A TAINTED MATE

Chapter 2:

Ria's POV

I stared at the small white stick in my hand, my mind raced with a fear and my hands shuddered. Two pink lines glared back at me, confirming my worst fears. I was pregnant. The father had to be Ryder because he was the only one who had seen me without clothes.

I gulped a lump down the throat and raised my head to stare at the doctor, she smiled at me. To others, it was a thing of joy but to me, it was nothing but misfortune. Ryder had rejected me, how was I supposed to openly confess my pregnancy to him?

Moreover my father would not like the idea of pregnancy. He would judge me completely, I was afraid of that too.

I rose to my feet and my entire body shivered as I slowly dragged my feet away from the doctor's presence. She called out my name several times but I chose to turn a deaf ear. My mind remained on the unborn baby in me, Ryder and my father.

As I arrived back home. My father was nowhere in the sitting room, neither was Susan and Elara home. Susan was my step mum and Elara was my step sister. They were always out bonding with each other, somehow they always managed to exclude me.

My mind drifted back to the white stick, I held it and gazed at it with so much fear.

Panic set in as I thought about the father of my child. Ryder. He had rejected me with such venom. How was I going to tell him? And what would he do when he found out?

I did not have time to dwell on those questions, as I heard the front door open. I turned to gaze at a familiar figure my father, Victor Green, stood in the doorway, a look of concern etched on his face.

"Ria, what is wrong? Why are you not out with Elara and Susan? They said they were going shopping." he said, his voice soft. No matter how much my step sister and mother treated me, my father loved me and cherished me.

I hesitated, unsure of how to break the news. But my father's keen senses picked up on my distress, and he strode over to me, his eyes scanning my face.

"Tell me," he urged, his voice firm but gentle.

I took a deep breath. I was not ready to tell him about my pregnancy. I tried to hide the pregnancy test but unfortunately for me, my father's hands quickly reached for it. He snatches the white stick and his eyes widened as he took in the implications.

"Who is the father?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.

I hesitated, knowing that my father would not be pleased. But I had no choice. I had to tell him. There was no way out of this mess that I had happened to put myself in. I had to face things head on.

"Alpha Ryder," I whispered, bracing myself for his reaction.

My father's face fell, his eyes clouding with disappointment. He scoffed at me and shaked his head. "Ryder?" he repeated, his voice incredulous.

"Ria, how could you be so reckless? Of all the men, it had to be Ryder?" The tone he used on me increased.

I felt a surge of defensiveness. "Talk to me! Why him?" My father yelled. His face was red and I could tell he was holding back from hitting me.

Tears welled in my eyes as I cried out. "I love him daddy! We share a mate bond!"

My father was not buying any of that. "Ria! This man brutally murdered your mother! How could you say you love him? That is an abomination!"

The truth was that father claimed that my mother was killed by Ryder but I could never challenge Ryder about it. I was afraid that he would find out about my family. I guess in the end, he found out.

"I will make Ryder pay for doing this to my daughter." Dad spoke angrily. Without wasting anymore time, Before I could protest, my father dragged me out of the house and to the pack house, where Ryder was waiting.

My father stormed into the pack house after going past the guards, his face was thunderous.

"Ryder, we need to talk," he growled.

Ryder looked up from his seat, his eyes narrowing as he took in my father's anger.

"How dare you, Victor? Who do you think you are to recklessly barge into my pack house!" Ryder yelled. His voice even, he paused to eye me with disdain.

My father pushed me forward, and I felt a surge of embarrassment.

"Ria's pregnant," he announced. "And she claims you are the father. How dare you lay your filthy hands on my own daughter?"

Ryder's face went white, his eyes flashing with surprise at first, then anger.

"That is impossible," he snarled. "She is faking it just because she wants me to take her back in."

I felt a sting from his words, and my father's face darkened. Ryder was going to deny it, I was not surprised.

This was going to be a long fight.

"How dare you," Dad growled. "My daughter would never lie about something like this."

Ryder sneered, his eyes glinting with malice.

"I do not care what you say," he spat. "I will never believe that she is carrying my child. Ria is not my responsibility, she is your daughter!"

My father's face twisted with rage, and he took a step forward, his fists clenched.

"You will regret saying that, Ryder. Mark my own words!" he snarled.

But Ryder just laughed, his eyes glinting with menace.

"You must think I care about your empty threats" he shaked his head at us in disadain "You are nothing but trash to me." This time Ryder's words were directed at me

I felt a surge of sadness. My wolf howled in pain but my father's arm wrapped around me, pulling me close.

"We will leave," he growled. "But this is not over yet, Ryder. Prepare for a battle between me and you."