Page 64 of Claiming Her Alpha

A warm shiver ran down his spine as he soaked in her words.

Though they tried to hide it, the three men behind her were confused–they had no idea what she was talking about. She hadn’t told any of them about him, and at first, he was proud of her strength. Then, the meaning of it hit him like a wrecking ball. For over a year she’d been alone, no one to share her sorrows with, no one knowing what pain she was truly suffering.

“I want my men back.”

“I will release them so they may return to your territory as soon as I have what belongs to me.”

“And what guarantee is there, that you keep your mouth shut?”

His words earned him a deep growl from both Beta Avery and the other man standing beside her.

“As you know, I’m not interested in anyone getting hurt. This information could bring out old, hard feelings that I’m not interested in stirring, but I’m not afraid to use it to get what I want either.”

“I don’t have use for a broken wolf anyway.”

His alpha’s words were supposed to be an insult–but Ryker only felt free.

Alpha Vallerian turned and walked out the room, his rage barely fitting through the double doors. Gabriel, however, stayed behind, his eyes resting on Kendra as if he was seeing clearly now. “You have changed.”

“I believe that’s what makes life so beautiful.”

Gabriel turned to leave but Kendra’s next words stopped him in his tracks.

“I don’t wish to rip Ryker from his pack. I understand the role he holds and its importance to the pack’s safety and wellbeing. If you need, he may return to help you choose and train your next lead warrior.”

“I will take it to my alpha.” Turning to Ryker, Gabriel’s face softened. “Come see us later.” ‘Give him time to calm down and spend some time with your luna.’

Ryker bowed his head. “Yes, Beta.”

As Gabriel walked out, Kendra’s façade dropped and for the first time, Ryker saw every emotion painted on her face. Pain, exhaustion, fear, but most importantly–relief. She didn’t wait for Gabriel to leave the house before walking around the desk and stopping before Ryker.

He was frozen in place, his mind still trying to process the events that had just unfolded. Unable to move, he watched as she lifted her shaky hand towards his face. Her fingertips brushed his cheekbone, and he fucking lost it. He crashed his lips on hers, lifting her into his arms and hugging her as if his life depended on it.

She melted into his touch, tears running down his cheeks as they dropped onto his face. The bleeding in his heart stopped and the void trying to kill him from within closed. His world stopped spinning as her peachy taste spread through his mouth. Her hands gripped his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist. Her touch, her scent, her taste, was like a drug he was getting high on.

After far too soon, she pulled away, panting to catch her breath.

“Mine,” she hummed as a promise.

“Yours.”

He rested his forehead against hers and soaked in her presence. Way before he’d ever be ready, she unwrapped her legs and slid down his body. He didn’t want to let go. Every cell in his body fought him as he set her on the floor. Looking past her, he saw three baffled faces looking back at them. There was a moment of awkward silence as Kendra didn’t turn around, only rested her hands on Ryker’s chest as she looked up at him.

“Personal… so very personal,” the man in the back chuckled before he separated from the bookshelf. “That was a pleasure to watch. I’m looking forward to doing business with you again, Luna Kendra.”

She turned and grinned at him. “The pleasure was all mine.”

As he walked by, Ryker got a whiff of him and something in the back of Ryker’s mind clicked. “You mapped out the territory for her.”

“Took you long enough,” he laughed as he walked out.

“What the fuck just happened?” the warrior blurted out.

“I believe what Mike meant was ‘Can we have the whole story, Luna?’”

“I’m not talking to my luna right now, I’m talking to my best fucking friend who just messed with the Blood Alpha and kept her mate a secret from me! What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Kendra relaxed into Ryker’s body, resting against his chest while his arms found their place around her shoulders. “How about we wait for my father to arrive, so I only have to say this once?”