Sold To The Alpha
A Lost Princess Chapter 43

Waking up, Isabella shook her head groggily, trying to lift the fog that was clouding her mind. Staring at the clock on the wall, she realised she had been asleep for a number of hours, possibly even days. Awareness of her surroundings coming to her, she looked down at her hand to see it held loosely in the grip of the warrior, Riley who had fallen asleep against the bed, his head resting against the crisp white sheets, his hair falling over his eyes making her want to reach out and brush it away. A soft knock on the door diverted her thoughts as she called out, 'Yes?' The door pushed open hesitantly and a young boy of about eleven years old stuck his head through the door, looking around before stepping inside. Isabella stared at the young boy, her heart pulling at her, telling her that she knew who this was. Frustrated she rubbed her forehead with her free hand as the young lad stepped to the side of the bed. 'Bella?' he asked worriedly, 'are you OK?'

A voice suddenly reverberated in her mind, a young voice full of concern, 'Just checking you were alright' it said, echoing through her thoughts as a room swam into her memory.

Staring at the scared face in front of her, Isabella tried to lift her hand toward him pulling against the straps as her fingers stretched as far as they could toward his face.

'Marcus' she breathed, a smile breaking onto her face, 'Marcus!' she shrieked excitedly as Riley jolted awake next to her, jumping to his feet ready to attack.

Marcus ran over to his sister, throwing his arms around her and hugging her tightly. 'Bella! It really is you!' he murmured, burying his head into his sisters shirt, clinging to her like he was scared she would disappear if he let go.

The door burst open and Charity, Aaron and Dr Nat piled into the room, staring at the young girl who was holding her brother, tears running down her face.

'Mum? Dad?' she asked uncertainly.

'Bella Boo?' Charity said, her eyes widening as she stared at her daughter disbelieving.

'You found me' Isabella said as tears started to slip down her face.

'Oh my baby' Charity said, engulfing her daughter in a hug, sandwiching Marcus between them as she gripped her children to her.

Aaron strode round the other side of the bed, releasing her restraints before putting his arms around his family, holding them close to him as the two women cried.

Pulling away, Isabella smiled at her parents happily, holding onto Marcus who clambered onto the bed to cuddle up against his sisters side.

As she gazed at her parents the smile started to slip from her face, pain replacing it as the memories of what she had done crashed down around her.

'Uncle Justin' she muttered faintly, 'Uncle Justin' she repeated louder, her eyes widening in horror, 'Uncle Justin' she yelled, pushing her brother off the bed and throwing off the covers. Placing her feet on the floor, she ignored everyone as she ran toward the door, pulled to a sudden stop by the IV line that ran into her vein. Clawing at the tape, she tried to rip the needle from her skin until Dr Nat grabbed her and placed his hand over it stopping her.

'Let me go Dr Nat' she begged, tears falling unhindered, 'please I need to see him!

Dr Nat held up his hand to hush the girl before pointing at the stand that the line was attached too, 'It's on wheels Bella, you can take it with you' he said quietly.

Grabbing the stand, she ran from the room, throwing open door after door until she found the room that contained the sleeping Alpha, his mate sat next to him staring at his face.

Looking up at the door Hazel sprang to her feet, throwing herself over Justin's body protectively as she growled toward the young girl in warning.

Gazing at her uncle's body on the hospital bed Isabella stepped forward before replaceing her way barred by the angry she wolf.

'Aunt Hazel?' Isabella whispered, her eyes meeting the other woman's glare, 'what did I do?'

Hazel's eyes softened at the young girl's words, 'Isabella?' she asked as Isabella nodded a sob caught in her throat.

Pulling the teenager into her arms Hazel held her tightly as Isabella cried, 'I'm so sorry Aunt Hazel, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, please forgive me, please, I'm sorry!

'It's OK baby girl' Hazel muttered into her hair as she comforted her niece.

Hiccoughing back her sobs, Isabella wiped her face staring over at the wounded warrior. 'I hurt him' she gulped fretfully.

Hazel brushed Isabella's hair from her face gently, 'he knows it wasn't you Bella' she said softly.

'Yes he does' came Justin's hoarse voice as his eyes opened and he looked over at the women.

'Uncle Justin?' Isabell a whimpered rushing over to him, releasing the stand she still held in her hand, and throwing herself onto him causing him to wince. 'I'm sorry Uncle Justin, please don't hate me' she begged. 'Izzy Wizz' Justin murmured, 'I could never hate you, you are my angel.'

Puling away Isabella sniffed back her tears, 'I am a bad person' she said horrified, taking in Justin's bruises and damage to his body.

