gloria, Philip, and Stan were very worried. "He's angry at himself for putting Ryan's life in danger," Gloria whispered. "And he's taking it out on him." She sighed.

"I think it's my fault." Philip exhaled harshly and began to pace. "I told him he was going soft."

"Why the fuck would you say something like that?" Stan snapped as Gloria gasped.

"When Ryan told me Jeremy didn't go with him to the washroom because he asked him not to, I got angry." Philip groaned.

"Who would have thought someone would actually be bold enough to attack at such a place?" Stan asked stiffly. "Besides he knew Vincent was out there. He must have thought Ryan was safe just as we all thought." "I wasn't thinking okay," Philip groaned, combing his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"They'll be fine," Gloria said softly, rubbing Philip's back soothingly. "But wait till you replace your mate darling. You'll see just how difficult it is to go against their wishes," She chuckled. "Now my problem is that Jeremy always went in for really strong and brave women. I mean look at what Lara made me do to her. She just wouldn't listen to reason. She..."

"What did you do to her Mama G?" Stan asked with a naughty grin on his face.

"I broke her arms," Gloria said with an even wider grin on her face.

"What did I tell you Lip?" Stan shook with laughter. "I knew you would do something brilliantly outrageous like that Mama G." Stan laughed as Philip shook his head in amusement. Jeremy's mother had never liked the relationship between her son and Lara, who was her age. This was more like payback.

"So you see, his kind of women wouldn't care who is around or where they are. They would attack whenever they want to."

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about, Mama G." Stan said with a rascally smile on his face. "SS for Life." He grinned, making Philip laugh despite himself.

"I've heard you idiots say that before," Gloria murmured with a curious look on her face. "What's SS?" She fixed her hard gaze on Stan when Philip groaned. "Strong and sexy." Stan grinned.

"I see," Gloria said slowly. "Well, it's come back to bite all of you in the arse, hasn't it? You boys..."

She trailed off when the door to the bathroom opened to reveal an angry and embarrassed-looking Ryan, followed by Jeremy who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hey, are you okay?" Gloria asked Ryan softly, glaring at her son who had the grace to look shamefaced.

"I'm fine. Thanks." He didn't go back to the bed. Neither did he sit. He just stood quietly, clearly waiting to be told what to do. He had to be careful in his actions in order not to invite any further humiliating treatment from his mate. "Shall we?" Jeremy said in a hoarse voice and left the hospital room, followed by his friends, mother, and a mate whose thoughts he strangely couldn't read.

That was so unlike Ryan, the alpha thought. The Ryan he knew would be cursing him silly in his mind by then.