The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 119

Chapter 119

RYDER

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My heart starts throbbing in my chest, and it aches more than the silver chains around my wrists, making me feel weak with each passing hour.

Aria.

Something’s wrong. I feel her pain right away and it makes my stomach churn. Aria isn’t well. I panic so hard that my mind starts spinning uncontrollably. Fuck, what’s happening to me? Why do I feel this way all of a sudden?

What are they doing to my girl?

“Aria,” I grit out. “Aria!”

I feel strong suddenly. Invincible. It’s the most surreal feeling in the world. I start fighting against the chains, confident that I can get out of them and rescue her. I’m so sure of this that I can aste it on my tongue.

1 use as much force as I can, ignoring the pain in my wrists and in my entire body for putting in this kind of effort.

I don’t succeed, though.

I black out.

What wakes me is the feel of someone slapping my cheek hard. I sit up straighter, groaning. Did I break a bone somehow? That’s what it feels like.

“Ryder,” Lizzie says. “Wake up.”

“Lizzie?” I try to recall our last interaction. It takes me a few seconds, but it eventually comes. I didn’t think she’d be back here again. I’m beyond surprised. “What happened? Where is she?”

For several seconds, Lizzie doesn’t say a word. It’s dark in this room, which means she didn’t turn the lights on when she came in. What’s she even doing here? No, I don’t care about that.

Where’s Aria?

She can’t be dead…can she?

Before the panic sets in, Lizzie answers my question. “Her uncle was killed this morning. His lover was executed right after him.”

The news makes pain explode in my chest. Fuck. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. I don’t even have to think too hard to feel her pain right inside of me. That means she has to be alive, right? But for how long?

Her uncle…she must be devastated.

I recall what happened earlier, that strength I felt and the certainly that I’d get out, and I try my luck with the chains again, not caring that Lizzie is here, watching.

“It’s no use, Ryder. You’re just hurting yourself!”

The chains don’t judge. I thought that it’d be easier because I was trying to free myself earlier, but no such luck.

Fuck, what am I going to do?

“Lizzie,” I grit out. “You have to help me out of here. You have to help me. They’ll kill her!”

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III

10:03 Mon, Mar 2 M

Chapter 119

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Lizzie steps back as soon as the words leave my lips. “You can’t ask that of me, Ryder. You just can’t. It’s no use. She’s going to die. There’s nothing you can do about it. Ryder…stop it! You’re just hurting yourself! You’re going to get seriously hurt if you keep doing that!”

“What does it matter!?” I yell back. “My father will kill me anyway! Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I don’t know what he has planned?”

I struggle until I physically can’t go on. I’m drained. U feel half dead already. Despair swells in my chest, then it starts to rot and turn into something ugly.

I want to kill them all. I could kill them all if given the chance. My father. Even Lizzie.

I’m so angry at the world. It has conspired against me. It wants to take the only person who makes this all worth living for from me.

I’ll have nothing then. I’ll be as good as dead.

“Ryder-”

“Get out,” I grit out.

My mind is filled with images of Aria. I vividly recall the first time I ever saw her. Fuck, if I’d known then where we’d end up, I would’ve left her alone and contended myself with watching her from the sidelines. Coach is gone…his girlfriend…this mess is all my fault.

I’m the one who couldn’t stay away from her.

Lizzie doesn’t move like I told her to and her presence keeps distracting me from my thoughts. I look at her in the dark and ask slowly, “What the fuck do you want from me? Why do you keep coming here when you’re not allowed to? If you’re not gonna help me, then what?”

“There’s still a way out of this for you, Ryder,” she whispers. “All you have to do is cooperate. Your father is angry right now, but if you just show common sense…”

I scoff and she falls silent. I shake my head. Doesn’t she get it? If survive this, it’ll be to kill my father. But after Aria is taken from me, I’ll have nothing left to live for. Why doesn’t Lizzie understand that?

“Once she’s hanged, the bond between the two of you might kill you. Or it might not. There’s a fifty-fifty chance,” she claims, oblivious to the fact that her words aren’t tearing apart. “If you die, well, then, there’ll be nothing any of us can do about it. But if you survive it, your father might take mercy on you if you decide to change. Think about it, Ryder. That woman has brought you nothing but grief. You’ve lost all respect in the eyes of the world. Why not try to regain some of that dignity back?”

A laugh rumbles in my chest and spills out of my mouth. Lizzie sucks in a breath and steps back like I’m scaring her. “You don’t get it, do you? You’ve been coming here for days, yet you still don’t get it.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“I’m already dead, Lizzie. I only cared about getting out of here to save her. Without her, I have nothing. Do you understand me? Nothing.”

I keep wishing for one more chance to make things right, but I know they won’t come true. The goddess brought us together, binding our souls together, and now, she has abandoned us. Bitch. That’s what she is. Why tie us together in this cruel way? Why create a love so beautiful just to tear is apart? I blame myself. I killed the love of my life. I might as well have done it with my bare hands.

“What about revenge?” she suddenly says. “Wouldn’t you want to avenge her?”

I still. Before I can even think of a response, Lizzie is heading out the door.

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