The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 79

Chapter 79

RYDER

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I’m standing by the entrance of the main hall, just waiting for Aria.

Where is she? What happened to her over the weekend? I’ve been trying to call her nonstop, and she just doesn’t pick up. Then, her phone was off, and it made me even worried.

I was so close to going to her uncle’s to find out how she was, but I managed to control myself.

If I don’t see her today, I won’t care about any of that. I’ll walk right up to him and ask him how she is, or where she is. I have this bad feeling in my chest. It’s like there’s a hole in my heart or something.

I felt it on Saturday and the feeling hasn’t left me since.

Another thing that hasn’t abandoned me is the damned headache. Fuck, I don’t remember Friday at all. I remember heading inside the bar with the team, and then it all went black. I woke up on Saturday in my dorm room. Somehow, I managed to get there without remembering.

How much did I drink? The guys were laughing at me when I woke up, telling me I was a beast and that the ‘old’ Ice Alpha was back, but I didn’t find it funny at all.

I found it alarming. I still do.

How can’t I remember? Back then, and when I say that I mean a few months ago, before I met Aria, I would drink like a fucking engine and not have any issues with memory loss. That’s why I’m so worried.

I’ve had plenty of rest since then, but it has done nothing for me. The headache persists. That’s another thing I find strange.

What the hell did I drink?

All my thoughts come to a halt when I see Aria stepping out of Coach’s car. My heart thunders in my chest as I watch her get closer. A smile tugs at the corners of my lips and I wait for the moment when we’ll make eye contact and she’ll smile at me in that way that makes my day amazing by default.

But she doesn’t even look at me.

She walks right past, and I don’t know what it is-maybe it’s the expression on her face-but I immediately get the feeling that something’s wrong.

I start asking myself about the phone calls she’s been ignoring. And then her phone was off for the rest of the day yesterday.

What’s going on? What was that about?

Is she still mad about Lizzie?

For some reason, that doesn’t sit well with me. We made up after that, so that makes zero sense. I can’t talk to her right now, as there are many people around, but I definitely find this suspicious.

She’s never acted this way before. Even when there were other people around. Aria would always find a way to smile at me and let me know that she saw me.

But this? This is strange. I don’t know what to make of this.

It doesn’t help that I have this feeling that something is very wrong. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just there.

It feels like a stab to the heart, followed by a series of punches to make the cut deeper and more painful.

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09:57 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 79

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I have no choice but to head to my first class. Unfortunately, it isn’t History, but our next one is, and my plan is to figure out what the matter is as soon as possible. I can’t stand not knowing This worry makes it hard for me to function normally.

As expected, nothing my professor is saying is registering at all. m just thinking about her and what could’ve happened to make her so pissed off. Yeah, I’m sure of that now. I’m sure she’s mad as hell.

Why?

Time seems to be crawling today, and by the time the lesson comes to an end, I’m already flying out the door before the professor’s ending remarks. My sole concern is finding Aria and straightening things out.

I reach the History lecture hall before anyone else, and I don’t see her. Despair creeps into my mind and poisons my well- being. I tell myself that there’s a high chance I’ll do something stupid, meaning I’ll confront her in front of everyone without caring what they think.

But just as this thought crosses my mind, I see her.

She’s walking in my direction with her head hanging low. It’s just the two of us now, and it gives me an idea. Aria looks up and sees me, and it’s hard to ignore the elation I feel just by looking into her eyes.

It’s so otherworldly.

So pure. And precious.

Aria halts, and for several seconds, I think she’ll turn on her heel and walk away from me, but then she continues in my direction before heading inside the empty lecture hall, and I follow her inside.

To ensure we won’t be interrupted or caught, I lock the door.

“Aria,” I say right away. “Could you tell me what’s wrong? I’ve been trying to call you all weekend long, and you didn’t pick up. I thought something happened to you. I thought-”

As soon as my hands touch her shoulders, she flinches and steps away from me. My heart cracks into two, because I know deep down that this isn’t normal.

Aria never acts like this.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

A light scoff escapes her lips and she folds her arms. Her gaze isointed at the floor and that hurts me more than the hatred I saw flash across her eyes moments ago when I tried to touch her.

“You’ve got some nerve,” I hear her say. I don’t believe my ears, but that’s what she says. “You really do.”

“What’re you talking about?” I ask right away. “Tell me what I did wrong. I don’t know what I did wrong. Just tell me and we can fix it. Is it about Lizzie? What is it about, then?”

She continues shaking her head at me, and then her eyes finally meet mine. “I was a fool for believing you. I don’t know why I ever thought that someone in your position would change for someone like me.”

“My position?” I ran a hand down my face in frustration. “What’ you talking about?”

“I’m not gonna stand here and argue with you, Ryder,” she spits. You know what you did. I hate that you think you could get away with something like that. You made a fool out of me. I hate you for it. So much that I could…I could kill you.”

I try to step toward her and she backs away from me quickly, like she’s afraid she’ll get burned or something. “Don’t touch me. Don’t come anywhere near me. I’m done being the Omega you can fool and play around with. I reject you, Ryder

Drexel-”

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09:57 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 79

I manage to reach her and cover her mouth with my hand. Aria looks back at me, terrified.

“Don’t say that,” I plead. “Don’t say those words.”

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Behind us, someone tries to open the door and fails because I looked it. The noise of the handle turning fills our ears. She shoves my chest with her fists, and I finally give her the space she’s demanding.

I back away from her, unlock the door, and head out, pushing past the crowd trying to get in. I don’t care.

My mind’s a mess. I don’t know what just happened, or what I even did.

But it had to be something bad enough to leave her this way.

What the hell happened?

Why don’t I know what it is I’ve done wrong?

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