Page 30 of Never His Mate

A tiny smile, only one punctuated by the point of his fang digging into his bottom lip. Better there than in Ryker’s thick throat. “I’d be an idiot to refuse. Lead the way.”

I can feel the heat of his shifter’s gaze on me as I take Aleks by the hand, pulling him further into the crowd. If I have to dance with him all night to keep the two of them fighting, I will.

For a moment, I wonder if I’ll get the chance. After the way he tried so publicly—not to mention failed so publicly—to stake his claim on me, I almost expect that Ryker’s going to chase after us. If he really was an alpha coming to retrieve his mate, he’d never let another male get between us.

He doesn’t.

From across the club, I watch as Ryker purposely walks away from the dance floor. He climbs the stairs that lead to the private tables. One of Mea Culpa’s bouncers intercepts him, and I’m not sure what happens next, but the vamp nods and brings Ryker to a table that just so happens to overlook the part of the dance floor that I’m standing on.

It takes everything I have to ignore him. And when that doesn’t work, I just try my best not to let him catch me watching him watch me.

Ah, Luna.

How can Ryker Wolfson make me so crazy by just being there?

Well, I came here to unwind and to dance. I might not be able to relax with the weight of his golden stare on me, but hell if I’m not going to dance.

So I do. I already knew Aleks was an amazing partner, and if he throws in a little something extra because he knows we have a spectator, I forgive him. He promised me that he has no hard feelings for Ryker for the way Ryker shredded him open yesterday and, shockingly, he was telling the complete truth.

Doesn’t mean he’s not going to rub the fact that he’s dancing with me in Ryker’s face.

I’d probably enjoy myself a lot more, though, if I could figure out if Ryker cared. He’s careful to keep his expression neutral which only riles my wolf up more. That expression… that expression! It’s the same look he wore right before he broke my heart and rejected me.

At that memory, I move a little closer to Aleks, trying to dance the sting of Ryker’s rejection out of my head.

It… doesn’t work. And, eventually, I give up on trying—with dancing, at least. Instead, when Aleks offers to get us a couple of drinks, I accept.

I can tell that he’s hesitant to leave me on my own, but he’s not stupid enough to actually verbalize it. With a quick look over my shoulder to where Ryker’s still lounging at his table, he murmurs over the cranking music that he’ll be right back.

A few minutes later, he returns, but he isn’t alone.

I have to work hard not to let my annoyance flash across my face. Though I rarely have to interact with any of the Nightmare Trio—trust me, we don’t run in the same circles at all—there are times when I’m forced to. For Aleks’s sake, I play nice.

Gretchen, Leah, and Tamera are not Cadre, but they’re vampires. He’s known them for decades, if not longer, and they respect him. Sure, Gretchen would’ve eaten me happily the first night we met, and I’ve gotten the vibe that she’s barely refraining from licking her lips when we do run into each other, but she’s kept my secret.

Just because of that, I’ll tolerate her.

I offer her a tight-lipped smile as she comes strolling up with Aleks. He mouths the word sorry to me, so I know it’s not his fault, and I accept the drink he holds out to me with a nod.

Gretchen sniffs. At first, I think it’s because she’s just reminding me how much disdain she has for me, but then she says, “Like I was saying, Aleksander. I can’t believe the Cadre’s allowed two of the mutts in our city.” Another sniff, then a cool look my way. “One was bad enough.”

“Gretchen,” Aleks says, almost as a scold.

“What?” The blonde says it so innocently, I’m almost fooled.

My roommate sighs. “Enough.”

Whether she heeds him or not, I can’t tell. But I do notice that her pale eyes flicker toward Ryker. And, unlike how wary most of the other vamps are regarding the dangerous shifter in their midst, she looks almost… interested.

An idea starts to form in my brain. Probably not the best idea, but it’s a kernel that begins to go pop, pop, pop when Gretchen adds, “Though, I must say, if the Cadre hadn’t passed it down that the Alpha wasn’t to be bothered, I might’ve tried to take a nibble out of him.”

I don’t know what surprises me more: that she knows he’s the Alpha, that the Cadre’s on Ryker’s side, or that Aleks doesn’t look like that’s news to him.

One thing that doesn’t surprise me, though? Is how spot-on I was when I thought Gretchen was interested in Ryker. I guess her hatred for shifters only extends to me and not the ruggedly handsome Alpha sitting on his own.

Hmm.

“You know,” I say casually. “You don’t know Ryker. I do. He’s interested in trying a vamp on for size. You should go over there.”

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