Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Ryker
I stared at the bright flames dancing in the fireplace of the study on the second floor. The one Rynn didn’t even know existed.
The Fae had left behind all kinds of secrets and magic in these castles.
Cade said the pack had lived here for over a decade before they’d found this room, which they’d only discovered because Bastian had picked up a ring he’d thought was pretty in one of the upstairs rooms. Later that day, he’d been walking around on the second floor and done a double take at the door he’d never seen before despite walking down the hallway hundreds of times.
We still didn’t entirely understand the spell.
There was a glyph on the back of the ring that we’d been able to reproduce, which was why all of us had a tattoo that resembled a lock on the inside of our left wrist. Without the glyph, the door looked like a stone wall.
Even if someone bearing the glyph tried to escort you through, they would walk through the door . . . and you would slam into a wall.
The entire room was soundproof as well. Whatever Fae had crafted this space had wanted to make sure their secrets never left it.
“Are you even listening to me, Ryker?” Cade sighed.
“No,” I answered honestly.
He’d been lecturing me for over ten minutes. I wasn’t seventeen anymore. Not to mention, I’d spent the first thirteen years of my life in the wilds. No fancy Fae castle to keep me safe.
The chair across from me creaked as Cade settled into it. I cut a quick glance his way. He looked tired and frustrated. That was probably my fault.
“I’m sorry for getting back so late.” I paused. “And for how I acted in the meeting earlier.”
I knew I wasn’t normal. Not like other Velesians. My wolf was woven deep into my humanity, so I often thought and reacted more like a wolf than a man.
Human feelings were confusing. The wolf’s were not.
But I owed Cade and the others everything. I’d worked hard to control my baser instincts, at least in front of other packs. I knew what they said about me. That I was rabid. That the Alpha pack should have killed me long ago.
I didn’t give a shit what others said. They weren’t my pack, so their opinions didn’t matter to me, but I didn’t want to make things harder for Cade and Bastian. The two of them already had to manage Warrick, and I didn’t want to add to their problems.
“It’s fine.” Cade smiled. “Sorry for lecturing you. I know you can take care of yourself. It was more Rynn I was concerned about. She was pissed, and I thought that might lead to her making foolish decisions.”
The memory of her writhing on top of me on the cavern floor slammed through my mind. How her fingers had tightened around my throat. Those wicked, delicious sounds she’d made as I had thrust deeper inside her.
Fuck. Now I was hard. I subtly adjusted how I was sitting so Cade wouldn’t see my erection straining against the thin fabric of the pants he’d tossed me after finding me pacing outside Rynn’s room.
She’d locked me out. Again.
That wasn’t a surprise, but Bastian’s scent outside her room had been. It was fresh enough that I knew he was in there with her, which I didn’t understand. She hated Bastian and he had no interest in bedding her, so why had he been in there?
Unless . . . Had I misread things between them? All the lust-filled thoughts in my head died.
Rynn was one of the few things that both my wolf and I were confused about.
The first time I’d seen her, I’d hated that pretty face so much.
Change was difficult for me, and even though Cade and the others had warned me Rynn would eventually be coming here, seeing her then had been like getting sucker punched.
Then her scent had wrapped around me, suffocating me with its sweetness, like the first day of spring when the wildflowers bloomed.
I’d never wanted and hated something so much in my life, and I’d blamed her for it. Every chance I got, I tried to smother her scent with mine, thinking it might help. That it would allow me to think without her very existence clouding my thoughts.
It hadn’t.
My obsession had grown until the first time we’d brawled in that cavern and I’d sunk my cock into her tight, wet cunt. She’d screamed at me to go harder while clawing the shit out of my chest.
I’d never had a relationship before. Hell, I’d never been with anyone before Rynn, but I was fairly certain that what was going on between us wasn’t normal.
All I knew was I didn’t want it to stop.
Despite her proclamations today, I knew Rynn would come back to me, or at least, I had been confident before I’d learned Bastian was in her room.
A strange feeling rose inside me, and it took me a moment to identify it. Jealousy.
