The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 125

Chapter 125

RYDER

The time has come for the challenge.

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I’m released and forced to stand by the men who came to fetch me. It feels like I’ve gone ages without walking so my body is still getting used to it. My knees falter with every step, but I force myself to keep going and not stop once.

We head all the way to the exit. I should be more nervous, but I feel calmer than ever. I’ve accepted my fate, but what fate is it? Will I die today? Will I win this fight?

I realize as I step outside that I have no clue.

The men let go of me so quickly that it doesn’t give me a chance to register that I need to stand on my own two feet. My knees sink into the dirt, but I manage to stand.

Fuck, if only my head would stop spinning,

Far ahead, I see my father. He’s removing his shirt and his watch and he’s handing them to Beta Palmer-Nadia’s father. We make eye contact and I see a trace of amusement in his eyes.

Has it really come to this? Will I be fighting my own father to the death?

“Son,” he begins, stepping toward me slowly. “There’s still time for you to back out of this madness.”

I clench my jaw and shake my arms. The silver in my system will prevent me from shifting for some time, so I’ll have to employ other methods. If he shifts…I’m in trouble.

My chances aren’t great.

He raises both arms in question, then lets them drop to his side. This is what we’ve come to, isn’t it? After everything I’ve done for you.”

“You were a father to me when I wasn’t an inconvenience to you I claim, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. “You’ve never cared about my feelings, not once.”

“My duty,” he begins angrily, “was to raise an Alpha, not a son! You never understood that, so maybe this is for the best after all. You’d never be a good Alpha. You don’t have it in you. You’re weak.”

I take several deep breaths before stepping forward. Aria. She’s all I can think about right now. It feels like it’s been years since I last saw her. Thinking about her in Ray’s clutches makes me sick to my stomach and fills me with rage.

But rage might not be enough to win this fight.

That doesn’t mean I won’t give it everything I’ve got.

As my father gets closer to me, he scoffs. “Look at the state of you. Do you really think you stand a chance?”

I raise my arms, ignoring how they’re tingling from being in the same position for fucking days. I don’t say a word.

He pauses about six feet away from me, and clenches his fists, too. In his eyes, I see no remorse at all.

I wonder what he sees in mine.

He throws the first punch and it hurts more than I thought it would. Having silver in my system reminds me of having a sunburn. The feel of someone’s hands on me is enough to make me cry out, so a punch?

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10:03 Mon, Mar 2 M

Chapter 125

Fight.

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He tries to swing his arm again, but I evade this time. I stumble backward and he keeps coming, swinging one arm, then the other. Another one hits my jaw and I go crashing down.

He steps away from me with a sound of disgust. “Is this the fight you were trying to put up, boy!? Stand up!”

I force myself to my feet, furious at myself for being this weak. I barely recover before he throws another punch that makes my mouth fill with blood. I spit on the dirt, then rise again. The umor I see in his eyes pisses me off enough to throw my first punch.

He doesn’t see it coming.

Anger flashes in his eyes, and he steps back before circling me. “You know, Ryder, you make it very hard to feel sorry for you.”

He slams his fist into my face hard enough for me to hear a crack. Black dots creep along the edges of my vision, but there’s something inside of me that refuses to give up, no matter how tired I am.

No matter how blinding the pain is.

My father’s attack becomes brutal. The men all around us watch, not uttering a word. Though I put my arms up to protect myself as much as I can, most of his blows land and they hurt like hell.

I can feel death. One of these punches he’s delivering might be my last one.

“Foolish boy!” he grunts before hitting my face. “You’ve thrown our whole life away for some Nocturn whore who only used you to escape death! Do you think she didn’t know what she was? She used you like a tool and you let her!” Another punch. “Well, now she’s the one who’s being used. I’m sure the Moonveil Pack is putting her in her place. She’s being put to work right about now, and you know what? I bet she’s enjoying every moment of it.”

The rage his words instill in me makes me jump to my feet. Right now, my driving force is the thought of Ray putting his hands on her. Dad fights me back, so it’s not like I’m overpowering him, but I’m furious enough to move forward without feeling much pain.

Aria needs me. She needs me.

I promised her I’d protect her and failed. This is the least I can do for her.

If she’s being hurt…

My father goes crashing down. His back hits the ground with a thud. I stare at his face and don’t hesitate.

I straddle him so he won’t move, and throw punch after punch a him. I don’t see his face in front of me-it’s Aria I see. Aria and Ray. I can almost hear her pleas in my mind, begging me to fight and live. To rescue her.

Someone kicks me off him and I land on my shoulder. Sharp pain travels down my spine. I’ve dislocated it.

Beta Palmer stands above me, fuming. “Did you really think you be given a chance to kill the Alpha!? You truly are foolish.”

My father is being lifted off the ground. His face is a mess. A few men start toward me and reach for me. I only have one good arm, so there’s not much damage I can do.

They force me to my knees and the Beta pulls a knife from his holster. He holds it out in front of me before pressing the sharp blade to my neck.

No. This can’t be how it ends.

The wait for the knife to drag along my flesh is an eternity long. think about Aria the entire time and how I failed. I spit the

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10:03 Mon, Mar 2 M

Chapter 125

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