No Strings Attached

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 Clara 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 Clara. Ryker knew all too well the agony Clara would endure if Ian hadn't made it.

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 of commandos were racing in their direction. They took turns carrying Ian out.

There stood Clara, 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. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Clara'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, "Clara, I didn't break my promise this time."

At his words, Clara'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, "Clara, don't cry. I'm going to pull through for you." He didn't finish his sentence before his finger slipped from Clara's face.

Clara cried out in terror, her voice laced with anguish as she called his name repeatedly.

Just then, the paramedics arrived with a stretcher and placed Ian on it. They rushed him into the ambulance. Through it all, Clara never let go of Ian's hand, even though he had already lost consciousness.

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

Clara 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 Clara 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 any lasting effects."

At this, Ryker let out a sardonic laugh. "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 Clara had been holding onto finally released, and she collapsed 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, 'Clara, 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.