Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The story between them was more complicated than I thought it was but I still had a feeling that she was hiding something. She liked him and had been trying her best to get his attention but he has been adamant on ignoring her. I believed that but the way she pointedly refused to meet my eyes led me to believe that there was more to this story.

I didn't want to push more than what she was willing to give so I smiled at her when she finished her story, told her that I agreed that it was complicated and swore myself to secrecy to never repeat another word of what had been said to the hearing of Ryker.

Her words actually made me intrigued to see Damien. I wanted to know what it was about him that she was so enamored by. She is just fifteen; at that age, I couldn't imagine myself having a crush on anyone, much less a crush of the magnitude that she has on Damien.

She finished with her drawing but refused to let me look at it because according to her, she still had to color it in and add the finishing touches. She all but threw me out of her room so I wouldn't peek over at what she was doing and I laughed the entire way to my room.

I stayed locked in there all night and didn't even know when I fell asleep until I woke up this morning to Ryker running his fingers over the bare skin of my arm. It was a very innocent action but something about it just felt unnecessarily intimate and it made me want to burrow into his hold and never leave.

"Can we skip training today," I began, sleep had clouded my voice and it was barely audible but Ryker heard it because he chuckled under his breath. "I just want to stay in bed and sleep."

"I know that baby," he leaned down and k*ssed my temple. I felt my inner walls clench at the nickname but I was determined not to blush. "You can stay in here and I'll go for training alone."

He started to move but I grabbed his hand and pulled it over my b*dy. I could feel his b*dy vibrating from the force of his chuckles and I knew I was being unrealistic and unnecessarily clingy but I didn't want to leave the bed and I didn't want to leave him this morning for some weird reason I cannot explain.

It just felt right to be in his arms and although I knew he had things to do, I wasn't open on the idea of letting him go and do them.

"Please stay," I muttered, "Just for five more minutes."

"Five minutes will turn into the entire day," he argued but I could already feel him settling back into bed behind me.

"I don't see a problem with that," I fought back a yawn as he k*ssed my shoulder blade.

He turned me around and pulled me closer to him so my face was buried in his chest. His hands wrapped around me and held me so close that I felt like I was cocooned by his presence. It was overwhelming in a good way and I never wanted to leave.

He would press soft k*sses to my forehead and various intervals and I could feel my entire b*dy turning to jelly in his hold. I wanted nothing more than to melt into him and never leave.

I don't know how long he stayed there with me but then I felt his entire b*dy tense. I looked up at him and saw his eyes glazed over and I tried to push down my disappointment. I know that anyone who would mind link him wouldn't do it for anything that isn't important.

By the time he was done with the conversation, he gazed down at me with a sad look and I just knew that he had to stand. I sighed deeply and pulled away first because I knew he wouldn't and I forced myself to roll out of bed.

"Do you want to come with me to the pack house?" he asked and I turned to him with raised brows. "I know you don't want to go anywhere and I can't promise that it will be fun but Riley is going with me and it might give you some time to hang out with her. Besides, Damien might arrive today and I want you to meet him."

Sometimes I hate when he sounds so nice because it means I cannot be unnecessarily stubborn or hard headed. I liked his suggestion so I nodded and walked slowly into the bathroom.

After freshening up, I got dressed and I waited for Ryker to finish up. I will never not be shocked by how little time he spends in the bathroom and dressing up. When he was done, he held onto my hand and led me down the stairs.

Riley was already waiting and she was finishing up her breakfast when we got down. I realized that we hadn't eaten breakfast yet because of my initial refusal to leave the room. Just as my worry and guilt started to take over, Eve appeared with a little flash in her hands that she handed to me.

Ryker took it before I could and when I turned to him in confusion, he

explained that it was breakfast for me. I asked about him but he assured me that he would get something to eat at the pack house

By the time we got to the pack house. Ryker was dragged off to do something but he handed me the breakfast flask first. In it were pancakes and bacon and because eating alone felt weird, I shared it with Riley who was more than happy to join me.

We ate together while Riley told me all about her time abroad.

Apparently she schools in some up town boarding school there. It is for children of rich and very famous people in our world. Ryker didn't want her to go there at first because it was so far away but she managed to convince him and she has loved it ever since.

She told me about the mean people and the nice people. She told me about everything that she thought was valuable information and I actually enjoyed hearing her speak. She seemed to love her school and the

way she spoke about it so animatedly showed that too.

By the time she was done speaking, I suggested that we go for a walk. She was quick to agree because- and I quote- she wanted to see the hot guards during training. I was quick to remind her that her brother wouldn't take so kindly to those words and she flashed me a mischievous grin.

The more time I spend with Riley, the more I realize that she is a really mischievous child. Not in a bad way, but more of in a 'do what I want' kind of way.

"Ryker will lose his s hit," she muttered to herself as we made our way around the field towards the training field. "If he asks, we were walking around and got distracted."

I turned to her with raised brows, "Are you really thinking of a lie right now?"

"It is always best to have your exit strategy in place," she shrugged as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "It isn't when we are caught that we will plan how we are going to get out of it."

"What happened to telling the truth?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

I shook my head at her and I wanted to speak but we were already at the training field. I heard and smelled them before I saw them and when I did, it took everything in me for my mouth to not fall open.

Different guards stood at every inch of the field training. Some were

running, some were spotting each other and there was a small clearing in the middle of the field where two people were sparring.

I noticed that it wasn't only the guards there but also a few maids I had noticed around a few times. I found it admirable that even the maids were allowed and even encouraged to train. The more things I see about this pack, the more I realized that Tyson's was a terrible place to be. "There is so much testosterone." Riley muttered as she fanned herself with her hand, "I could just pass out from this."

I couldn't help my small smile and she shot me a look that said she had something up her sleeve. I was thinking of how to stop her before she did anything crazy when I noticed someone coming up to us. She was already too close for me to pretend I hadn't seen her and everything went to a standstill.

Riley stopped her dramatics and held onto my arm in a tight grip and that was when it hit me that she may be uncomfortable around Lauren just as much as I am.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," she began as she looked over us both.

"We were just leaving." Riley was the one who responded and she turned to leave when Lauren stopped us both.

"Did you come to train?" she raised her voice so it carried and everyone paused what they were doing to turn to us. "It would be amazing if we could see what you've got. Perhaps you wouldn't mind sparring with me unless-,"

She trailed off but the notion was clear. She had a sa distic smirk on her face and I knew what her entire plan was all along. If I say no, I risk looking weak or like I'm scared of her and if I say yes, then she will have the freedom to embarrass me in public because I know she's a better fighter than me.

"I don't think I'm at the point where I can spar with you." I began after a beat of silence, "I mean you were general," I saw her frown at the use of past tense. "I would assume there was a reason for that. Maybe when I have time I could spar with the actual general."

Her cheeks flushed and I flashed her a small smile.

"It was a pleasure seeing you Lauren."

She opened her mouth to say something and I cannot guarantee that it would have been nice, but before she could speak, I saw her freeze and I

knew that someone was behind me.

I smelled Ryker before I felt his hands around my waist. I looked up at him with a smile and he pressed a k*ss to the middle of my head.

"I've been looking for you," he mumbled into my hair, "I need you with me."

I could see the barely concealed jealousy swirling in Lauren's eyes but I ignored her and turned to Ryker. He intertwined his fingers in mine and pulled me away from the training field. I barely even noticed the amount of whispers and stares that followed us.