Page 42 of Claiming Her Alpha

“Can I help you tonight?” Adam eagerly asked.

“Of course, you can.”

They waited for Gabriel to join them before starting their hike.

As Adam ran into the woods, Gabriel spoke. “I’ve heard rumours about Kendra today. Would you like to know?”

Ryker eagerly nodded. He hadn’t heard anything in quite some time. Yet again, that wasn’t unusual. His pack didn’t have close contacts with any of the other packs, so news didn’t reach them very quickly.

“It seems that her pack has tried to build a relationship with the Silverliners. They visited them just a few weeks after you and her met. Her brother messed up and got one of their women pregnant.”

“She mentioned he was a whore.”

“A few months later, that same woman was banned from her home and sought out help with the Shadow Wolves. Rumours say that her brother wanted to send her away and she stood up for the woman. In the process, she must have revealed her wolf. She’s now taken her brother’s place as the true heir.”

Ryker’s aching heart nearly burst with joy. The little cracks within his soul filled with pride, mending some of the hurt that had torn his soul apart. “She figured it out.”

“She did and from what I’ve heard she is doing well. I think many are just glad her brother is no longer the heir.”

“She cursed him out a lot,” he laughed.

“It seems he wasn’t fit to lead.”

Ryker sighed and a dark cloud crept up on his joy. “Alpha is mad, isn’t he?”

“I can’t truly tell to be honest. Though I think he’s waiting for her to slip up.”

“You mean tell someone about me?”

“I think so.”

Ryker hoped with all his heart that she wouldn’t. She was doing well, and he didn’t want her to ruin it because of him.

“What will you do if she does. What if she comes to get you?”

He knew deep down that he would always choose her. Though he hoped that he would never have to fight his friends again. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“Let’s hope you never have to.”

They walked after Adam in silence and though Ryker didn’t want to think about it, he knew Gabriel would fight him if that was demanded of him. Even though they were friends, Gabriel had his family within the pack and Ryker knew he would do anything his alpha commanded. Ryker didn’t hate nor think less of Gabriel because of it. A few months ago, he himself would’ve done anything Alpha Vallerian asked of him. Now it was different. If he had the choice to obey and leave Kendra behind or fight his friends and likely lose his life to be with her, he would choose the latter.

If Kendra came for him, and was willing to fight for him, he would do all he could to be by her side. It was something he hadn’t wanted to think about because that meant his alliance was now not solely with his pack anymore. He hated himself for it, but being honest with himself would be better than denying what he truly felt.

Fishing was a quiet way of passing time and usually, Ryker loved it. It had been the time for him to calm himself and gather his thoughts, now all he could think about was the pain. The only true joy that came to him throughout the whole day was Adam’s excitement each time he’d caught a fish.

Proud of himself, Adam presented his catch to his mother when they returned. Ryker watched as Gabriel and Adam gutted the fish and helped Adrianna prepare their meal. Just as they set the table to eat, Devon’s mind pressed against Ryker’s.

‘We’ve scented a wolf close to the border.’

‘I’ll be right there.’ He stood from the table. “Work calls for me.”

“You are more than welcome to stop by later and grab your share of dinner,” Adrianna called after him as Ryker rushed out of the house.

He dropped his pants and pulled his shirt over his head—he would come back for them later. Sprinting towards the east of their border, he shifted, landing on all fours and running as fast as he could towards Devon’s location. It wasn’t unusual for wolves to near the border, but they still had to make sure it wasn’t part of an intrusion.

Devon had been improving and was now patrolling the border without supervision. They always had at least two wolves protecting the pack but now that he’d proven himself, he didn’t have to patrol with another wolf by his side.

‘Just one so far?’ Ryker asked as he arrived.

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