Patting her hand, Justin shook his head, 'that was not you Bella, I know that, I knew that the moment I saw you and you didn't recognise me. I'm just glad to have you back baby girl. he muttered happily.

'Are you OK?' she asked, her voice trembling

Justin nodded, smiling up at her, 'I'm fine izzy, takes more than a concrete slab to take this Alpha down' he boasted causing Isabella to let out a tiny giggle.

Charity appeared in the doorway, smiling at the sight of the three of them before beckoning to Isabella, 'time to go back to your room Bella or Dr Nat will have all our heads. He said Uncle Justin needs sleep and you need rest so you better move your behind back up this corridor' she chided with a grin.

Letting her uncle go, Isabella took hold of her stand and made her way over to her mother, stopping momentarily in the door to look back at the Alpha and Luna who were watching her leave.

'I'm really sorry' she said again, hanging her head in shame.

'We know Bella' Hazel said softly, 'but please stop blaming yourself, it wasn't you out there.'

Nodding, her face still pained, Isabella left with her mother and made her way back to her room, climbing back into her bed and laying down as Charity tucked the covers around her.

Looking down at her Daughter, Charity squeezed her hand as she leaned down to kiss her forehead, 'I'm going to take Marcus up to the pack house to get some food, he came straight here from travelling, refusing to do anything until he saw you! Marcus pouted at her words, 'I wanna stay here with Bella' he moaned cuddling up to his sister as she pulled him in for a hug.

'You can come back and see me later' Isabella said with a smile, 'but if you don't eat, how will you grow up to be as strong as Uncle Justin and grandpa's Marcus and Alistair?' she said sternly.

'OK, I'm going' Marcus relented, letting go of his sister and walking out the door, Charity behind him, grabbing her husband and pulling him out with her before shutting the door.

Isabella smiled happily at the door before turning her gaze back to Riley who hadn't said a word since she woke up.

'Hey Riles' she said shyly giving him a small smile.

'Hey Bella' he replied, trying to smile but not managing to make it reach his eyes.

Studying her best friend, Isabella frowned at his face, he looked so sad, broken even. As she studied his face more memories swam to the surface, standing in her kidnappers bedroom, Riley calling her through the door. Happiness and then fear gripping her as she realised he was really there and the moment she broke her own heart by forcing herself to reject him.

'Riley?' she whispered, pained, 'look at me'

Riley raised his eyes to her, his pain evident.

'I'm so sorry Riley, I didn't mean it' she said sadly, 'I didn't want to reject you but I had too'

'Why?' Riley croaked, fighting the tears that were swimming in his eyes.

'I had to protect you, Graham would have killed you, I couldn't let that happen.' she explained, 'I had to make sure you wouldn't come back so you would be safe' she muttered sadly.

'You said you didn't want me because I didn't wait for you, I didn't save myself for you' Riley said heart brokenly.

Isabella reached out for his hand, taking it in her own, 'I didn't mean it Riles, I couldn't care less how many she wolves you have slept with' she said fondly, 'I love you' she whispered. Riley stared at her, 'y. you love me?' he whispered disbelievingly.

Isabella nodded, 'I Isabella Mary Annalise Cross, future Alpha of the Silver Cross pack, hereby take back my rejection of you Riley Lennon Davies, future Alpha of the Red Moon pack, and accept you as my mate' she said solemnly, looking up at him through her lashes, 'if you will still have me' she whispered hesitantly.

Riley stared at her in shock, unable to speak as she got more nervous, 'Riley?' she called tentatively just as he stood up from the chair and crashed his lips to hers, kissing her hungrily as he pulled her into his arms.

'Mine' he growled into her mouth as she gasped, feeling the mate bond click into place at his words.

'Mine' she whispered back, holding him too her.

Slipping onto the bed beside her Riley held her in his arms as he breathed in her scent, 'Isabella?' he said finally.

'Yes Riles?' she breathed nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck.

'I waited for you' he said quietly.

Pulling away Isabella searched her mate's face confused, 'what do you mean?' she asked.

'I have never been with a she wolf' he said looking at his hands, 'I was waiting for you' he admitted looking at his fingers embarrassed.

Isabella broke into a smile as she pulled the flustered werewolf into her arms, pressing her lips to his before pulling back again, 'how long have you been waiting?' she asked curiously.

Sighing Riley muttered, 'well to my memory, since I was twelve years old, but according to my mum, I've been waiting for you my entire life!'

Isabella giggled, wrapping herself around the warrior who held her tightly to him, 'was I worth the wait?' she asked

Riley gazed down at her lovingly, 'Absolutely, I would have waited a lifetime for you babe'.