Ivy
I nearly frolicked on my way to college. I feel like a woman in love, except I'm not.
Gosh, I can't wait to see my fake boyfriend!
My heart is beating faster with excitement. I can't believe I'm actually doing this.
I finally spot Ryder in his usual spot, surrounded by his friends. He looks up as I approach and gives me a cold stare that sends shivers down my spine.
"Hey," I say and wave enthusiastically.
Ryder grunts in response.
I try not to let his icy demeanor affect me and take a deep breath. "Can I talk to you in private?" I ask, hoping to get a positive response. I can feel his friends' eyes on me, so I look at them and smile.
One particular girl gives me a nasty stare. What, did she call dibs on him or something? He didn't mention having a girlfriend at the party!
Ryder looks at me for a moment before finally nodding his head. "Fine," he says, standing up and motioning for me to follow him.
I feel a sense of relief wash over me as we walk away from his friends and find a secluded spot.
"What do you want?" Ryder asks, folding his arms over his chest.
"I just wanted to talk to you about our arrangement," I reply, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"I didn't agree to it yet," Ryder barks.
"Well, I don't have a whole lot of time, so either you make your decision now, or I release the video," I threaten him.
"Fucking A-" Ryder mumbles under his breath. "Alright. I'll do it. Now what did you want to talk about?"
"I was thinking we should start acting more like a couple, you know, to make it seem more convincing," I suggest, hoping to get him on board.
Ryder looks at me skeptically. "And how exactly do you propose we do that?"
"Well, we could hold hands, hug, maybe even kiss on the cheek or something," I suggest, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Ryder raises an eyebrow. "Kiss on the cheek? That's it?"
I nod my head, feeling relieved that he's not completely opposed to the idea. "Yeah, just something small to make it seem like we're really into each other."
Ryder seems to be considering my proposal before finally nodding his head. "Fine, but we're doing this on our own terms. And no funny business, got it?"
I nod my head eagerly. "Got it, I just need to convince Alpha Maurice that we're together."
Ryder gives me a curt nod. "Alright, but don't expect me to go overboard with the whole thing. I'll do what I can to make it look real, but I'm not going to start taking you out on a date or anything like that."
I laugh, feeling relieved that Ryder is willing to go along with the plan. "Don't worry, I don't want to make it too obvious either. We just need to make it seem like we're comfortable around each other."
Ryder nods, and we make our way back to his friends. As we approach, I can feel their eyes on us, and I can sense the speculation in their gazes. But Ryder doesn't seem to care. He just gives them a curt nod before turning his attention back to me.
"So, when do we start this little charade?" he asks, his tone serious.
"As soon as possible," I reply, my heart racing with excitement. "But we can't go to Alpha Maurice just yet. I need to do more research first."
Ryder raises his eyebrows. "What kind of research?"
"You know...how mates should act, what they should know about each other. Stuff like that."
Ryder scoffs. "You are going to do research on that? Such a nerd."
"Oh, like you are an expert on mate bonding?" I sneer.
"No, but I know how that works," Ryder smirks.
"Do enlighten me then," I say sarcastically.
Ryder suddenly moves closer to me. His eyes lock onto mine, and I feel my heart race. "Well, first of all, mates are supposed to be connected on a deep, emotional level. They know each other's thoughts and feelings without having to say a word. And physical touch is important too, not just holding hands and kissing on the cheek. They need to be intimate with each other."
I feel my cheeks flush at his words. "Intimate? What do you mean?"
Ryder leans in, his breath hot against my ear. "I mean, they need to be able to trust each other completely. To let their guards down and be vulnerable. They need to be able to touch each other without holding back. To explore each other's bodies."
I feel my breath hitch in my throat as he speaks. His words are sending shivers down my spine, and I can't deny that I'm intrigued. But I also feel a sense of anxiety. "Uh...ha..."
"When mates touch each other, they feel a certain electricity that bonds them together. It's like their energies are connecting," Ryder continues, his voice low and husky.
I swallow hard, trying to keep my composure. "Interesting," I manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ryder's gaze flickers to my lips, and for a moment, I think he's going to kiss me. But then he takes a step back, breaking the tension between us.
"Anyway, these are the things I heard. I don't know if it's true or not," he says, turning on his heel and walking away.
I stand there, watching him go, feeling a mixture of confusion and desire.
