The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9

ARIA

I manage to find an empty table, which is a relief.

Tyler isn’t here, though.

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I kind of thought he would be, simply because I was late. Putting stitches on my uncle’s finger took quite some time.

I’m not worried-I’m sure he’ll come. Tyler doesn’t seem like a liar, though it could be that he forgot, considering he was in such a rush.

I pull my phone out and go through it. I mostly just go through the university’s blogs. Our social media platform-Howlr- is boring to me. I mostly just follow the university’s page to find out what’s happening.

I’m thinking of applying for the job at the library. It would be great, considering I don’t have the job as an intern anymore. I have to do something with my time.

I can’t sit around and cry about something that won’t have a solution.

As a coach. Uncle Barty always told me never to quit. Never.

The door opens and I turn my attention to it to find out if it’s Tyler, but it’s not.

Ryder.

I look back at my thorn as he walks past with his friends. Why do I feel his eyes on me the whole time? I clench my jaw as my eyes scan the article in front of me, but I know I’m not paying attention to it anymore.

That bastard.

How can someone be so mean? What’s wrong with him?

Yes. I might’ve been short with him a few times, but did he really have to ruin my chances of working as a medic?

I’m so angry I can’t even think straight anymore. His group is seated behind me, right on the other side of the restaurant. Our tables are separated by the aisle. I can hear how loud they’re being, and that doesn’t fail to get on my nerves.

Do they really think they’re the kings of the world?

My phone starts ringing. I’m surprised to see that it’s Uncle Barty again. I’m worried and my heart is slamming against my ribs as I answer the call. “Is everything okay?”

“Just fine. Don’t worry. I wanted to ask what you wanted for dinner. I’m thinking of making steaks.”

“Sounds good,” I reply, relieved that everything is alright,

After a beat, he says, “I shouldn’t have mentioned the internship I’m sorry about that. I don’t mean to throw it in your face or anything.”

“No,” I say quickly. “Of course, you don’t, Unc. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m sorry about the whole thing,” he claims. “I’m just trying to keep you safe, alright?”

I take a deep breath. Ryder’s group erupts into laughter, and I clench my jaw. At this point, all my teeth will be ground to dust. “I just wish you’d tell me who did it.”

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10:18 Wed, Feb 18

Chapter 9

“It’s confidential. I can’t. You know that.”

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“Is it fair that he gets to do this because he’s the Alpha’s son, though? He lied. Whatever he told the university’s board was a

lie!”

“I already told you to stop that. It wasn’t him. Quit it, Aria.”

“No.”

“I’m-”

Tyler walks in, and when his eyes meet mine, he smiles. I say to my uncle, “I’ll talk to you later, okay? I really have to go.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Aria,” is the last thing he says to me before hanging up. I put my phone away and place my hands on the table.

Tyler slides into his seat and apologizes right away. “I’m so sorry, I ran a little late because I had a meeting with one of my professors. It was totally unexpected.”

“It’s fine. I haven’t been here long.”

His eyes search mine keenly. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “Yeah. Absolutely.”

He slaps his hands together. “Alright. Let’s order, then.”

A waitress-I’ve seen her before at the university-approaches our table and takes our order. She barely pays attention to me. If I have to be honest, she’s actually quite rude toward me. However, she bats her eyelashes at Tyler, and that makes me realize that he’s a hockey player. Naturally, other girls would faw over him. Who wouldn’t want someone who’s on the team? I’ve heard the whispers before. They’re all wanted.

I won’t even mention Ryder, considering he’s the Alpha’s son.

If only they knew how petty, immature, and selfish he was.

While we wait for our food, he tells me a little bit about his classes. I can’t help but notice how different they are from mine.

“Is it what you want to do?” I ask.

Tyler tilts his head to the side and this look enters his eyes. I’m fairly sure that it’s a sad one. “The truth is that my parents wanted me to do this more than I did. They didn’t even agree on my joining the team.”

“What? Why not?”

I assumed every parent would be proud to have their son in such a position. The hockey team’s basically for resolving conflicts. They’re our army. Our fighters. If they weren’t good, we would’ve lost many disputes.

“Well, they don’t believe in doing any work that doesn’t pay,” he begins. “And of course, it’s dangerous. How many players have died on the rink? They don’t want such an end for me, you know.”

That’s true. A lot of players die all the time, though the fatalities were worse and more frequent back then. The game didn’t have as many rules as it does now, so naturally, things were wors. But some of them get lifelong injuries that impact their quality of life even if they survive the matches.

It’s not easy, that’s for sure.

“But you’re good. And that won’t happen.”

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10:18 Wed, Feb 18 DB

Chapter 9

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After some time, something hits the back of my shoulder. I ignore it, thinking that it’s just my imagination. But then the thing hits me again, landing next to me in my seat.

My eyes widen. A fry!?

I immediately look over my shoulder, suspicious, and I meet Ryer’s eyes. The idiots all around him are laughing, and disgust makes my stomach churn.

Are they in middle school?

I keep glaring at him. I want to walk up to him and just slam my ist into his smug face, wiping that smirk right off.

“Everything okay?” Tyler asks.

“They threw a fry at me,” I tell him as I jerk my head in their direction.

“Don’t worry.” Tyler says right away. “They’re like that. It’s a team thing.”

“What is?”

“Oh, you know,” he says. I can tell that the topic makes him a little uncomfortable. “They kind of…bother the girlfriend of another teammate, just to get him to fight them. It’s what always happens. After the fight, they’ll leave her alone.”

“It’s more like harassment, isn’t it?”

He scratches his arm. “It never goes far.”

“It’s pretty stupid.”

Tyler chuckles. “Yeah. I guess it is. They just think you’re my girlfriend. That’s all. Soon, they’ll stop.”

He’d have to fight them to make them stop, so I doubt that. But despite what he just told me, I’m sure that Ryder isn’t acting like this because of that. There’s more to it, and right now, I have no idea what it is.

But he’s not doing this because he thinks I’m Tyler’s girlfriend.

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