A TAINTED MATE

Chapter 4:

Ria's POV

I sighed heavily as I fiddled with my sweaty palms. I contemplated on whether to knock or to just push the front doors open and step in.

Ever since my dad's confrontation with Ryder. He has become distant, cold and he seemed to be watching an increased intensity. It made me feel uncomfortable, It made my skin crawl and I hated being treated like a child but i understood, my father did not trust me anymore.

His actions were totally understandable. I decided to barge into the house. I stepped into the house, feeling a sense of unease. My step mother was sitting in the living room with my father. They seemed to be engrossed in a conversation but when they sensed my presence, they stopped and gazed at me.

I bowed my head at them in respect and attempted to walk away but my dad suddenly yelled my name causing me to halt in my steps. I turned to gaze at the both of them with a raised brow. What trouble had I gotten myself into this time?

"Where are you coming from?" My father's voice was low and menacing. I cleared my throat and replied. "From the bookshop at the end of the street. I needed to clear my head and get my mind off everything." I said.

My dad scoffed. "I hope you have thought of something to do about this." He paused, his eyes narrowing at my stomach. "Situation." He completed.

I sighed heavily, he was right. Something needed to be done. For some weird reason, I felt this urge to keep the baby. Most females my age would want to abort the baby but a little voice in my head kept telling me to keep the child. I just did not know how to tell my father. I was afraid of his reaction. One thing I was confident about was that it would not be a positive response from him.

"That thing..." My father trailed off. Now he was pointing at my stomach. I hated the way he addressed my pregnancy. I could sense the irritation coming from him. Although I had expected him to be angry, but this was something more. This was a calculated anger, one that sent shivers down my spine.

I gulped a lump down my throat and cleared my throat to speak. "I want to keep the child." I said in a low tone. My voice was barely above a whisper but my dad and my step mother were able to pick my words.

"How dare you? Keep the child? The child of a ruthless man like Alpha Ryder? You should be ashamed of yourself Ria. How could you utter such words with so much confidence?" My step mother snapped at me. Of course, she was always so glad to seize the slightest opportunity to scold me. Susan shot dagger glares at me.

"I know the child will be great. I have this feeling inside of me that the child will be of great impact to the werewolf world and even the human world. Please let me keep the child father, say something." I said with pleading eyes.

"Nonsense!" My father growled angrily. He rose to his feet and walked towards me. "I would rather die than watch you raise the child of a bloody killer like Ryder."

I could no longer take it. I spoke back at my father. "It is not like Ryder has accepted me or something. He has rejected me so you have nothing to worry about.

I plan to take care of the child on my own!" I said boldly.

"With what resources?"

Susan chirped in. She was right, I would be needing a lot of support to raise a child. That was the reason why I was pleading with my father to give me a chance to raise the child.

I would forever hate myself if I had to lose the baby in me.

Asides the fact that I felt the need to keep the child, it also felt like the only thing that connected I and Ryder together.

Just then, my step-sister, Elara walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, a smirk on her face.

"What is going on?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

My father's expression turned cold, and he nodded at me.

"Ria's little secret is out," Susan spat. "She is pregnant with Ryder's child."

Elara's eyes widened in mock surprise, and she let out a laugh.

"Oh, Ria, you are so predictable," she sneered. "I always knew you would end up with ruining your life. Now you are about to end up with someone who would knock you up and leave you high and dry."

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes as Elara's words cut deep. My father did not even bother to defend me, just stood there, his eyes cold and hard.

I turned and ran, not wanting to hear any more of Elara's mocking words. I locked myself in my bedroom, tears streaming down my face as I collapsed onto the bed.

I cried myself to sleep, exhausted from everything. But my rest was short-lived.

I was jolted awake by a hand clamped over my mouth. I struggled and kicked, but a strong arm wrapped around me, holding me in place.

As I was dragged out of my bedroom, I was suddenly pulled into the darkness.

I was thrown into a car, and before I could even process what was happening, we were speeding away from my home.

As I struggled to sit up, a hand grasped my wrist, holding me in place. I turned to see Ryder's face, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity.

"You are coming with me," he growled, his voice low and menacing.

I was trapped, at the mercy of the one person who had rejected me so utterly. And as the car sped into the night, I wondered what Ryder had planned for me.