The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 60

Chapter 60

ARIA

It seems that I blinked and all of a sudden, it’s Saturday.

Ryder’s birthday.

Uncle Barty and I are in the car now, headed there. I’m wearing It’s a little risqué, as I’ve never worn anything that shows off my comfortable.

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deep red silk dress that Cassandra lent me for the evening. reasts the way this dress does, and it’s tight and fitting, but

When I tried it on in the mirror, she came up behind me and said, “I knew it. I knew it would look stunning! He won’t be able to resist you in this.”

My heart sank. “We’re rejecting each other tonight, Cassandra.”

Her expression was one of genuine shock. “What? Oh, Aria. Thats not a good idea at all. Remember what I told you?”

“It’s the only way,” I told her sadly. It seems even my wolf has tired of fighting with me on this. Cassandra said nothing else.

I try to keep these thoughts out of my mind as we drive toward the Alpha’s house. Naturally, I’ve never been there, and I don’t know what to expect. I’m also nervous about being approached by Ryder. According to the book I read, rejections are meant to hurt. A hell of a lot.

Why would he choose to do it on his birthday?

When we get there, the entire front of the massive mansion is covered with parked cars. It’ll be chaos when it’s time for everyone to leave. Uncle Barty finds a small space to park his carin, and when he kills the engine, we just sit in silence for a

bit.

He then tells me, “I want you to stick to my side until your date finds us, alright?”

I nod.

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Do I look any other way?”

Uncle Barty stares intently at me for a few seconds, trying to read my expression. On the surface, I know I look fine. But deep down? I’m still hurting, and this time, it’s resignation that’s making me feel down.

But whatever. It’ll hurt, and then it won’t matter. Like any painful thing that could happen to someone.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

We walk past the many rows of cars, most of them better-looking than ours, that’s for sure. It’s quite possible that we’re the only Omegas here tonight, and I wonder if Uncle Barty was only invited because of Ryder’s plan.

When we get to the entrance, two uniformed men ask to see our invitation. They’re standing right in front of the enormous wooden door that leads to a parlor with marble floors and a hug hanging chandelier. I even see marble statues of wolves and men who were our past Alphas.

We get past with no issue at all. I can’t take my eyes off anything I’ve never seen a more elegant home in all my life. The house I share with my uncle is a trash can compared to this luxury.

It almost feels…. unfair.

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Chapter 60

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“Here, Aria,” my uncle says to catch my attention when I start to wander. My heart starts beating in my chest violently as I start to look around for Ryder. I don’t know how my body will react when I see him.

He hasn’t been at the university for the past few days, so it’s bec easy to act like he doesn’t exist and forget him.

But now? I’m in his home. I’ll see him soon, there’s no way around it. The nervousness I thought I’d gotten over comes crashing back, and it genuinely feels like I can’t breathe.

“Where are we going?” I ask Uncle Barty absentmindedly.

“To find the Alpha,” he answers as we continue walking through the house. Everywhere I look, there are people around. We must’ve walked past like three sitting areas, all of them elegantly furnished. Even the art hanging from the walls looks more expensive than our humble home. “We have to thank him for the invitation. It’s proper.”

“Oh.”

We don’t come across the Alpha, but I do spot Tyler in the crowd and as soon as he sees me, he starts toward me. I haven’t seen him since Uncle Barty told me about his request.

His eyes are solely on me as he greets me and my uncle. The way he’s looking at me makes me blush. My hair is down- Cassandra helped me style it-and I have a bit of makeup on. I look different from the way I usually do, and it seems he’s noticed it.

“Hi,” he says to me, nervously sliding his hands in his pockets.

“Hi,” I say again, shifting awkwardly.

Uncle Barty tells me to take care and continues on his hunt for Ryder’s father. Now that I’m alone with Tyler, I feel so damn nervous. I don’t know what we could talk about. It’s hard to concentrate on him when my eyes are still searching the place for Ryder.

Tyler clears his throat. My attention returns to him swiftly. “You look…by the goddess, Aria. I think you’re the most beautiful girl in the world.”

His compliment takes me off guard completely. “Thanks, Tyler. don’t know what to say.”

He scratches the back of his neck. “You really don’t have to say anything. I’m just glad you’re here. And that you said yes to being my date. And that I have the coach’s approval.”

“Yeah…” I stare at my feet nervously. I genuinely don’t know what to say.

“I heard about the…you know. The whole thing with…” I look up at him and he looks around anxiously. I don’t think things can get more awkward than this. “I mean….there are some rumon going around. I thought I might ask you about them.”

My heart gallops behind my rib cage. “About what?”

Tyler starts talking but I swear that everything he says flies right over my head and I don’t pay attention to a single word, because Ryder has just stepped into my field of vision, and the girl I saw the other day-his alleged fiancée-is standing right beside him.

They’re holding hands.

Pain crashes into me like a tidal wave. Ryder tenses, looks around, and it’s not long before his gaze settles on me.

We make eye contact, and it becomes harder to ignore how the pain is suffocating me. It hurts so damn much.

“Aria?”

I blink and Tyler’s face appears before mine. He looks concerned “Are you okay? You’re sweating a little. I think it’s a little

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Chapter 60

hot. Maybe we should step outside?”

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I glance over his shoulder and see Ryder talking to her. She smiles, then kisses his cheek. It’s like a knife has been dragged along my own cheek.

I have to get out of here.

I look at Tyler and nod. “Yeah. Let’s go. I can’t bear to stay here a second longer.”

Tyler places his hand on my lower back and I tense. We’re walking away from our original spot, but I’m sure Ryder can still see us. I glance back at him even though I shouldn’t, and I see that he’s frowning as he stares at us-no doubt because of Tyler’s hand on my lower back.

I get so mad that I inch even closer to Tyler, and for the first time since I got my wolf, I hear Ryder’s howl inside of me as clear as day, so loudly that I look around, stunned that nobody else has heard it.

A mean smile curves my lips. Good. That means he still can’t control himself. Well if he wants to cause me pain, then there’s no reason why I can’t do the same.

It might be mean to use Tyler this way, and very uncharacteristic of me, but I simply couldn’t give a damn about that.

Even if this won’t last, I can make it hurt for him.

Then, we’ll be even.

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