I felt a surge of anger. How dare he? The words stung more than I expected. Mom was right about him. A sinking feeling settled in my chest. I had never felt so degraded in my life. Even when Jason had rejected me, I had kept my head high. But this…
My mouth opened, ready to speak, but before I could, he let go of my arms and turned to Seraphina, who had been watching us silently. I had forgotten she was even there, making the moment even more humiliating.
“Give her whatever she wants,” he ordered, his voice cold and commanding.
“Are you going to give me my freedom too?” I screamed, my voice echoing off the walls.
Ryder paused at the door, his hand on the handle. He glanced at Seraphina, a small, almost mocking smile tugging at his lips. His anger did nothing to soothe mine. I wanted him to feel the same fury I did-fuck his playfulness.
“Oh, and I forgot to add one thing,” he paused, raising his finger for dramatic effect-no doubt intentional. “She might be silly most of the time, so make sure to choose the right orders.” Seraphina nodded, her face blank. “Yes, sir.”
I seethed with anger, my fists clenching at my sides. How dare he treat me like this? Like I was some servant, some plaything. I was a person, with my own thoughts and feelings-not an object to be used for his pleasure. Without even glancing back at me, I knew his eyes were gleaming with amusement.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” he called out. “Try to be on your best behavior. Ciao!” And just like that, he was gone, leaving me filled with anger and frustration. I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare, with no way out.
Seraphina approached, her expression softening. “Let’s get you settled in, miss,” she said, her voice gentle.
Ryder’s POV
I had to leave before I did something rash. No matter how far she was from me, her body always turned me on. It was like a magnet, and I was the coin drawn to it. Ace was already urging me to go ahead and kiss her, but I had to pull myself together. She was innocent-her face alone made that clear. But there was something else about her that drew me in. She was… alluring.
Any regrets I had about bringing her here vanished the moment I saw her asleep. By the moon goddess, I swore under my breath. I could attest to that. She wasn’t as calm as I’d initially thought, and that only worked in her favor. The way her face scrunched each time I teased her-that was something else she hated as much as I did.
I had just freshened up and was ready for dinner when I saw Kade, my Beta, walking briskly toward me. Two inches shorter than me, with white-blond hair and a leaner build, Kade had been my childhood best friend, and he now served as my Beta.
“We have a problem, Alpha,” he said impatiently, pulling my thoughts back to the present.
Letting out a sigh, I folded my arms across my chest. “What is it this time?” Whatever it was, I knew it had to be urgent; Kade wouldn’t interrupt me right before my first meal of the day unless it was serious.
His lips twisted. “It’s the rogues,” he lowered his voice. My eyes widened slightly, and I straightened my back.
“They’ve been spotted again, not too far from the south border. Our patrol recorded a lot of damage there. We lost two wolves, and three others are fatally injured,” Kade explained, his voice quieter.
“Fuck,” I hissed, banging my fist against the hard wall.
I growled, my fists clenching as I paced in a small circle.
“How many were there?” I asked, though I feared the numbers would be alarming.
“Six, well-armed and stronger. They seemed to come out of nowhere.” Just as I had expected. From small groups of two or three, four at most, they were now moving in half-dozens.
My jaw tightened, and my appetite vanished. Closing my eyes, I bit my lip. “We should’ve finished them off sooner. They’re getting bolder with every passing day. Six wolves gone…” Shaking my head, a dreadful feeling settled over me, and I couldn’t help but think that this was just the beginning.
Nodding slowly, Kade replied, “You’re right. This isn’t over. They’re planning something bigger-it’s a warning. In fact, something tells me they’re looking for a loophole in our structure.”
“Double our patrols. Make sure we have warriors guarding the borders around the clock. No border should be left unguarded. No one gets in or out without clearance,” I mumbled, formulating a plan. But my thoughts were cramped, and for the first time, I wasn’t sure what to do next. Kade nodded, his lips parting as if he wanted to speak but then shutting them again. His eyes flickered around, avoiding mine.
“Out with it,” I said sharply. Kade’s intelligence was one of the reasons I had chosen him. Whatever he had to say was worth hearing.
“If they attack us in full force, I doubt the patrols will be enough,” he said, voicing my own fears. A shiver ran through me at the thought.
“That’s if there’s a next move. We’re not giving them the chance to strike us that way. Gather all the commanders and tell them I need to see them urgently,” I growled. Whoever was organizing these rogues had guts. At first, we had brushed off their attacks, but as the months passed, their boldness grew. What started as minor attacks with no injuries had escalated to assaults that left one or two soldiers injured… and now we were dealing with deaths.
These attacks had mostly been at the northern border, and now they were spilling over to the south.
I was deep in thought, brainstorming with Kade on how to handle the crisis, when Seraphina’s small figure appeared just a few feet away. She looked frantic, her eyes glued to the ground.
She bowed before speaking, “Master, please, I need to speak with the Alpha,” she said, her voice trembling.
Kade nodded and excused himself, leaving Seraphina and me alone.
“What happened?” I asked, my instincts on high alert.
Seraphina’s eyes were misty, her face pale with anxiety as she twisted her thumbs. “Jasmine,” she whispered.
My heart skipped a beat. Just the mention of her name sent my pulse racing.
“What about her?” I demanded immediately, my voice firm and impatient. Seraphina took a deep breath. “Alpha, she’s… she’s being difficult. Refusing to cooperate, making demands…”
I felt my heart race, my emotions stirring. Jasmine was pushing boundaries, testing limits. A twisted sense of annoyance crept over me-after all, I already had more than enough on my plate.
“Go on,” I said, my voice low, encouraging.
Seraphina hesitated, her eyes darting around the room. “She’s asking for things, Ryder. Things I don’t think you’ll approve of.”
I raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue. “What kind of things?”
Seraphina swallowed hard. “Freedom, Alpha. She wants her freedom. Nothing seems to please her; she’s very upset.”
My heart stilled, my mind racing. Freedom? That was impossible. Jasmine was mine, and her resilience was beginning to irritate me. Maybe, in due time, she would learn how to behave properly instead of acting like a spoiled child.
“I’ll handle it,” I said, my voice firm and resolute.
Seraphina nodded, looking relieved. “Thank you.” She bowed again.
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