Chapter 10
My voice completely flat.
Grayson flinched–water dripping everywhere, soaking his shirt.
But instead of backing off, he grabbed my wrist. Hard. Almost hurt.
“Freya, please.” Voice all raw and desperate. “Just… just look at me. Really look.”
Grip got tighter. Definitely hurt now.
“We grew up together. Known each other our whole lives. You can’t just… erase that. Can’t pretend it meant nothing.”
Other hand came up, trying to pull me closer.
“Don’t believe you moved on. Can’t believe it. ‘Cause if you can just let go that easy–if you can walk away without looking back–then what the hell was I to you? What were we?”
Voice rising–almost hysterical.
“Stop acting like you don’t care! Know you’re hurting. Know you still-”
“I don’t.”
Voice cold as ice.
“Don’t hurt anymore, Grayson. Don’t think about you. Don’t miss you. Don’t want you.”
Tried yanking my wrist free. His grip just got tighter.
“You’re lying-“.
“Let. Me. Go.”
“No!” Voice cracking. “Not until you admit-”
“Admit what?” Snapped–finally losing it. “That I wasted years loving someone who thought I was pathetic? That I humiliated myself over and over for someone who couldn’t even-”
“I’m sorry!” he shouted–voice breaking completely. “I’m sorry, okay? I screwed up! I was an idiot! Didn’t know what I had until-”
“Until it was gone,” finished coldly. “Yeah. Got that part.”
Yanked hard, but he still wouldn’t let go.
“Freya, please–just one more chance. I’ll do better. I’ll be better. I’ll-”
Eyes wild now. Desperate. Unhinged.
“You’re mine, Freya. Always been mine. We belong together. Know we do. So stop this–stop pretending you love him–and just come back to
me-
“Let her go.”
Looked up.
Ryder standing on the second–floor landing. Eyes blazing molten gold in the dim light.
Getting brighter by the second.
“Grayson.” Voice low, controlled–but there was a growl underneath. “Gonna say this once. Let. Her. Go.”
Grayson’s grip tightened.
“This is between me and Freya. Stay out of it.”
Ryder’s eyes flashed red.
“Wrong answer.”
Then he was moving.
Not down the stairs.
Body blurred–muscles rippling, bones cracking, fur erupting across his skin in this wave of silver–white.
Within seconds, massive wolf standing where Ryder had been.
Easily the size of a small horse. Silver–white fur. Blazing red eyes. Fangs like freaking daggers.
Alpha wolf let out this low, rumbling growl that shook the damn walls.
Grayson released my wrist immediately–stumbling backward.
“Bro, wait-”
But Ryder wasn’t waiting.
Launched himself down the stairs–insanely fast, insanely powerful–and slammed into Grayson like a freight train.
Grayson went flying–crashing through the glass patio doors and tumbling across the deck outside.
He shifted mid–fall–his own wolf erupting in a burst of dark gray fur and snapping teeth.
Two wolves collided in the yard–blur of fur and fangs and snarling rage.
Grayson was fast. Vicious even.
But Ryder was bigger. Stronger. And absolutely furious.
Caught Grayson by the scruff and threw him–literally hurled him across the yard like a ragdoll.
Grayson’s wolf slammed into the ground, skidding across grass and crashing into the stone edge of the pool.
Shifted back to human on impact–gasping, clutching his ribs.
Ryder padded forward slowly. Deliberately. Massive wolf radiating dominance and barely–restrained violence.
Then shifted back too.
$290
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Human again. Naked. Breathing hard. Eyes still glowing faintly red.
Crabbed Grayson by the collar, dragged him to the pool’s edge, and shoved him in.
SPLASIL
Grayson surfaced a second later gasping, sputtering
Ryder stood at the edge, looking down with icy disdain.
“You sober now?” Voice calm, controlled but violent edge underneath. “Or do I need to throw you into the Pacific instead?”
Grayson treaded water, voice ragged:
“Why, Bro? Why?”
Crying now. Actually crying. Voice breaking with every word.
“Why’d you have to take her from me? If it weren’t for you, she never would’ve left! She would’ve been mine! Was always supposed to be mine!”
Voice rising to desperate shout.
“Give her back! Please–just give her back! I’ll do anything–I’ll-”
“No.”
Ryder’s voice flat. Final.
“Don’t get to have her back. Don’t get to ask for her back.”
Crouched down at pool’s edge, eyes burning into Grayson’s.
“Cause she’s not a possession, Grayson. Not a toy you can toss aside and demand back when you get bored.”
Voice dropped to low, dangerous growl.
“She’s a person. With her own mind. Her own feelings. Her own choices.”
Straightened up–expression cold, unyielding.
“And she didn’t choose you. She chose me.”
Grayson let out this broken, anguished sound.
“But I love her-”
“No,” Ryder interrupted sharply. “You love the idea of her. Love having her worship you. Love knowing she’d drop everything for you.“.
Eyes narrowed.
“But you never loved her. ‘Cause if you did, never would’ve treated her the way you did.”
Turned away, dismissing Grayson completely.
“Knox.”
Uie Alnha Brother Marked Me First!
8.496
Knox appeared at the door with two other guards.
“Yes, Alpha?”
“Watch him. Make sure he stays in that pool all night. Needs to cool off”
Knox nodded sharply. “Yes, Alpha.”
Grayson’s voice rose from the pool desperate, pleading:
“Treya! Freya, please-
But didn’t look back.
Just turned and walked into the house.
Grabbed a blanket from the living room, hurried outside to wrap it around Ryder.
But he took it from me first–draped it around me instead, pulling me into his arms.
“You okay?” murmured against my hair.
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