When breakfast was served the next morning, Ryker sat at the dining table and drummed absently with his fingers on the wooden surface.
Zephyrine.
No matter how hard he tried to forget her, her face kept popping back - the bold look in her eyes, the way she looked at him like they had never met.
A loud clatter of silverware brought him out of his thoughts. Camille sat across from him, cutting her fruit with care, but her eyes burned with quiet anger.
She had bombarded him with questions last night. Why was he so spaced out during the meeting? Why couldn't he stop staring at her? He had shut her down, dodging every question, refusing to feed her jealousy.
Camille placed her fork down, her voice deceptively sweet. “Are you ready to answer me now?”
“What are you talking about?” he said, chewing on his food.
“You want to act oblivious now? "The way you kept looking at that woman isn’t something I can ignore.
“I told you; she is my rejected mate. "And what business is yours when I look at someone?” he questioned.
“Don’t talk to me like that”
Ryker set his fork down with a soft clink and gave Camille a cold stare. “Then don’t ask me questions like I have to answer you.”
“I’m your mate, Ryker. "I have every right to ask.” She forced a smile, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to ease the tension.
He leaned back in his chair, unmoved. “I was the one that chose you to be my mate. "It doesn’t make you special. "Don’t forget that.” His voice was low, warning.
She swallowed her anger, letting it simmer beneath a composed facade. “Alright,” she said tightly. “But I saw how distracted you were." You're acting like you regret rejecting her.
Ryker tensed but remained silent. Camille's face twisted, her lips tightened, and her furrowed brows formed a deep wrinkle.
However, she did not argue further, she went back to eating, poking at her food with unnecessary force.
He didn’t care.
Ryker finished his food, got up, and pushed his chair back.
“I have something to take care of,” he said idly. He turned to a servant nearby without waiting for Camille's response. “Take me to Zephyrine.”
Camille’s fork nearly snapped in her grip. “You’re going to see her?”
Ryker didn’t bother answering as he followed the servant out of the dining hall, leaving Camille seething.
The servant led him through the pack grounds toward a secluded garden behind the pack house. Ryker did not notice the pleasant odor of fresh ground and flowering plants since he was still trying to figure out how Zephyrine got here and how she was still alive.
He came to a halt upon seeing her.
Zephyrine's body moved with ease as she floated over the river.
Water swirled above her hands, seeming to obey her.
For a moment, all he could do was stare, his mind trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
How?
The Zephyrine he rejected never had powers. A wolf-less omega with no future, no strength, nothing to offer. But the woman before him… she was something else entirely.
His fingers twitched at the side. “How did she turn out to be so beautiful?” he muttered.
He had discarded her without a second thought, believing she was worthless. But now, seeing her like this, possessing abilities that were rare, powerful… he realized he might have been wrong. Zephyrine felt his presence and he saw a hint of amusement flicker in her eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly. Am I hallucinating? He thought as she slowly lowered herself to the water’s surface, stepping onto the grass.
Ryker took a step forward, “How?”
Zephyrine blinked at him, feigning innocence. “How what, sir?”
“How did you get powers?” he demanded, his voice rougher than intended. “You were—” He hesitated, but the words still slipped out. “You were nothing.”
A slow, knowing smile curved her lips.
“You are mistaken sir. I have always had powers.”
She had powers all the while? Rare one at that. Why didn’t she use it? Why endure the torment the pack made her go through?
“Why didn’t you ever use it? You could have saved me a lot of embarrassment.”
“Excuse me sir, what I do is none of your business.” She turned to walk away, but he held her arm.
“I know you want to come back to the pack. So, I am giving you this chance.”
“Excuse me?”
\--
Meanwhile, Camille stormed out of the dining hall, her frustration mounting. Ryker had never dismissed her like that before.
And all because of that girl.
She clenched her fists, jealousy burning in her veins. Zephyrine—his rejected mate. He rejected her, yet he looked at her like that.
She bumped into someone as she was lost in thoughts. She gasped as she saw the man standing before her. It was stunning.
She quickly regained her composure. “Oh, I’m so sorry. "I wasn’t looking at where I was going. He looked more handsome than Ryker.
Vixxen simply nodded. “It’s all good.”
His voice was deep, smooth, but it was also cold. No flirtation.
“I’m Camille,” she introduced herself, and offered a charming smile.
He gave a curt nod. “Vixxen.”
And then he walked away.
Camille blinked. Excuse me?
He didn’t stay to admire her? He didn’t so much as glance at her figure, didn’t fall for her usual charms?
No man ignored her.
Intrigued, she turned on her heel, watching as he strode forward. How interesting.
Smirking, she decided to follow.
Vixxen headed inside his room and she followed.
“I didn’t quite catch your name, sir.” She said in a sweet voice.
“Please leave this place.”
Playing hard to get I see. She looks around the room, trying to find something to use to strike up a conversation. She noticed some sheets of paper on his desk. She took it and went through it.
“Wow, I didn’t know you were into speaking such a rare language.”
Vixxen immediately snatched the papers back so fast she barely had time to process it.
“Don’t touch things that aren’t yours.” His voice was cold.
He dropped the papers and dragged her out, slamming the door into her face.
“Is this guy for real? ""Doesn’t he know who I am?”
She had never been dismissed so effortlessly, so rudely. Men usually fell over themselves just to get a second glance from her, yet Vixxen had thrown her out like she was nothing more than an annoyance.
Her fingers curled into fists before she exhaled, smoothing down her dress. Fine. He wanted to act indifferent? She wasn’t done with him.
With one last glare at the door, she walked away, already planning her next move.
Vixxen sat at his desk, his sharp eyes looking at the papers in his hands. He had gone through them countless times already, yet he read them once more, memorizing every last detail.
A knock at the door.
He didn’t respond.
The door creaked open anyway.
Vixxen didn’t look up, but his grip on the papers tightened.
A figure stepped inside; the door clicked shut behind him.
“Why are these still intact?”
Vixxen remained composed, setting the stack of papers down with deliberate ease. “I wasn’t told to get rid of it permanently.”
“Don’t test me.”
Vixxen finally met his gaze. “Does it look like I am?”
The man moved closer. “If you’re trying to ruin my plans—”
“I’m not,” Vixxen cuts in.
A sly smirk appeared at the man's lips. “Good. Because if you were, you will regret it.”
Vixxen said nothing as the man turned and walked towards the door.
But just before leaving, he paused. “Destroy them, Vixxen. Consider this your last reminder.”
The door shut behind him.
Silence.
Vixxen let out a breath, running his fingers through his hair. He picked up the papers again, each one, making sure he didn’t forget anything. These papers were what was missing in the book Zeph found in the library.
He lit a candle and slowly burned the papers, one by one, watching as they turned to ash. When the last one was gone, his voice was barely beyond a whisper.
“I’m not going to let you harm her… Terran.”