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 bthat /bhe 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 acheb…/bwhat had my wolf snarling just beneath the surface was the way Ryker Wraithe looked at bher/b.

Seraphina.

That gaze of his: cold, unblinking, fixated.

Like she was his prey, aim, band /bthe end. Like he was already peeling back heryers with his eyes and iming her with that single stare.

It didn’t matter that he was hierarchy. It bdidn’t /bmatter that he moved like death and looked like ban /bunsheathed knife.

He was a bthreat /bfor bthat /breason alone, because he had the audacity bto /bset bhis /beyes on her. He hadn’t looked away from Seraphina since bthe /bmoment he stepped out here.

My wolf growled violently in my mind.

A newly joined Alpha Instructor bsaid /bfrom 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 baback /bwhile my jaw locked.

“Her?” My wolf mmed against my skin, howling bto /brip that word right out of Ryker’s throat.

He didn’t beven /bknow 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 bmy /bwolf refusing bto /bleave.

Before I could speak, Asher’s bvoice /bcut in, deceptively mild, “Why, Seth Darten?” he frowned at Ryker with a growl.

He sounded suspicious to the others bbut /bI could see there bwas /bsomething else beneath it. The protectiveness. It wasn’t lost on me Something deeper, coiled tighter.

Possession.

My head snapped toward bAsher/b, eyes narrowing.

“I believe you are busy bAlpha /bbAsher/b. The others bas /bwell. Moreover Alpha Seth is approachable band /bbkind/b. So let Alpha Seth handle it.” Alpha binstructor /bstated and nced at bSeraphina/b. “Alpha Seth, please bshow /bbAlpha /bRyker-

“No” Interrupted, sharp, deliberate “Seth bDarven /bhas 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. bUnblinking /bDark 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, bmatching /bhis stare. That goes for others as well. So have someone el roam the bhalls /band 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 tform 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 ba /bsmooth and cutting voice, “bAnd /bI choose this one.”

My fists clenched, my eyes snapping to her face. That was tilted upward, blinking, confused. Staring at him

My blood bwent /bmolten.

bShe /bwasn’t speaking. More like staring at him without blinking and bthat /bmade 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 bfaces/b.”

That did it.

That did it.

I bshoved /bmyself between bhim /band her, and the growl that tore out of me before I could contain it. “A sucker of bwhat/bb?/bb” /bsnarled, voice rising. “Go ahead. Say that bagain/bb!/bb” /b

We were face to face now. Inches apart. My wolf bshing /bin my eyes bready /bbto /bconsume him whole. Ryker didn’t back downH, instead he also stepped forward, “Sure, for you I will bsay /bit again,” he smiled. My fists clenched like a hammer ready to break his jaw band /bbwaiting /bfor him to say it bagain/b. I bwas /bseconds baway /bfrom ending him right then and there when suddenly her voice bsliced /bbthrough /bthe tension like ice water.

“Okay, let’s go

What?

I turned towards her. She didn’t look at me. bShe /bblooked /bbat /bRyker. “bSince /bAlpha Ryker is a sucker for beauty, I don’t bwant /bto disappoint bhim/b”

A small smile appeared on Ryker’s lips that was benough /bto 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 bmind /b

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 bhim/b. Her face calm. Her eyes unreadable.

The only thing I could feel was the crushing certainty that bsomething /bhad shifted.

Ryker looked over his shoulder at me band /bas 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.