Chapter 8 #2
Tina reached across the table and grabbed my hand. Her touch was warm, maternal, and it made my eyes sting with unshed tears.
“I know he hurt you,” she said gently. “But he’s grown and changed since then. Please, Emily. Give him another chance. I know you still love him.”
I looked up at her, startled. “How—”
She smiled, sad and knowing. “Oh, Emily. You always wore your heart on your sleeve, especially when it came to Ryder. I could see it in the way you looked at him, even when you were children. That kind of love doesn’t just disappear.”
My face burned with embarrassment. Had I really been that obvious? Had everyone known except me?
“Don’t be embarrassed,” Tina said, squeezing my hand. “It’s normal for mates to feel this love so strong there are no words to describe it. The bond between mates is sacred, powerful. What you’re feeling—it’s beautiful.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Beautiful. Right. It felt more like torture.
“Can I ask you something?” I said after a moment.
“Of course, sweetheart. Anything.”
“Have I been here before? To the packhouse, I mean. Besides yesterday.”
Tina’s smile widened. “Yes. When Ryder saved you in the woods all those years ago, he brought you here. You were so scared, so small. But you were also so brave.”
“I don’t understand though,” I said, frowning. “You all lived in Pinewood. I remember your house there.”
Tina’s expression shifted, guilt flickering across her features. “Actually, we only temporarily lived in Pinewood.”
“What?” I stared at her, confused.
“We’ve always lived here at the packhouse,” she explained, looking uncomfortable. “Well, Greg and I don’t anymore—we have a smaller house on the pack lands now that Ryder’s the Alpha. But the Alpha family has always lived here. We only got the house in Pinewood so that Ryder could be closer to you.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. “So that was all fake?”
“Not exactly,” Tina said quickly, still looking guilty.
“Ryder practically lived there full-time since you two spent so much time together. But Greg and I went back and forth quite a bit so we could still take care of the pack. We tried to make it as normal as possible for you, but yes, our real home was always here.”
I sat back in my chair, trying to process this. Everything about Ryder’s childhood, his home, his family—it had all been carefully orchestrated to keep me close. Because I was his mate, and even as a child, he’d known.
“I went back to the house,” I heard myself say. “That first year when Ryder was at college. I mean, alpha training.”
Tina’s face crumpled with sadness. “Oh, bunny. I’m so sorry. We sold the house since Ryder left for school and—”
“And he planned to reject me,” I finished, my voice flat. “So there was no reason for him to be near me anymore. Right?”
Tina nodded, tears shining in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Emily. If I had known what he was planning, I would have—”
A knock at the door interrupted her.
We both turned as the door opened, and my heart stopped.
Ryder stood in the doorway, looking unfairly handsome in dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt that showed off his muscular frame. His blue eyes found mine immediately, and I felt that pull, that magnetic attraction that I couldn’t seem to fight no matter how hard I tried.
Tina gave me a sheepish smile that was absolutely, completely guilty.
“Oh,” Ryder said, his eyes widening slightly. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were here, Em.”
“Um, yeah,” I managed, my voice coming out higher than normal. “Your mom wanted to have lunch with me.”
“Really?” Ryder looked at his mother, one eyebrow raised. “I’m supposed to have lunch with my mom too.”
“Oh dear,” Tina said, and she was definitely not winning any acting awards. “I’m so sorry, honey. I forgot I was having lunch with you when I asked Emily to have lunch with me too. Well, since you’re here, we can all have lunch together!”
She totally knew what she was doing, I thought, fighting the urge to glare at her. She set us up.
“Of course,” Ryder said, his face breaking into a smile that made my traitorous heart skip a beat. “I’d love to have lunch with you both.”
Ugh, why is he so good-looking? I thought desperately. And stupid hormones, control yourself, Emily.
I forced a tense smile. “I guess you’re here and it would be rude to kick you out.” I laughed, trying to make it sound natural.
Ryder’s smile softened, and I could see in his eyes that he knew I was uncomfortable. But he didn’t leave. Instead, he walked around the table and sat in the chair right next to me—on my side of the table, not across from me where there was a perfectly good empty chair.
As he sat down, his arm brushed against mine, and tingles exploded across my skin. I saw him notice my sharp intake of breath, saw the satisfaction flash in his eyes.
He’d done that on purpose.
I bit my lip, trying to focus on anything other than the warmth radiating from his body, the scent of him—pine and earth—that seemed to wrap around me. Why do the tingles feel more intense today? And why does he smell so good? I can’t even think straight right now.
“So, Mom,” Ryder said, his voice casual as he reached for a sandwich. “What were you two talking about?”
“Oh, just catching up,” Tina said brightly. “Emily was telling me about her parents’ travels. They’re on a cruise around the world!”
“That sounds amazing,” Ryder said, and I could feel him looking at me even though I was staring determinedly at my plate.
They started talking about pack business—something about border patrols and a dispute with a neighboring pack—and I tried to focus on eating.
But I was hyperaware of every movement Ryder made, every breath he took.