What was that? Was he just messing with me, or did he really feel something between us? And why did I feel a sudden urge to reach out and touch him? Shaking my head, I try to push these thoughts aside and focus on my plan. I need to find out everything I can about mate bonding and fast. Then I can act more convincingly in front of Alpha Maurice.
Startled, I turn around to see who touched me. It turns out to be that girl who was glaring at me earlier.
"Hi?" I ask, looking her up and down.
The girl is tall and slender with long, straight black hair that falls to her waist. She has sharp features with high cheekbones, a straight nose, and full lips. Her eyes are a piercing blue, and she's wearing a fitted leather jacket with skinny jeans and boots. She looks at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
"Who are you supposed to be?" she barks.
"I'm just a friend of Ryder's," I reply, trying to sound nonchalant. "Why, do I need to be someone in particular to talk to you?"
The girl narrows her eyes at me. "I just don't like people who try to get close to Ryder without earning it. You know he's not one to trust easily."
"I'm not trying to get close to him, we're just acquaintances," I say, trying to diffuse the tension.
The girl gives me a hard stare before finally nodding her head. "Okay. I'm Cassandra, by the way. And you are...?"
"I'm Ivy," I reply, smiling at her. "Nice to meet you, Cassandra."
Cassandra doesn't return my smile.
"Well, Ivy," Cassandra says, still looking at me suspiciously. "Just remember that Ryder's not one to be toyed with," she says, then walks away from me.
Oh, great. Now I feel like I'm starring in a cheesy teen drama.
Ryder I step up to the plate, the cool metal of the bat resting on my shoulder. I take a deep breath, trying to focus on the pitcher as he winds up, and I prepare to swing. The ball comes hurtling towards me, so I bring the bat around in a swift arc. The satisfying crack of wood meeting the ball fills my ears as I watch the ball sail through the air. I never miss it. Well, I guess being a werewolf has its perks. Of course, my teammates have the same powers as I do, but I am still the Alpha wolf. No one could match my speed or strength. I hit the ball perfectly and watch it fly through the air. I feel alive, powerful, and free. As the ball lands in the outfield, I take off toward first base, my heart racing with excitement. I can hear my teammates cheering me on, and I know that I've made them proud. "Woohoo! GO, RYDER, GO!" I hear a girl cheering loudly, so I smile and look up at the bleachers. She must be one of my fans. If she is hot, I might take her back to my hous
IvyI guess my fake mate didn't like my acting because currently, he is staring at me, scowling."What?" I ask."Did you really have to yell this loud?" he barks.The look of annoyance on his face makes me giggle. "Okay, sorry. That was stupid. Maybe we don't have to yell the word mate at each other. We can just act like we are in love."Ryder lets out a deep sigh before nodding his head. "Fine, but let's try to make it believable. No more of that overacting you just did."I nod my head, feeling relieved that he's still willing to go through with our plan. "Agreed. We can start by spending more time together, maybe even going on a date or two."Ryder looks at me skeptically. "A date? You really think that's necessary?"I nod my head eagerly. "Yes, it'll show everyone that we're really into each other. And who knows, we might even have some fun in the process."Ryder rolls his eyes, but I can see a hint of amusement in his expression. "Okay, fine. But let's keep it low-key. We don't wa
IvyI'm anxious because Ryder won't tell me where he is taking me. We are going on our first date, and I don't know what to expect or how to prepare.Sure, it's not a real date, but still..."Where are we going?" I asked for the twentieth time."I told you it was a surprise," he barks."But Ryder, this isn't a real date, so why can't you just say it?" I whine.Ryder's eyes sparkle mischievously. "Because surprises are half the fun. And besides, just because it's not a real date doesn't mean it can't be a memorable one."I roll my eyes but can't help the flutter of excitement in my stomach.He parks his car and urges me to get out then we start walkingAs we turn a corner, I gasp in surprise. We are standing in front of an old-fashioned carnival, complete with a Ferris wheel, a carousel, and a row of brightly lit game booths."Welcome to the carnival," Ryder said with a grin.I snort. "Really?"Ryder almost looks offended. "What? I thought we could have fun and be kids for a day. I don
