The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 59

Chapter 59

ARIA

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Uncle Barty doesn’t say anything to me in the car, and I suspect that it’s because he senses my bad mood.

That’s all I’ve been doing lately. This massive ball of mixed emotions that can’t be separated from one another. When I’m not angry, I’m sad, and when I’m not sad, I’m depressed. It’s a vicious cycle, made worse by Ryder’s request for a rejection.

I mean, I wanted a rejection. Yet, I’m upset that he would dismis me so coldly after trying to assure me that things weren’t as I understood them.

I don’t know. I’m tired of thinking about this over and over again

When he parks the car in front of our house, though, he says to me, “I received an invitation today, and your name was written on it.”

I frown. “What do you mean, Unc?”

“It means that you and I are expected to go somewhere together and I know you’re upset and that this is all…an inconvenience, but it’s not the kind of thing we can say no to.”

I shrug. “Then we can’t say no.”

I don’t understand his agitation at all. Why does he think I’ll be upset? It’s only when we get home and he hands me the envelope do I understand.

It’s an invitation to Ryder’s birthday party on Saturday.

Judging by the look of the invitation, it’s going to be an opulent event.

I’m aware of how my uncle is looking at me. I meet his gaze and force myself to appear calm even though this is tearing me up on the inside. He told me this would happen. I don’t know- guess I wasn’t expecting an invitation with my name on it.

It’s a reminder of what will happen. The rejection.

Well, it’s better if it happens now. Who cares? I’ll be free and forget all about this. I’ll have the time and concentration to focus on my life and how to make it better. I’ll study. Get a job afterward. Live.

I might even transfer to a new pack. I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Maybe Cassandra could help me.

These are all the things I tell myself in order to trick my wolf into being happy about this so it won’t torment me, but it doesn’t work as well as hope.

“You’re sure about this?” Uncle Barty asks me.

“Of course, Uncle. He and I are over. If we have to go, then we’llo. It’s totally fine.”

He narrows his eyes at me but he seems surprised by my answer “So…you’ve gone through the rejection, right? Everything is sorted? I know I don’t ask you enough about this, but-”

“It’s all sorted. You don’t have to worry about a thing. He’s going to marry someone else. Everyone’s talking about it.”

“Yes, I heard.”

My heart splits into two and I ignore it. Uncle Barty closes the distance between us and squeezes my shoulder. He’s smiling and looks so relieved. Wow. I wasn’t aware that I was burdening him this much with this issue. “Great I’m happy to hear this, Aria. You don’t know how eager I am to have my pain-in-the-ass niece back. You’ve been sulking and I hate to see you like

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17 23 Sat, Feb 21 CHEA

Chapter 59

this. I just want you to be happy. Have fun You’re young. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you.”

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For some reason, his words bring tears to my eyes and I start crying. He crushes me against his bear of a body and holds me close before kissing the top of my head. “There, there. Don’t make your uncle cry now. I’m a big man.”

I wipe my tears with my thumbs. “So, men don’t cry?”

“Not in my book.”

“That’s such an outdated way of thinking, Unc.”

“I have no intentions of being a modern man. That’s for you young people. I want to live my old life in peace, holding onto life as I knew it. That’s how it is, and that’s how it’ll always be. I’m happy that way.”

I fold my arms and lean against the kitchen island. “And what about Cassandra? Does she agree with this? I don’t mean to be nosy, but I don’t see what you two have in common. You’re as different as night and day.”

My comment doesn’t sit well with him. “Well, then, if you don’t want to be nosy, then there’s no reason why you need an answer to that question.”

I laugh out loud at his response as he angrily makes his way to the bathroom. I’m astounded by how I feel better. Yes, there’s something to look forward to now. It hurts, but it’ll pass.

I get started on dinner. It’ll be just the two of us because Cassandra has a late shift at the hospital. When Uncle Barty walks out of the bathroom, he’s still looking at me with an angry expression.

I shake my head. “I don’t see why you’re taking offense to what I said! It was just a question. Can’t I be surprised? Can’t I?”

“I take back what I said-I don’t miss the pain-in-the-ass version of you.”

I roll my eyes playfully as I chop up onions for the stew I’m about to make.

He sits down and says, “You know what? I think you can take Tyler as your plus one. It’ll be a good idea, don’t you think?”

I tense. He doesn’t know anything about Tyler and the issues he had with Ryder because of…I ask him, “Why him?”

“Can I tell you the truth?”

I look at him, alarmed.

“He asked me to go with you. He was all proper and all. You’ve been hanging around with him, right? He seems like a nice boy and all.”

I gulp. “Yes, well, I haven’t talked to him in a bit.”

“Go with him,” he urges. “I think you need a friend, now more than ever. I don’t know what you did to manage to scare away the Ortegas, but what about Tyler?”

“Yeah,” I say. If Ryder will be there with his new fiancée, then why should I be afraid? It’s not like he cares. He asked for a rejection this time, not the other way around. During his birthday party, it’ll be over.

I’ll be free.

“Sure. Sounds like a good idea,” I add.

“Good. I’ll let him know.”

I cook dinner, insist on doing the dishes, and then we head our separate ways. In two days, the end of my torment will come, and I continue convincing myself that I’ll be happy. That it’s for the best.

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Chapter 59

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There couldn’t be another way.

But when I’m alone in my room, and the silence of the world bears down on me, I quietly allow myself (and my wolf) to despair and feel the tragedy of all this. One chance at a mate, and it’s all wasted. All of it.

Then again, why did the goddess or whatever have to give me the worst possible mate for a Nocturn like me? How much easier would it have been if my mate were someone like Tyler?

Well, there’s no point in thinking about it now.

In two days, it’ll be all over.

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