The Hybrid

Chapter 8

Ryder couldn’t help but drive home with a grin on his face, he felt like a teenager again. As he pulled up into the driveway the grin quickly faded, a black rezvani vengeance sitting in front of the pack house.

Ryder parked the Shelby in the garage, Gregory ran up to him

“Where have you been? Elder Rodrick is here, he said he needs to speak with you.”

Ryder growled,

“Sorry I got caught up in the cafeteria mess at the school, did he say what it was about?”

Gregory shrugged,

“Not really, just something he needed to discuss with you. He didn’t say what about.”

Ryder took a deep breath,

“Well let’s get this over with then.”

They both walked into the pack house, they went into the common room where Ryder saw Rodrick standing by the window. He was in an all black suit with a gold tie, he had warm, medium-brown skin that complements his refined facial features. His face had a well-defined jawline, expressive almond shaped dark brown eyes, and arched eyebrows that frame his gaze with intensity. He has a neatly groomed mustache and goatee that add sophistication, along with high cheekbones that highlight his charismatic and commanding presence.

“Ah, Alpha Knox. How are you?”

His voice was deep, smooth, and commanding, with a calm intensity that conveys authority and intrigue.

Ryder tried to muster a smile,

“Was having a good day, what do I owe the pleasure? I thought you weren’t coming up til next week for the celebration.”

Rodrick smiled, he had his hands behind his back

“I was in the region and figured I’d pop by for a visit. I heard Theodore and Sally Brooks are back, with their niece. How are they settling in?”

Ryder crossed his arms and stood in a defensive stance,

“Fine, but I fail to see why that’s any of the High Elders concern.”

Rodrick smiled and put his hands up in surrender,

“No need to get defensive, I’m the one who sent them here. As you may already know their old Alpha, Wyatt, was.. obsessed with Kyra. So obsessed in fact he killed his own mate so he could claim her as a ‘chosen mate.’ Also that Kyra is ill and can’t shift to defend herself.”

Ryder loosed up his body a little,

“It was mentioned, she has Lycanthexia. What is your point to all this?”

Rodrick stepped a little closer to Ryder,

“I just want to make sure everything is all good with them, I chose for them to be relocated here cause I knew you were a strong Alpha. I heard Kyra can be.. defiant and untamed by Alphas, the other packs they were in the Alphas couldn’t control her. Their Alpha energy didn’t work on her, I believe it has to do with her.. illness.”

Ryder shrugged and shook his head,

“No problems so far, she seems like a sweet kid.”

Rodrick studied his face, after a moment he smiled

“Wonderful, I knew she’d be safe here.”

He turned and was heading for the door, but stopped and turned on his heels

“Oh one more thing while I’m here, how’s the ‘second mate’ hunting coming along? Any promising candidates?”

Ryder locked his jaw and grinned his teeth.

“Still looking, nothing yet.”

Rodrick sighed,

“Well times running out, if you don’t find someone then I have the perfect candidate as a ‘chosen mate’, Amber Meyers. Her family comes from a long line of strong, well-respected werewolves. She’ll make a great Luna.”

Ryder tensed up his body,

“We’ll see, hopefully it won’t have to come to that.”

Rodrick bowed and walked out the door, Ryder growled. Amber Meyer was a spoiled little brat, all she wanted was power and besides Ryder already had his eyes on Kyra. He just had to figure out what to do about her illness, Lycanthexia was a rare disease with a just as rare cure. Of course fate had a twisted sense of humor to have Ryders second mate have it.

Gregory walked it,

“How did it go, what did he want?”

Ryder signed,

“Checking in, seeing how Theodore and his family was settling in and hassle me about finding a mate. He said if I don’t find a second mate he’ll assign Amber Meyers as my ‘chosen mate’.”

Gregory made a face,

“We can’t let that happen, you’d be miserable.”

Ryder nodded,

“What do you have planned for the rest of the day?”

“Nothing, Kyle has a late football practice and Helen’s working late at the hospital. Why what do you need?”

“I need help looking more into Lycanthexia, there’s got to be a way to cure or at lease suppress it.”

Ryder started walking to the pack house library.

Gregory followed with a smile,

“Yea I’ll help you, does this have anything to do with Kyra and the possibility of a second mate?”

“Either way I want to help the poor girl, I can imagine not being able to shift.”

Ryder said looking through some books.

Gregory nodded,

“True, ok I’ll start over here then.”

He started grabbing some books and reading them.

Kyra sat at the kitchen table, picking some deli meat out of her ponytail,

“Are you listening Kyra!”

Theodore yelled snapping his fingers.

Kyra looked at him with wide eyes,

“I told you I.. DIDNT..START.. IT! That b***h Amber did, I was minding my own business. Allie was telling about all the kids there and I guess she was staring too long at Amber or something. Then some guy said I was prettier than Amber and she went psycho and poured chocolate milk on my head. So in response I.. threw my lunch tray at the back of her head.”

