The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63

ARIA

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I see panic in Ryder’s eyes but it’s gone in a flash as he looks down at me. My heart’s beating so fast and the fact that his father is on the other side of the door doesn’t make me feel any better.

“I’m here.”

“I need you down here right this instant.”

Ryder’s eyes meet mine once more as he answers, “I’ll be right there.”

We both hear his father’s footsteps retreating and I relax a little. See? This is exactly what I mean. This is only going to cause us more pain, Ryder, can’t you see that?”

“I don’t want you to worry about a thing,” he says as he places his hand on the side of my face. “I’ll take care of this.”

“How?”

“Just trust me.” He presses his lips against mine again in a brief kiss. “Please, wait here for me, alright? We’ll talk some more when I get back.”

I lower my head, knowing that this can’t be a good idea. “This isnt right. We shoudln’t-”

His reaction makes me fall silent.

“You belong to me, Aria,” he growls, his nose brushing against mine. “The harder you push me away, the deeper I fall into this madness of wanting you.”

“You don’t even want a mate!” I remind him, hating how small my voice sounds, and how my body sings whenever he’s this close to me.

His breath brushes against my lips. “You’re right. I don’t. But I burn for you, Aria, and I don’t think I’ll make it through the season without tasting what’s mine.”

My whole body is on fire. I stare into his eyes and feel like my mind is spinning out of control.

“Stay. Please.”

Bad idea or not, I know I’ll stay nonetheless. I’m stuck in a place from which there’s non return. From this night onward, I’ve sealed my fate and I couldn’t be happier about that. My wolf is rejoicing deep inside of me.

There’ll be no rejection.

He doesn’t want that girl. Lizzie.

“You can’t begin to imagine how happy I am,” he whispers before deepening the kiss. Whenever his tongue caresses mine, a trickle of pleasure travels down my spine and pools in my tightening core. Desire makes me clench my thighs, and I want him in a way I’ve never wanted any other man before.

I want him to touch me everywhere, not leaving a single spot unexplored. I want to feel him beneath my hands with no barriers between us. Just skin against skin. Us against the world.

Our desire clashing with our common sense.

A low growl escapes his throat, and it somehow makes its way into my veins. I cling onto him, not wanting him to go against my better judgment. But Ryder pulls away and says against my mouth, “If I don’t go, he’ll come back. Wait for me here,

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09:56 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 63

okay?”

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I nod absentmindedly and he escapes, but not before kissing me once more. When the door closes and I’m alone in the room, everything hits me all at once. Ryder and I have, in a way, accepted what we are to each other. We kissed. I walk into this room expecting a rejection but the total opposite happened,

My mind is spinning right now. I don’t know how to make any sense of any of this.

But I can’t lie to myself that this doesn’t feel right when it does. For now, it does. And I’m so happy that it’s easy for me to forget all the troubles eating away at my mind.

This happiness doesn’t last me a long time, though. Worry creeps in and I can’t help but ask myself what happens next. What if he’s just using me? I become irrationally afraid and his heated kiss doesn’t reassure me.

Besides, what’s taking him so long? It’s been about twenty minutes since he left and I can’t stay here the whole night. What if my uncle starts looking for me? What if someone saw me come up here with him?

Despite the fact that I promised him I would stay in his room, I open the door and venture out into the corridor. With a racing heart, I wait for five more minutes, but then I decide that it’s enough. I can’t stay here all night. Besides, what’s he doing downstairs? Thoughts of him next to Lizzie nearly blind me with rage.

I bet he’s with her right now, and yet he asked me to stay in his room until his return.

I take a deep breath when I realize the direction in which my thoughts are going. By the goddess, this bond has turned me into an insane person.

Nobody seems to be paying attention to me as I reach the parlor thank the goddess. I look around for a familiar face but I don’t see anyone-not even Ryder. I walk around aimlessly through the many rooms of the mansion, searching for something.

Tyler eventually finds me.

“Where have you been?” he asks in a concerned tone as he closes his hand around my upper arm gently. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

As I look into his eyes, I know there’s no way on earth that I’ll be able to ignore this question so I tell him, “I was in a bathroom upstairs. I’m sorry.”

He exhales, relieved. “I thought something happened to you. I was worried. Your uncle was looking for you, too.”

This makes me feel a little bit guilty. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s dine. We were just…worried for nothing, I guess. Hey, do you want something to drink, maybe? Like a…”

I stop paying attention to him when I make eye contact with Ryder over Tyler’s shoulder. He’s alone, and when he sees me with Tyler, anger crosses his features and I fear for what could happen next because he’s walking toward us right now, and the last thing we all need is a fight like last time.

“I think I have to find my uncle,” I say, interrupting him. “I just want him to know I’m fine.”

“I can go with you.”

“No, there’s really no need.” I’m already walking away from him so that he doesn’t follow me. Leaving him like this makes me feel so bad because he’s my date, after all. But Ryder has stopped walking toward me, and either way, I’m not looking back at him.

I breathe easier when I’m outside again.

What a mess.

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09:56 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 63

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I don’t spot my uncle at all, and I walk around looking for him. I see a few familiar faces from the university, but I don’t talk to anyone. We never talk during lessons, so why should we talk now? That makes no sense at all.

Eventually, I find myself in a quiet part of the garden that’s facing away from the gathering outside, and I lean against the wall and just breathe. I can’t stay here the whole night, but it does feel easier to think without so many people around.

I’m not alone for long. As my eyes are closed and I’m thinking about the kiss and all the things Ryder said to me, I’m approached by someone.

Lizzie’s father.

“Aria, right?”

I open my eyes and stare at his smiling face for a long time without saying anything, and I ask myself what he wants.

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09:56 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 64