2/2
Chapter 56
Skye’s POV
The walk back to camp seemed both endless and too brief. Adrian remained silent beside me, his fingers gently intertwined with mine the entire way. The warmth of his hand around mine felt both comforting and dangerous, a physical reminder of what had transpired between us moments ago.
My mind raced through what had just happened between us on that cliff edge, my body still humming with the ghost of his touch.
Before we reached the camp’s perimeter, I halted abruptly.
“Wait,” I whispered, scanning our surroundings anxiously. “We can’t just walk in like this,”
Adrian raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”
I gestured vaguely between us, heat rising to my cheeks. ‘We smell like… you know. They’ll all know what we were doing.”
Understanding dawned in his eyes, followed by a flash of something that looked suspiciously like pride.
“What do you suggest?”
I knelt and gathered some nearby soil, mixing it with crushed desert grass. It was an old trick my father had taught me as a child–natural scents to mask my presence.I rubbed the mixture over my clothes and neck, then offered some to Adrian.
“This should help,” I explained, not meeting his eyes.
Adrian accepted the earthy mixture, applying it with far less concern than I’d shown. “You know,” he said softly, “there’s another way to handle this.”
I glanced up, catching the challenge in his amber gaze.
“We could just tell them the truth.”
“No,” I replied firmly. “That would be… complicated.”
He stepped closer, his imposing height casting a shadow in the moonlight. “It could be. If you’d let it.”
The invitation in his words hung between us, tempting and dangerous. Before I could formulate a response, distant laughter from the campsite reminded us that we weren’t alone in the canyon.
“We should get back,” I said, turning toward the golden glow of the campfire. “They’ll wonder where we are.”
As we approached the camp, I realized with growing alarm that all eyes immediately turned to us. The previously animated conversations died down, replaced by curious stares. Despite our efforts at concealment, I felt exposed, as if our activities were written plainly across our faces.
Nadia stood by the fire, her expression darkening momentarily before shifting into a forced smile.
‘Skye!” she called out, “I thought no one would catch you tonight! Seems like Alpha Adrian proved me wrong.”
I attempted a casual shrug, though my shoulders felt/unnaturally stiff. “He’s very determined when he wants something.”
The double meaning of my words only struck me after they’d left my mouth. Adrian’s lips twitched with barely suppressed amusement beside me.
Ryder approached, his usual carefree demeanor noticeably dimmed. “Where were you hiding?” he asked, eyes narrowing slightly. “Nadia and I searched everywhere for you.”
“That’s my secret,” I replied with a strained laugh, unable to meet his gaze directly. “Maybe next time I’ll show you.”
Alpha Adrian, Ryder turned his attention to the man beside me, his voice carrying a subtle challenge. “Did you really only catch one rabbit tonight? Just Skye?”
1/3
Chapter 56
The tension in the air thickened perceptibly. Several nearby pack members paused their convertations to heten
Adrian’s expression remained impassive, though his eyes gleamed dangerously in the firelight. “Is there a problem with
His voice deepened. The one that mattered.”
Someone whistled low from the crowd. I wished fervently for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
“Well, that means I’m the winner! a tall warrior called out, breaking the tense moment with his enthusiastic claim. I caught three rabbits theagher
Nadia cleared her throat, visibly grateful for the distraction. “Yes, congratulations, Derek. Your prize is a week off from perimeter duty.”
The celebration continued around us, pack members returning to their food and drinks, though I could feel corious glances still being cast our way. Media busied herself with distributing more drinks, her movements sharp and mechanical
I caught Adrian’s gaze, silently communicating my need to speak with Ryder alone. He hesitated momentarily before giving me a small nod, his eyes conveying a mixture of trust and warning.
Gathering my courage, I approached Ryder, who was angrily stabbing at the fire with a long stick.
“Can we talk?” I asked quietly. “Somewhere private?”
He glanced up, surprise and hope briefly flashing across his features before he nodded, dropping the stick and rising to his feet.
We walked away from the campfire’s glow, finding a secluded spot among the canyon’s rock formations. The distant sounds of laughter and music provided a stark contrast to the heaviness between us.
“Your song earlier,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “It was beautiful. You’re really talented.”
Ryder’s expression brightened momentarily. “You liked it? I wrote it for you.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk about,” I said gently. “I’m flattered, truly. But I think… I think maybe you should share your music with someone who can appreciate it properly.”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean? Everyone knows that song was for you.”
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his gaze directly. “Ryder, you’re an amazing person. You’re kind, talented, and any girl would be lucky to have you interested in her. But…”
“But not you,” he finished flatly. “Is it because of Adrian? Did something happen between you two tonight?”
The directness of his question caught me off guard. “This isn’t about Adrian,” I insisted, though the heat rising to my cheeks likely betrayed me. “Even if Adrian wasn’t in the picture, you and I… we wouldn’t work.”
“Because you’re three years older?” He scoffed. “That’s nothing. Age is just a number.”
“It’s not just age,” I sighed. “Ryder, I see you like a brother. A dear friend. But not as… more.”
He studied me for a long moment, his youthful features/hardening with determination. “Everyone thinks I’m not serious about this–about you. But I am. I’ve never been more serious about anything.”
“You’re eighteen, I reminded him gently. “You have so much life ahead of you, so many experiences waiting. So many people you haven’t met yet. What you feel now… it’s intense, I know. But feelings change.
‘Not mine,” he insisted, rising to his feet with sudden energy. “I’ll prove it to you. I’ll show you I’m not some kid with a crush.”
Before I could respond, he turned and strode back toward the camp, his shoulders set with stubborn resolve. I followed more slowly, my heart heavy with the knowledge that I’d hurt him, however gently I’d tried to let him down.
When I reached the campfire, I found Nadia watching me, her dark eyes filled with unspoken questions and barely concealed pain. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then seemed to think better of it, turning away to busy herself with packing up leftover food.
2/3
Chapter 56
Across the fire, Adrian stood talking with some of the warriors, though his attention clearly remained fixed on me The weight of his second with Nadia’s wounded silence and Ryder’s determined declaration, settled on my shoulders like a physical burden
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Nadia needs to realize that she can’t make someone want her
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