Theodore sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose,

“Out of all the girls to fight with, you have to pick Amber Meyers. Her family has been in the pack for generations, they are the strongest and well-respected family in the region next to the Knox, the Alphas family.”

Sally patted Theodore on the back to try and calm him down,

“Kyra we raised you to turn the other cheek, to just walk away from confrontation. We told you to keep a low profile.”

Kyra sighed,

“Well Ryder said I have every right to stand up for myself and..”

Theodore cut her off in middle sentence,

“Excuse me who? You refer to him as Alpha, I understand that the Alpha powers have no effect on you but it doesn’t give you the right to do or call him whatever you like!”

Kyra’s face went serious,

“He said I can call him Ryder.”

“When?..” Theodore’s eyes widened and his face turned a deep red, “Was he the one who drove you home?! Kyra what happened to ‘keeping under the radar’ if he finds out what you are, there’s no telling what he might do! For heaven’s sake this is our last chance for safety, if we blow it here.”

Theodore stopped and looked at Sally, she gave him a sympathetic look. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath,

“Look Kyra, I know this is hard for you. Your approaching your eighteenth birthday soon and we don’t know what’s going to happen. But this is why we need you to keep a low profile, ok?”

Kyra signed and nodded,

“Ok, I’m sorry. I’ll try harder to keep my head down, and I’ll keep my distance from the Alpha.”

Even though it pained her to say it, she knew she had to try and keep her distance. Theodore and Sally have risked everything to keep her safe and all she had to do was behave and not make waves.

Theodore relaxed his body and gave a smile,

“Thank you sweetheart, on a brighter note your aunt and I have a surprise for you, go check out your room.”

Kyra got up and went up stairs, she slowly opened her door. A brand new dark mahogany four post bed with a dark red canopy and silk bedding to match set up, a matching dresser with a 48” smart tv mounted on top. In the corner sat a black vanity desk with brand new makeup and face cleaning products. In the middle of the floor was a big black shaggy rug and LED lights all around the room. Kyra couldn’t help but smile, this is was how she always wanted her room to be but never got to cause they constantly had to move.

“What do you think?” Sally said coming up behind her with a triumphant smile, “I remembered most of the things you said others I had to take an educated guess. We have a full length mirror coming in tomorrow, they were sold out in the store but said they’d over night one.”

Kyra was speechless,

“It’s wonderful Aunt Sally, truly thank you. So you guys weren’t lying, we’re here permanently.”

Sally nodded her head,

“Yes, as long as you keep up your end of the bargain and stop drawing attention to yourself.”

Kyra went to go give Sally a hug but Sally put her hands up,

“Ah how about you take a shower first darling then give me a hug, no offense but you smell like a garbage bin.”

Kyra giggled,

“Yea shower first, I’ll be down in a bit for dinner. Thank you Aunt Sally, I promise I’ll try harder.”

Sally smiled then walked back downstairs, Kyra walked into the bathroom and stripped down. She turned on the shower, quickly steaming up the room. She started washing off the caked on food, then her mind wandered to Ryder. She couldn’t get him out of her head, she didn’t know how she was going to be able to stay away from him if they crossed paths again. It was like a magnet, his scent was just so powerful she just can’t ignore it. But she had to try for her aunt and uncles sake, this was their last shot for a somewhat normal life. They were in the safe place and Kyra couldn’t risk messing it up for them, she had to avoid exposure at all costs.

Kyra turned off the shower, she grabbed a towel and dried off. She grabbed new silk pajama pants and tank top, they also bought her some new clothes.

Kyra ran a brush through her hair and ran downstairs, she could smell dinner was almost done.

She rounded the corner to the living room and stopped dead in her tracks, Elder Rodrick was standing in the middle of their living room.

“Aw, why hello Kyra. How was your first day of school?”

Rodrick always made her feel uneasy, the way he talked and showed very little emotion.

Kyra looked at her aunt and uncle, they too looked a little uneasy.

“Ok I guess.”

Rodrick nodded,

“It’s an adjustment, but I’m sure you’ll find your place here soon.” Rodrick walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, “As long as you stay off the Alphas radar and keep a low profile, we shouldn’t have any problems. Right?”

He had a dark look on his face, he looked directly into Kyra’s eye’s tightening his grip on her shoulders. He wasn’t asking, he was warning.

Kyra uneasily nodded her head, Rodrick smile.

“Great, I think you’ll be very happy here. If there’s anything you guys need I’m just one phone call away, enjoy the rest of your evening.”

He turned to Theodore and Sally, they bowed and both said thank you at the same time.

Rodrick bowed back the walked out the front door.