300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets
ON FAE'S COMMAND

Bella's POV:

The four of us left for the apartment, and silently, I prayed Ryder would be fine. I tried to block out the gory images clouding my head, picturing the things that could have happened to him. I believed he was okay, and it would be nothing severe, but I was just fooling myself because I could feel it in my chest.

When we arrived at the tall glass building stretching far into the sky, the twins handed me a card key.

"The apartment is the penthouse," they said, and I nodded, opening the door. Hazel grabbed my hand, giving me a reassuring smile. I got out and headed towards the sliding doors.

I made my way straight to the elevator, pressing the button that led to the penthouse. When it stopped and the doors slid open, my chest thumped as I walked into the hallway leading to the front door. I slid the card on the lock and swallowed hard, waiting for the door to open.

What lay behind was what I had dreaded. There, on the floor, Ryder lay hopelessly with bloodied clothes, making my heart sink. He was hurt, so hurt that I couldn't imagine the amount of pain he was in. How could I have felt it when I had shut myself off?

"Ryder!" I gasped, rushing towards him.

I knelt beside him, my heart pounding in my chest as I lifted his head off the ground and placed it on my lap, my other hand on his arm. I ran my hand from his arm to his chin, patting it gently, trying to wake him up, but I couldn't.

"Please, Moon goddess, I promise I won't be foolish again," I said out loud, trying to prevent the tears lodged in my eyes from falling, but soon my vision became blurry.

His cuts were deep, and he was unconscious. Suddenly, my wolf whispered to me, and I knew at once what I had to do to save him. I reached for the pillow on the bed above, then gently placed his head on it.

I gave my left fist a huge bite, then opened his mouth, allowing my blood to seep in as I prayed silently that this would be my jackpot. I did this for a while until I heard him cough. Then I pulled away, watching as the marks on his body slowly healed.

"Ryder, please," I said, tapping his cheek, hoping he would wake up.

Suddenly, I heard someone clap, and I turned around to see Fae walk out of the closet, looking haggard. Her hair was a mess, and she wore a robe stained with blood. Anger surged through me, and I rushed at her in a flash, grabbing her neck and pushing her to the wall.

"How dare you?" I growled, tightening my grip, but she placed her hand on me, causing a burning sensation on my skin. "Ouch!" I yelled, letting go of her.

She fell to the ground at once, then stood up, straightening her robe while I rubbed my hand, which burnt like hell. "What did you do to me?" I asked, looking at her, and she chuckled.

"I know your secret, VAMPIRE."

My eyes widened, and I swallowed hard as I watched my life flash before my eyes. The worst thing to happen was Fae ever knowing, and it had happened, and I was dead.

"How... How?"

"I get whatever I want, Bella. Did you think you could steal everything from me, including my title, and go scot-free?" she scoffed, crossing her arms. "I saw you sneak out of school every night without the Sapphire Belle, and I knew I had to keep an eye on you, so I took pictures. Although it didn't seem fruitful at first, it paid off when you began to slip up. I even caught your fangs, the glow in your eyes, and that stuff you vampires do with black veins cracking through from your eyes," she said, taking out her phone from the pocket of her robe and shoving it into my face. Seeing those pictures of myself made my heart skip a beat, and the rate at which it pumped increased as Ryder coughed, diverting my gaze.

"I would like to stick around, but no time. So here's the thing, Fae: you didn't see Bella as a vampire, and it's all in your mind."

When I said this, she chuckled.

"You think I'm that foolish to replace out something huge and not take proper measures? The ring covers everything, and I knew you would try to compel me if I told you. I never knew it would be this soon, but I'm glad the twins sent you. Now you can restore my life to how it was before you stepped foot in this pack, or you will hate your life," she said, and I swallowed hard.

Ryder jerked up at once, looking around, and Fae grabbed me, whispering into my ear, "Compel him to fall in love with me and forget that you ever existed as his mate. In fact, make him hate you."

I yanked her hands off me.

"I'm not doing that," I said.

"Bella," Ryder called out, getting out of bed. "Is she hurting you? Please tell me." He made his way towards us, and Fae showed me her phone with the pictures already in the DMs of the diaries, waiting to be sent.

"I'm waiting," she said, and I glanced at the picture, then back at Ryder.

Mother would kill me if the entire school found out, and before she would intervene, I might be staked by the pack members. My past came crashing down at once, and that night became vivid. Bonnie's body, Sebastian crying-it all filled my head, causing me to press down on my ears as I let out a loud scream, falling into Ryder's arms. "What did you do to her?" he yelled at Fae.

"I guess we do not have a deal then," Fae said, and I put out a hand.

"Wait, please," I pleaded, grabbing Ryder's shoulder for support as I stood to my feet.

"I am sorry, Ryder, but..."

I said everything she had asked me to say, and he fell to the floor, shutting his eyes.