CHAPTER 6 MEETING HIS SON
1193 Words
Ryker sat across from his son for the first time and had no idea what to say because Kade was coloring a motorcycle with intense concentration and didn't seem bothered by the tension suffocating the break room.
Kyra stood by the door like she was ready to bolt, Zara watched him like a hawk ready to attack, and all Ryker could think was that he'd missed six years of this boy's life.
"Do you like racing?" Kade asked suddenly, not looking up from his drawing.
"I've been racing since I was sixteen," Ryker said, and his voice came out rougher than he intended. "Do you?"
"I love it," Kade said, finally looking up with eyes that were identical to Ryker's wolf. "Mom won't let me ride yet but I know all the riders' names and their times and everything."
Something twisted in Ryker's chest because this was his son, talking about motorcycles with the same passion Ryker had at that age. "Your mom's smart enough to keep you safe," he said. "Bikes are dangerous."
"But you know what you're doing," Kade said confidently. "I looked you up on the internet after I saw your picture and you're one of the best."
The admission hit like a physical blow because Kade had been searching for him, piecing together clues from internet searches while Ryker hadn't even known he existed. "You looked me up?" Ryker asked carefully.
"Yeah, because you looked like me in the pictures," Kade said simply. "We have the same eyes and the same face shape and I thought maybe you could be my dad, but Mom always said my dad had to leave before I was born."
Kyra made a choked sound and Ryker saw tears gathering in her eyes before she blinked them away. "Kade, finish your homework," she said, her voice shaking. "We need to go home soon."
"But I want to talk to him," Kade protested. "He's nice and he likes motorcycles and maybe he could teach me stuff."
"Absolutely not," Kyra said. "He's here for the championship and then he's leaving, so don't get attached."
"What if I'm not leaving?" Ryker said, and the room went dead silent. "What if I moved my operations to Portland so I could be around more?"
"No," Kyra said immediately, her face going pale. "You're not doing that."
"Why not?" Ryker asked, standing up and moving closer to her. "I can run my pack remotely, the racing season is west coast based anyway, and I want to get to know my son."
"This is our home," Kyra said desperately. "Our safe place away from your world, and you don't get to just invade it because you suddenly care."
"I've always cared," Ryker said, and he saw her flinch at the lie because they both knew that wasn't true. "I just didn't know, Kyra, you never gave me the chance."
"Because you rejected me!" Kyra's voice rose and Kade's head snapped up from his coloring. "Because you paid me to pretend for a year and made it very clear I wasn't good enough."
"Mom?" Kade's small voice cut through the argument. "Why are you yelling?"
Kyra's face crumbled and she dropped to her knees in front of Kade, smoothing his hair back. "I'm sorry, baby," she whispered. "I'm just tired, that's all."
Ryker watched them and made his decision right there, watching his mate comfort their son while trying to keep him safe from the father who'd already failed them both. "I'm staying in Portland," he said firmly. "I'm getting to know Kade, and you can fight me all you want but it won't change anything."
"You can't just decide that," Kyra said, standing back up with fire in her eyes. "You can't just waltz back into our lives and demand things."
"Watch me," Ryker said. "That's my son, Kyra, my blood, my heir, and I've missed six years because you ran, so I'm done missing things."
"He's not your heir," Kyra shot back. "He's my son, I raised him alone, I paid for everything, I was there for every moment you missed, so don't stand there and act like you have rights."
"I have every right," Ryker growled, his wolf pushing forward. "The bond makes him mine whether you like it or not."
"The bond you rejected," Kyra said coldly. "The bond you tried to break with a contract, remember? So you don't get to claim it now when it's convenient."
Zara stood up and put herself between them. "Both of you need to stop before Kade hears more than he should," she said firmly. "Ryker, you need to leave, and Kyra, you need to breathe."
Ryker forced himself to step back even though his wolf was snarling at being dismissed. He looked at Kade one more time, at the boy who was watching the adults with confusion and worry written all over his face. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kade," he said. "We can talk more about motorcycles."
"Okay," Kade said quietly. "Are you really staying?"
"I really am," Ryker promised. "And I'm bringing my custom bike to show you."
Kade's face lit up and Ryker felt something warm spread through his chest making his son smile. "That's so cool," Kade breathed. "Will you teach me about engines?"
"I'll teach you whatever you want to learn," Ryker said, then looked at Kyra. "Whether your mother likes it or not."
He walked out before she could respond, before he could see the hurt and anger in her eyes and feel guilty about it. His beta Kai was waiting in the hallway with his arms crossed and concern written all over his face.
"That looked intense," Kai said carefully. "Everything okay?"
"Cancel all my meetings for the next month," Ryker said, pulling out his phone. "We're relocating operations to Portland indefinitely."
"The pack's not going to like that," Kai warned. "The elders will have questions."
"The elders can shove their questions," Ryker said flatly. "I just found out I have a six-year-old son that I knew nothing about, and I'm not leaving him again."
Kai's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, that kid is yours? Like actually yours?"
"His name is Kade and he's mine," Ryker confirmed. "And his mother is Kyra, the woman I contracted as Luna six years ago."
"Holy s**t," Kai breathed. "Does the pack know?"
"Not yet," Ryker said. "And it stays that way until I figure out what I'm doing, understood?"
"Understood," Kai said. "But boss, if that kid is your heir, the elders are going to demand he come back to pack territory for training."
"Over my dead body," Ryker said coldly. "Kyra kept him away from that world for a reason, and until I understand why, nobody touches my son."
He pulled up his contacts and started making calls, arranging for his racing team to extend their Portland stay, booking hotel rooms, and setting up meetings with local real estate agents. If Kyra thought he was bluffing about staying, she was about to learn that Ryker Thorne didn't make empty threats.
His son was here. His mate was here. And Ryker wasn't leaving until he'd claimed them both.
- Writer
