The Ice Alpha's Mate

Breakup

RYDER

I give my split lip another look in the mirror.

If I had let Dan put some stitches on it, it would've healed faster. I keep forgetting it's there and the cut keeps reopening.

Dammit.

The fall was unexpected, but it's about time I got over it. s**t happens. I can't focus on that. What stood out to me about the whole thing was how distracted I was by her. It's like her presence compelled me or something. Now that it's in the past and I can think about it more clearly, I realize it was pretty strange indeed.

I press the ice pack to my lips and keep pacing the corridor outside my father's office. He's in a meeting with his Beta, Martin Palmer. Right after, I'm sure he'll want to see me.

He usually doesn't arrange meetings with me during the week, because I have to leave my dorm and drive all the way to our house, so this has to be important.

And that's saying something, because when something is important, Calvin Drexel takes it very seriously.

After what feels like an eternity, the door finally opens and Beta Martin walks out. My father is closely behind him. We exchange a few pleasantries, and then shake hands as he’s about to leave.

“I was at your game the other day,” he mentions. “You did very well. The pack is proud of you—I want you to know that.”

My father places his hand on my shoulder. “Yes, we’re all very proud.”

After he leaves, I follow him to the office. He closes the door and says, “I hope I didn’t get in the way of anything. I know how youngsters can be. Always busy.”

“It’s fine,” I state before grabbing a seat. “Is everything alright?”

“Perfectly fine,” he assures me. “I just wanted to let you know that you have a game coming up. It’s important.”

I meet his gaze. “What’s this about? I thought we just resolved a dispute.”

“Yes, but things have gotten a little…let’s say complicated, these past few days,” he explains. “The Moonveil Pack is responsible for this. At first, we didn’t have any conflicts, as you well know, but now they’re trying to claim our pack’s land from the west, and I suggested a match with them.”

The Moonveil Pack. We’ve been at peace with them for centuries, which is why this news is so surprising to me. My father gives me a look and nods right before sitting down and loosening his tie slightly. I take in the way the corners of his mouth drag down, and how his hair has more gray in it than the last time I saw him.

“I need you to win, son,” he tells me. “It’s important for us to win. We need those territories. I’m sure you can understand what’s at stake here.”

“Of course,” I reply in all seriousness. I’ve always taken these matches seriously, even when they’re recreational. To me, winning is important, no matter the occasion.

“Now,” he continues, “what makes this game so special is the fact that their team is similar to ours. The team captain is the future Alpha, too.”

I shift in my seat. I’ve never come across a situation like this before. We don’t have many interactions with that pack, so that’s only natural. My father opens a drawer, pulls out a binder, and slaps it in front of me. “Take a look at their stats. He’s good, Ryder. Better than I ever expected.”

I go through the pages in front of me quickly, nodding slowly. Yeah, these stats are impressive. It’s like he’s the only scorer on his team. Everything’s about him. The whole game revolves around him.

Well, not in my territory.

“I can handle this,” I reply confidently before closing the binder and slapping it back on the table.

“I respect your confidence, but at the same time, I don’t want you to be too cocky, son. This guy…he’s not fooling around. The same way you aren’t. You’re both on the same page.”

I nod. “I know. I’ll win—that’s a fact.”

Pride shines in his eyes as he looks at me. Every time he reacts this way, I feel relieved. Growing up, my father was extremely hard to please, and I have to be honest. He was hard on me. At times, I felt like I would never be able to meet his impossibly high standards, and I often felt discouraged to continue whatever I was doing.

But he taught me not to quit, and over time, I realized the importance of being a winner. As the future Alpha of this pack, I have to be extraordinary. I need to do better. Be better.

“I believe you,” he simply says before changing the subject. “I was talking to Beta Martin just now. He mentioned his daughter. She’d be a good match for you, don’t you think?”

I can’t stop the sigh that escapes my lips. Surprise is written all over his face. I say, “I know his daughter well.”

“How well do you know her?”

“Well enough to know she’s crazy,” I state. “I wouldn’t make her this pack’s Luna. That would be insane. Plus, I told you. Right now, I’m not looking for anyone.”

“Yes. You’re not interested in matehood. You’ve mentioned that before. But as an Alpha, you’ll need a Luna. Even if you don’t find one now, at some point, you’ll have to.”

I shrug. I don’t know what else I could say to him to convince him. I’ve told him that I don’t need a mate—I don’t even want one. I’m just not interested.

“When you find your mate, that’ll all change,” my father remarks. “You’ll see. You’ll live for her. You’ll want to be a part of everything she does. And of course, you’ll want to claim her.”

I don’t comment on his words, and he looks away from me and sighs. “I was the same way. Then, your mother walked into my life.”

I feel sad every time he mentions my mother. I never got to meet her because she died during childbirth, and my father never remarried or got with anyone else. Not publicly, at least.

His eyes meet mine again. “I don’t want to keep you longer than I already have.”

I drive back to the University. It takes me a while but I’m too lost in my thoughts. For some reason, the only part of it that stuck to me was the one where he was discussing mates. I had this crazy, nonsensical urge to tell him I’d already found my mate, even though I hadn’t.

Crazy, right?

I park the car and step out. The dormitory at Ironclaw U is massive. Almost every student has a dorm room, so that explains why.

My father didn’t agree with my staying at the dorms. I think a part of him still doesn’t. But I figured it would be a better way to connect with everyone before I became Alpha.

I’m heading toward my door when I see someone from a distance. The person is standing in front of my door, and I stare at her in confusion.

What’s she doing here?

“Nadia?” I say her name.

She takes off running before practically crashing into me. Her eyes have a wild look in them, and she fists my shirt in her hands like she wants to rip it apart. “I just want to talk to you.”

I reach for her wrists. “What’s going on?”

When she realizes I’m trying to free myself, she tightens her fists. “Where were you? Why didn’t you answer my calls?”

“I was with…Nadia, let go of me and go to your own room.”

“No!” she practically screams. I’m sure everyone around us heard her. “No! I won’t go anywhere until we talk!”

“Stop shouting!”

“No!”

I lose my patience with her. I push her off me, and she staggers a little but finds her footing. I’m fuming. “It’s over between us, do you understand me? Don’t come around me again. This…This behavior of yours has gone too far!”

Her face morphs into a mask of pain and fury. “Ryder!”

I hurry to open the door and slam it shut before locking it. Then, I focus on taking a few deep breaths.

By the skies above. What the hell was that?