Not just over the idea that her and Bas could be sleeping together, but that maybe she preferred him over me. I mean, if she was going to hate fuck anyone in the pack, it made sense for it to be Bastian.
He was uncomplicated and always knew just the right things to say. Plus he wouldn’t want anything else from her, whereas I . . . I had no idea what I wanted. Other than her.
Why did this have to be so confusing?
“Ryker,” Cade said a little loudly, and I got the impression he’d been trying to get my attention. I blinked and looked at him. He shook his head. “Rynn’s rubbing off on you. She gets lost in her thoughts frequently too.”
“Are she and Bas fucking?” I asked bluntly.
Cade never lied to me, whereas Bas would sometimes skirt around the truth if he thought I’d react badly. Warrick didn’t lie to me either, but he’d just walk away instead of answering.
“No,” Cade said after a long pause that would have had my hackles rising if I were in wolf form.
“Then why is he in her room right now?” I pushed.
Again, that hesitation. I knew what that meant. He was trying to think of the right way to explain without setting me off, which meant whatever he was going to say was something I wouldn’t like. A low growl rumbled from my chest just as the door swung open and Bastian strolled in.
Smelling like Rynn.
“What’s got the pup all riled up?” Bastian drawled.
I lunged out of my chair, but Cade was ready for me.
He grabbed me, wrapping his trunk-like arms around my body, and yanked me against him.
I struggled against his hold, but he’d pinned my arms to my chest. Trying to outmuscle a ursanthrope was a fool’s errand, so I held still and waited for an opening.
“You have the worst timing, Bastian,” he grumbled.
The feline shifter grinned, not the least bit concerned with the silent snarl on my face. “I have it on good authority that my timing is perfect.”
Kill him. I was gonna kill him, or at the very least, bash that too-perfect face into mush.
Bastian saw my expression and rolled his eyes before hopping up onto the bartop that ran across one side of the room. He flipped a small glass over from where they were neatly stacked and poured himself a drink. “Let me guess, this has something to do with our lovely Rynn?”
“Why were you in her room?” I snapped.
“Calm down. I haven’t fucked her.” He raised the glass to take a drink and paused. “Yet.”
“Not helping, asshole,” Cade commented mildly when I renewed my struggle to get free. “I was just about to explain the bet to Ryker.”
“Bet?” I went still. “What bet?”
Bastian flipped over two more glasses with his free hand and poured amber liquor into each of them. “Have a drink with me and I’ll tell you. You can try to punch me afterwards, but don’t spill the alcohol. This is premium shit Kieran got for me.”
“I really don’t know what you see in that Moroi,” Cade huffed. “He’s exhausting.”
“First, Kieran understands the burden of perfection.” Bastian smiled. “And second, he’s a fount of information, thanks to his having friends in all the right places.”
“You mean he had fuck buddies like you all over the Moroi realm.” Cade slightly loosened his hold on me, and when I didn’t do anything, he let go entirely and walked over to Bastian, who held a glass out for him.
“Indeed. Kier and I used to have all sorts of fun sharing various beauties between us.” Bastian’s expression turned mournful. “But then he had to go and get himself mated, so he’s less fun now.”
“Pretty sure he’s having all the fun with Samara these days.” Cade smirked. “She’s prettier than you.”
“And less annoying.” I joined them near the bar, accepting my glass from Bastian, who had gone back to smirking.
“Rynn might be pissy at the moment, but it’s for the best that we all understand where things stand.
” Bastian downed the rest of his drink. “Nothing has really changed. She’ll never really be a member of our pack, but she’s still stuck with us.
Just as we are with her. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make the best out of this situation. ”
“Bastian thinks he can get Rynn to sleep with him. Like actually sleep in his bed of her own free will,” Cade clarified.
“I think she’s going to cut his dick off.
” He shrugged. “But in either case, it’ll probably make Rynn happy, and despite my not trusting her, I don’t actually wish her any harm and I’m hoping she can find a way to be content here. ”
“And, what?” My grip tightened around the glass. “Bastian’s dick is going to make her happy?”
