Kei Valancia
Was it totally horrible that I found Ryker’s rage so enjoyable? Yes, yes, it was. But you know, the mate bond is such a big B, but you have to live with it.
I sat in amazement as his power engulfed the whole room, the dark glittery form writhing around his body.
I relaxed deeper into the couch and watched silently as Ryker’s black form disappeared a moment before reappearing behind the other outline of the Potato Man.
He was totally holding back on our fight. Rei pouted.
I chuckled quietly. Then I guess we’ll have a rematch soon, I said. I watched as the Potato Man was lifted in the air and thrown across the room, over my head and crashing into the wall. Ryker hadn’t let up, however, as he appeared beside him in a flash.
The walls shook as Ryker lifted him up and slammed him against it, his arm outstretched while his hand seemed to be clamped around his throat. I heard Potato Man’s choked gasps, and his hands scrambled to unwrap Ryker’s fingers. I knew it would be impossible to do so.
Kei, do something! Brad’s voice said through mind link.
I turned my head to give him a pouting look. “Aww, but it’s so fun. Come on, you have to admit that he was asking for it.”
“Even so, if Ryker kills him, Thomas’s pack will be even more vulnerable from losing its alpha.”
I couldn’t argue so I sighed and got up slowly. “I hate it when you’re right.”
Sighing again, I strode over to where the two men quarreled. The man was now on the ground while Ryker stood over him, his black power now pushing down onto Potato Man, I guess who is named Thomas. Before I interrupted, however, I studied the way Ryker’s power grew, filling the whole room with its intensity.
“Kei.” I must have been standing there a bit too long as Brad warned me again.
“All right, all right, I’m going.” I walked over and stood beside Ryker without touching him. “Come on, babe, we all know you’re livid, and you want to kill the man, but let’s try and let your anger out in a more productive way.”
He ignored me.
Uh, excuse me? “King, come on. Put the man down,” I said again, trying to be soothing.
“Kei, stay out of it,” he growled back at me.
—No, no, no, no. Did he just growl at us?
—Yes. And we’re going to deal with that later, but right now, let’s just ignore it.
“I know. But dang it, he’s lucky he’s my mate,” I muttered before finally laying a hand on his shoulder. Just as I did, Potato Man had to open his fat mouth once again.
“Why don’t you listen to your little mate, King?”
I facepalmed. He was really asking to die, wasn’t he?
Ryker made a move to do something, but I wrapped my arms around his torso.
“Woah, there, hot shot. Let’s just let the Potato Man go and talk like civilized people. Sound good?” I patted his chest while I hugged his back. His muscles were coiled tight underneath my hands, and I could sense his anger waning.
“Don’t worry, King—” I leaned over Ryker’s side while unwrapping my arms and threw a punch at Potato Man’s face. My fist made contact, and that shut him up. Ryker still had a grip on his throat but not as tight as he was able to breathe more easily.
“Look, Potato Man, I would really suggest that you shut your mouth.” I reached up and gripped Ryker’s hand that was around his throat, gently unwrapping his fingers.
I managed to get Potato Man out of Ryker’s death grip before he fell to the ground, his back sliding down the wall.
I interlaced hands with Ryker and pulled him away.
“Well, that was close. Maybe you’ll learn your lesson to shut up next time.”
Thomas coughed loudly before I heard his sharp intake of breath. Ryker stood beside me quietly, and I shot him a sideways glance. Even though he seemed calmed down, I could still sense the animosity underneath. His power was also writhing around like an angry snake.
“You—” I was cut off by an intense wave of heat going through my body. I choked on my next words and gripped onto Ryker’s arm like a lifeline. I honestly didn’t know what was worse: breaking twenty bones or getting blasted by what seemed like a flame thrower. Why did the Heat have to be so painful? Sure, I got it. We are part wolf and what not, needing to mate and all, but isn’t the monthly curse enough? I guess not. I could see Ryker’s worry suddenly bloom around him.
Don’t say anything. Follow me. My voice sounded weak even through the mind link, but I managed to drag him towards the door without stumbling.
“Brad, King and I have some business to attend to. We’ll deal with Potato Man when we come back.”
