Judd Ryder Novels & Stories

He wanted my rankings. My championships. My sponsors. Now he wanted Allie. I walked back to the table and opened the file again. There had to be a weakness. Everyone had one. Money. Women. Family. Fear. Pride. No one was untouchable. I began reading from the beginning again, slower this time. Chase Alexander Ryder. Age twenty-eight. Born into a wealthy and respected sporting family. His father, Ethan Ryder, had been a famous hockey player before retiring. His mother, Evelyn, had worked as a sports therapist before leaving her career to raise their children.

Knox wanted his champion sharp, and Ryder was sharpest when left alone to work. He moved through his combinations with the focus of a man who had nothing else. Jab, cross, pivot. Drive the elbow. Reset. Every movement was precise and economical, the kind of efficiency that only came from doing the same thing ten thousand times until the body stopped needing the brain's permission. His black hair was damp at the temples, his grey sweatpants riding low on his hips, the scars across his torso catching the overhead lights with every turn. At six-foot-four, Ryder Maddox was not a man who disappeared into a room. The other fighters clocked him the moment he entered any space and made their calcula

"At least wait until Monday to tear her apart. We have guests." Ryder stepped out of the house, looking devastatingly handsome in a charcoal suit that strained against his massive frame. He greeted his sisters' husbands at the grill before turning toward Bethany. He wrapped a possessive arm around her waist, but his eyes immediately flicked to Ruth-Ann, burning with a silent, filthy heat that made her breath hitch. "Rachel, Ester, Linda," Ryder said, his voice smooth as bourbon. "You remember Bethany and her daughter, Ruth-Ann."

he said proudly, “the best birthday surprise hasn’t even happened yet.” Everyone immediately turned toward him. Julius narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What are you hiding now?” Ryder smirked proudly. “It’s a secret.” “Tell us!” Gab shouted excitedly. “Ryder,” I warned while narrowing my eyes playfully, “what secret?” He looked around proudly at everyone before clearing his throat dramatically. “Okay,” he said slowly. Everyone leaned closer immediately. “My surprise is…” He paused. “Oh for God’s sake, say it already!” Julius groaned loudly.

I sighed, but had no come back for him, so I unscrewed the top and downed the whole thing. “Now that’s a good alpha. Shall I start my guard duty now, or would time suffice? I was hoping to get back into the library and review some of the Codwall alpha dynasty. Heard he had himself a wolf rider lover without a problem. Though he only ruled for a few full months because he was killed.” “By the rider?” I asked, shocked. “No, that was your great-grandfather Rupert. He gave up his heart and willpower to a rider. Codwall apparently ate some poison berries. He did seem quite the idiot.” Max cackled.

I'm currently engaged in a physical encounter with my friend, Ryder Knowles, after unsuccessful experiences with seventeen other men who failed to arouse me. This situation is unprecedented between Ryder and me, as he's usually highly skilled in satisfying me quickly. However, this time, I find myself almost as unresponsive as I was during my last encounter with Jake before removing him from my list. Ryder abruptly stops and lies down beside me, propping his head on his hand. He remarks, "Alright, who is he?" I sit up, puzzled, and inquire, "What do you mean?"

VICTORIA The paper crackled inside the car, lost in the darkness of the underground parking garage. My heart sped up waiting for the result, not daring to look toward the passenger seat. “The test is... negative. You’re not pregnant, Vicky.” I closed my eyes, trying to control the tears and swallow the knot in my throat, but a rough sob ripped out of me anyway, and I couldn’t stop it. I was exhausted from this fight to give my mate Luca, the Alpha of Creston Pack, an heir.

“Men like him don’t play for money, they play for control. And he is spiking because he can tell she is new to this.” “I know,” I said quietly. “And he’s not the only one. We just need to be sure that she is safe.” When the call ended, I stood there for a long time, staring at the city through the glass. Valerie was finally finding her footing again, and now another predator was circling. I picked up my phone again and called Hunter. “Alpha…?” “Send word to Caleb,” I ordered, not wasting time. “He’s taking over as our shadow lawyer for Valerie’s firm. Rosalyn will brief him on the rest. And, Hunter…”

I want to argue, and I don't, because she's right and the rightness doesn't help. Ryder takes over the Luna duties so gradually as she has decided to spend most of her time at Nightshade helping Gio rebuild. He leads the morning patrols himself, handles the pack conflict mediation, chairs the alliance correspondence meetings. He does it the way he does most things—without announcement, without asking for acknowledgment, just moving into the space and filling it. I watch from the window of our cabin some mornings, seeing the pack organize around him, and feel something complicated: useless and proud in equal measure, the two feelings so closely braided I can't separate one from the other.