Chapter 4

Ryan lifts his head and looks at Kevin. Could he trust that man? He really wanted to confide in someone. He had been alone for so long.

- Ryan, trust me and the pack. Tell me your story.

And Ryan did. He told everything he remembered and what his mother had confided to him. He told how he lost his mother, and how, for three years, he has been hiding in the woods, eating what he catches and surviving as best he can.

Kevin could barely breathe. Ryan was the son of an alpha who wanted to kill him, and Luna had killed his mother. No, Kevin was going to protect that puppy from that horrible pack that wanted him dead.

When Ryan finishes, he looks up and asks Kevin to give him the bag he keeps in his backpack and which, he hopes, has part of his mother's ashes.

Kevin makes a mental link to the alpha and asks him to authorize him to release Ryan under his responsibility, promising to tell him everything as soon as he gets to the pack house.

The alpha authorizes, on the condition that Ryan's bedroom door is guarded, which Kavin agrees.

Keven opens the cell door.

- Come with me, take your things and follow me. - says the beta.

Ryan looked at Kevin fearfully. He wasn't sure what was going to happen to him, but with his mother's ashes calling out to him, he slowly got up and walked out the door, running to the backpack and grabbing the mother's ashes, which he clutched to his chest.

Kevin is moved by the boy's gesture and approaches Ryan, stroking his head. Without saying a word, he helps him arrange all his belongings, takes the heavy backpack, holds out his hand to Ryan saying:

- Come whit me.

Ryan grabs Kevin's hand, he squeezes it gently and helps him up, slowly dragging him out of the dungeons.

The path to the pack's house is full of the curious gaze of several people and wolves, including children who stopped playing and ran to hide.

Kavin takes him to the third floor of the pack house, where he and his family reside. The fourth floor was occupied by the alpha and his entire family. On the first and second, there were the rooms of several other members, and on the ground floor, was the large kitchen, dining room and offices.

Kavin, who had already contacted his mother through mind link, looks for her, finding her with other shewolfs preparing the room next to his.

- Mom, this is Ryan.

With sweet eyes, she grabs the scared young man's face and says:

- Nice to meet you Ryan, my name is Amy. Did you know Ryan means little king?

- My mother used to call me her little king. - he says sadly.

- I'm sorry, my dear. I talk too much.

- No problem. I'm glad someone knew what my name meant to my mother.

Amy smiles.

- Kevin, this room was vacant, so we prepared it for your guest. – Looking at Ryan, she says – Do you want to come in and see it?

Ryan looks at Kevin, who nods, but before he can go in, a soldier comes up the stairs, greets the beta and positions himself next to the door.

- Sorry Ryan, but for now the alpha wants you to have a guard at the door. I hope you understand, for the alpha, the safety of the pack comes first.

Ryan makes a shy smile and nods. Then he looks at Amy, grins, and walks into the room.

Ryan stops in the doorway with his hands over his mouth. Amy is startled and runs to his side. When she sees the boy's eyes filled with tears, she panics.

- By the love of the Moon Goddess, what's wrong? You can tell me, we will change it.

Kevin comes over to peek suspiciously.

- There's nothing wrong, ma'am. I have never stayed in such a beautiful room. Can I really stay here? - Asks Ryan, thinking there had been a mistake.

Kevin laughs, and Amy smacks him on the arm.

- Of course you're staying here, honey. Come and I'll show you everything. – She holds Ryan's arm and, supporting him, shows him the suite's bathroom, the closet, which was empty, but soon will be full of clothes, she said, a large window, with a balcony, overlooking the sunset and.. the think that Ryan liked the best, a king size bed, soft and inviting.

Ryan looked like a five-year-old, and Amy and Kevin's hearts swelled with joy.

Kevin enters the room, and puts the backpack in the closet. He kisses his mother on the head, says goodbye to Ryan and goes to the alpha, who was waiting for him in the office.

Ryan asks Amy if he can take a shower, as he hasn't showered all week and he smells bad. Amy smiles and says yes. She says Ryan farewell, promising to return shortly with clothes, which Ryan tries to say he doesn't need, but Amy brushes off with a wave of her hand.

When the bedroom door closes, Ryan doesn't want to believe it. He didn't know how long he would stay there, but in his heart, he hoped it would be forever.

He enters the bathroom, and by trial and error, finds the right temperature for the shower. He takes off his clothes, which he puts inside a basket that he suspected was for that purpose, and puts himself under the water.

It was a whole new sensation. For three years, he bathed in the rivers that flowed near their camps. The sensation of hot water over his body relaxed his muscles and he stayed that way for long minutes, under the water, without moving.

When he finally relaxes, he looks at the toiletries in confusion. There were several, and he was used to using the only thing that wasn't there, soap.

He read the labels on the package, one said shampoo, which he knew was for washing his hair, another said conditioner, and he had no idea what it was for. A third said shower gel, which he assumed was a kind of soap. A fourth bottle said hair mask, and that one he put down immediately. Nothing good came from using a mask..

Since the only 2 he identified were shower gel and shampoo, those are the two he uses. When he uncovers the shower gel he smiles. It smells like jasmine, one of her mother's scents. She always smelled like jasmine and sandalwood. A tear threatens to come out, but he shoos it away. Pouring a generous amount onto a cloth, rub energetically until his body feels clean. The shampoo was the same brand, and when he sniffed it, the familiar jasmine scent filled his nostrils. Without thinking about it further, he pours a large amount and washes his hair. When he rubs his hair, he makes a note to use less product next time, as it lathers too much.

When he's finished taking a shower, he wraps a fluffy white towel around his waist, and with another one, he removes the excess water from his hair.

He runs his hand over the mirror, wiping away the condensation, picks up a toothbrush and toothpaste, and brushes his teeth. Then comb his hair. His hair was too long and badly cut, as he was his own hairdresser, so he put it in a bun. When he opens the bathroom door, he sees that someone has left clothes on the bed. The clothes appear to be new. A white t-top and light blue jeans, underwear and white sneakers.

Ryan couldn't resist it. He wears the new clothes and looks in the mirror. Amy had gotten his size right, and now Ryan didn't recognize the boy in the mirror.

With a big smile, he jumps onto the bed, and snuggles into the pillow. He stays there, facing the window, listening to the sounds coming from the street, and smiling at himself.