Chapter 12 #2
He’d been claiming me as his all along, making sure anyone who came into his space knew I existed. Knew I mattered to him.
I felt tears prick at my eyes again, but this time they were happy tears.
I loved this man. I loved him so much it hurt.
I spent a few more minutes looking at the pictures, committing each one to memory, before I decided I needed to see him. I needed to be near him.
I headed downstairs to his office, my heart racing with anticipation.
The same receptionist was at the desk—the blonde who’d been checking Ryder out the other day. She looked up when I approached, and her expression immediately soured.
“Can I help you?” she asked, her tone cold.
“I’d like to see Ryder,” I said, keeping my voice polite.
She looked me up and down, her lip curling slightly. Then her eyes glazed over, and I knew she was mindlinking him.
After a moment, she blinked and looked back at me. “He said you can go in,” she said, her tone making it clear she wasn’t happy about it.
“Thank you,” I said sweetly, and walked past her toward Ryder’s office.
I could feel her glare on my back, but I didn’t care. Let her be jealous. Ryder was mine.
I opened the door to his office and stepped inside. Ryder was on the phone, leaning back in his chair, and he was laughing at something the person on the other end had said. He looked relaxed and happy, and when he saw me, his entire face lit up.
I just stood there for a moment, watching him. He looked so different from the Ryder I’d seen when I first arrived—the one who’d been tense and guarded. This Ryder was open and warm, and I knew I was the reason for the change.
The thought made me smile.
He motioned for me to come to him, and I crossed the room. As soon as I was close enough, he reached out and pulled me onto his lap, wrapping one arm around my waist to hold me in place.
I settled against him, finally tuning in to his conversation.
“Yes, I will,” he was saying, his voice warm. “She’s right here...yes, I’ll have my mom call you...she’s going to be very happy to hear that...we’ll see you soon, I’m sure...bye.”
He ended the call and set his phone down on the desk, then turned his attention to me.
I looked at him questioningly, and he smiled, turning the phone so I could see the screen.
My parents.
“They move fast,” I said, laughing. “I just spoke with them not too long ago.”
“Your father threatened me,” Ryder said, his eyes dancing with amusement.
“Good,” I said, grinning.
He laughed and pulled me closer, his lips finding mine. The kiss started soft but quickly deepened, and I felt that familiar heat building between us. His hand slid up my back, tangling in my hair, and I shifted on his lap, pressing closer.
Then there was a knock at the door.
Ryder groaned against my lips but didn’t pull away. The knock came again, more insistent this time, and the door opened.
A tall, muscular man walked in, and I immediately felt Ryder tense beneath me.
“Hey, you got a few mins?” the man asked, then stopped short when he saw me on Ryder’s lap.
“Does it look like I want to be interrupted right now?” Ryder asked, his voice edged with annoyance.
The man had the grace to look sheepish. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were busy.”
“Obviously,” Ryder said dryly.
The man’s expression shifted into a smile, and he looked at me with open curiosity. “You must be Luna Emily.”
I looked at him, confused, then turned to look at Ryder. He just smiled at me, his expression warm and proud.
“The name’s Ken,” the man said. “I’m your Beta.”
I smiled, trying to process this information. “Nice to meet you, Beta Ken.”
“Just Ken is fine,” he said, waving a hand dismissively.
“Okay, then call me Emily,” I said.
Ken shook his head. “Okay, but only in private. I gotta call you Luna in public.”
I noticed him glance at Ryder, as if seeking confirmation. I looked at Ryder too, and he just nodded and smiled at me.
I turned back to Ken. “Okay, I guess that’s fine.”
“I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it,” Ken said, grinning. He backed toward the door and left, closing it behind him.
The moment he was gone, Ryder’s lips found my neck. “Now, where were we?” he murmured against my skin.
I shook my head, pulling back slightly. “Uh uh, mister.”
He looked at me questioningly, his eyebrows raised.
“Luna?” I asked, looking at him.
Ryder’s expression shifted, and he looked almost embarrassed. “Well, I am the alpha of this pack, so you’ll be my Luna.”
I felt nervousness flutter in my stomach. It was one thing to know intellectually that I would be Ryder’s Luna. It was another thing entirely to have someone actually call me that.
Ryder must have felt my anxiety through our bond—even though he hadn’t marked me yet, our connection was strong. We’d known each other our entire lives, and he was an Alpha. The bond between us was more powerful than most.
“Em,” he said softly, his hands coming up to cup my face. “You’re going to be an amazing Luna. I want you to be my mate and my Luna.”
I nodded, trying to swallow past the lump in my throat. “I know. It just hits differently thinking about it versus having someone actually call me Luna.”
Ryder nodded, understanding flickering in his eyes.
I tried to reassure him, seeing the worry starting to creep into his expression. “I just need to get used to it.”
He looked relieved, and I could feel his panic starting to recede. I could feel it through our bond—he’d been terrified that I was going to back out, that the reality of being Luna was going to be too much for me.
I grabbed his face in my hands, making sure he was looking at me. “Ryder, I am still hurt about what happened five years ago. But I love you, and I want us to work.”
His smile was brilliant. “I do too.”
He kissed me again, and this time I let myself sink into it. His hands moved to my waist, pulling me closer, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
Man, I thought as his tongue swept into my mouth, I will never get bored of kissing this man.