The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 92

Chapter 92

ARIA

I lose complete track of time in Ryder’s arms.

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I can’t get over what a monster Ray turned out to be. I knew something was off when I left the car, and it made me feel uneasy, but I never expected him to attack me the way I did. I’m repulsed by how I can still feel his hands on me even though the moment is over and he’s long gone.

If Ryder hadn’t shown up, the worst would have happened. I felt it in Ray’s touch. Saw it in the dark look in his eyes.

He wanted to hurt me.

Why? I have no idea.

Right now, the instinct to be closer to Ryder takes over everything else. I’m so relieved that he’s here and that he put a stop to the disaster that would’ve happened. It’s all that matters at the moment.

He strokes my hair and whispers soothing words to me. I don’t know where all my anger has gone. It has vanished into thin air. All I know is that I’m tired, and he being here is the only thing that has made sense in a long time.

I feel like a crazy person for thinking this way, but this feeling is stronger than me.

After what feels like an eternity, Ryder pulls away and holds me at arm’s length. He peers into my face with concern and a tenderness that I feel deep in my soul. “Tell me what he did to you, Aria. I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I have to know.”

I shake my head. “No, he didn’t have a chance to hurt me. He wanted to, though. He-”

“Fuck,” Ryder forces through his teeth before looking away. I can feel his anger. It’s a part of me, too.

“I thought he was a good guy,” I offer lamely. It does feel like a foolish explanation. I didn’t know Ray all that well. To trust him without anyone around was…A big red flag was his practically forcing me to get in the car with him. I should’ve said no.

But could this situation have been entirely avoided, or would he have just followed me home?

“No, he’s doing this to get back at me,” Ryder explains. “Ray hates me, Aria, and he was willing to hurt you just to demoralize me. Son of a bitch! I have to kill him.”

I shake my head. “Just think of the trouble you’ll get into!”

“That doesn’t matter to me!” he exclaims, anger flashing in his eyes. “Fuck the consequences. Does he think he can walk into my pack and do this to my mate?”

The word ‘mate’ hits me a certain way, and he notices the immediate change in me. He holds my arms again and says, “Aria, I know we have our issues right now, but I need you to know that I never lied to you. I don’t know what happened that night. Nadia planned the whole thing. She’s in my car right now. Yes, I ragged her ass all the way here so she could explain to you what happened. It’s the only proof I have. My whole team was in on it. They know about us and…it’s like the whole world is trying to sabotage what we have, you know?”

I say nothing. Instead, I stare at the space between our feet. Ryder steps closer and tightens his hold on me. His voice is low when he says, “Please tell me you believe me. Please. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Is that why you’re here?” I question. “Because you brought her here to explain what she did?”

Ryder nods, then screws his eyes shut. There’s a throbbing vein on his forehead. He’s fighting his anger again. “To think that he would’ve hurt you with nobody around to help you… You need to understand that I can’t let this slide, Aria. I can’t let him get away with this.”

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09:59 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 92

“What will

you

do?”

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“What I should’ve done a long time ago,” he claims, brushing his knuckles along my cheekbones. His touch makes me shiver. “I’ll tell everyone the truth about us. It’s the only way people will stop.”

My eyes widen. “Ryder-”

“I should’ve done this a long time ago. Aria,” he interrupts. “Thinking that there would be a better way to get this done was a mistake. A weak one. I faltered. I was afraid. I disrespected you, my mate. All for the sake of people who mean less than shit to me. I understand what I’ve done now, Aria. All I can say is I’m sorry. You have every right to be mad at me. I can’t even look at my face in the fucking mirror.”

I furrow my brows. “What’re you talking about, Ryder? What’s this all about?”

He shakes his head and steps away from me. “I’ll fix this. I swear to you that I will. Tell me you believe me.”

“I do. Will that make you stay?”

Ryder shakes his head. “I need to find my father. I need to talk to him about all this.”

“Now?”

“Why wait?”

I’m terrified. I realize that as soon as he steps toward the door. Ryder is really going to do this, and I don’t know what to do with myself. This is certainly proof that he cares about me, and I know deep down that he’s not bluffing.

“Ryder, wait!”

He pauses with his hand on the door handle and turns around to face me. I approach him. “Wait. Please.”

He searches my eyes. “What is it?”

I swallow and look away. How can I let him do something like this when I haven’t told him the truth of who I truly am? Or rather, not who, but what I am? His hand drops to his side and he closes the distance between us. “What is it? Don’t you want this? Is that it? You’re not sure about us anymore?”

I shake my head and he tenses. “It isn’t that.”

The distance between our bodies has disappeared. “What, then? Don’t you love me anymore?”

I look into his eyes. The despair he feels courses through me. I realize why I was running from him this whole time.

I would never have been able to pull away if he were this close. It was easier to run.

“Aria.”

“I do,” I answer. Relief washes over his face as I speak. “Of course I do. It’s just that—”

He doesn’t even let me finish. “I hurt you. With my

bullshit.”

“I never saw a future for us,” I admit. “It always felt like a fantasy, have both feet planted on the ground, Ryder. I always have. I always figured that this was something that would bore you, or-”

“I’m not bored. This isn’t a game for me, Aria. This is real life. This has always been real for me.” His hand is back on my face. “I’m sorry

I made

and you feel like you didn’t matter to me. You’re my whole fucking world, baby. From the day I met you you told me off in that medical room, that was when I fell. So fucking hard that I couldn’t even believe what was happening to me. You’re it for me, alright? I couldn’t settle with anyone else I never wanted a mate before-because none of the girls I ever met were you.”

y

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09:59 Mon, Mar 2

Chapter 92

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Tears spring to my eyes. Ryder brushes them away. He presses his forehead against mine and curls his fingers in my hair.

“I won’t let anyone get between us again,” he vows. “I promise. I swear to you. They’ll have to kill me to make that happen. Do you believe me?”

I look into his eyes

and nod, and with no hesitation at all, he presses his lips against mine, kissing me like the world is on fire and I’m his only refuge.

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AD