CHAPTER 5 DESIRE REAWAKENED

Ryder was enraged by Nora's statements by the time he arrived at the Zodak pack hall for the celebration prepared by Alpha Alex to celebrate his arrival. Many attractive damsels made signals and threw themselves at him. It made him giggle as he recalled the limitless number of ladies who thought they could tame and mate him, only to get fascinated with his physique and be discarded when he grew bored of them. As the party continued, other attractive women piqued his interest, and he resolved that if he couldn't have Nora at his side tonight, he'd vent his frustration on them in bed. Ryder didn't like Alpha Alex, but he was impressed by the splendor of the party.

Alex was powerful and ruthless, but not at his level. However, Ryder was aware that he needed to be restrained lest he develop wings and become arrogant. After all, Zodak had formed tight bonds with the pack he had recently subdued. Ryder's disgust for the pompous Alex was exacerbated by the fact that he was only concerned with his position, not his pack, mates, or even Nora. If he did, he would trust her and find out who was responsible for his mother's death rather than believing lies. Every powerful man understood that to fully achieve, he needed to be careful who he surrounded himself with. Alex didn't care. Rumor had it that it was his mate who looked over the welfare of the pack. The same Nora he deceived me to abandon, making me believe she was cursed. Ryder felt horrible and despised him because he now knew better. Though he wanted Nora back, he despised the term mate; he could never have one or leave his pack in the care of a female. He just regarded them as free fucks. Tired of the chaos, he was ready to call it a night when the anchor announced. "And on a final note, let's have some closing remarks from Zodak's adorable Luna, Eve Smith," cheers and clapping rang around the hall. Eve ascended the stage, and Nora followed behind her. Ryder was curious to meet Nora again. He watched as she approached the platform alongside Eve, dressed in a pale green sheath gown that accentuated her proportions and eyes. He sighed. Fuck! She looked stunning, and any thoughts of having another lady that night evaporated. His inner beast wreaked havoc. Ryder wanted her, regardless of whether she was someone else's mate. He followed her every step, his gaze savoring her body. He barely heard anything Eve had said. She had been nothing more than a ghost to Ryder for so long, a hazy remembrance of a love lost. But now, standing in front of him, she was like a vision—an alluring reminder of everything he had lost. His breath caught in his throat.

Her beauty was evident, and seeing her triggered something deep within him—something primitive. His gaze swept over her, tracing the exquisite curve of her neck and how her gown adhered to her body. He clenched his fists, a wave of frustration rushing through him. How could she be standing so near to him and so far away? Eve's voice drew him back into the present. "Thank you all for the warm welcome," she continued, her voice full of tenderness, but Ryder hardly heard her. He couldn't take his gaze off Nora. The spotlight shone on her, and she froze for a second as if the weight of her new fate had struck her. Her eyes flashed over the room, and When her gaze fell on Ryder, something inside her changed. For a brief moment, their gazes connected, and the world appeared to blur. "Ryder," she said under her breath. Her lips quivered slightly as she caught herself, but he could hear her voice, which was gentle and full of what may have been anguish. He wanted to shout out to her, to go up and grab her in his arms, to whisk her away from this place, but the words stopped in his mouth. Instead, he stood there, watching her, overwhelmed by the desire to claim her once more. The crowd's applause got louder, and Nora shifted, staring down at the ground and attempting to control her breathing. Ryder noticed the agony on her face. The expression, the reluctance, just stoked the fury within him. Eve, oblivious to the growing tension between the two of them, resumed her lecture, but Ryder was no longer listening. He’d seen enough. As the applause subsided, he couldn't take it anymore.