My interrogation had been repeatedly interrupted because we’d been attacked by not one but two howler packs. Clearly, the Strigoi had moved on after their encounter with Rynn, and the lesser beasts were reclaiming their territory.
When the three of us had strode through the Narchis main gate and made our way to our guest suite, no one had said a word. Even Rynn’s brother had backed off after seeing she was alive and in one piece. Rynn had immediately stormed into the attached bathing chamber to rinse off.
I’d considered joining her, but it didn’t seem worth the fight with her or Ryker, because his little crush was getting out of hand, which was yet another thing I’d have to deal with. There was no way that was going to end well. Rynn despised him, maybe even more than she despised me. It was a toss-up at the moment.
But unlike Ryker, I was confident I could get back into her good graces. Eventually.
“Hurry up!” I yelled at Rynn before shrugging off my shirt and tossing it aside.
I was covered in dried blood and dirt, I’d lost one of my daggers, thanks to one of the howlers sprinting off with it still in its side, and now I was looking at my favorite jacket that had been slashed to pieces.
“What the fuck, Ryker?” I pulled my jacket off the hook and threw it at him. “You owe me a new one.”
His lips curled back as a growl rumbled from his chest.
“Oh, fuck off,” I snapped. “Shift back. We need to talk.”
Ice-blue eyes glared at me for another moment, then between one blink and the next, the silvery grey wolf was replaced by an irritated, naked Ryker, sweat clinging to his skin.
“What is going on with you?” I said quietly enough that Rynn wouldn’t be able to hear over the running water. “Your crush on Rynn has been amusing, but you’re letting it mess with your head. She’s never going to fuck you, let alone form a mating bond with you.”
I almost laughed at the outright panic that flashed across his face. His gaze shot to the steam rolling out from the washroom and he quickly tacked on, “Don’t tell her.”
Some of my annoyance faded. It wasn’t like Cade, Warrick, or I had a good history with relationships, but at least we had a history. I was pretty sure Ryker hadn’t so much as kissed someone before. It figured the first time he was interested in doing so, he’d not only go all-in but choose a person who would never choose him back.
Maybe as a fuck buddy, but definitely not as a mate. Hells, even if she did, we’d never allow it.
“Signs of a potential mating bond vary, but two of the most common are a general infatuation and what people describe as a tightness in the chest that grows the longer you’re apart and only eases after hours of being around each other again. You were rubbing your chest constantly while we were looking for Rynn. I’ve never noticed that behavior from you before.” Most Velesians believed mating bonds were rare, but that wasn’t exactly true. Potential mating bonds were somewhat common. I’d never felt one before, but Cade had.
Though the key word was potential. All it meant was that it was possible for a mating bond to form if the two or more people who felt the pull pursued it, but everyone had to accept the bond for it to snap into place, and it was entirely possible for only one person to ever feel the potential.
I’d listened to more than one sad sap tell me their miserable story about an unrequited mating bond over a pint.
“Just leave it alone.” Ryker looked back to me. “It’s my business.”
“It’s not that simple and you know it,” I pushed. “This will impact all of us if she finds out.”
“And your stupid bet won’t?!” Frustration lit up his blue eyes. “You can have anyone, Bas. Don’t mess around with Rynn.”
“Ryk.” I shook my head. “You do understand you have no chance with her, right? It’s not like I’m going to fuck her and then kick her out of my bed. It’ll be fun and casual. She’ll enjoy it, I’ll enjoy it, and she won’t be sprinting back to Moroi territory at full speed because you told her you want to fucking tie your souls together.”
For a second, I thought he was going to hit me. I kind of wanted him to, because we could both benefit from letting off a little steam, but then the water shut off and we moved away from each other.
“Am I interrupting?” Rynn asked when she stepped out of the washroom wrapped in a towel a moment later, her wet hair plastered down her chest. “Feels a bit tense in here.” She studied both of us.
Ryker shot me a look that clearly said, keep your fucking mouth shut.
I gave him a flat look. He and I could have it out later when Rynn wasn’t here. “It’s a bit tense because we had to chase down our wayward packmate today instead of dealing with more important matters.” I stalked over to the decanter filled with amber liquid and poured myself a glass before taking a seat in one of the chairs. “Explain.”
Rynn ignored me and focused on Ryker. “Yeah, about that. What the fuck are you doing here, Ryker?”
In a heartbeat, he closed the distance between them and wrapped a hand around her throat. Rynn didn’t flinch, just tilted her head back so she could continue glaring at him.
Fuck. This was why he was so obsessed with her, wasn’t it? I couldn’t exactly blame him. Rynn’s stubborn defiance was a major turn-on.
“How many times do I have to tell you?” He stroked her neck with his thumb. “Wherever you run, I’ll find you.”
“We’ll see.” She arched a brow in challenge.
