Ryder Rock Squad Novels & Stories

I muttered, forcing myself halfway to my feet before gravity shoved me back down. Ryder groaned, annoyed, and crouched down. His arm hooked under mine as he hauled me up like dead weight. “Definitely not us,” he said, his voice harder now. “Ravencrest is powerful. Strong. And it’s time to share that power with the smaller packs. We’re doing them a favor.”

It’s a full crew: me, both my mates, Alexander, Rowen, Summer, Jared, Evanora, Edward, Jareth, Citra, Michael, Hawk, Jaiden, Meredith, Gael, Hakeem, Charlie, Isaac, and Lacy. “You ready for this?” Hermes asks. The bravado is gone. There are dark circles under his eyes—something I didn’t think gods even had. He looks… worried. That’s not a good sign. “As we’ll ever be,” Xander says. Hermes nods. “Everyone link hands. Two of you need to touch me directly.” We all form the chain. When he’s sure we’re connected, Hermes grabs Arya’s hand on one side and Jaiden’s on the other.

The silence breaks. Cheers erupt, whistles, clapping, boots stomping against the dirt. The sound swells around me, loud and raw and real. Some riders raise their fists. Others nod firmly. I glance at Ryder. He’s watching me, not the crowd. There’s something unguarded in his expression, something he doesn’t show often. I smile at him without overthinking it. We may have lost our entire family. We may have lost Sawmoon. We may have lost everything that once defined us.

Then Ryder cleared his throat, his demeanor shifting. “Right. Back to business,” he said. “There’s something you need to know.” I straightened, my senses sharpening. “What is it?” Ryder stepped closer, his countenance shifting to something more serious. “There’s a situation in the western woods. One of the scouts reported unusual tracks—too large to be anything local. They might belong to the rogue pack.” My jaw tightened. “And the scouts? Did they engage?” “No,” Ryder assured me. “They were careful to avoid detection, but they’re waiting for your orders.”

She said: "I need strategic advice." I set down what I was reading. "Tell me," I said. "Ryder," she said. I knew the name. Ryder was a senior warrior in the Northern Fang pack, four years older than Aurora, with the specific, settled competence of someone who had been doing demanding physical work for long enough that it had become simply part of how he occupied space. He was quiet in the way of people who had learned that most things did not require verbal commentary and who saved their words for when words were the right instrument. He was, by every observable measure, entirely oblivious to Aurora's interest in him.

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.

Ryder had taken the fall. Richard Spence’s automated sweep had caught the decoy signal on router port 04, and now the entire conference believed Ryder was trying to hack State's scouting network to boost his draft stock. He was facing a massive league suspension, public disgrace, and the complete destruction of his draft prospects—all to buy me three minutes in Vance's office. I turned the corner into the narrow alcove behind the visitor's equipment storage shed. Suddenly, a heavy, calloused hand reached out from the darkness, grabbing my wrist and pulling me sharply into the recessed shadow between two high equipment trunks.

I say and jog over to where the EAS has gathered. “Everyone this is Raven the newest member of the squad. We know you have questions, but we will answer those late. Just know she has earned her place and she might even be better than half of you. However, she is new and won’t’ know the coded calls, so tell her where to go. That’s an order. We don’t know how big the attack is, we will need to be cautious but we can’t waste time. Line up in formation outside we leave immediately.” Alpha Ryker commands. His authoritative tone leaves no room for argument. The EAS rushes outside, and lines up in 3 triangles, with, Alpha Colton and Alpha Ryker at the front.

Ryder says sharply when he walks back inside. “I hope everything is okay,” mom says hugging him. Ryder replies that it will be. “I will call you when the dust settles to discuss the future,” Ryder says while hugging me. Those words are a code for we will discuss my being placed on the C.H.A.O.S. team. I only want to be with my boys. I will not settle for another team. We wish him luck and to call if he needs anything. He squeals the tires of his Ferrari, making smoke rise in the air from the asphalt drive. I feel sorry for whoever has him rushing away. His grey eyes were glacial, which promises death.

Ditto buddy! “What? You can fly over the river as a wolf?” I shot. “Almost, I am one of the fastest wolves in Astoria,” Kent said. Not bragging but just like it was a fact. “Why don’t you transform and I hop on your back? I can hold on pretty tight.” I suggested. Kent turned to me slowly. He looked beyond angry. “How dare you!” “What?” I asked, confused. “How dare you ask an Alpha to be your mule? I have never, will never, let anyone ride my back.” He explained further.