Chapter 7 – Ryder
Seven
RYDER
Keeping her in my cabin was never the plan, but it feels right, even when it’s entirely fucking wrong. It’s not meant for the witchy captive, but after only minutes, her scent already permeates the space and it’s too addicting to get rid of.
But nothing about her should be addicting. It shouldn’t call on my wolf the way she does, which makes Carina Hargrove a massive problem. A massive problem with a sexy smirk and a compelling scent—both of which make her an even bigger issue.
Wolves are pack animals. We enjoy living close together, hence the proximity of the cabins. When we move to the caves in the coming weeks for the winter, we’ll be even closer to one another, and it’s comfortable and normal for us.
But Carina is not part of us. She’s a pest I’m stuck with, whom I stupidly placed inside my home, beside my nest. My fucking nest. I rub my forehead, wondering what the hell is in my head, and stride down the cabin’s two steps to get the fuck away from her.
Males don’t share their nests with anyone but their mate, and eventually their pup before the child grows too large and gets their own.
It’s personal and intimate and having her there shouldn’t have every claiming instinct yelling forbidden things at me.
Things that make zero sense, considering who and what she is.
She’ll be sleeping on the ground before I let her anywhere near it. She’ll taint it with her scent and then I’ll never be able to get rid of her. She’ll be the curse never cured, and I’ll die before a witch ruins my home more than she already has.
Xander comes up behind me, interrupting my confusing thoughts. The gratitude felt for his reprieve is gone with his question. “Thought you were rooming her with Holly?”
Since Holly is one of the strongest females, she’d be able to keep Carina contained, and being without a mate or family of her own, it’d be smarter. We passed Holly’s cabin on our way to mine, but I couldn’t stop and leave her there because placing her in mine felt too…natural.
“Is it wise to have her in there?” he continues, making my teeth grind.
No, it’s fucking not, but it’s happening regardless.
“It’s fine.”
It’s not fine. It’s so far from fucking ‘fine’. This witch cast some spell, and I need to cure myself of it before being driven mad.
Xander stares at me. “What’s with you?”
Threat.
Destroy.
Sighing, I tamp down the sudden deadly thoughts about my beta and ensure we’re alone before replying.
“Honestly, I don’t know. When she’s around, my wolf gets anxious.
It didn’t like the idea of her on someone else’s back, or sleeping elsewhere.
” Anxious seems too weak a term, but it’s better than possessive.
He rubs his jaw thoughtfully. “Ryder, man…that’s ma—”
“Don’t fuckin’ say it.” He can’t finish that sentence. Can’t put out there how exactly I’m acting. “Just…keep this to yourself.”
“Alright.” It doesn’t end his side-glances, but a lifetime of trust between us makes me believe he’ll let it go.
“I set up extra patrols to monitor the perimeters since I don’t trust the witches to not attempt getting her back.
Even if she was kinda willing. Did you see that one male she was standing nearby?
If he’s her mate, I expect he’ll try something. ”
Kill.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“Maybe.” Witches function differently. Their bonds, from what I know, are nowhere near as strong as shifters and their mates. They don’t have animal instincts propelling them in one direction. In our personal hierarchy, it goes mate, pack, and then self.
Carina hasn’t mentioned the warlock, nor does she seem particularly upset being without him, so logic says their relationship is different. My wolf, however, thinks otherwise.
Threat.
Kill.
Take.
He’ll destroy my sanity by tomorrow.
“Good idea. Thanks.” I slap him on the arm and increase my strides. “I’m going to visit Dad and let them know what happened. See you in the morning.”
Xander falls out of step. After a brief knock on Dad’s door, I let myself into the space I’ll be expected to move into after winter passes. Soon, everyone will anticipate me choosing a female from another pack to claim as my mate, move in here, and start working on making the next Alpha.
Marissa and Amos are keeping guard over my father’s sleeping form. His ragged breathing bothers my ears, so I wave them outside to talk without disturbing him, asking how he is as soon as Amos shuts the door.
Marissa pushes a grey curl behind her ear. “Managing. The magick is wearing him down. It took a while for him to fall asleep.”
“You have the witch?” Amos glances by me to scan the camp.
“Her name is Carina.” Or kamahki. “She’s tied up in my cabin.”
