Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder) novel Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Xena’s POV

“Miss Xena! It’s been forever!” The waitress exclaimed the moment I walked into the

restaurant.

“I know, right?” I smiled back at her.

“Come on, I’ve got a table for you.”

“Thanks, Yara!”

“Don’t mention it!” She waved as she walked away. I hated sitting with my back to the door, but it seemed Ryder’s Alpha status required him to take that position. I sighed and

sat down.

“You come here often?” Ryder raised an eyebrow as he looked at me.

“Sometimes.” He tried to hand me a menu, but I shook my head. “I’m a creature of habit. I

like what I like.”

“Alpha Ryder, sir, it’s so nice to see you again. How are you?” A waitress I’d never seen

before placed her hand on his shoulder, completely ignoring my existence. Another girl bedazzled by the Alpha aura.

“Wren,” Ryder’s tone was notably displeased. He moved her hand away and asked, “When did you start working here?”

“I just turned 18, came to visit my grandmother. They’re making me go to some spoiled Alpha brat’s birthday party next Friday. Apparently, I need to find my mate.”

I raised my eyebrows at this. Decided to have a little fun. The mischievous part of me stirred, making me curious to see this girl’s face when she realized the truth.

“Birthday party? I’ve heard about that. Do you know who they are?” I leaned back in my chair, feigning interest in the topic.

Wren finally noticed my existence. She squeezed in next to Ryder, “No idea. I heard there are two of them, twins. A boy and a girl. Apparently, the girl is super smart but quite the

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Chapter 37

bitch. The boy is supposedly hot and a total player.”

That sounded pretty accurate. I thought to myself. It seemed my reputation had spread, albeit somewhat distorted, but the general outline was correct.

“A bitch?” I probed, suddenly interested in how others perceived me.

“Yeah, I heard she beat up some girls in a bathroom. They caught her flirting with their man, and when they asked her to stop, she went ballistic. Total ticking time bomb. Though I heard she’s ugly as sin, so probably doesn’t matter. There was a challenge issued and the one girl said she plans on cheating to win.”

That surprised me. “How do you cheat in a challenge?” I asked, increasingly curious.

Wren continued, “She’s being watched now.”

I glanced at Ryder, noticing his demeanor had changed. But Wren was completely

oblivious to the shift in atmosphere.

1. me.