The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23

ARIA

Fake.

He’s so damn fake.

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Why didn’t I notice it before? Why didn’t this thought cross my mind? Why, oh why, didn’t I think of this before?

Out of all the pants he can try to get into…why mine?

I’m only glad that I never allowed myself to be fooled by his niceness. At least there, I scored some points. Even now, his concern just looks so real.

Ryder Drexel is a phenomenal actor. Wow.

I didn’t expect him to follow me all the way to the library, so there’s that. I’m a bit shocked by his presence. I decided to skip class because, one, I was already super late and two, I just didn’t feel like it. I came here to be alone and think about all the crap that’s been happening to me.

I also want to calm down before practice begins. Uncle Barty cant see me in this state.

I’m jolted out of my thoughts when Ryder steps closer to me. I step away so quickly that my back hits the bookshelf behind me hard and pain spreads all through my back. “What do you want?”

“I…” he begins before swallowing. His throat bobs and for some reason, my eyes are drawn to it. He’s sweating. Why’s he sweating? Also, why is his scent so…good?

I don’t think I noticed this before. I can’t remember. It’s distracting. I can’t think straight.

Ryder continues. “I just engaged to find out what happened between you and Nadia.”

I scoff. I can’t help myself. “Do you really need to ask?” He appears confused so I continue. “Your girlfriend threw a fit because I need to stay away from you, apparently. Which is ridiculous because I don’t think she should feel threatened at all. She called me a whore. An Omega whore.”

Something crosses his face, but it happens so quickly that I can’t even grasp what it is. He starts to say, “Aria-”

I interrupt him. “You’re wrecking my life. Have you realized that I never went through anything like this before.”

Ryder looks almost defeated, but I remind myself that it’s just an act. Nothing about him is genuine. “I don’t mean to.”

“No, I think you do,” I insist. “All because I challenged you when had to stitch you up that first time and—”

Ryder closes the distance between us so quickly that I don’t have time to react. “No. That’s not true. Stop saying that already. That has nothing to do with any of this!”

I shake my head, incredulous. “What’s the reason, then?”

Something in the mood shifts, and suddenly, his hands are grabbing my arms and I’m shuddering at his touch. Ryder searches my eyes almost feverishly. His scent invades my nostril and clouds my senses. “You know. You’re just acting like you don’t, but you feel it. You feel the same thing I do.”

“No,” I argue. “I don’t. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

“Am I wrong?” he questions, tilting his head to the side. His lips are merely inches away from mine and his breath is fanning my face. With each passing second, it’s getting harder and harde for me to focus on what I actually have to do, and that’s

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DB

Chapter 23

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pushing him away.

“What are you so afraid of?” he questions. I don’t understand it at all, not initially. “Why do you assume that my intentions are all bad?”

I stiffen and then get the necessary strength to shove him off me a little. Not that he moves much, anyway. He doesn’t even react to my shove and I used all my strength. The bet. The humiliation I endured. It all comes running back. “You’re an Alpha! People like you aren’t friends with people like me. We might as well be on different planets! So, what’s this about? What is it that you want so badly from me that you can’t seem to leave me alone?”

I’m careful not to mention what Tyler told me because he asked me to and I don’t want to get him in trouble.

Ryder appears almost offended by my little speech. “Is that what you really think?”

“Yeah, I do,” I say angrily. I just hate how he thinks he can fool me. “It’s not natural, is it? It’s either you’re trying to get back at me for something I did, or this is a…something else entirely.”

“Yeah?” he asks darkly. “Enlighten me. What do you mean by something else entirely?”

“Maybe you’ve never been with an Omega girl before, and you’re seeing me as the perfect opportunity,” I say, not caring how ridiculous I sound because I know the truth. Tyler already told me. “Maybe it’s a…a kink of some kind. Alpha-Omega dynamics or something equally as sinister!”

The longer I talk, the more his smirk deepens. “Really.”

It’s so unnerving.

“I’ll never bow to you!” I rage. “If you want something from me, you’re going to have to force it! So I suggest you stop wasting your time and mine!”

“I know that,” he simply says. “Nobody could ever bring you to your knees, Murdock. You’ve made that abundantly clear, haven’t you?”

I turn my face away

from him. Goddess, how I want this to just end.

“You keep seeing a problem with me, but haven’t you realized that you’re the prejudiced one in this equation?”

“I’m not prejudiced!” I argue. “I know exactly where I stand and that’s the difference. I know where I’m not wanted-this isn’t something I’m making up! Look, thank you for all you did for me, regardless of what your intentions were, but this is where it all ends.”

“That so?”

“Absolutely.”

Ryder steps back and I ignore how cold I feel all of a sudden. It’s so bizarre. Anger is written all over his face, and I have to admit that he does a great job of faking his disappointment. “Fine. Have it your way. You want me to leave you alone? I will.”

He starts to turn on his heel and for some reason, I can’t take my eyes off his face. But then he stops and whirls around to look at me again. He’s not finished. “But know that I think you’re the most arrogant and conceited person I’ve ever met in all my life, and you accuse me of being everything you are. And someday, Aria Murdock, you’ll find out exactly what so much arrogance can cost you.”

Before I can even come up with a retort, he’s gone. As I watch him walk away, something deep inside of me reacts to it, and it’s almost like I have this urge to tell him to stop. Like I want to take all my words back.

Which is crazy because, one, I know he’s lying about everything he just said and two, he literally threatened me before he walked away.

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Chapter 23

I’m being stupid all over again, and that has to stop.

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Besides, I should be relieved that it’s over and I’ll go back to my pitiful existence. Nobody will walk up to me and threaten me. He won’t try to fool me just to get into my pants.

And Uncle Barty won’t have to worry because I’ll stay out of trouble.

This was the right thing to do.

I’m sure of it.

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