Chapter 12 – Quiet Before the Storm
Kate woke to the soft warmth of morning sunlight spilling through the heavy curtains in Ryker's chamber. For a brief moment, she lay still, her head resting against his bare chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The memories of last night came rushing back — the raw emotion, the struggle to bring her wolf forth, the way Ryker had stayed with her through every tremor and cry of pain until the shift was complete.
No one else knew. No one else could know. Her wolf — fierce, beautiful, with white fur tipped in red like dancing flames — was theirs alone for now.
Ryker's arm tightened around her as if sensing her thoughts. "You're quiet," he murmured, his voice still husky with sleep.
"Just… thinking," Kate replied softly, tracing idle patterns on his chest. "About last night. About her."
His lips curved in the faintest smirk. "Your wolf is perfect. And she's yours now — ours." He shifted slightly so he could look into her eyes. "But you understand why no one can know yet, right?"
Kate nodded. "If Caden's sister thinks I'm still wolfless, she'll underestimate me. And when the duel comes…" Her lips pressed into a thin smile. "She'll regret challenging me."
Ryker's blue eyes darkened with pride. "That's my Luna." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple, lingering for a heartbeat longer than necessary. "We have a week left. I'll make sure you're ready for anything she throws at you."
The rest of the morning passed in an odd blend of normalcy and tension. Over breakfast in the private dining room, Ryker discussed pack matters with Caden, though Kate could feel the Beta's sister's gaze burning into her from across the room. The other woman wore a smile that was far too sweet to be genuine, and Kate returned it with a polite but icy nod.
When they finished eating, Ryker excused himself to handle some pack patrol reports, leaving Kate to walk through the gardens alone. She welcomed the solitude, though it didn't last long — soft footsteps approached behind her.
"Well, if it isn't the Alpha's little charity project," came the too-familiar voice.
Kate stopped, her hands curling into loose fists. She turned to face the Beta's sister, who was dressed in a sleek, form-fitting black outfit that screamed I'm better than you.
"I didn't realize you were so interested in my life," Kate replied coolly.
The woman's smile widened, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm just concerned for my Alpha. He deserves someone strong. Someone with a wolf. Someone… worthy."
Kate held her gaze, unflinching. "And I suppose you think that's you?"
The Beta's sister gave a delicate shrug. "At least I wouldn't embarrass him in front of the pack." She took a step closer, lowering her voice. "You really think you can win? When I beat you, and you're forced to reject him, you'll wish you'd stayed in whatever little corner of the world you crawled out of."
Something deep inside Kate stirred at the insult — a flash of heat that wasn't entirely hers. Let me deal with her, her wolf's voice growled in her mind, a low rumble that made Kate's spine straighten.
Kate smiled faintly, tilting her head. "You talk too much."
The woman blinked, clearly caught off guard by the calm confidence in Kate's tone. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." Kate took a deliberate step forward, her voice dropping into something sharp and possessive. "Ryker is my Alpha. I am his chosen mate. And when this duel comes, you're going to learn why he claimed me."
For a second, the Beta's sister faltered, but the arrogance quickly returned. "We'll see about that." She turned on her heel and stalked away, her hair swaying behind her like a challenge in itself.
Kate exhaled slowly once she was alone again. Her wolf purred in approval. That was better. She's nothing compared to us.
Later that afternoon, Ryker found Kate in the library, reading idly but clearly distracted. He leaned against the doorframe, studying her with that unnerving, assessing gaze of his. "What happened?"
She looked up from the book. "Nothing important."
"Kate…" His tone held both warning and curiosity.
She sighed, closing the book. "She tried to rattle me. It didn't work."
Ryker's jaw tightened. "You should have told me."
"I can handle her," Kate said firmly.
His eyes softened, but his voice stayed low. "You don't have to handle anything alone anymore." He walked toward her, each step deliberate, until he was standing right in front of her. His hand reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You're mine. And I protect what's mine."
Kate's heart thudded in her chest. The air between them felt charged, as if last night's transformation had deepened their bond even further. "And I protect what's mine," she whispered back.
His lips brushed hers — a fleeting touch, but enough to send sparks racing through her. He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. "Tomorrow, we start training. Just you and me. No one else."
"Tomorrow?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Because the duel is in two days."
Kate's eyes narrowed slightly, determination replacing any flicker of fear. "Good. I'm ready."
Ryker's smirk returned, slow and predatory. "We'll see."
As the day wound down, Kate sat by the window in their chambers, watching the sun dip below the horizon. Her wolf's voice murmured again in her mind, warm and certain. We are ready. Let them think we are weak. On the day of the duel, they'll see the truth.
Kate smiled to herself, the glow of the setting sun catching in her green eyes. The storm was coming — and she was done hiding.