I didn’t give him a chance to reply as I pulled the door open with unnecessary force and yanking Ryker behind me. He still hadn’t said anything, but I could feel his growing concern. As the door shut behind him, my knees collapsed from underneath me, the pain almost unbearable. It ripped through me like knives, tearing and burning everything inside. I hardly noticed Ryker wrap his arms around me to keep me from hitting the ground, my senses all blurry.
“Take…me…room…” My words were broken by my heavy gasps and pants.
Seeming to understand, he immediately picked me up, hooking one arm underneath my knees while wrapping the other around my back to cradle me to his chest.
I didn’t notice how we suddenly appeared into my room, the black outlines of the furniture and walls blending together into an inky mess of black. Another shot of heat filled my body, and I reached up and ripped my shirt off. I felt myself being lowered onto the bed, clutching to Ryker’s shirt tightly. As he made a move to slide next to me, I slapped him weakly on the arm.
“What was that for?” he questioned, sliding his hand over my clammy skin. Almost instantly, cool relief filled the places where he touched. I sighed in relief before relaxing slightly.
“After…all…of these…is done, I require a…rematch.” I was still out of breath from the pain, and it still lingered just beneath the surface. I closed my eyes, and my hand searched around until I finally found his.
“Why do you say that?” He sounded amused, and I squeezed his hand lightly.
“Because you didn’t fight with your full powers.”
“What’s with you and your need to fight me? Can you just be satisfied with your win?”
“No.”
He sighed.
We lay there for a few moments in silence before I started saying, “The reason one is that I practically abused you since you didn’t even really fight back. You do know that it’s okay to hit me for real when we’re practice fighting.”
“But you’re a woman.”
I opened my eyes and stared at nothing. Literally. “I respect your morals for not hitting a woman. Actually, I think that’s amazing, but you have to know that I am stronger than what you give me credit for. The fact that I am a woman overshadows the fact that I am part werewolf and fae and, might I add, born from very strong bloodlines, yet you treat me like I am made of glass. That’s not bad, but there is going to be a time where I am going to be battling right beside you whether you like it or not. So when I am in a practice fight, I’m going to throw real punches as if the person I’m up against was the enemy and I expect that other person to do the same.”
When I was finished with my little rant, Ryker stayed silent for a long time. His hand stroked my stomach comfortingly. I opened my mouth to say something but quietly groaned instead as another wave of heat crashed over me. The Heat happens naturally in many animals, such as wolves, dogs, cats, and so on. With werewolves, it’s the same concept: when the female begins to go into Heat, and she is ready to complete the mating process with her partner, her body goes through phases to speed it up. One of those steps would be a hormonal war going on throughout the body, which is one of the main reasons why I was sweating out of every pore that covered every inch of my skin while Ryker’s touch provided a short reprieve of the inferno that was my body. To put it simply, it’s just another thing that woman has to deal. Hurray, girl power.
I felt the bed creak as Ryker got up, his hand leaving my stomach. I lay still, clenching my jaw as the pain rushed back full force before Ryker slid back beside me.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered against my hair, pulling me close to his now bare chest. The skin-on-skin contact helped greatly to ease the pain. Now, it was a dull ache, and my skin was slick with sweat.
“It’s not your fault,” I replied weakly. “Sometimes, being a woman sucks.”
He chuckled, and the vibrations were transmitted to my cheek which was plastered to his chest. “Being a man has its downfalls too.”
“Oh? And what would those be?” I had closed my eyes and ignored the stabbing heat as it became more prominent.
“For one, we have to beat other men with sticks to keep them away from our woman,” he said in a serious tone.
“It’s especially a chore with me,” I teased weakly, not really meaning it.
“Yes, it is.” He sounded serious.
Chuckling, I drew formless patterns on his chest with my finger. “I guess I should apologize then.”
“Lune, I enjoy it.”
I gave him a weird look. “Why?”
I felt his hand absentmindedly play with my hair. “I let off steam that way,” he answered.
“You do know that you don’t literally beat them off with a stick.”
I felt him shrug. “Let’s not worry about the details.”
I laughed and felt my eyes droop. He rubbed my back in soothing circles, keeping the pain at bay.
“Stay with me,” I mumbled as sleep began dragging me down.
“Always.”