Chapter 84
THIRD PERSON POV
Seraphina turned sharply, her eyes flaring wide the moment she saw Ryker leaning against the bookshelf. He wore dark dress trousers and a fitted button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, every inch of fabric stretched tight over his powerful, sculpted frame.
“Uh… hi,” she mumbled, dropping her gaze instantly. The room felt smaller, the air thick and charged. The stone walls were cold, but heat poured through her body.
He closed the space between them and extended his hand, his stare never wavering. She hesitated only a breath before sliding her fingers into his. The contact sparked like live current; a shiver raced over her skin. Ryker’s low, satisfied chuckle told her he’d felt her reaction. Still silent, he guided her to the deep velvet chair facing his desk. Instead of taking the massive seat behind it, he perched on the desk’s edge—close enough that she felt the heat rolling off him.
“So… you came,” he said, voice low and laced with dark amusement. “I was starting to think you’d stay away.”
“Don’t get it wrong,” she snapped, the words biting harder than she meant. “I only came to find out what you’re planning.”
He tipped his head back and laughed, the sound rolling through her like thunder and sending heat straight to her core. She scowled, folding her arms tight across her chest. “What the fuck is so funny?”
“Sorry,” he said, still grinning. “It’s just—you’re lying, Seraphina. And you’re not very good at it.”
She lifted a brow. “How do you figure?”
He sighed, leaning in until she could feel his breath on her lips. “You came because my words got to you. Because you know I told the truth. Or maybe… both.”
She let out a sharp scoff. “There was no truth in what you said, Ryker.” A lie, and she knew it. His words had buried themselves deep and taken root.
“Then why are you here?” His voice dropped, deadly serious, eyes locked on hers.
“I…” The word died. She turned her face away, unable to hold that stare. “I don’t know.”
“I do.” His whisper was velvet and danger. His fingers brushed her jaw, tracing slowly up to her lips. The touch lit fire under her skin.
He leaned in until his mouth hovered a breath from hers. Her resolve shattered. She should push him away. She didn’t.
His lips claimed hers—soft at first, testing. Then she parted for him on a helpless exhale. Ryker took complete control, deepening the kiss, tongue sliding against hers until a raw, desperate moan tore from her throat—all the years of loneliness and untouched desire spilling out in one sound.
He gripped her hand, yanked her to her feet, and pulled her flush against him. In one effortless move he lifted her onto the desk, her thighs parting, legs locking around his hips.
The kiss turned wild, urgent. His hands roamed everywhere—possessing, mapping every curve he’d only ever watched from a distance.
She broke away gasping, forehead against his, staring at his swollen mouth, then into his burning eyes.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, voice rough as gravel.
She bit her lip hard and nodded.
His eyes darkened. “Use your words, Seraphina.”
Heat flooded her face. “Yes,” she whispered. “I’m sure.”
A slow, victorious smirk curved his mouth.
And in that moment, with her completely surrendered to him, Ryker knew the final move of his plan had just fallen perfectly into place.
~
Two Days Later
A cold, lethal satisfaction coiled inside Ryker as he watched his army train. They were sharper, deadlier—his perfect weapon, growing stronger by the hour.
“Hey,” a soft voice murmured behind him.
Familiar arms slid around his waist; the scent of lavender and warm skin wrapped around him. Seraphina.
“When did you get here?” he asked, voice tighter than he liked. Annoyance flared—this was reckless.
“Just now.” She rested her chin on his back, breath warm against his neck. “You don’t sound happy.”
He exhaled sharply, peeled her arms away, and turned. Cupping her face, he brushed his thumbs over her cheekbones—gentle, but his eyes were hard.
“I am,” he said quietly. “But you have to be careful. No one can know.”
She gave a bitter little laugh and rolled her eyes. “No one in that palace even notices I’m gone.”
She leaned into his chest again. He let her, fingers threading through her hair even as irritation gnawed at him.
“It’s almost time,” he murmured against her temple, a dark smile tugging at his lips.
She went rigid. Pulled back. Worry clouded her eyes.
“What?” he demanded, anger already rising.
“This isn’t easy, Ryker,” she said, stepping away. “Taking down Kael—”
His face twisted with disgust. “Or is it that you still have feelings for him?”
She flinched. Dropped her gaze.
A harsh, humorless laugh tore from his throat. “I knew it.”
“I do have feelings for you,” she whispered, voice small.
“It’s been two days.”
“I do,” she insisted, lifting her eyes—pleading. “I like you, Ryker. I’ll stand with you. I swear it.”
For one brief moment, genuine surprise flickered across his face.
Then he dragged her close and crushed his mouth to hers—brutal, possessive, claiming. When he finally pulled back, he pressed a single hard kiss to her forehead.
“It’ll be over soon,” he promised darkly. “We’ll both get exactly what we deserve.”
Five days later he attacked.
Kael was absent. Seraphina had fed Ryker every secret, every weakness of the pack. Resistance was slaughtered. Those who surrendered were chained. He took the throne still dripping with blood, forced the elders to kneel under threat of death, and unleashed his forces across the lands like poison.
He had everything he wanted.
Everything except the one truth he would never tell her: when Kael returned, Ryker would kill his brother.
And not even the twisted, obsessive thing he felt for Seraphina would stop him.