The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10

ARIA

B

Lunch was great, and I just had the best burger in the whole world.

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Food at Artie’s is always amazing. I come here with my uncle occasionally and never get disappointed. Tyler turns to me with a smile and mentions, “That was great, wasn’t it?”

I nod. “Amazing.”

Tyler had like three burgers, two sides of fries, and nachos on top of that. I don’t know where he put it all. I guess athletes do need to eat a lot.

“We should do this more often,” he casually mentions before turning to look at me with an alarmed look. “I mean, if you want to, of course.”

“Of course, I do,” I say genuinely.

Tyler is a cool guy, and I’d really like to have him as a friend. This lunch was enough for me to realize that we have more in common than I initially realized.

And the conversation was so entertaining that I forgot that Ryde and the rest of the team were behind us. In fact, I didn’t even bring up the thing he said we would talk about concerning he complaint.

What does it matter, anyway? I didn’t want to spoil a good meal alking about unpleasant things.

He’s about to say something before the hockey team bursts out of the restaurant noisily. I snap my head in their direction, and I’m pretty sure disgust is written all over my face.

They head straight toward Tyler, much to my shock, and he barely has time to protest before they pick him him away.

I have no clue where they’re taking him.

“Guys!” he’s saying loudly as he’s laughing. “Whoa! Slow down! What are you doing?”

up

and carry

I watch as he struggles to be freed, but not for long. Ryder approaches me carefully, his hands deep in his pockets. I take one look at his face and anger slams into me. Turning away, I start toward the sidewalk, determined to head back to the university.

“So, you’re just going to keep ignoring me?” Ryder asks as he follows me. I clench my jaw and don’t say a word. I quicken my pace but he’s right behind me.

It doesn’t look like he’ll be leaving me alone anytime soon.

“Tell me,” he begins, “what did I do to make you treat me this way? Do you have something against alphas or something?”

I stop suddenly, and so does he. Fuming, I whirl around to staret his pathetic, lying face. How can someone be so fake? I part my lips to say something, then decide against it and keep walking.

Ryder doesn’t stop trailing after me. “I don’t like being ignored, you know?” Heavens. He just won’t quit it. “Aren’t you scared of what I could do to you, considering I’m the future Alpha of Ironclaw? You don’t care about getting on my bad side?”

This is what makes me turn around and finally snap. I was determined to ignore him and keep my head down so I wouldn’t get into trouble, but this is taking it a step too far. “Well, you proved your point already, didn’t you? I get it. You don’t have to throw it in my face that you already did it!”

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10:18 Wed, Feb 18 B.

Chapter 10

Confusion is etched on his features. “What are you talking about

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My eyes widen and my eyebrows nearly touch the sky. “You’re unbelievable! What else do you want from me? Haven’t you done enough? You took me out of the team. You ruined my chances of participating in a proper internship-”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he says, putting his hand up. His brows are furrowed and he looks almost

angry.

I don’t stop there. -and you’re messing with my life, you…you corrupt shit!”

I’m breathing hard. I don’t think I’ve ever been this angry before

Ryder shakes his head. “You’re crazy. You’re not making any sense!”

You filed that complaint!” I yell. “And now you’re acting like you don’t know a thing about it!”

“What complaint?” he yells back.

I run a hand down my face. I’m not calming down and I have way too many words caught in my throat. If Uncle Barty could see me now, he’d probably have a heart attack. But I don’t care. “It must be something else, to grow up so privileged that you have no idea at all what consequences your actions have! And it astounds me that someone as careless and stupid as you will at some point be the Alpha of this pack. Someone we’ll all have to rely on. Well, I might be an Omega, but I’m a part of this pack, too. I matter, alright!? There are more Omegas than Alphas Face it, you’re only treating me this way because you can get away with it! You couldn’t stand to be treated like a normal person, so you went ahead and ruined everything for me!”

With no warning at all, Ryder grabs my arm and pulls me toward him. A surprised sound escapes my lips, and then I try to free my arm from his grip.

“Let me go!” I hiss.

“I promise you-

Everything happens quickly after he cuts himself off. He gives me a shove so hard that I lose my balance and land on my ass several feet away from him. I look up, shocked, but then I realize why he did this.

A car nearly ran me over.

He had to jump to the side not to get hit, either. For several moments, I’m so stunned by what happened that I can’t react at all. I watch as the blonde I saw on his lap the other night-the cheerleader-steps out of the vehicle, her face red.

“Nadia,” he begins in a booming voice, “are you out of your mind Are you fucking insane? You nearly killed me!”

Her reply is so hysterical that I can’t make out a word she’s saying. With a groan, I focus on my injuries. I’ll probably have bruises on my behind today, and my palms were scraped. They’re not exactly painful, but they’re burning like heck. Behind me, Ryder and Nadia continue arguing.

I have to go home. I see no reason why I have to stay here. I rub my hands together, cut him one last look, and then start walking down the sidewalk. I don’t stop for a thing, and thankfully, he doesn’t come after me.

I’m still shaking with anger as I make it home. It isn’t that far away from the university, and I don’t want to call my uncle to disturb him.

But I said my piece, and if he wants to punish me for that, then be it.

He already took everything from me, anyway.

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10:18 Wed, Feb 18 B.