Chapter 248


    It took Ian a good ten seconds before he slowly cracked open his eyes. His breath was weak as he


    managed to croak out, "Is ra okay?"


    Ryker, who had always been a free spirit, felt his eyes moisten for a fleeting moment at the sound of


    Ian''s voice. It wasn''t the joy of Ian cheating death that did it, but Ian''s thought of ra. Ryker knew


    all too well the agony ra would endure if Ian hadn''t made it.


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    With a wry smile, he teased, "She''s fine. If you had bitten the dust, she''d be marrying me in a


    heartbeat."


    Ian''s lips twitched into a faint smile, his voice hoarse as he replied, "I won''t give you that chance."


    "Even in such a time, you''re still trying to outdo me? If I hadn''t found you, you''d be wolf chow by


    now." Ryker bent down, hefted Ian off the ground, and slung him over his shoulder.


    He whistled sharply down the mountain. In no time, a group ofmandos were racing in their


    direction. They took turns carrying Ian out.


    There stood ra, not too far off, gazing anxiously their way. Her voice shook with urgency as she


    called out, "Ryker, did you find Ian?"


    But as she steadied her feet, she saw a figure on Ryker''s back, covered in blood. His clothes were


    torn to shreds.


    ra''s heart clenched tight, her fists balling involuntarily. In a soft whisper, she called out, "Ian."


    Hearing her voice, Ian, teetering on the edge of consciousness, forced his eyes open and mustered


    all his strength to say, "ra, I didn''t break my promise this time."


    At his words, ra''s tears flowed freely. She rushed to Ian''s side, her eyes blurred with tears as she


    gazed at his wounds. Her voice broke. "Ian, how are you? Where does it hurt? Is it bad?"


    Her tears fell as she gently touched Ian''s injuries. The pain in her heart was like nothing she had


    ever felt before.


    Ian''s bloodied fingertip gently wiped away a tear from her cheek, his lips curving slightly as he


    whispered, "ra, don''t cry. I''m going to pull through for you." He didn''t finish his sentence before


    his finger slipped from ra''s face.


    ra cried out in terror, her voiceced with anguish as she called his name repeatedly.


    Just then, the paramedics arrived with a stretcher and ced Ian on it. They rushed him into the


    ambnce. Through it all, ra never let go of Ian''s hand, even though he had already lost


    consciousness.


    Hourster, the doors to the ICU swung open. Ian, swathed in bandages, was wheeled out.


    ra stumbled forward. "Doctor, how is he?"


    "His fractures and wounds have been treated, but he suffered a severe head injury. There''s a


    hematoma in his skull. It''ll be a few days before he wakes up."


    Before ra could respond, Ryker chimed in from behind, "He''s not going to end up with amnesia


    or in a vegetative state, is he?"


    The doctor offered a reassuring smile. "No, that''s unlikely. The blood clot should be absorbed on its


    own without anysting effects."


    At this, Ryker let out a sardonicugh. "Shame, I thought for sure this would be the end of him."


    Rose, irked, gave Ryker a thwack on the behind with her hand. "You rascal, you''ve always been


    tough on the outside, tender on the inside. Who was it hiding in a corner, secretly wiping away


    tears?"


    "Me? No way, I was just... sweating from the heat, that''s all." After the exchange, he began to push


    Ian''s gurney toward his room.


    The tension ra had been holding onto finally released, and she copsed to the floor like a


    puppet with its strings cut. She buried her face in her knees, her body trembling.


    Tears soaked through her clothes.


    She would never forget the first thing Ian said to her after being rescued. He had said, ''ra, I


    didn''t break my promise.''


    He had risked his own life to keep his word to her because he knew just how much her father meant


    to her.