Chapter 12 (Part 1)

"How do you do that?" she asked.

"Do what?" he responded.

"That growl thing that you do? How do you make that noise?"

Ryan laughed and simply said "It's just something that I have always done."

"I like it. It doesn't look like Tony liked it much, but for some reason it kind of turns me on." she said a little flushed with embarrassment.

"Hmm, I will have to remember that" he said as if deep in thought about this new information. She gave him a light punch on the shoulder.

"As if you didn't already notice" she teased. "I need to go change my clothes, these are from yesterday." she stated as she got up from the table and went into her room.

She changed her clothes and was heading out of the room when she spotted the gift that was still wrapped lying on her bed.

"Ryan, will you please come in here?" she yelled out the bedroom door. Ryan walked into the room and sat on the bed.

"Yes my Angel, what is it that you need?"

"Can I open my gift now?" She asked with excitement.

"Of course." He replied back. He patted the bed next to where he was sitting for her to come and sit with him. He handed her the gift and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I hope you like it" he said.

"I'm sure that I will love it" she responded and placed a kiss on his cheek.

She opened the gift carefully, and was surprised when she seen what it was. She let out a quick gasp as she studied the picture in the frame. It was a picture of a pure black wolf, with stunning sapphire eyes. Ryan studied her reaction as she stared at the picture. He noticed that she looked stunned, maybe even frightened at the image.

"You don't like it?" he asked feeling sort of let down. This was a picture of his wolf. If she didn't like his wolf then would she still like him when she found out the truth, he wondered to himself.

"No, I do like it. Its just that, well, where did you get this picture from?" She asked confused.

"Jack took it a few years back, I liked it and thought that maybe you would too, so I had it framed."

She stared up at him not sure on what to say next.

"What's wrong Angel?" he asked.

Angel thought to herself if she should even say anything. Would he think that she is crazy when she tells him that she sees this wolf all the time in her dreams?

"It's just that I know that wolf. I have seen that wolf before" she corrected herself.

Ryan froze, how had she seen him in wolf form? Did he get to close to the wood line on one of his patrols? Was she out running and had seen him through the woods? It's impossible, he thought to himself. He had been so careful since they moved in to make sure that none of the men came anywhere near the estate while in wolf form. He set times when they could go out and run that he knew she wouldn't be at the house, or that she would be sleeping. How had she seen him, he questioned himself.

"What do you mean you have seen this wolf before? Where did you see it?" He asked.

Angel felt embarrassed; she should have never even mentioned seeing the wolf. Now she had to explain to Ryan that it was one of her dream wolfs. Would he find her crazy for dreaming of wolfs? Looking down at the picture in her hands she began to speak.

"Well I haven't seen it like in person or anything. It's just that I see this wolf in my dreams every night. Its there with another wolf a silver one with black markings. I know it is the same wolf, it has to be. Those eyes, I will never forget those eyes" she looked up at him before she continued. "They are just like your eyes. They always remind me of you." She quickly broke away her look and stared back down at the photo, as she waited for a response.

Ryan felt a rush of relief wash over him. She hadn't seen his wolf, she had just dreamed about his wolf. He though about what else she said, about the silver wolf with black markings. He saw that wolf too, it had her eyes. Was this her wolf, he asked himself. How could that be? How could they see each others wolfs without even seeing each other in wolf form before? He could feel her getting anxious next to him; he had to say something to calm her down. He was sure that she was thinking that he thought she was crazy to have seen this wolf in her dreams. He had to make her feel reassured that it was ok to have seen it.

"I have dreams with that wolf in them too" he said. She quickly turned and faced him. Shock washed across her face.

"Really?"

"Yeah I see that wolf running with me, and I also see another wolf. I don't know if it is the same as the other wolf that you see. It is a silver wolf with black around its ears, nose, and eyes though. The silver wolf has the same color eyes as you do. They have always reminded me of you too" he informed her. They both sat there saying nothing for a few minutes. Looking from each other, then to the picture, then back at each other.

"How could that be?" she asked.

"I don't know to be honest with you" he replied.

They spent the next few hours sharing stories about their wolf dreams. Comparing the wolves in their dreams to the one in the picture. Describing the silver wolf until they were sure that it was the same wolf they were both seeing. They sat in silence for a few minutes deep in thought about how their dreams were connected.

"Will you hang this on the wall for me?" Angel asked breaking the silence.

"Yeah, where would you like it?" Ryan responded.

"Right above my head board. I figured its only right that the picture is close to me while I sleep since that wolf is always in my dreams." She smiled at the picture as she handed it to Ryan.

Ryan took the picture while thinking to himself. If she only knew that not only was that wolf in her dreams, but it would also be sleeping next to her for the rest of their lives. He left the room for a few minutes, and returned with a hammer and a nail to hang the picture on the wall. Once the picture was hung, they both stepped back to admire it.

"It's perfect" Angel said and turned to give Ryan a kiss on the cheek.

They were about to walk out into the living room to join Tony and Jack watching TV when Ryan noticed the pill bottle sitting on the dresser. He walked over to the bottle and picked it up to read it. It was an anxiety medication and the instructions read to take one pill as needed. Angel was at his side watching curiously as he twirled the little bottle in his hands.

"What do you use these for?" He asked her.

"Sometimes I have these attacks where my whole body starts to shake and my vision gets blurry. It almost like my body wants to tear itself apart. I have had them since I was 15 years old, but it only happens for a few days once a month. My doctor said that they are panic attacks, and when I take the pills it takes the edge off, and allows me to keep control of my body", she responded. "That's what happened to me that day at the diner when I passed out," she continued.

Ryan looked down at her with a concerned look in his eyes. "We are going to get you off of these pills. I will help you control your attacks until you better understand them" he stated as he went to put the pill bottle in his pocket.

She instantly felt horrified and tried to grab the pill bottle from him. She needed those pills. She didn't know what would happen to her when she had another attack if she didn't take them. She hated the feelings that rushed through her body when she had those panic attacks. It would feel like her body was ripping in two, and there was no way to stop it. The only way to stop it was with those pills. She needed those pills, and wasn't about to let him take them away from her.

"Please give those back. I really need them. You don't understand how bad the attacks I get are. I don't think I can handle an attack without the pills" she begged still reaching for the pills.

"Trust me Angel. We will get to the cause of your attacks, and I will show you how to get through them." He responded as he shoved the bottle into his pocket.

Angel was shocked, she didn't know what to do or say. She needed those pills; she had to get them back. How was he supposed to help her through her attacks? He had no idea what she went through when the attacks happened. She found herself angry at him for taking them from her.

"How are you supposed to help me, when you have no idea what it is that causes the attacks?" She protested.

"I know more about the attacks then you think Angel. I used to have them too when I was younger. Please trust me on this. I would never do anything to hurt you, you know that right?" he pleaded with her.

She did trust him, but she was scared to go through an attack without the pills. She felt like something horrible might happen to her if her body was taken over by one of the attacks.

"Ok you can keep them, but please don't throw them out. I have never gone without them before and if I have an attack I want them there just in case we cannot control it." she finally agreed.

"Ok, I will keep them but you won't need them anymore. I will be here for you next time it happens" he reassured her.