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Chapter 376
~Ryland’s POV~
Spending two days with Tempest was exactly what I needed. Two perfect days of nothing but her.
We barely left the apartnt, only stepping outside to get fresh air before rushing back in, tangled in each other.
We made love like we were making up for lost ti and trying to burn every part of ourselves into each other’s skin.
When we weren’t tangled in sheets, we were talking—about our childhood, the stupid things we did as teens, the tis we almost t but didn’t. She laughed at my stories, and I soaked in every sound.
Tempest was mine, and I loved her more than anything.
Now, though, it was ti to take her back to Snow’s mansion, as promised.
Tempest pouted slightly as I handed her a travel mug of coffee before we left the apartnt. "I don’t want to go."
I smirked, brushing my fingers down her cheek. "I know, sweetheart. But I have to head back to my pack, and you promised Snow you’d check in because of Zara’s safety. She may not speak much but I know this whole issue is bugging her."
Tempest sighed, rolling her eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. Fine."
I chuckled and leaned in, capturing her lips in a slow, deep kiss. Her hands slid up my chest, fingers curling into my shirt as she pressed closer.
"I love you," she whispered when we pulled apart, her forehead resting against mine.
My heart swelled, my grip tightening on her waist. "I love you more."
She smiled, shaking her head. "Impossible."
I kissed her again, this ti letting it linger before finally pulling away. "Co on, let’s go before I change my mind and keep you locked in bed for another two days."
Tempest smirked but let lead her to the car.
We drove in silence with Tempest sipping her coffee while I kept my eyes on the road. Everything felt normal—perfect—until I saw the fence of Snow’s mansion in the distance.
Suddenly, sothing shifted inside .
My wolf, who had been calm all morning, suddenly snapped to attention, restless and agitated. My grip tightened on the wheel and my jaw clenching.
What the hell?
The closer we got, the stronger it beca. A scent—sweet, intoxicating—hit out of nowhere, making my entire body tense.
I barely noticed the way my foot pressed harder on the accelerator until Tempest’s hand shot out, grabbing my arm. "Ryland, slow down! What the hell?"
I barely heard her.
My wolf was losing control, thrashing against the walls of my mind, howling like a beast that had just caught the scent of sothing it had been searching for all its life.
I forced myself to slow the car as we reached the entrance of the mansion, my breathing uneven. The scent was overwhelming now, wrapping around , calling .
And then I saw her.
A silhouette stepped out of a car just as we pulled in—a beautiful brunette with silver highlights, making her hair shine under the morning rays and her eyes.
Even though I was still so distance from her, those soulful blue eyes stared at like she could see .
My entire body locked up.
The mont she rushed forward, my heartbeat slamd against my ribs, my world narrowing until all I could see was her.
Tempest must have noticed the shift because, from the corner of my eye, I saw her glance at the girl then at before her expression froze.
I wanted to wait. I wanted to be rational. But the mate bond wasn’t rational—it was a force of nature, and I was powerless against it, against my bloody wolf who wouldn’t calm down either.
The second I stepped out of the car, my eyes locked onto hers, and in that mont—everything snapped.
The bond surged forward like a tidal wave, crashing through with undeniable force.
"Mate," I growled, my wolf’s voice overlapping with mine.
I barely noticed the man who had stepped out of the car beside her, his gaze darkening. I barely heard the rustling behind as Tempest opened her door, stepping out.
The mansion doors opened, and I sensed movent—Zara, Ella, and Aira stepping outside.
But all I could focus on was her—the beautiful girl in front of , eyes wide, lips parted, her emotions flickering so fast I couldn’t read them.
Tears welled in Tempest’s eyes, and for a brief second, I tore my gaze away to look at her.
Then I turned back to my mate.
"This is fucked up," the man beside her muttered.
He had no idea.
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~Tempest’s POV~
The drive to Snow’s mansion had been normal—peaceful, even.
I was happy. Two days with Ryland had been like a dream, a perfect bubble where nothing else existed but the two of us.
I had been staring out the window when I noticed Ryland stiffen. Then he gripped the wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white.
"Ryland?" I asked, frowning. "What’s wrong?"
He didn’t answer.
He pressed the accelerator harder, speeding up, and for the first ti in years, I saw fear in his eyes.
Not fear of danger, but the fear of knowing.
And then, we pulled into the mansion, and everything changed.
Ryland wasn’t just tense anymore—he was barely breathing. His entire body locked up, his wolf’s energy practically radiating from him.
I knew that energy.
I knew what it ant.
And when my eyes followed his, when I saw the girl standing there, I knew before he even spoke.
I felt it deep in my bones, my heart sinking. Ryland had found his mate. A sharp, brutal pain shot through my chest, and suddenly, I was back there—to the first ti I had t Koda.
Back to when my mate bond snapped into place—only he wasn’t looking at .
He was looking at Aira.
I had felt that sa shattering pull— that sa undeniable force. But it hadn’t mattered.
Because Koda hadn’t chosen .
And now... Ryland was going through the sa thing.
My hands clenched at my sides, my breath uneven.
What was she thinking? Ryland’s mate? Was she feeling the sa confusion, the sa horror I had felt all those months ago?
Or was she relieved?
I watched, frozen, as Ryland stepped out of the car, his body moving on instinct.
"Mate," he growled, voice filled with possession.
The girl’s eyes widened, her breath hitching.
The man beside her tensed, his jaw clenching. I recognized him. Alpha Ares. I barely registered Zara, Ella, and Aira stepping out of the mansion, watching from the doorway.
Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall.
Ryland turned to look at then, his expression unreadable. I knew that look. It was the look of soone whose world had just shifted in a way they weren’t ready for.
And for the first ti in my life, I didn’t know if I should be happy or heartbroken.
I had finally found the man of my dreams, soone who loved and adored , but fate... that twisted bitch was so cruel.
I wanted to be angry and hate at his mate for coming into our lives but when I saw how she was... I recalled my pain when Koda indirectly chose Aira.
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