Ryder's POVI watched Elder Hugh, staring at his lips as he began pushing out the plight of our packs to my step-brother, Hudson. He was here physically, but his voice seemed distant. It was as though he was talking from across the room when he only stood beside me. I caught snippets of what he said but my mind was too far away to piece together his words. I still thought about the message that I had received from Jason and I ached to hear back from him. I kept on glancing at the door whenever I caught someone walked by from my peripheral vision and grunted when I realized it wasn't him. "Prince Ryder," I heard someone call from a distance. The voice seemed faint so I didn't give it much heed. It wasn't until I felt a light tap on my shoulder that I came out of my thoughts and turned away from the door. "Yes?" I muttered as I looked up at the elder who had tapped me. My face was squeezed into a frown and I made sure to add as much spite as I could into my tone. "What is it?" "Alp
Hudson's POVI stood in my room and watched from my window my step-brother. My gaze followed him as he walked back and forth by the garden, conversing with Jason, the guard that I had appointed to him. From his movements, I could tell that he was very much agitated. What I didn't know though was why. I caught the sound of footsteps by my room door and my attention shifted to the sound. The door slowly creaked open and in walked John. "Alpha Hudson," he said as he gave me a short bow. "You asked for me." "Yes, I did," I said with a small nod as I turned back to the window, placing my gaze back on Ryder. "How was your sleep last night, John?" "It was... good," John answered with a little hesitation, his tone laced with confusion. "Is there any problem, Alpha Hudson?" "No, no, no, not at all," I answered with a small sigh as my touched the gold ring on my right index finger. As my fingers traced the carved surface of the ring, I felt my mind begin to wander. I watched Ryder for a fe
Ryder's POVI grunted and turned from the window. My brother had seen me now and from the expression he wore when our eyes met, I could tell that he was suspicious of me. But I didn't care. Turning to Jason who stood by the mansion's front door, I nodded. "I'll be back before nightfall," I said as I collected the reins of the horse from him. "If Hudson asks you where I'm going, you either tell him a lie or tell him that you have no idea, alright?" Jason nodded slowly, a look of understanding in his eyes as he backed away. "I will, Prince Ryder. Be careful." I nodded at him and made to mount my horse when I caught sight of Hudson still staring down at me. I looked up and we locked eyes for a few moments. He was about calling me but then I mounted the horse swiftly, the leather reins firm in my grip. With a sharp kick to the side, the horse sprang forward and we rode out of the mansion's gates. The wind whipped past me as I turned towards the path that led to the eastern part of our
Ryder's POV"We're almost there," one of the rogues said as he took another turn. We had been walking for more than an hour now and I could tell that my horse was beginning to get exhausted. The sun was no longer as intense as it was and I could see it slowly begin to dip behind the mountains. Nighttime was close and I had not accomplished what I had come for. "That is the fifth time you've said this, young wolf," I said to the rogue as I frowned. The rogue turned and gave me a small glance as he smiled. Without giving me a reply, he turned back to the path we were on. I was about to snap at him for his silence when I heard a loud bellow echo through the forest. The frown on my face deepening, I reached for my dagger as I looked around, trying to discern where the sound was coming from and what was causing the sound. I stopped looking when I spotted a rogue at the top of what looked like an observation post on top of a tree, blowing into a large twisted horn that curved around his b
Aria's PovToday was the annual mating ceremony, and also the day, five years ago, that I lost my parents to the cold hands of death. They were killed by rogue wolves, and all that remained of them were bits and pieces of their torn out flesh.Smack! I felt a sharp sting on my left cheek which snapped me back to reality."Ouch!" I winced in pain, as the slap echoed in my ears. I rubbed my stinging cheeks with my palm, as tears welled up in my eyes."Get your head out of the clouds, Aria!" Mrs. Beatrice, the person in charge of caring for the Alpha's quarters barked. "There's a lot of work to do before the mating ceremony tonight, and you are here daydreaming?!""I– I'm sorry Mrs. Beatrice," I bowed and apologized in a trembling voice, and got back to cleaning, even though my cheeks still hurt, there was no time to nurse that now."Sorry Aria," my wolf, Ava comforted me. "Just say the word, and I'd have her head rolling," she threatened."Yeah right," I rolled my eyes at my hot-headed
Aria's Pov"Mate!" Ava called again in a louder voice.My heart skipped a beat. "A- Ava are you sure?" I stuttered, not wanting to get my hopes up."Mate!" Ava said again happily, jumping excitedly in my mind."Are you sure about this?" I asked again. "Hope you're not doing this because I'm losing all hope of finding a mate?""Trust me Aria," Ava said. "He's here, I can sense him.""Why can't I sense him?" I questioned. "Cause your heart is finding it hard to accept," she told me. "Now let's go find out mate," she urged.I sighed in defeat. "Where is he?" I asked, even though I couldn't sense him yet. Well, I just have to trust Ava on this."Just walk straight ahead, and climb the first stairs you come across on your right," Ava described."Stairs?" I asked in disbelief. "Why go up the stairs? All the unmated werewolves are down here.""Quit complaining, Aria," Ava scolded me, with a hint of frustration in her voice. "Just trust me, will you?""Alright, alright," I said and did as Av
Aria's PovAs I said the official rejection words Ava howled in pain and we felt the mate bond severing. I stared at London with so much desperation, hoping against hope to at least see an ounce of pain or regret, but London was fine, and his expression remained cold as ice.London turned to Elsa and gave her a long, passionate kiss."Why can't he feel any pain?" I mumbled under my breath."People should learn to know their place," London said as he and Elsa walked hand in hand towards the stage. "The moon goddess clearly made a mistake," London said, staring at me with nothing short of contempt. The pack members nodded their heads in agreement. "An orphaned omega with no roots will NEVER be my mate, or future Luna of the great Startling Pack."There was no point trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall down my cheeks, so I just let it flow shamelessly. Maybe, just maybe, it would reduce the hurt I'm feeling."There's no other she-wolf worthy of being my mate, and Luna of
Ryder's PovTwo weeks Later...I was barely holding on to the remnants of sleep when a persistent knocking echoed. I was a light sleeper and any slight noise I could hear from a mile away."Go away Ma Levine," I grumbled half asleep, as I already caught her familiar scent of freshly baked bread."I'm coming in," she announced from the other end and turned the doorknob."Ugh!" I grumbled in frustration, burying my head deeper into the pillow.Ma Levine walked in and pulled the duvet I was wrapped in, off me."I just want to sleep some more," I protested and covered myself with the duvet again.Ma Levine chuckled. "Who would believe that the almighty Lycan King, Ryder Nixon was such a big baby?" She teased and pulled the duvet off me again. This time around, she tossed it far away, and the only way I could get it back was by getting up from bed, which I was clearly not ready for. "Get up boy," she instructed as she made her way to my bathroom to prepare a warm bath water for me."Go hav