A/N: 61K. *SOBS*

"Where are you up to so early, brother?" Leo asked casually whilst roaming around the kitchen, trying to find something but not succeeding. Ryder sighed and rolled his eyes, opening the top drawer and pulling out the instant jar of coffee.

Leo quirked an eyebrow.

"How did you know-"

"I just know you that well, Leo." Ryder answered, putting his keys and wallet on the table so he could fit in his black leather jacket that had seemingly become way too tight for him. Had he gained weight? Possibly.

"You didn't answer my question." Leo was seemingly sleepy, messy brown locks of hair, paler complexion however, he was a morning person unlike his older brother.

"Why would I want to?"

Leo poured some hot water into the mug and then glanced up at his brother, leaning on the counter.

"Because, brother, you do shady stuff like these and I can't help it but feel curious about it." He muttered with a slight snarky smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Ryder was in no mood of Leo's questions that early in the morning.

"I have stuff to do, is Jason sleeping?"

Leo gave up however, he kept staring at his brother, drumming slim fingers on the counter. "He is sleeping soundly, went to check up on him although there was a strange scent lingering in the room."

Ryder froze.

"What scent?" Ryder asked lowly, tilted his head to the side and leaned his elbows on the counter. Leo laughed quietly and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's a weird one tho, have never smelled it before, even when I was with..." he trailed off, clearing his throat. Leo was still grieving over his lover's death; it was understandable but not familiar for the older alpha.

"What kind of scent you felt?"

"Ooh, someone's curious." He playfully muttered and it obviously struck a nerve in Ryder.

"I am not gonna ask a third time."

"It smelled like . . . "

"Morning." Jason's voice echoed in the room and Ryder's tense shoulders relaxed. He focused brown eyes on the omega who had just walked into the room. Jason's hair was messy, he was sleepy and the large sweater he wore covered his entire body. It was endearing, really. Both brothers stared at the newcomer and there was a silence in the kitchen.

Jason stopped in his tracks and gazed at Ryder then at Leo, confused expression on his face.

"Do I...have something on my face?"

"No."

"Yes." Both brothers responded in unison with different answers which left the omega annoyed with the two of them. He went behind Leo so he could open the fridge and pull out a bottle of water. There was a certain tension lingering in the room but Ryder had no power to focus on that, he felt like he was slowly coming closer to the fucked up game this psychopath has been playing with him in the past few months.

"I'll be off," Ryder muttered and took his folder, striding out from the kitchen. Leo calmly took a sip from his already mixed coffee, gazing at his brother's back.

Jason accidentally brushed his chest into Leo's back and that distracted the younger alpha from his thoughts.

"Someone's touchy-feely."

"Don't flatter yourself. Where did he go?"

"To see his wife," Leo muttered lowly, obviously aware that Ryder was going to see Clarissa. Why did the older have to involve her now? Was he /that/ desperate to figure the puzzle out? Pathetic, Leo thought.

Jason almost choked on his water; his grey eyes stared at Leo as if he had just said the most unrealistic thing ever.

"He is married?" he asked lowly, in surprise.

"He was." Was Leo's response and then noticed that Jason was drinking only water. He hummed, taking another sip from his coffee. "You should also grab something to eat, yeah?"

"For some reason, I feel too hot today."

Jason brushed his locks of hair out of his forehead, warm and cold waves hit him again. They've been hitting him throughout the entire night. He could barely breathe at some point. Something wasn't right.


***

"I am here for a visit," Ryder muttered to the woman dressed in white clothes at the reception. It's been a while since he visited this place, almost ten years and it brought back painful memories to him. The walls were the same depressing white color, the cracks were untouched this place was like a museum for insanity.

"Name of the patient?" the woman at the reception muttered, typing something into her computer. Ryder leaned forward and tried to gaze at the screen but it was impossible, he'd have to crane his head at an odd angle.

"Clarissa Ryder."

"Relative?" the girl asked if Clarissa was Ryder's relative. The alpha shook his head, sighing quietly.

"Ex-wife."

The girl nodded and kept typing something in her computer before gazing at Ryder's face. She smiled, that smile was a bit more flirtatious, the alpha could see that.

"Room 134, down the hall, to the left, Alpha. Jannet will be with you during your visit because we don't know the patient's actions against new visitors." Ah, she recognized him, didn't she? He threw a quick 'thank you' her way before he headed wherever she told him to go. It's been so long; Clarissa has been put in so many different rooms during the years. She had no chance of going out anytime soon, unfortunately.

Upon reaching the room, he stopped in front and a few short breaths escaped his lips. This was it, wasn't it? How would she react? Last time it didn't end up well. But he had to do this. For the sake of the city, the omegas, and the sake of him.

He'd step away so the nurse, a short female blonde, unlocked the door slowly and walked inside. Ryder's hands were shaking for some reason, he felt nervous. He finally walked inside and there she was.

The woman he was madly in love with when he was a young teenager. She was as pretty as ever, her complexion looked calm, she was sitting by the window, hands placed in her lap, long brown locks of hair fell freely down her shoulders. When she turned around, Ryder's breath almost stopped.

