RYKER’S POV
When Luke had delayed coming down for supper I had thought he was unwell but seeing him all chatty with Linda at the end of the table confirmed my suspicions. He had been avoiding me after our earlier encounter. I had not meant to make him feel uncomfortable, but at the same time I could not help myself. He was a gorgeous wolf and it had been so long since I had looked at another man who was not Damon and felt something. Among ourselves, as the protectors pack, we were made in a way that made it impossible for us to be attracted to each other. Ruts were pretty mild, manifesting as a small fever or cold that would go away after a short time. Now that I had two men in my vicinity, the repressed urges were coming out in full force.
The extreme possessiveness was just one of the