Ryder So, I just invited Ivy to Sirius's birthday party. I'm not entirely sure why I did it, but it's done now, and I can't take it back. Maybe it was because I had fun hanging out with her earlier today. She's funny and easy to talk to, and I feel like I can be my true self in front of her. And also kind of cute. I shake my head. No, I'm being stupid. She is more annoying than cute. But I can't stop thinking about her now. Her soft, rounded face with full lips and a cute nose with tiny freckles sprinkled on it, her wild curly hair and big green eyes... Dang it, why do I find her so attractive? "Why do you look like you swallowed a whole lemon?" Sirius pushes me to get my attention. I jump, startled, and quickly compose myself. "Uh, what? No reason. I'm fine." Sirius is the Beta wolf of our pack and my childhood best friend. We are supposed to be celebrating his birthday tomorrow night. Sirius raises an eyebrow. "You sure?" You nearly ran into me just now, not even watching wh
IvyMy mind is weird.I should be mad at Ryder for being mean to me all the time, but instead, it makes me giggle when he snaps at me. Maybe I like the way he scrunches his nose when he is annoyed at me or the way his little vein pops up on his forehead when he is mad at me. It's adorable.But then again, why do I find it adorable when someone is being mean to me? Is there something wrong with me? Maybe I have some sort of weird psychological issue that I need to address.Or maybe I just have a strange sense of humor. I mean, I laugh at my own jokes even when no one else finds them funny. Maybe finding Ryder's annoyance amusing is just another one of my quirks.Either way, I need to stop thinking about him so much. I can't get too attached because this isn't meant to be a long-lasting friendship. Guys like Ryder don't hang out with girls like me!But I really did have so much fun with him at the carnival!He had been weirdly understanding when I was scared of heights, and then he invi
RyderIvy grabs the sleeve of my shirt as I try to get out of the car. "What?" I bark."Um...maybe this is a bad idea," she chuckles nervously."What's a bad idea? Going to a party?" I arch my brows."Going as your date, I mean."I smirk at her. "What? Chickening out already?"Ivy rolls her eyes. "No, it's just...I don't know."I reach out and tug at her braid. "No need to be nervous. I promise not to be too mean to you tonight. I'll even act like I'm into you," I say, surprised by my own words. I don't know why, but I feel protective over her tonight.Maybe it's because she looks so stunning in her little red dress, or maybe it's because I don't want anyone than me to be rude to her."Really? Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden?" Ivy asks me.I shrug, trying to play it cool. "I don't know, maybe I just feel like being a good date tonight."Ivy raises an eyebrow at me, clearly not buying it. "Okay...well, I don't believe you. I think you are up to something. Maybe planning re
IvyRyder is holding me close as we dance. I can feel his grip on my waist tightens, so I look up at him, wondering what's going on.I see a flicker of something in his eyes like he's struggling with something internally. His grip loosens a little, and he clears his throat before speaking. "I wasn't accusing you of anything earlier."I look at him with surprise. "Hmm?""I'm just saying...I wasn't really jealous of you and Sirius," Ryder says.Oh, we are still harping on that?"I'm sure you weren't, Ryder. Why would you? I'm not exactly the beauty queen everyone sought after."Ryder's eyes narrow slightly. "That's not true, Ivy. You are...""I am what?" I stare at him intently."You aren't...hideous looking," Ryder mumbles.I giggle. "Gee...thanks so much for thinking I'm not hideous.""Okay, that was a stupid thing to say. What I was trying to say was that you...you...are...cute," Ryder stammers.I can't help but smile at Ryder's flustered response. Is the big bad Alpha feeling nervou
RyderI don't know what to do with myself anymore.I don't know how, but I am somehow keeping it together while I'm dancing with Ivy, even though my heart is pounding and my head is spinning. I can feel my emotions spiraling out of control as the time go by.Her scent, her soft skin against my palm, and the feel of her soft lips when I kissed her made my cock hard, and I really hoped she didn't notice.FUCK! WHY?I know it's wrong to feel this way about someone who is not my mate, especially a wolfless girl, but I can't help myself. She's just so damn cute.And despite my cringy attempts at flirting, she seems to be enjoying my company. Maybe she doesn't take me seriously, maybe she's just being polite, but it feels good to have her attention. But did I just tell her I'd give her kissing lessons? Really Ryder?I'm an idiot.I need to get away from her for a moment so I can think rationally again, so I let go of her waist. "I need to go outside and get some air," I mumble."Oh, okay, s