XYRRA
"I was kidding," I told Ryker as I started to feel uncomfortable with the surprised look on his face. That amount of shock soon morphed into anger and annoyance.
"That is not something to be joked about," he said in return, sounding royally pissed. "Being a Luna is not a joke."
There were two full minutes of tension inside the car and glancing at his stormy face, I knew that although this whole Luna thing was nothing for me, it was something important to him and as he said, I should not have made fun of it. It was stupid of me and I did not even know why on Earth I had done it. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "But I was not kidding about coming with you. You have been asking me, telling me that it will all make sense if I come with you. Well, now that my dad left and Eros won't have me with The Erebus, you are all I have left."
His expression softened a little. "I'm sorry about your dad." Ryker let out a small sigh. "I know that this whole thing is new to you and I should be more understanding but you see, this is new to me too. Not until a few weeks ago, I have always thought that I had no mate. I thought I would marry my childhood friend and live the rest of my life with her."
"Yeah, I am kinda aware that I am being a third wheel here," I said quietly, looking away at the trees as we passed them by.
I thought he was going to mop about his broken heart, how my presence had ruined everything for him. But Ryker surprised me when he said, "No, you are not." Out of curiosity, I stole a glance at him. His silver eyes were still fixed on the road.
"You are my mate, my other half, and I should have waited for you," he continued and for a split second as he turned his attention away from the road, our eyes met and I could swear I felt my heart being tugged. Then he turned away, breaking the eye contact and everything felt normal once again. "It is never your fault, it was mine. All mine."
I knew telling him that I did not believe in soulmates or that this whole mating business would only anger him so I remained in silence throughout our journey to the North where his pack, The Ethereal, ruled the land. The North turned out to be slightly different compared to the South where Eros and his pack were. Although the forest more or less looked the same, the feeling was different. I could not pinpoint exactly what it was.
"We are here," he announced once the car was parked. He pointed at the huge house in front of us and said, "That is our packhouse."
Everyone was staring at me from the moment the car entered the small town until the time I got out of the car. I could feel their eyes on the back of my head. Cold ran down my spine. Perhaps coming here has been a mistake. I should have stayed with Eros. Surely there was nothing worse than being surrounded by strangers who could turn into a wolf at will. Even though I knew I have never met Eros's pack before, at least Eros would be there for me and if anything went sideways, I could always count on him.
My eyes glanced at Ryker who was busy getting my luggage out of the trunk of his car. I was not even sure if I could trust him. He may seem helpful and kind but I could not lower my guard knowing that he had stabbed me in the back merely two days ago when he had ordered Cindy and her gang to bully me just so I would go with him. What else would he do in order to get me to do something, anything he wanted?
"Come on," said Ryker, both of his hands were carrying my bags. Although there were two men earlier who had offered to help, he insisted on doing it himself. "I will show you around the packhouse."
I followed closely behind him towards a big house about ten feet away from us. "Who lives here?" I asked out of curiosity, wondering if his parents or grandparents would be there.
"For now, it is just me and my Beta, Dmitry Vashkov." Ryker paused, his face scrunched as he turned to me. "My best man at the wedding."
I nodded even though I had not remembered Dmitry's face. That day all that bore in my mind was Ryker's face, the face I hated the most for causing me to be labeled 'mistress', the 'homewrecker', and many other horrible things that I had no doubt Cindy and her gang had cooked up.
"Although from time to time there are other people too. The packhouse can be quite crowded sometimes. We also host several events here," said Ryker as he unlocked the front door, then held the door open for me. He let go of the door once I walked inside and the door closed with a soft click.
I stared at the quite massive living room with a modern fireplace at the far end. On each side, there was a curved marble staircase. "What kind of events?" I asked curiously as I looked up at the high ceiling and noticed two medium-sized chandeliers on each side with one huge chandelier in the middle. Every piece of the furniture here was so sleek, indicating that even though this house has been here for decades, its occupants had modernized everything from time to time.
"Wedding, parties, among other things. In fact, we are going to have a Halloween party in two weeks' time," answered Ryker as he placed my bags on the burgundy sofa, then shoved his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. "Come on, let me show you around."
