Chapter 32Ryker:The way to Dane’s cottage on the outskirts of the pack was quiet and filled with nothing but the sounds of nature. I had chosen now, when it was dark and silent, to come here because I didn’t want anyone to find out I was here in the first place.As I neared the small cottage I heard a soft sound of a woman singing, and a baby’s cry.A smirk tilted my lips up as I approached the cottage, and deliberately let my feet make as much noise as possible.Soon, I knew he would come out to see who it was disturbing his family’s peace.And true to my predictions, he did that. I spotted the dark silhouette of the man in the porch, stepping out from the cottage and meeting me halfway before stopping, as he recognized me.“Alpha,” the gravelly voice of Dane met my ears and he bowed deeply.“At ease,” I ordered the former warrior. His cane supported his weight and he looked every bit as harmless as a regular elderly man, but I knew he was once the most powerful warrior who helped
33:Ryker:Arnold was silent too for some time and I could tell he was probably waiting for a response from me as well. After nearly a minute of silence from both of us I gave in.“What are you saying about a mating ceremony, Arnold?” I asked and it seemed to be the trigger he needed to get to the crux of the topic.I felt exhausted and not ready for this sort of game and yet my twin brother was content to play it.Sometimes I wondered why I indulged him too much.“Yes, of course,” he waved his hand about carelessly. “Don’t you think it’s time we finally marry, Ryker? The Elders and the rest of the pack must be waiting for good news by now. We can’t wait any longer.”He was still dallying about, I thought with a soft groan leaving my lips.“Arnold. Brother,” I said with a hard voice. “You can get to the point of the matter now.”“Well, how in the name of the goddess am I going to, when you are sure to get heated upon mentioning that girl’s name?” He snapped at me. “What I’m GETTING at
34:Keleigh:I sat staring out the window feeling content and peaceful from my restful night. The morning sun streamed in through the windows and gave a warm ambience to the bedroom. That, in combination with my restful state, made me feel calmer than I had been in a long time.However it wasn’t to last, as the knock on the door jolted me right out of that state. The maid bowed to me as she carried a basket full of towels and sheets. The scent of fresh laundry filled the air as she greeted me and then went into the bathroom to prepare my bath.My gaze the turned to the flowers I had seen the first thing I woke up this morning. It must have arrived when I was asleep, for I didn’t recall receiving it personally. The note that accompanied it told me who it was from - Ryker.A sigh left my lips as I thought of the enigmatic but utterly pleasant Alpha of the Nightclan Pack I had begun to make myself comfortable in.If I had known that things would have turned out this way, I might not have
35:Keileigh;In the end, Ryker and I had a peaceful breakfast which was equal parts as pleasing and confusing for me.I prayed I wasn’t already falling for him because I didn’t know if I could handle it. He had left after breakfast to attend to pack duties which thankfully left me to my own devices.I decided to spend some time out in the sun today and went down to the courtyard. The air was warm and the sights of nature and sounds of the birds chirping lent to the peaceful atmosphere which distracted me from my thoughts for quite a bit.At some point however, my eyes trailed down to the other side of the courtyard and I wondered if I could go around where the pack members were.Well, i shrugged to myself. It was such a nice day and I might as well do that.I had been avoiding most people from this pack like the plague and only stuck to the area I frequented for necessary reasons: my bedroom, the courtyard, Ryker’s study…But as I went further past those area I could hear the sounds
Keileigh:“An outing? In the forest?” I asked Kara who had come that morning right as I stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy robe.“Yes,” the older woman replied, “Alpha Ryker have strict instructions for you to be ready in an hour.”The way her voice sounded sarcastic upon saying ‘strict instructions’ was a bit humorous and my lips quirked up a little.“Okay. I’ll get ready. Thank you for telling me, Kara,” I nodded at her.I had become aware of the way Ryker respected the older maid, and I even heard a maid tell me that Alpha Arnold felt the same way. Both men had been raised in part with her help, if what the maid that attended to me was to be believed.I was a little surprised however, that Ryker had asked for me to go out with him.Things had definitely gotten better between us, but what was the Alpha trying to do? Was this his way of courting me?I got dressed with the help of the maid, trying to not think of the dates that I had with Alpha Jake. Then, I had settled
KeilieghAs Ryker tightened his grip on my hand and led me through the forest, I relished in the quiet, letting my thoughts wander.I wondered if I was being too docile and letting Ryker win and woo me as he liked. My eyes flickered to the strong back that faced me as he took the lead.Then I looked away, as I didn’t want to gain his attention.Or perhaps I had fallen too quickly for him just like I had fallen for Alpha Jake, despite my trying. It was difficult to keep my heart at bay and there was no other way to describe it. But I was truly attracted to him.“By the goddess,” Ryker spoke up and made me alert. “I didn’t expect you to be this quiet.”I clearly heard the humor in his words.“I… sorry. I was thinking a lot again,” she managed to say, feeling like a heel for not even making conversation. “I… where are we going?”He chuckled knowingly.“I’m glad you tuned in long enough to ask that, then. And as to where we’re headed… well… I am going to show you a little corner of the pac
RykerThe picnic was going well, I thought, as I watched my mate linger at the edge of the lake.She looked more relaxed than I had ever seen her, and as I packed up the utensils into the basket, I privately reckoned that choosing to go on this picnic out of the eyes of everyone, was definitely the best decision I had made.“I wish I could just stay here longer,” Keiliegh murmured, to my hearing. “It reminds me of my home. The stream I used to play by. And the hills and fields I’d run in,” she sounded full of nostalgia.As she reminisced about her home, I longed to know what her childhood had been like, and what could have happened to cause her to cross paths with the rogues that brought her here.However I knew that I couldn’t push her to tell me anything that she didn’t want to.I was willing to wait until she was ready to trust me with that information.I turned to her.“I get what you mean. I used to sneak out of the house to come here all the time when I was younger,” I confessed
ARNOLD. I began to grumble under my breath at the strangeness of my twin brother. Kara informed me he had gone out with Keiliegh, but that was ages ago! They should be back by now, right? It was already fucking dinner time!As I thought that I heard some footsteps that made me pause and turn to see my brother and HER walking hand in hand looking pleased as fucking punch.“He’s actually not so bad,” the girl was saying and I couldn’t help but rove my eyes over her. Regardless of whether I liked her or not the truth was that she was a looker.“Oh?” Ryker didn’t seem to notice me as he walked her to her bedroom door, while I watched them with narrowed eyes from beside the pillar. “And what about me, my lady?”Had Ryler always sounded that teasing and joking?My chest rumbled in a low growl as I realized he was trying to impress her. Whatever. It had nothing to do with me.But then, hearing the girl’s tinkling laughter out that thought to rest. Her laughter was just as charming as the re