The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Chapter 61

ARIA

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When Tyler and I finally head outside, I realize he’s right about being easier to breathe. For some reason, it truly was very hot inside.

Then again, of course, I feel better now that I’m away from Ryder and that awful scene. Goddess, I still shiver when I remember how he held her hand and looked at her. I have no business feeling this way when I know what I’m here to do.

The whole thing is just stupid and impossible to make sense of.

“Hey, do you mind if I introduce you to my parents?”

I snap my head in Tyler’s direction and nod absentmindedly, only making true sense of what he said when we stop in front of a couple in their mid-forties. They both smile at us, and I realize that the man looks exactly like Tyler. Or rather, Tyler looks a lot like his father.

“There you are, the woman I’m assuming is his mother says. “We’ve been looking all over for you!”

“Sorry, Mom. I just…this is Aria.”

“Aria,” his mom says before exchanging a look with her husband and a knowing smile. Her hair is the same sandy color as her son’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Hannah, and this is my husband, Gavin.”

I shake both their hands, expecting them to treat me poorly because of my rank, but they’re surprisingly very nice to me.

“Your uncle is the coach of the team, right? Bartholomew Murdock? Oh, he’s such a capable man! We’re so thankful for everything he does for our son!”

“And you’re on the medic team?”

We talk about this for a handful of minutes, and they’re genuinely interested in my subjects and my plans for after graduation. Tyler says nothing and just stands beside me with his hands in his pockets, his eyes never leaving my face once.

Everything seems to be going well until I catch a whiff of Ryder’s scent in the air. I snap my head in the direction of the doors that lead to this garden, and sure enough, I see him. His fiancée is standing right next to him and I’m fuming all over again.

Quickly, I turn away before we can make eye contact just as Tyler’s mother asks me about my parents. “Oh, they’re not living.”

“Oh, what a shame! I heard of the story when it happened. How tragic!”

I tilt my head to the side. “You did?”

This is when Tyler cuts in. He puts an arm around me and says, Mom, I think we’ll be heading back now. Besides, Aria’s uncle seems to want to catch her attention.” Tyler’s amused eyes meet mine. “You don’t hear him?”

I look around and see him standing merely several feet away from us. He waves me over, and he looks tense. I have no idea why.

Tyler and I excuse ourselves and walk toward him. My heart starts beating fast. I’m so distracted that I don’t realize he’s standing in a group, and that one of the people in this group so happens to be Ryder’s father, the Alpha.

His eyes are on me as I approach my uncle and they don’t leave me for a second. It feels like a cold finger is trailing down my spine as I meet his gaze. Tyler is right next to me; so is my uncle.

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09:56 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 61

But I’ve never felt more alone.

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“This is my niece, Aria,” Uncle Barty introduces after clearing his throat. “Aria, I’m pretty sure you know who this man is.”

“Yes, of course. Who wouldn’t recognize their Alpha?” comments the man standing next to the Alpha, laughing. I recognize him from the day when the girl who’s with Ryder arrived.

I think he might be her father.

The air becomes thick with tension fairly quickly, and I want to be anywhere but here. Things get even worse when Ryder and his fiancée approach the group. This time around, I don’t know where to put my face,

This evening couldn’t get any worse.

“It seems we’re all here!” Ryder’s fiancée’s father exclaims before throwing his arm around his daughter. I think he’s drunk. “How’s the party, darling?”

“Great, Daddy.”

“Having fun?”

I tear my eyes away from the father and daughter duo and because there’s nowhere else to look, my gaze settles on Ryder, though only for a second. I catch him exchanging a tense look with his father, but it’s gone in the blink of an eye.

What was that about?

Someone taps my shoulder and when I look right, I see his fiance standing directly in front of me with her hand extended. “I’m Lizzie.”

I’m forced to shake her hand even though what I want to do is bite her head off. But no. These urges have to be controlled.

“Aria.”

She returns to Ryder’s side, and though I feel his eyes on me, I don’t look at him at all. When my gaze settles on my uncle, I see that he’s uncomfortable and that’s a rare sight.

What’s going on here?

“Well,” Lizzie’s father says, clapping once. Strangely, his eyes are on me when he says, “I think we should let the enjoy their party. Son, happy birthday. I wish you nothing but the best.”

youngsters

He and Ryder shake hands, and Uncle Barty nods at me, dismissing me. Tyler asks in my ear, “Uh…do you have any idea of what the hell just happened?”

“No,” I lie.

The truth is I don’t know exactly what happened but I know the eason behind all the tension. I start to turn away with Tyler when I make eye contact with Ryder again. I see a longing in his eyes that makes my heart skip a beat, but then his eyes become cold and he jerks his head just before I turn away.

Was that supposed to be a signal?

I turn to look at him again and he repeats the head movement. almost forgot why I came here but now, I remember, and I know what his head movement means.

Without looking back, he starts toward the other end of the garden, where there are fewer people, and I know I have to follow.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell Tyler. “There’s someone I have to see.”

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09:56 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 61

“Oh, who?”

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“Just someone,” I say as I start to walk. It feels like I’ve been electrocuted. Electricity is coursing through me alongside this nervous energy. I follow Ryder, hoping that I’m not being seen by anyone or that Tyler will follow.

After tonight, this will end.

I let this reassure me.

We walk all the way around the house, where the garden is much quieter because there are no people. Ryder is walking way ahead of me to the point where if someone saw us now, they wouldn’t know I’m trailing after him.

At last, we find ourselves by the front door again, and Ryder heads inside, but not before throwing me a look. He’s nearly at the top of the stairs by the time I reach the door, and again, he notions for me to follow him.

I head up the stairs, breathing harshly. At this point, I have no expectations-just the urge to get this done and over with.

When I get to the first floor, I see him standing right in front of a door on the other end of the long, brightly lit corridor. He walks into a room, and I take a few deep breaths before following him.

The room is totally dark when I find myself standing in front of the door. I almost have the urge to call out his name because I don’t see him.

What’s happening here?

I take a deep breath and walk into the room, and as soon as I do, the door slams shut behind me, leaving me in almost total darkness, and I’m grabbed and pushed against the door.

“What are you—“

Ryder presses his body against mine, and in his eyes, I see mischief. His lips are curved, too. The coldness from earlier is

gone.

What’s going on?

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