Chapter 82 Ryker Wraithe
RONAN
It wasn’t the fact that Ryker Wraithe had been the hunter during my overnight trial.
It wasn’t the fact that he was a wildcard unannounced, unchecked, and unreasonably powerful
It wasn’t even the fact that he was now one of my top challengers in the race for the Supreme Alpha throne.
No.
What had me clenching my jaw hard enough to ache…what had my wolf snarling just beneath the surface was the way Ryker Wraithe looked at her.
Seraphina.
That gaze of his: cold, unblinking, fixated.
Like she was his prey, aim, and the end. Like he was already peeling back her layers with his eyes and claiming her with that single stare.
It didn’t matter that he was hierarchy. It didn’t matter that he moved like death and looked like an unsheathed knife.
He was a threat for that reason alone, because he had the audacity to set his eyes on her. He hadn’t looked away from Seraphina since the moment he stepped out here.
My wolf growled violently in my mind.
A newly joined Alpha Instructor said from the side. “Alpha Ryker Wraithe, you’ll need someone to show you around the Academy. If you would like, I will have an assistant…“
Ryker’s finger lifted and pointed directly at Seraphina. “That one would be fine.”
A still silence cracked through the hall like the prelude to a storm. Seraphina was taken aback while my jaw locked.
“Her?” My wolf slammed against my skin, howling to rip that word right out of Ryker’s throat.
He didn’t even know her name. Still, she was the one he wanted
“It’s set then. Everyone return to their dorm rooms,” the Alpha instructor ordered. The other Alphas also left but I stood there my wolf refusing to leave.
Before I could speak, Asher’s voice cut in, deceptively mild, “Why, Seth Darten?” he frowned at Ryker with a growl.
He sounded suspicious to the others but I could see there was something else beneath it. The protectiveness. It wasn’t lost on me Something deeper, coiled tighter.
Possession.
My head snapped toward Asher, eyes narrowing.
“I believe you are busy Alpha Asher. The others as well. Moreover Alpha Seth is approachable and kind. So let Alpha Seth handle it.” Alpha instructor stated and glanced at Seraphina. “Alpha Seth, please show Alpha Ryker-
“No” Interrupted, sharp, deliberate “Seth Darven has something else to do. Have someone che show him round”
silence in the ru
Then Ryker moved
For the hose time, his eyes pulled away from Seraphina and locked onto mune. Unblinking Dark blue and void of anything
ensions for myself,” he said, voice low. “no some che”
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Chapter 82 Ryker Wraithe
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else assist you.
Or better yet,
I slowly took a step forward, matching his stare. That goes for others as well. So have someone el roam the halls and figure out everything on your own
The room tensed. The Alphas leaving held their breaths pretending as if they had not seen or heard anything.
Finn stood by the door, arms crossed, watching silently, unmoving. Observing.
Then Ryker stepped off the platform without a word. His boots thudded softly against the stone floor as he walked, not toward the instructor or anyone.
Toward her.
Then you better talk to Alpha Gideon yourself. Because he told me I could choose anyone.”
He stopped directly in front of Seraphina and said in a smooth and cutting voice, “And I choose this one.”
My fists clenched, my eyes snapping to her face. That was tilted upward, blinking, confused. Staring at him
My blood went molten.
She wasn’t speaking. More like staring at him without blinking and that made it worse. Was it because of his face? Hist cursedly perfect jawline and ridiculous handsomeness?
Nonsense. As I was close to losing my mind when Asher’s low growl broke in. “Why is Seth Darven the only option?”
His eyes were narrowed now, a new tension unraveling in his posture.
Ryker didn’t flinch. He smiled.
That smile…
Looking deep into her eyes, he murmured, “This face is quite beautiful. And I’m a sucker for beautiful faces.”
That did it.
That did it.
I shoved myself between him and her, and the growl that tore out of me before I could contain it. “A sucker of what?” snarled, voice rising. “Go ahead. Say that again!”
We were face to face now. Inches apart. My wolf flashing in my eyes ready to consume him whole. Ryker didn’t back downH, instead he also stepped forward, “Sure, for you I will say it again,” he smiled. My fists clenched like a hammer ready to break his jaw and waiting for him to say it again. I was seconds away from ending him right then and there when suddenly her voice sliced through the tension like ice water.
“Okay, let’s go
What?
I turned towards her. She didn’t look at me. She looked at Ryker. “Since Alpha Ryker is a sucker for beauty, I don’t want to disappoint him”
A small smile appeared on Ryker’s lips that was enough to blow my mind.
Before I could take a step. Asher grabbed her wrist. “Seth, you don’t need to
She cor him off with a small, calm unile “It’s just a tour, Asher. I don’t mind
My jaw clenched
That smile, polite. That tour, petal Lake one of this mattered. And how she looked at Ryker as if he was a normal Alpha
mcuur with hidden mouver
She looked up and brielly met my gace, then turned to kyker
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Chapter 82 Ryker Wraithe
“Follow me,” she said evenly.
Then they walked.
Side by side..
My eyes followed every step she took.
My fists trembled at my sides.
My breath was sharp. Ragged.
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Because the only thing I could see as they disappeared through the doorway was her, walking next to him. Her face calm. Her eyes unreadable.
The only thing I could feel was the crushing certainty that something had shifted.
Ryker looked over his shoulder at me and as our eyes met I sensed something dark and evil within his gaze. When we had been fighting as hunter and prey, I had already found him strange but now he unsettled my wolf even more. Especially his interest in Seraphina
I knew one thing for certain, if Ryker Wraithe hadn’t already been my enemy before.
He sure as hell was now.
