A TAINTED MATE

Chapter 3:

Ryder's POV

I rolled my eyes as my beta, Kaid ranted. I was not paying much attention to his words. My mind remained on Ria, was she really carrying my child or was that a scheme for her to get me into accepting her as my mate?

She was the daughter to Victor Green, the same ruthless man who had set the fire that killed my entire family. The only reason I had not attacked him yet was because of Ria. I still loved her no matter what and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her.

"The council of elders." My ears perked up as I heard Kaid mutter those words. I furrowed my brows in confusion at him. "What about the council of elders? What do they want this time?"

I hated the sound of the council of elders. They were never up to any good. They always bugged me about getting a Luna for the pack when I clearly did not see the need for one.

"Have you not being listening to anything of what I have been saying?" Kaid snapped at me with wide eyes. If only he knew that I had bigger issues to worry about. I repeated my question in a much more harsher tone "What about the council of elders? What do they want?"

Kaid cleared his throat and answered "They are holding an urgent meeting and you were supposed to be there.." Kaid paused to gaze at the clock hanging carelessly on the wall of my room. "Exactly ten minutes ago."

I sighed. I wondered what they wanted to discuss about that sounded so urgent. I was so tempted to ignore the meeting but I had no choice. I had to be there no matter what.

I walked out of my room, leaving my comfort zone behind. Kaid jogged up to me and we strided the hallways. I eventually arrived at the chamber hall where all meetings were usually held. I barged into the chamber hall and all eyes darted towards my direction.

I stood before the council of elders, their wise eyes boring into mine. Apparently they had called me to discuss a matter of great importance – the future of our pack.

"Ryder, you are thirty two years old," Elder Thompson said, his voice firm but gentle. "It is time for you to take a Luna. The pack needs an heir, and you need a partner to help you lead."

I should have known that this was what I was going to be called out for. I should have just listened to my guts and stayed behind.

I shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of their expectations. I was not ready at all, at least not after what had happened with Ria. She was the only woman I had eyes for and somehow I felt betrayed by her.

"I understand," I said finally, trying to sound convincing. "I will start looking for a suitable mate."

"We need you to take this very serious Ryder. Your days are getting closer. You are not getting any younger. You need a heir! The pack needs an heir!" This time, it was Elder Maxwell that spoke. He was the leader of the elders.

I rolled my eyes at him and nodded my head. "Like I said ealier, I understand and I will work towards it. It would be horrible for both me and the pack if I just rushed to marry any kind of woman.

Give me time and I will make things work out." I said with a serious face.

The elders nodded their heads, seeming to accept my answer or maybe it was because they knew there was no point in pushing any further. This was the same answer I had been giving them for the past few weeks and there was not really anything they could do about it.

As I left the meeting, I could not shake the feeling that I was being pulled in the wrong direction..

That night, as I lay in bed, my thoughts turned to Ria. I missed her. I missed the way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she made me feel. I had rejected her, pushed her away, and now I was left with a gaping hole in my chest. My wolf howled in sadness. It was troubled by the absence of Ria.

I tossed and turned, unable to shake the memories of our time together. Just as I was starting to drift off to sleep, I felt a presence in the room. I opened my eyes to find the Moon Goddess standing before me, her ethereal beauty shining like a beacon in the dark. Her presence was commanding and authoritative.

"Ryder, son of the moon," she said, her voice echoed like thunder. "I have come to reveal a prophecy to you. The child that Ria carries is a son, a child of great destiny. He will save your pack from a coming danger, a force that threatens to destroy everything you hold dear."

I felt a jolt of surprise, my mind reeling with the implications. Could it be true? Could Ria's child end up as a key to our pack's survival?

The Moon Goddess's words hung in the air, leaving me with more questions than answers. Did I believe the prophecy? And if I did, what did it mean for Ria and our child?

As the Moon Goddess vanished, leaving me to my thoughts, I felt a sense of confusion wash over me. What did the future hold? And was I ready to face it? All of this was too much for me to process all at once.

I lay there, my mind racing with doubts and fears, as the darkness closed in around me. And then, just as I was starting to drift off to sleep, I heard a faint whisper in my ear.

"The fate of your pack hangs in the balance, Ryder. Will you do what it takes to save them?"