We moved to the curved staircase on the right, and I followed closely beside him. "The kitchen and dining room are located behind the fireplace as you can see just now. As for the second floor, there are some guestrooms, sometimes the teens use them whenever they are too drunk to go home after a party or when one of the patrols found them wandering in the woods." Ryker shook his head, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I used to be brought here once or twice during my high school days."
"I thought you went to Eton," I commented, not bothering to hide my surprised tone. Most of the rich kids went there while the rest of us could only afford public school.
Ryker did not say anything for a while and I glanced at him as we walked through the hallway with many doors on the left and right. "My brother did," he answered, at last, keeping his gaze forward.
"Oh." I wasn't sure what to say. Hell, I did not even know he had a brother. So many things I didn't know about my so-called 'mate'. "Does your brother live here too?"
"No," he answered, his voice was cold and harsh. "Let's get to the third floor, nothing much to see here. Just gym and whatnot." He turned around, heading towards the stairs again.
While following him, I wondered if perhaps he had a fallout with his brother and that was the reason he was being harsh all of a sudden. "What's on the third floor?" I asked once we hit the landing.
Ryker headed to the left and stopped right in front of the only door on that side. He dropped his silver gaze at the floor and for a second, I thought I saw his cheeks redden a little. He seemed very nervous and uncomfortable at the same time which caused me to wonder what that room was. "What's this?" I finally asked him.
He cleared his throat. "My bedroom. Dmitry's down the hall. I figure perhaps you could grab one of the two that are still unoccupied."
"Or maybe I could just take one of the guestrooms on the second floor?" I offered, not wanting him to feel awkward with having me on the same floor if that was what caused him to be all nervous and uncomfortable.
Before he could even open it, the door swung open from the inside, revealing a gorgeous brunette that looked like she has just gotten out of Vogue. I would have been in immense awe if she was not half-naked and had pulled my hair in public merely a few days ago. "What's with all the noise?"
* * *
Before I even opened my mouth or said anything, Ryker growled at her, "Alana, what do you think you are doing here?"
"What are you talking about?" She let out a small giggle. "I live here." Alana ruffled her gorgeous hair, smiling at him.
"Lived," corrected Ryker. "As in past tense. You don't live here anymore, Alana."
"Oh, and you think it is so easy for you to get me out of the packhouse just because our wedding was off?" Alana turned her gaze to me, her eyes narrowed. "All thanks to you, Little Homewrecker."
Yep, I knew she was going to call me that. But I was not going to stay here in the middle of this couple's fight. I was not in love with Ryker and if he had not married her, it was his own choice. I had not made him do anything. Hell, if two weeks ago I had known that he was about to get married, I would not make out with him. Until now, I still was not sure why I had done it, and even worse, with a complete stranger.
"Okay, you both sort this out. I am going to wait outside." I turned to Alana and said, "And for one last time, I am not a homewrecker. This is the last time I let you call me that. The next time I hear you call me that, I won't hold back my punches."
"Oh, really? Maya and I can surely take them. Maybe we can even take you down." Her eyes flashed black for a moment but I did not budge. No way in hell I would show that woman that I was anywhere scared of her. I could care less whether she could turn into a wolf or a turnip.
"That's enough, Alana," said Ryker in a tight voice. "You need to leave or I'll be forced to throw you out."
"Really? Somehow I am looking forward to that," replied Alana with a wink and a seductive smile. "I've always wondered why on Earth you'd choose her over me when she's not even a werewolf, or an elf, or anything useful. She's just a fragile, freckled human being."
Okay, that was it. I loved my freckles and I did not need to stay here just so she could blabber more about why she was a better choice. Besides, I didn't even want this. I didn't even want him to choose me. I was fine in my so-called boring, mundane life. I turned around and walked down the stairs, trying so hard not to run so she would not mistake my action as me being scared of her.
By the time I arrived on the first floor, Ryker had managed to catch up with me. He stood at the landing, looking up at me. "Don't go. Don't leave."
His hand touched my arm and I could feel my skin tingle underneath his touch although there still was fabric in between our skins. Ryker's silver eyes bore into mine and my foolish heart could feel that little tug again. I looked away and hardened my heart, telling myself that I could not have any feelings besides hatred for this man.