He grunts. “Keep her there. You’ll cause a riot if she’s outside. The others are anxious about having one of them around.”
Not the ones who accompanied me. Cautious, but not anxious.
Regardless, his blatant command unsettles me. Amos has been by Dad’s side for decades, and in the past few weeks since becoming Alpha, he’s struggled to see me as anything more than the heir. His lack of faith pisses me off, as do his “suggestions.” But nothing more than his blatant attitude.
My growl forces his unspoken challenge to cease.
“Have you thought about her escaping?” He crosses his arms. “She’s a witch. Rope won’t hold her.”
Marissa, ever the peacekeeper, rests her hand on his shoulder, urging him to back down after reading my expression. “What’s important now is handing her over to that coven. Will you warn her?”
“Tomorrow, yeah, so she understands. She won’t be quiet until learning the truth.” No one would accept this kind of kidnapping without proper explanation.
“She won’t care about any of us,” Amos mutters.
My wolf is unsettled in that anxious pre-fight way. Before this turns deadly, I tamper him down by gripping the closest wooden post.
“If you were in her place, would you? It’s her against us, and for her survival, she will deem herself more important.
” I pause, considering the entire meeting.
“Then again, she might. She came semi-willingly. Morgan was ready to deny us, ready to accept a battle over the accords, but Carina stepped in and agreed to come. She already guessed we need her, and she wants to learn why.”
Marissa hums lightly, glancing at my cabin. “She’s a High Priestess’s daughter. She’s doing what’s right by her people.”
Amos’ lip curls as he turns for the door. “Guess we’ll see. I’ll take the first shift, Marissa. You get some sleep.”
“Wake me if you need me to take over,” I say when we’re alone. The elders are the caretakers of the pack, but he’s still my father and I’m still Alpha, which makes him ultimately my responsibility.
“You’ll have your hands full, it’s okay. Be sure to rest as well. I feel in my weathered bones the next few days will be trying.”
With Carina around, I guessed that the second I realized who she is.
“You did good today. It’s an unfortunate twist of events, but this will work out in the end. For everyone.” Her gaze travels to my cabin, a thoughtful twist of her lips.
Having my wolf react to Carina, constantly feeling possessive about her, doesn’t suggest it’ll work out. If there’s anyone here trusting enough to give me useful information besides Dad, it’s Marissa.
“Marissa.” I wait until she faces me again, but at the last second, tug her down the small porch of Dad’s cabin and around to the other side, deeper into the woods and away from anyone able to overhear. “Have you ever heard of reacting weirdly to another person?”
Unfazed by the fact I just dragged her around, she checks, “Weird how?”
Please don’t make me say it.
“You know. Like…”
“Like…?”
She’s making me say it.
“Like…acting like they’re a mate when they’re not?”
It’s so rare Marissa’s carefully constructed facade drops, revealing her true reactions—but this instance becomes one of them. Her mouth slips open and she jerks back a step until my cabin is once again in view.
Swallowing through my dread, I tell her everything.
Starting from this morning when finding Carina sneaking around on our territory—which she barely reacts to—to the strange thoughts and feelings, and then again during the meeting.
To her being in my cabin, and even now, how my wolf is practically clawing to return to her.
“Oh, Ryder,” Marissa breathes with a tentative smile. “It happened. What a strange and unusual manner, but I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m sorry?”
The fact she has an answer—whatever it may be—is relieving. I’m not losing it, that this has happened before, which means there’s a cure. It means Carina didn’t curse me. However, her reaction is unsettling.
She clasps her hands together and brings them up to her mouth, grinning. “Carina sounds like your n?kak?stis.”
The Old Language, but a term unfamiliar to my ears.
“Your father didn’t want to tell you until it happened, in case it never did. He didn’t want you searching for something that isn’t there or missing out on chances to create your own happiness.”
“Tell me what?” My stomach may as well be weighed down by rocks in the bottom of a stream.
“N?kak?stis translates to heart of my wolf.” Marissa pauses, gauging my reaction. “She’s your mate, Ryder. Chosen and fated by the powers of nature, specifically selected for you.”
Mate.
Both my wolf and thoughts link together—recognize—and everything clicks into place.