Chapter 5

RYDEN

　　　 What the fuck!

　　　 I hissed as the pain in my jaw intensified. I realized Zeph just punched me. I knew it would come down to this moment. He took it hard on himself when Amelia left without saying goodbye to him.

　　　 “Don’t ever do that again!” My wolf stirred inside me, and he hated it when provoked and couldn’t come out and unleash his beast.

　　　 “Or what, you, son of a bitch?” The anger in his eyes matched mine. He may be my best friend and my beta, but he was disrespectful in front of his family, the elders, and guests.

　　　 “I’m your alpha. Don’t challenge me, Zeph. You won’t like the outcome.” I felt my eyes glowing, my body warming up.  

　　　 The tension in the kitchen thickened. I could sense anger and fear in the air, but none of them made a move, even Amelia and the guy, Ren.

　　　 “You rejected my sister. You knew the reason all along why she left, and you missed to mention that?”

　　　 Guilt twisted in my chest, but I bowed to no one. I would apologize for my mistakes, but after being irreverent, he would not get it.

　　　 “You are my alpha. You should have been honest with me.”

　　　 “I get it, she’s—”

　　　 “No, you don’t!” He raised his voice again, and it just pissed me off.

　　　 “Enough! You don’t raise your voice on me, Hayes.” I pointed a finger at him.

　　　 His father, the police officer in our town, cleared his throat. “Just calm down, Zeph. He’s our alpha. I know you’re angry, but Amelia is here now.”

　　　 “Apologize, Zeph.” I changed my tone to a more serious and challenging one. When he didn’t even move, I waited for a few more seconds, and it didn’t come. “I said apologize.”

　　　 “Just enough of this nonsense!” Amelia came between us before we could maul each other. She glared at me and to her brother who was steadfast in keeping his demeanor. “Maybe I should have not come back. This is the last thing I want right now. I have more pressing matters to attend to, than deal two stubborn intolerable kids. If you can’t keep your anger aside, I am leaving. We are leaving.”

　　　“Don’t go.” I was the first to say, almost in a whisper. 

　　　“Honey, you just came back,” her mother, Shae said.

　　　 “Mom, you know why I’m here.” She looked at her brother.

　　　 “But you can stay for a couple of days, right?”

　　　 She looked at her friends and back to her mother. “I don’t know, Mom.”

　　　 I cleared my throat and looked at Amos and Shae. “Can I have a word with your daughter?”

　　　 “Of course,” Amos replied immediately.

　　　 Zeph eased down and stepped back to lean on the island.

　　　 I gestured at Amelia towards the hallway, and she followed suit.

　　　 Once we reached the door, she asked, “What do you wanna talk about?” She noticed two of my men that she probably remembered Landon and Reede.

　　　 We made it outside. It should be freezing cold, but werewolves could tolerate cold weather.

　　　“Where did you get the elixir?”

　　　 “I’m not telling you anything,” she replied with such defiance. I may not be her alpha anymore, but she was in my land. It would piss me off with that tone, but she also made me proud that she didn’t bend to anyone, even to me.

　　　 “Why did you dye your hair?” I didn’t know why I had to ask it, but I was curious, and I loved the golden bronze before she left. She did look feisty and hot in redhead, though.

　　　 She glared. “Is it really my hair you want to talk about?” 

　　　My gaze drifted leisurely over her face, making her seem self-conscious. She knew exactly how it affected her, and I could hear her wild heartbeat because my eyes just glinted in amusement. 

　　　“Son of a bitch.”

　　　 “We’re throwing you and your friends a welcome party at the pack house.”

　　　 “I don’t need a welcome party. You know the reason why I came back, and it’s not permanent. We’re leaving soon.”

　　　 “You’re not leaving, Amelia. We need you here.”

　　　 She snorted. “What could I possibly help? You have everything all figured out without me. I’m just a weakling, an abomination, and a waste of space. Isn’t that what you told me before you rejected me?”

　　　“I know what I said.” My jaw locked as I ignored the knot in my gut.

　　　“What did you call me before I left? A bed bug.”

　　　 I chuckled. “A ladybug, Amelia, and it’s not an insult.”

　　　 “It’s not a compliment either.”

　　　 “You know what ladybug symbolizes? It may maybe a tiny beetle, but it symbolizes goodness and positivity, protection, and renewals. New beginnings.”

　　　 “Spare me the crap, but we’re not going.”

　　　 I talked to Reede through our pack link, “Take her sword by the sheath. Be careful with the white-haired guy. He’s dangerous.”

　　　 “Got it, Alpha,” Reede replied.

　　　 “It’s disrespectful to decline an alpha’s invitation to his festivities, especially when it is thrown for you.”

　　　 “What are you doing, Alpha Ryden?” Amelia’s nose flared. Her eyes narrowed. Ren seemed like communicating with her. I wasn’t sure they were in a pack, but I could be wrong right now.

　　　 Reede came to me with the sword, and so did his friends and family. Ren stood straight, eyes laser-focused on Amelia, probably waiting for her signal.

　　　 “Consider this an insurance.” I put on my gloves and took the sword from Reede. “See you tonight?”

　　　 “He can’t take it, Amelia.” Ren came beside her about to explode in anger.

　　　 “Let him,” she said to him before she looked at me. “Take care of that. Don’t let anyone touch it. Its value is more than my life and yours, Alpha Ryden.”

　　　 “Very well.”

　　　***

　　　“So, it’s true then. She’s alive.” Nora just burst into my office. It was a good thing I was done keeping the sword where no one could find it.

　　　 “Yes. Amelia is not dead, and she’s here to see her family.”

　　　 “Why do you allow such a weakling to come back, babe?” Nora was beautiful and was a good lay, but she had also a narcissistic tendency. She could fight ne feral and didn’t accept defeat, which made her a good fighter, but she was also canny and egocentric, making her more dangerous and treacherous.

　　　 “Leave her alone, Nora. She’s not worth your time.”

　　　 She pouted, came close, and placed her hands on my chest. Her perfume was almost extreme to bear. “You know she has a crush on you, right?”

　　　 “I doubt that. She hates me.” My voice came out low as if it hurt my feelings, knowing that Amelia despised me. It did hurt my feelings.

　　　 “Why do I feel that you feel bad about it?”

　　　 “Just let it go.” I pulled her hands down. “I have somewhere to go.”

　　　 “I heard Zeph is healing. Princess Shadow and Priestess Zarah couldn’t even heal him. How is that even possible? How did it happen?”

　　　 “You heard a lot of rumors lately, but I guess it’s not his time to die.”

　　　 “And here I thought I could be your next Beta.” She grinned mischievously.

　　　 “What the fuck did you just say?” I was gripping her arms before I even realized. “What made you think you’d be my next Beta, Nora?”

　　　 She winced, trying to get out of my grip. “Ryden, you’re hurting me.”

　　　 “Where did that idea come from, Nora?” I didn’t let her go. Instead, I tightened my grip and made sure it would imprint on her skin to remind her where she stood.

　　　“Geez. Calm down. I was just joking.” She cowered, dropping her gaze.

　　　 She may be strong, but after what I sensed in Amelia earlier, I bet my motorbike, she had a chance of defeating Nora. 

　　　I could feel the strength and power inside Amelia. She was a lioness and a force to be reckoned with. I just hadn’t figured out what was within her.

　　　 “Don’t ever dream of it, Nora. We’re maybe fucking each other, but there’s no way you’d be my Beta.”