Page 40 of Reign of the Beast

“Ryker!” Jaxon’s voice boomed through the door.

At least he was demonstratingsomesemblance of manners by knocking and waiting, rather than tearing through the door.

When Ryker didn’t respond swiftly enough, the wolf called, “Raincheck the fucking, all right? I need your help! And FYI, a good fuck ramps up a vamp’s bloodlust, so it’s not exactly the best idea right now.”

With a grunt, Ryker kissed my cheek, then offered his apologies and climbed off me.

He snatched up his hoodie, shrugged it on, then strode to the door and hauled it open.

“What’s up?” he queried.

I watched with intrigue as Jaxon’s gaze roamed over him, an eye-fucking if I’d ever seen one. It was brazen, as was the thing with wolves, yet Ryker didn’t notice, his mind elsewhere.

Very interesting.

Jaxon’s eyes finally snapped back to Ryker’s face. He cleared his throat roughly and told him, “Your fly is open.”

Ryker hastily peered down at his jeans and cursed when he realized he was still unzipped. He hastily fixed himself then folded his arms across his chest. “So?” he pressed.

“It’s Mia.”

I watched him tense. “What about her?”

“She needs you.”

“Me?You’reher mate.”

He looked incredibly uneasy and unsure as he reluctantly admitted, “Look, you know her better than anybody. She’s hurting about her father, piling all the blame on herself. I can’t get through to her, can’t make it better. There’s just nothingIcan say, or do, to make it better. Butyoucan.”

I took in Ryker’s hesitation.

It was clear to me where it was rooted. He was torn between staying with me and going to her.

I didn’t want that for him.

I couldn’t allow it either.

If we were to perform the ritual that would bind us as one, we couldn’t entertain these divisions between us.

He had to make peace with her. He had to reopen himself to her, the part of him that he’d closed off when she’d broken his heart.

“Go,” I called out. “Go to her.”

He spun back to face me. “But, we—”

“I need to rest,” I lied.

“Lucian—”

“She needs you. Attend to her.”

He stared at me for a long moment, before finally nodding. “Okay. I’ll be back soon.”

I smiled reassuringly at him. “I know you will.”

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out to Jaxon, closing the door behind him.

I stared at my mundane surroundings, fighting to resist the urge to battle against my binds once more.

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