Page 41 of Feral Fates
“Will they accept that?”
“They’ll accept what I decree.” The words carry absolute authority, but he softens them by adding, “The Alpha Female attends all ceremonies. That you can’t shift is irrelevant.”
His certainty eases some of my anxiety. Through our bond, I feel his confidence flowing into me like warm honey, steadying my nerves.
“I’ve brought you here for another reason,” he says, gesturing toward the Vision Well. “The full moon strengthens a seer’s gift. Combined with the Well’s power, it might let us see what Thaddeus or the other packs are up to.”
For a second, I freeze.
His words are soft, gentle even, but I recoil. My jaw tightens. My spine locks. Suddenly I’m back in Varick’s chamber, eyes ringed with shadows, throat raw from screaming through a forced vision while he stood watching, satisfied.
My heartbeat spikes. My instinct is to step back, to shut down. To do as I’ve been told.
But then I feel it—his regret and his concern.
“I… sorry,” I say quietly, forcing air back into my lungs. “I thought—I thought you were going to force me to?—”
Ryker’s gaze darkens, not with anger, but with fury on my behalf.
“I’m not,” he says. “And I never will.”
It’s a struggle, but I lock down my fears. “You want me to scry the Grand Alpha. You want me to see if he’s planning another attack.” It’s a statement rather than a question.
Ryker nods slowly. “Thaddeus won’t let our rebellion stand. I’m sure he’s gathering forces and building alliances. I’m sorry to ask this of you, but I’m operating at a deficit. Our spies have gone silent, and anyone we’ve sent since hasn’t made any inroad into Thaddeus’s inner sanctum.”
I study the still water.
“I don’t ask this of you lightly, Kitara. And unlike your former Alpha, I won’t force visions from you. This is your choice. There’s no pressure here.”
The distinction means more than he can possibly know. For so long, my gift has been something others demanded I use, regardless of the cost to me. To be given a choice, to be asked rather than commanded, feels revolutionary.
“No,” I say, wanting to see his reaction. I don’t raise my voice, don’t lash out, but the word lands heavy between us.
Without a beat, he nods once. “Okay.”
No challenge. No persuasion. Just... acceptance.
And gods, that undoes me. Not because he gave in, but because hemeantit.
I study him, heart beating fast, throat tight. No one’s ever heard my “no” before without turning it into a reason to push harder.To punish. To pry.
But Ryker takes my answer in his stride, making no efforts to change my mind. It’s a heady powerful thing to realize that someone respects you enough to honor your choice.
I know that Ryker is different. He’s not like the otherswho’ve only cared about their own desires, their own amusement. In this small moment, it dawns on me that he might actually care about me. About how I feel. The realization rocks me to my core, shaking the very foundations of everything I’ve ever known.
A slither of relief slides between us—but it’s from his side.
“Wait. Why are you relieved?”
He curses under his breath. “I’d hoped you’d miss that.”
“Ryker.”
“It’s dangerous.”
I shrug. “Everything here is dangerous. Including you.”
His eyes darken. “Especially me.” He steps closer, deliberately invading my space. “But you’re not afraid of me anymore, are you, little wolf?”