"Just get me a room that she has never been in. I'm going to get some fresh air." I pulled my arm and he dropped his hand to the side of his body. I did not bother to look at him as I moved past him towards the front door.
Once I got out, I could finally breathe again. I walked towards the front where there was a pathway to the forest. I was not sure where it was heading but I had no intention of sticking around when Alana left or when the couple finally took their argument outside.
Trying to take my mind off Ryker or Alana, I focused on the beautiful nature in front of me. Perhaps it was the air or the atmosphere around here, whichever it was, with every step I took, I felt a lot calmer and my breathing was a lot easier.
It turned out the path had led to a lake with a waterfall not far from it. I took a seat on top of a flat rock and watched the water flowing down from above before breaking the surface of the water pooling on the lake. My life had changed so much, one thing after the other, that I had never had a chance to actually take a pause and breathe. In all my years, I had never wanted something that did not belong to me. That was the one life principle that had gotten me through high school unscathed. I had never wanted a role amongst the popular kids, I had never wanted anyone's friends or boyfriends. I had never even had a crush on someone else's boyfriend or someone I knew I could not have. It had kept my life simple, drama-free. And then the moment I wanted to do something new, to go out to a club and have fun like people my age, life brought me a stranger that managed to break down my walls of propriety and everything I had built my life upon.
Until now, I was still trying to figure out the reason why some stranger that I hated for trying to patronize me could end up sticking his head down my underwear. My cheeks blushed furiously at the memory of what had happened. Gosh. I knew if I asked Ryker, his answer would be one simple word: mate. That we were mates and that was the reason behind our instant attraction to one another. But I knew that this theory would not be enough, and I was not satisfied with it because I did not even think that mates or soulmates were real. There was no logical explanation for why someone you had just met could be the other half of your soul. Hell, even saying it inside my head sounded mad.
"Here you are," said a male voice with a thick accent from behind me.
I looked over my shoulder to meet his dark ebony eyes. His hair was jet-black and slicked back in a way that most businessmen did. Unlike Ryker who managed to leave his shirt and wear T-shirts and jeans, this man was still wearing his shirt, suit, and even a tie. "Ry has been looking for you."
"And you are?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Dmitry Vashkov," answered the man as he closed the gap between us and then sat on a nearby rock. "I was there at the wedding, remember?" He gave me a polite smile. "I am even wearing the same tie."
"I'm sorry, I don't." I shook my head.
"Ah, that is okay. It was a rather crazy event, no?" His smile turned into a grin. "You made my Alpha crazy, you know?"
This time, despite everything else, I laughed. "How? I don't think that's possible, Dmitry. It's the other way around. He made my life difficult and drive me to near insanity when he stopped his own wedding and started talking about how he's my soulmate and bound to me forever."
"If it is any consolation, I was against their wedding." Dmitry shook his head, his brows furrowed. "Well, I was always against their union but then I realized that he too deserved his own happiness."
"Everyone deserves to be happy," I said, agreeing with him. "But why does his have to cost mine?" For all I knew, Ryker was a rich kid born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He could be happily married to Alana if he wanted to, and I knew he told me the thing about Khrysaor not agreeing with him but I mean, come on! Khrysaor had let him get engaged with Alana, his wolf had let it go that far so why now? Surely he could persuade his wolf or make it up to him somehow. He did not have to bring me into this mess.
Dmitry straightened up and stood. "Not everything is about you, Xyrra. Ry may seem devil-may-care and all to you but he was not always like that." He shook his head and took a sharp breath. "There is more than what meets the eye. Everyone has their own demon, everyone has their own skeleton in their closet."
I was so confused. It was like Dmitry was trying to tell me something without actually telling me and I wanted him to explain to me what he meant because I was no master when it came to riddles. "Wait, what are you saying?"
Dmitry shook his head and right before I could ask him again, the bushes behind him rustled, and a second later, a big black wolf jumped out of it, nearly scaring me to death.
* * * * * * *
A/N: you may have noticed that I've been dedicating a chapter to readers :DD yes, I am doing that again now that I have more access to a laptop. please leave a comment because I miss talking to you, my angels! P.S. one out of the four guys is Dmitry, by the way ;)