“I mean . . .” Bastian tilted his head back and forth.
“It’s not the worst thing if Rynn develops a relationship with one”—Cade glanced at me—“or two of us. Obviously, it’s not going to be Warrick, and I .
. .” He trailed off before shaking his head.
“There is nothing I can offer Rynn, nor am I willing to chance repeating the past while our realm is on the brink of falling apart.”
Cade had been in exactly two serious relationships that I was aware of, and both had resulted in him almost being assassinated at the hand of his lover.
Rynn calling him closed off earlier had been an understatement.
Unlike Bastian, Cade didn’t do casual flings, so he’d just sworn off relationships altogether.
Given that he still had scars from the last one, I couldn’t really blame him.
“Which leaves you and me.” Bastian grinned before topping off my drink. “And you know I love you, pup, but you have zero chance with Rynn. I mean, she tries to claw your face off if the two of you are in the room together for more than a minute.”
I almost told him that I had gotten there first, but I immediately squashed it.
After all my threats to Rynn about telling the others about us, I found I didn’t want them to know.
Bastian was bored and loved a challenge, that’s all this bet was to him.
I believed Cade did want Rynn to be happy here, but Bastian didn’t care.
If I told him about Rynn, he’d just make a joke of it.
Plus there was how Rynn and I had left things . . .
“I will never choose you.”
My jaw clenched at the memory of the words she’d thrown at me. What if she chose Bastian . . . and only Bastian? Which meant he’d break her heart, and then what? What if Rynn found a way to leave us once and for all?
“Don’t be upset, little wolf.” Bastian reached out and nudged my shoulder. “You know I don’t mind sharing. Plus I’m excited that someone has finally caught your eye.” His eyes lit up. “Maybe your first time can be a hate fuck.”
“Fuck off, Bas.” I downed my glass in one gulp and then snatched the bottle off the counter before stalking back over to the chairs, his laughter chasing me.
“I’m only teasing.” Bastian hopped off the counter and claimed the seat next to me while Cade settled in the chair across from us.
“Don’t tell her,” I said tightly, my gaze locked on the bottle. “Don’t tell Rynn I’ve never been with anyone.”
Rynn had assumed I slept around, and I hadn’t corrected her. The first time we’d slept together had happened so fast, and then she’d immediately shoved me into the water. She’d taken off and refused to speak to me for almost a week. By then, it’d just felt awkward to bring it up.
In the back of my mind, I also worried Rynn would want someone more experienced, but based on the way she screamed my name, I was confident I was doing things right, even if I didn’t have anything to compare it to.
“I won’t,” Bastian said quietly. I looked up to find him staring at me. For once, there was not a trace of arrogance or mischief on his face. “I’m an asshole, but I’d never do that to you.”
I jerked my head in a thankful nod, and we broke our stare-off.
Like all teenage Velesians, I’d gone through a phase where I’d wanted to fuck anything that moved.
Unlike other Velesians though, I’d been battling for control over my instincts that had perceived almost everyone as a threat.
The possibility of losing my temper over minor transgressions had been too great, so I’d stayed in the stronghold for years, only leaving to go on periodical hunting expeditions with Warrick because he was entertained when I snapped and tried to kill him.
By the time I was eighteen, I’d been in enough control of myself that my aggression could be put to use.
People had still been challenging the Alphas for leadership back then, and I’d been more than happy to end those threats.
My reputation as a skilled fighter had grown .
. . and so had the interest in climbing into my bed.
Some of it was from Velesians seeking a strong mate, but it’d mostly been from thrill-seekers, both Velesian and Moroi. They’d wanted to be fucked by the lycan who barely had a hold on his humanity.
I had no interest in being used.
“So . . .” I took a swig from the bottle and enjoyed the smooth burn down my throat. “What happens when Rynn tells you to shove it and you lose the bet?”
Bastian sniffed. “Not your concern because it’s not going to happen.”
I looked to Cade, who just smiled and winked at me. “Bas is going to tell Warrick the truth.”
“Oh.” A raspy laugh spilt from my lips. “You should have led with that.”