The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8

ARIA

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As I walk toward my Wolf Biology class, Ryder and his group of friends walk past me, and sure enough, his eyes are on me in that way I find so unnerving.

I’m the first to look away, not caring how that affects his view of me. I’m openly avoiding him-I don’t want to have any more unnecessary interactions with him. Who can predict what will happen next?

Maybe he’ll have me expelled from the university entirely.

After my class, I head outside for some fresh air. The university is surrounded by gardens and so much greenery, so there are countless places where you could stop to take a breather and mentally prepare yourself for the next class, or for whatever reason, really.

I’m standing near the entrance, arms folded. I see Ryder and his group of rowdy friends standing only a few feet away from me, and of course, his eyes find mine again. I rearrange the strap of my bag and start to turn around to head back inside, always annoyed that I won’t have the little break I’ve been envisioning all through Biology, and nearly crash into Tyler.

“Oh, hi.” he says, flashing me a big smile.

“Hi”

“Haven’t seen you in a while,” he remarks. “I was actually hoping to come across you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he proclaims. “Want to catch up over lunch? We can go to that burger place. Artie’s. What do you say?”

On a normal day, I would’ve said no, but we had fun at that party and Tyler seems like such a nice guy. Plus, for some reason, I can’t stop thinking about how my uncle wants me to make more friends.

“Sure,” I reply impulsively.

He arches a brow and smiles. “Yeah? Great, then-”

Tyler’s cut off by Ryder slamming his shoulder into him. His friends are all behind him, still making so much unnecessary

noise.

“Watch where you’re standing, Hawke,” Ryder says before looking back and forth between the two of us. Once he’s finally had enough, he follows his friends into the building.

Tyler rubs his shoulder, smiling. I shake my head, already irritated. “He can’t do that. I don’t know what gives him the right to do that.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he shrugs. “It’s fine. It’s just how the team is.”

I don’t question it because I could never understand it. Tyler the mentions, “I’m sorry about you and the team, you know. I think you were a great medic.”

“You heard?”

He nods.

Without meaning to, I take a step toward him. “So, you know who filed the complaint?” I’m not sure why I’m asking him this when I already know who it is. Maybe it’s just that I need confirmation or even just a clue of how he feels toward it. I want to hear him tell me that it was unfair. That Ryder was cruel for sabotaging my future that way.

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10:18 Wed, Feb 18

Chapter 8

I’m not sure why it matters to me, but it does.

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He parts his lips to answer me, but then his phone starts to ring and he brings it closer to his face and peers at the screen. “Crap. I’ve got to take this. We’ll talk later on, is that okay? Actually, we’ll meet there.”

I nod and Tyler runs past me, pressing the phone to his ear. I watch him go, then head back to class. Thankfully, I don’t see Ryder again. The bastard. I’m sure he’s just trying to get a good look at my face to show me how superior he is compared to

He can do what he wants, when he wants.

He complains and I’m off the team. Just like that.

I try to focus on Wolf Pharmacology, but I’m sinking. I’m just thinking about lunch, which is where I’ll have a chance to get to the bottom of this.

Uncle Barty calls me right after class, though. “Aria. You’re done for the day, right?”

“Yeah. Is everything okay?”

He’s breathing a little harder, and I’m instantly filled with worry. Unc. Is everything-?”

“Yes, I just need your help. Cut my finger on a skate. Dan isn’t around.”

The cut must be really deep for him to call me. Uncle Barty has never complained about pain before in his life. “Alright. I’ll be there.”

I find him in his office. His finger is…the cut is pretty deep and won’t stop bleeding, and his face is starting to get a little too pale. The first aid kit is already in front of him. I disinfect my hands, throw on some gloves, and say, “That’s pretty bad, Uncle. What happened?”

He shakes his head. Sweat is trickling down his face. “I can’t explain what happened. One minute I was holding the skate to inspect it, and the next I was bleeding all over the locker room.”

I grab his finger gently and inspect it before disinfecting, numbing, and ultimately stitching it up. His eyes are closed the whole time. I try not to focus on the fact that he’s my uncle and that fact is making my job a little harder.

I’m desperate to make him feel better, and I want my work to be as neat as possible.

“There you go,” I murmur before bandaging it. “You’ll have to take some pain meds and take it easy, Uncle Barty. That was pretty serious.”

“I take it that’s your way of saying I almost lost a finger.”

“Well, you almost did.” I clean everything up and put it all back in its right place. The color’s returning to his face. I hope that by tomorrow, his finger will be better. “Make sure to take those meds. They’ll really help.”

“Thank you, Aria. What would I have done without you?”

I manage a smile. “You’d do just fine.”

“It’s a shame about the internship, isn’t it?” he suddenly asks in a low voice. I meet his gaze and my movements slow. I’m trying hard not to let this bring me down, but my hold on my optimism is slipping. There’s only so much one can take, right? When will this hit me hard enough to make my teeth clatter and my bones shake? Will that ever happen? Is this something I’ll just…never get over?

Uncle Barty changes the subject, perhaps because he can see the reaction I’m having to his words. “I didn’t interrupt you, did

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10:18 Wed, Feb 18

Chapter 8

“No, but I have this thing. I’ll be back later for dinner, okay?”

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He doesn’t push to find out where I’m going, and I leave the school building and head toward the restaurant, which isn’t that far away. Most students go there to eat almost every day, so I hope it won’t be packed, because otherwise, there won’t be a place for us to sit.

And that’ll be disappointing.

I quicken my footsteps and try to focus only on the time I’ll spel with Tyler. He’s a nice guy, and someone I’d like to have as a friend.

I’ve been lonely for a very long time. As far as I can remember. Making friends was always really hard for me.

But maybe this time, things will be different.

Maybe.

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10:18 Wed, Feb 18