Chapter 109

Chapter 109
Riley’s P.O.V
I never felt anything for Finn.
Not a spark. Not a flutter. Not even the kind of shallow interest you give someone who’s just… nice to look at. And to be fair, Finn was nice—too nice, maybe. He was sweet in a textbook sort of way. Brought me snacks during lunch, helped me with homework even when I didn’t ask, always hovered like some half-trained golden retriever waiting for a treat.
But I never once looked at him and felt that feeling.
The way I did with Rhys.
And gosh, I hated myself for it.
Finn asked me to be his girlfriend one Thursday afternoon, right after class let out and we sat together under the sycamore tree in the courtyard, our trays of half-eaten food between us.
“Would you be my girlfriend?” he asked, like it was the most natural thing in the world. His blue eyes were hopeful, expectant. Like he already knew what I’d say.
I froze mid-bite.
“I… I can’t,” I said slowly, forcing the words past the awkward lump in my throat. “I don’t even know who my mate is yet. I can’t be in a relationship until I know.”
Finn blinked. His smile faltered. Then came the mocking laugh, sharp and bitter. “You still believe in that? Come on, Riley. That shit is crap.”
I stared at him.
He didn’t even try to hide the sneer twisting his lips.
“You think some magical soulmate is gonna show up and complete you? That’s a fairy tale. You’re smarter than that.”
“Maybe,”I said quietly, gathering my bag and standing. “But I’d rather wait for something real than settle for something convenient.”
I didn’t look back as I walked away.
After school, I found myself dragged off to dinner with Zoey. Again. Somehow, she always managed to convince the guards I was already at home, tucked away in my room. That girl could talk her way past a dragon if she wanted to.
We sat in a cozy little café downtown, the kind of place with candles in empty wine bottles and menus written in chalk. I picked at a salad while Zoey devoured her second burger like she hadn’t eaten in a week.
“So,”she said between bites, “what happened with Lover Boy?”
I rolled my eyes. “He asked me out.”
“No way!” she laughed. “Finally. And?”
“I turned him down.”
Zoey nearly choked. “You what?”
“I told him I’m waiting for my mate,” I said, and this time I didn’t flinch saying it.
Her expression sobered. “Wow. You actually meant that?”
“Of course I meant it.”
She stared at me for a long second before smirking. “You know that makes you, like, one in a million, right?”
“Maybe,”I said. “But I don’t care. I want the real thing. Or nothing at all.”
Zoey raised her soda in mock salute. “To hopeless romantics.”
I didn’t laugh.
Because it wasn’t about romance, really. It was about belonging. About finding someone who saw all of me, my fire, my flaws, my fears—and didn’t flinch.
And the only person who’d ever looked at me like that… was Rhys.
“I have to go now, Zoey,” I said quickly, glancing at the time. “If my parents find out I snuck out again—”
“They’ll ground you until you’re thirty,” Zoey said with a grin. “Yeah, yeah. Go. I’ll cover for you if the guards start sniffing around.”
I slipped out before she could say anything else, pulling my hoodie up against the wind as I hurried down the street. The bus stop was only a few blocks away. I’d catch the late ride and be home before anyone noticed.
Except… the bus never came.
I checked the schedule again. Then again. The numbers blurred. The streets emptied.
And then—
A hand clamped around my wrist.
“Hey, sweetheart. You lost?”
Two men stood in front of me. Leather jackets. Cigarette breath. That hungry gleam in their eyes that made my stomach twist.
“I’m fine,” I said, stepping back. “Leave me alone.”
But they didn’t. Of course they didn’t.
One grabbed my arm, the other moved behind me.
“Let me go!” I screamed, kicking out, struggling. My heart pounded like a drum against my ribs.
“Aw, come on. Don’t be like that—”
Then, out of nowhere, a crack split the air.
A fist. A scream. The guy behind me staggered back with blood pouring from his nose.
I blinked.
“Rhys?”
He stood there like something out of a dream. Dark jacket. Rain starting to fall in sheets around him. His jaw was tight, eyes blazing, and before I could even speak, he was already throwing another punch.
The second guy bolted.
The first one groaned and stumbled away, leaving me standing there, trembling, soaking wet and stunned.
“Are you okay?” Rhys asked, stepping forward.
I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move.
He reached out and touched my face gently, brushing a wet strand of hair behind my ear. His hand lingered on my cheek, thumb brushing the skin beneath my eye.
“I’ll drop you off,” he said softly.
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
We walked in silence to his car, the rain soaking our clothes. He opened the door for me, helped me in like I was something delicate.
Like I mattered.
The drive was quiet.
I stared out the window, my mind spinning. Why was he here? How did he find me? Did he follow me?
But mostly… why did I feel safe with him?
He pulled up to the edge of the property line, the spot just past the gates where my guards wouldn’t see.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He looked at me. Really looked.
And for a moment, I swore there was something cracked open behind those eyes. Something raw. Something real.
“You shouldn’t be out alone,” he said gruffly.
“I can take care of myself.”
He didn’t argue. Just nodded once, like he respected that.
I hesitated. “Why were you there?”
He didn’t answer right away. “I just… was.”
I looked at him, heart thudding. “You saved me.”
“Yeah,” he said softly. “I did.”
We sat in silence.
I wanted to reach for him. To say something. Anything.
But then I remembered what Zoey said. About keeping my options open. About not falling too fast.
Still… as I stepped out of the car, I glanced back.
And Rhys was still watching me.
Not like a guy who wanted to win a game.
But like a man who already had everything to lose.