She looked beautiful. So beautiful yet broken. Her hazel eyes brightened upon seeing him. A pure surprise evident on her features as she slowly turned the wheelchair she was sitting on toward the alpha.

"Ryder.." she muttered quietly, in a weak voice. Gosh, even a few wrinkles on her face couldn't hide her beauty.

The nurse took a seat on one of the chairs behind them after quietly closing the door. Ryder had to pretend that there was no other person in the room. He slowly, carefully walked toward her and knelt down on the ground; their eyes met.

Clarissa slowly reached and caressed his stubbled jaw.

"It tickles," a soft giggle escaped her lips. Ryder laughed quietly with her and nodded her head.

"It does, indeed. How have you been?"

Her smile disappeared from her face as if some memory had just stuck her.

"I am good." She'd turn her wheelchair away from him. Ryder bit on his lower lip, obviously knowing that as soon as she remembers, she'd be a screaming mess.

"Clarissa. . . " he started off, "has someone else visited you besides me and your parents?" Ryder asked in a gentle tone, reaching to gently caress her shoulder. She remained silent.

"My baby..." she trailed off, her hands began shaking.

"What?" he didn't hear her the first time and leaned in closer so she could say it clearer.

Clarissa turned her head around and screamed right in his ear. "My baby came to visit me!" she howled, biting off his earlobe and ripping a small peace apart. Everything happened so quick that the alpha had no time to respond. He fell back, blood gushed out as Clarissa held the piece of meat in her mouth, her eyes were bloodshot red. The nurse rose up immediately and held back the screaming and howling woman.

Ryder's face was twisted in pure shock and astonishment.

"You need to leave, Sir!" the nurse alerted him shouting something and other nurses rushed into the room. Clarissa was breathing heavily, nostrils flaring, there was no trace from her calm exterior.

"My baby came to visit me, your baby!" she howled again, her voice broke, eyes rolling into the back of her head. The nurses immediately escorted the alpha out and nursed his would. It didn't hurt that she did such a thing, it hurt that. . . in her state, she told him that he was actually a father.

The line where he believed her and didn't was so blurred.

He had a meeting with Clarissa's doctor afterward.

"She is in no state to interact with people, no relatives or friends. I should have fired the woman that let you visit her."

Ryder's face remained blank.

"Did anyone else but me and her relatives visit her?"

The doctor, a old man with short grey hair and sharp face looked away and that was Ryder's answer. The alpha let out a low animalistic growl and planted his hands on the desk.

"How much did they pay you?" he roared and the ground under them trembled. The doctor was a beta and he was way too old than the alpha himself but fear was evident in his eyes.

"All I c-could say. . . is. . . that the person who visited Clarissa was a woman. "

His nostrils flared. He felt the deep anger boiling within him. Ryder knew that it was still a lost cause. They wouldn't provide him with the CCTV unless he involves the police. Which is what he will do tomorrow.

"Wait for my return, doctor. I'll bring you down alongside with this shitty asylum." Ryder grunted before storming out from the office. He had barely managed to get out from this Hell when his phone rang.

He stopped and sighed, pulling the device out, Leo's name flashed across the screen.

"What is it?" he grunted lowly.

"It's Jason. He – uh- " he stuttered. Ryder frowned more. "I can't explain it, he- he locked himself in the room and he won't open up- I can't hear anything from the inside."

Then it hit him.

Jason tried to end his life once, what were the odds he does it again?

"Shit- fuck-shit- " he cursed loudly, running toward his car, "Leo, try to break the fucking door, he might be doing something to himself, yeah? Break the door, I'll call our doctor."

Before Leo could answer, Ryder, hang up and climbed inside the vehicle. Loud screeches of tires echoed in the parking lot as he drove off to his place. During the entire drive he was anxious for some reason, something nestled deep within his chest. Fuck, if he was late? He'll never forgive himself for letting Jason slide this time.

While passing to a few red lights, he dialed Dr.Claimton's phone and explained the situation. 

"Alright, I'll be there, Ryder." the man spoke out, the alpha heard shuffling sounds from the other side of the line. 

"See you there."  His heart kept racing in his chest, fingers grasping on the steering wheel.

He parked his car in the front and saw the doctor's car parked as well. He rushed out from his SUV without even bothering to lock it and burst into the house, shouting. However, his head felt dizzy all of a sudden, his knees went weak and he had to lean against the railing of the stairs so he wouldn't fall.

A few maids rushed to support Ryder and then Claimton emerged from upstairs.

"Ryder you and your brother have to go somewhere else for a few days." The doctor spoke out in a calm manner.

The scent was so strong it was literally suffocating Ryder so much.

"What's going o-on?" he slurred, blinking a few times.

The older man ordered the maids to drag both alphas out from the place since the scent was too strong. Usually, no one could drag those two out, but the circumstances and the scent had weakened their bodies so they were easy to be defeated. 

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Leo shouted in a groggy voice. Ryder saw that his brother was as affected as he was. However, the elderly man in front of them wasn't. He was an alpha.

"The omega you bought here, he is in heat."