CHAPTER TWO: NOT MEANT TO BE

RORY'S POV

"Elara, you could have killed him!"

I shouted, slamming the wooden door shut behind me. My hunting coat fell to the floor with a soft thud.

Elara spun around, her eyes blazing with a fierce intensity.

"You don't dare yell at me that way, Rory,"

she hissed, her left finger jabbing accusingly at my face.

I stood my ground, my heart still racing from the encounter with the human.

"You were reckless, Elara,’

"You were with a human, Rory. Are you blind to the danger? Everyone knows it's a death sentence to be seen with one."

Elara's voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible over the rustling of leaves in the park.

I glared back at her, my defenses rising. "That human saved me when you and Mum got lost in the wind."

Before Elara could retort, the wooden door burst open, and Mum strode in, her face thunderous. Her eyes had darkened to an inky black, and her wolf claws were fully extended, gleaming in the dim light. Mum's wolf instincts always surfaced when she was angry, and now my heart is racing with anxiety.

“We were on the other side, battling the skarvs, Rory,” Mum said, her voice icy. “We weren’t playing games,"

“Mum, I have no wolf, and those skarvs could have eaten me up!”

I exclaimed, frustration and desperation etched on my face.

“But Prince Ryker came to my rescue without a second thought. Maybe we should bury whatever hate we have with humans.”

Elara's face twisted in scorn.

“You sound so stupid, Rory,” she sneered. “You keep making excuses about not having a wolf instead of finding a way out of your predicament,”

Her voice was laced with annoyance.

“Ooh, now I sound stupid,” I muttered, my voice laced with sarcasm and hurt.

Elara's words cut deep, and I felt a sting of embarrassment.

“Elara, he saved me,” I protested, my voice filled with gratitude.

Elara's expression transformed into a sly smirk. “But I caught him almost kissing you!” she exclaimed, her voice dripping with malice and glee.

My eyes widened in shock, and I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. I went quiet, unsure of how to respond to Elara's bombshell.

Mum rose up from where she had sat listening to Elara's and my banter. Her expression was stern and concerned. She took me by the hand and sat me down on the stool, her grip firm but gentle.

“Do you know what Alpha Renzo will do when he hears of your encounter with prince Ryker?”

Mum asked, her voice low and menacing.

“He wouldn't even care that he saved you; he will burn you alive and feed your remains to the werewolves,”

Her words sent a chill down my spine, but despite the fear, I couldn't help but recall the feeling of Ryker's warm breath on my face.

“And they will gladly eat you!”

She rolled her eyes, her expression a mix of disdain and amusement.

“But what if I'm in love with Prince Ryker?”

The words tumbled out before I could stop them. Elara's scoff was like a slap, and Mum's claws extended, her eyes darkening to an inky black.

“Leave!” she thundered, making the windows rattle. The room seemed to shake with her fury.

“Mum, she didn't mean it,”

Elara stepped forward, her voice soothing.

I stood my ground, my heart pounding.

“What if I do?”

Mum's face twisted in a growl.

“And I said leave,” she growled, her hand rising as if to push me out.

Just then, a loud boom echoed outside, making us all pause. Elara's eyes flicked to the window before she turned back to us.

“That's a call from Alpha Renzo. We need to go,”

She grabbed her jacket, her movements brisk.

Mum's gaze lingered on me, disappointment and anger etched on her face. I took my jacket and slipped out of the wooden room, avoiding her eyes.

Outside, people were running wildly to get to Alpha Renzo before he got angry. Everyone was scared of him. But instead of joining the crowd, I went in the opposite direction - to the forest where I met Prince Ryker.

***

"Anyone here?"

I stepped into the forest, my voice barely above a whisper.

The only sounds were the soft crunch of leaves beneath my feet. Moonlight lit up the clearing where I first met Prince Ryker.

My eyes scanned the area, searching for any sign of movement. But I was alone. The werewolves had all answered Alpha Renzo's call, leaving me to sneak back to the forest undetected. Fear of getting caught lingered, but my concern for Prince Ryker's safety outweighed the risk.

As I approached the spot where Elara had struck him, my heart sank. The only reminder of our encounter was the faint stain of blood on the ground.

"Anyone?"

I called out again, my voice cracking with anxiety.

"I'm probably never meeting him again," I said, turning to leave. But then the rustling of leaves behind me made me spin around.

"I'm here, Wolf," Prince Ryker said, his voice weak and laced with pain.

My heart skipped a beat as I took in his disheveled appearance. His hair was messy, and his eyes seemed sunken. "You're alive," I exclaimed, my voice trembling with relief.

Prince Ryker smirked, wincing as he took a step closer. "I was out for a minute," he said. "I was heading back before I heard you. The universe is working in our favor."

I froze, my eyes locked on his, as he stopped just a few steps away. His gaze held mine, and for a moment, everything else faded into the background.

I wonder if he feels the same way, if the connection between us is more than just coincidence.

"I'm glad you came by,"

Prince Ryker's eyes burned with intensity as he cradled my face. His thumbs traced gentle circles on my skin.

"We can run away, Wolf," he murmured. "Where your Alpha will never find us. We can be together forever."

Before I could respond, his lips brushed against mine, soft and tentative at first. His mouth moved closer, and our lips met again, the kiss deepening as our breaths mingled.

His lips were warm and gentle, yet demanding. I felt a rush of excitement, my heart pounding.

His hands moved down to my waist. I had never had a man touch me in this manner, and now my legs were shaking heavily.

"You're trembling," Prince Ryker whispered, his breath dancing across my ear.

"I...I don't know what's happening," I replied, my voice barely audible.

Prince Ryker's hands moved down to my waist, his fingers tracing the curve of my hips.

"I'm making you tremble," he whispered, a smirk playing on his lips.

Just as his hands began to slide under my jacket, he froze, his head cocked to the side.

"A wolf!" he exclaimed, his eyes flashing with warning.

Before I could react, he leapt away, disappearing into the darkness.

"I caught you," Elijah, Alpha Renzo's beta, growled from behind, his eyes blazing with fury. The Alpha's enforcers, Victor and Luca, flanked him, their faces stern.

"You were with a human," Elijah snarled, his breath hot against my ear.