?Chapter 76:

“For an Alpha, you’re very humble, Alpha Kaid.”

Kaid chuckled, his eyes staring deeply into mine.

“Please, call me Kade.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ryder’s frown deepen, a ball of crumpled paper in his hands. If I didn’t know him so well, I’d say it looked like he wanted to throw it at Kaid. My heart swelled with satisfaction. Now, he was getting a tiny taste of how I felt when he flirted with Isabelle.

Just as I thought I’d pushed him to his limit, Ryder’s deep voice cut through the chatter.

“Vixen.”

My body went rigid, and I blinked once, twice. My heart skipped a beat at the possessive tone. My legs grew restless, tilting toward the direction of Ryder’s voice.

Turning to face him, Ryder’s eyes locked onto mine, a warning shing within them that spoke a singlemand: “Now.”

My eyes skimmed over the imposing figure standing before me, his cold eyes meeting mine with a gaze wrapped in authority. Ryder, with a deep frown on his angr face, the slight tick in his jaw, and the faint hue of rouge rising up his face, had invaded my sanctuary—my bedroom. His presence was suffocating, making my chest tighten with every passing second.

“Are you going to keep staring?” I spat, my voice low and venomous as I stood my ground, arms crossed. The air was thick with tension, heavy with the weight of our unspoken animosity. Immediately, the words left my mouth, and I knew I’d pushed a red button.

Ryder smirked, his lips twisting into a mocking grin while his blue eyes darkened a bit, so that I felt like I was staring into the ocean on a stormy day—scary and deadly.

“You’re still as fiery as ever, I see,” he said dryly, his deep voiceced with amusement.

Bent on maintaining myposure, my eyes remained locked with his while my heart pounded unbearably in my chest with each deliberate step he made as he closed the distance between us. His manly scent filled my nostrils, assertive and maic, just like its owner. My throat felt dry all of a sudden, and my lips mped shut. Shit.

Step into fiction with gα?ησν????s???o??

Without taking his eyes off me, his taut hands moved gracefully, long fingers brushing against the fabric of his shirt as he unbuttoned it swiftly. With each move, my heart pounded faster. Too curious to maintain eye contact with him, I let my gaze travel with his hands. The first piece of clothing tond on the floor was his shirt.

My eyes widened as I took in the image of his bare torso, and a devilish smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. My expression must have encouraged him since the next thing toe off was his pants.

“Ryder…” His name came out of my mouth in a breathless rasp, and he took a step closer. He had on ck briefs that fit like a second skin, hugging his muscr thighs tight, and… I blinked once and bit my lip. He was hard.

“Stop right there,” I warned, my voice shaky, and I didn’t mind. No way was he going to have his way, not after making me feel like a little puppet, and especially not when he made me feel small and insignificant.

Ryder’s eyes narrowed with amusement, but before I could unleash another verbal barrage, he moved—stealthy and silent—and closed the distance between us. His…

Long fingers wrapped around my wrists, and in a single motion, he had me trapped. His tall frame towered over mine, pressing against my body as he filled the space between us with his heated breath. I gulped hard, my heart racing with a mix of fear and adrenaline.

“What stunt were you trying to pull back there?” he growled, his breath hovering across my skin.

My arms shook as I struggled against his grip, but he held firm, tugging at my wrists. “None of your business,” I spat, my eyes shing defiance.

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