The Wallflower Mate

21

Crouching low in the bushes, Ryker wolf's eyes waited for the deer mountain to bend down for a sip of the spring water. Its ears cupped forward, head held high, and head turned toward Ryker. its body tense and conscious of its surrounding.

Without a doubt, the deer senses something wrong, but it couldn't see Ryker. Ryker's fur blended with the obsidian night. His wolf's eyes maintained its natural hazel color.

Suddenly, the deer relaxed. Its neck relaxed and head lowered. It began drinking the water.

Ryker launched at him. His paws digging into the dirt. Growling as he latched onto the deer's neck.

A loud shriek came from the deer. It tried escaping the unexpected attack. Kicking its legs, but it was useless. Ryker was superior in every way.

Slowly, a few more wolves appeared out of the shadow. Walking over to join Ryker in his meal. Hunting in their wolf forms, they liked to eat raw meat now and then. Whatever they kill, they usually bring back to share with everyone else.

A flash of similar black fur appeared in Ryker's vision. It was his brother. Abraham walked next to him, bent his head down, and began tearing the meat from the body. A few enforcers that tagged along joined in.

After they finish devouring the deer, they shifted back to their human form to clean up the blood that now stained their bodies. They washed their bodies in the cold spring water.

Once done, Ryker pulled on a pair of black cotton shorts he carried with him before stepping out of the shadows.

Abraham was joking around with the enforcers. They stood around in a circle beneath the moon.

"You must be hungry tonight, Ava," Abraham joked.

"I'm hungry for many things." Ava's eyes moved from Abraham to Ryker in female appreciation.

"Hey Ava, how about you and I—" Ethan teased, but Ava shut him up with a quick rejection.

"Not interested."

"Yo, Alpha, you going to tell us more about that female you have been hanging around with? Who is she?" Dalton asked when he saw Ryker.

Ryker didn't respond. He walked back to his backpack, bent down, and picked up his sleeveless tank top. He quickly put his arms through the large sleeve holes and pulled the shirt over his head.

"She's just visiting," Gary answered for Ryker.

"So, are you saying there is nothing going on between our Alpha and her?" Dalton questioned.

"She can't be a potential mate for our Alpha. She doesn't look like she would fit in with us." Ava snagged the opportunity to speak up.

"Who is she to you?" Bruno who was hiding in the shadows asked Ryker directly.

Bruno was an old pack member. A little older than Ryker by a few years. Ryker knew him to be arrogant and brash. Sometimes, Bruno would step out of line and push Ryker's decisions a little, but Ryker knew he could trust the guy. Bruno saved Ryker's life more than a handful of times.

"She's important to me," Ryker answered him.

"You're courting her." It was a statement, but it came out as an accusation.

Ryker and everyone else was used to Bruno's bluntness.

"Does it matter? If I say she's important, then you treat with the same respect you will give me," Ryker growled.

Ava didn't look too happy to hear Ryker's response. Even if Ryker didn't say it, his enforcers knew the answer. Mary was off-limits because he was courting her. Their Alpha has treated none, other females, this way before. Like an overprotective male.