"You and me got a whole lot of history,

We could be the greatest thing that the world has ever seen,

You and me got a whole lot of history,

So don't let it go, we can make some more, we can live forever."

---

scrached his neck sheepishly as he tried to form a sentence. "You know..."

"No I don't know." I said curtly, narrowing my eyes at him.

He always scratches his neck when he's done something wrong. I know him.

He bit his lip and look at me with his big blue eyes. "Please don't be mad at me, Livy... But I kinda broke my promise. I just... I got so engrossed in training..."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, as I remembered the last day before he left.

"What? Today!" I paced around in his room, worriedly as he threw clothes from his closet into his suitcase. "What do you mean by you are leaving today?"

Ryder ignored me and continued packing hurriedly.

"What about school? You haven't completed senior year yet. It's just the matter of 8 months! Complete it. Get your graduate degree, and then go. What's the hurry?" I emphasized.

The fact that Ryder was talking about leaving right then, scared me and all I could think about was how he would manage. He needed to complete high school, at least! That thing's important.

"High school is one of my last worries right now, Livy. Rightnow I have to look after my pack and their well being. Our Delta (fourth in command) turned rogue years ago, and now my father-the gamma, he's...he's," Ryder choked as he said the next words and shook his head.

"This pack can't survive without both for long. You know that. Alpha and Beta look after administration and Gamma and Delta look after the defence. This is how it works. How is gonna go without them both?"

Ryder looked at me with a storm brewing behind his eyes and I sucked in a breathe because of the intensity those eyes held.

"I'll go to high school there in Alaska, I promise. Or I'll get home schooled. My uncle lives there. He'll train me. It won't take too long..."

"But you can train here!" I said, frantically. I didn't want him to leave. I know this might sound so selfish...but how will my life be without him?

He shook his head. "I can...but I won't... There are too many memories I have in this pack, Livy. With my ....with my father and I don't want to get weak because of them. I have to move on. Plus, Alaska is untouched. Natural. And in harmony with the environment. My wolf will be able to express itself the best there. I want him and I to establish a bond like never before. I want to be in full association, coordination and sync with my wolf. Yield my full potential and—"

Before he could complete his sentence, I threw my arms around his waist from behind and hugged him tightly. I buried my face in his back and inhaled his familiar scent of lemons and citrus.

My eyes welled up with tears but I didn't let him see them. I didn't want him to worry.

"I am so proud of you, Ray." I told him, tightening my hold.

He turned around so that he could face me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he, around my waist. Resting my head against his chest, I listened to his heartbeat as he rested his cheek on my head.

"I'll miss you, Livy." He whispered.

My lips turned up into a smile and tears threatened to spill out of my eyes as I said, "I'll miss you more, Ray."

I always call him Ray. Because for me, he is positive ray of light in my life. Cheesy, I know. But I love it.

"I regret it so much, Livy," he said, "I regret not learning to fight properly when Dad was still around. I regret not learning all his tricks and strategies and spending more time with him. I should have trained more. I should have been a better fighter till now.."

"You are one of the best we have." I told him.

He smiled sadly,"but nothing close to my father. But I will work hard, I will improve myself. I hope I don't let this pack down."

I smiled and shook my head.

"You won't Ray. You never have, and you never will. I have faith."

"You have faith?"

"I do."

-

A smile took over my expessions as I thought about that day, and my the way Ryder was grinning, I could tell he was thinking about that too.

But I can't grin. I have to play strict best friend right now.

"So you didn't finish highschool?" I asked him and crossed my arms over my chest, pretending to be mad at him.

"Uh...no?" He asked, and tried to give me his famous puppy dog eyes but I didn't even budge.

I narrowed my eyes at him and huffed.

"Awww come on," he said and lightly nudged my toe with his feet. "Me sorry,"

I looked up at him to see him jutting his bottom lip out like a kid and swinging his legs back and forth.

"Nope." I said and shifted away from him.

But he shifted closer. Much closer than we were before.

"I'll bake you a cake." He said.

"No."

"I'll bake you your favorite banana cake and Nutella brownie."

I licked my lips. This is hard to resist.

"Uh...no."

"I'll bake you your favourite banana cake and Nutella brownie for 1 week straight."

How can you say no to that?

"DEAL!" I jumped up and grinned at him.

He just gave me a smug smirk.

Damn jocks.

<><><>

Lunch get over and we had to go to our classes. We didn't eat anything but Ryder gave me a granola bar he had in his locker to eat and I happily accepted it.

I was walking to my class with my backpack in one hand and the granola bar in another, when I was pulled into a classroom.

What's with people pulling me all the time?

"What the hell!" I asked, exasperated.

"Aren't you so sweet, little mate?" Chance asked as he sat on one of the chairs in the empty classroom and grinned at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Look, I don't have time for your nonsense, I have a class to attend."

His jaw clenched at my tone but he didn't say anything.

"I don't have time for nonsense either. Are you with Ryder, now? Got bored of that human kid?"

My jaw dropped at the way he phrased it, but he continued.

"And you call me a player? You changed guys in a span of days—"

"Excuse me?" I said, slapping my hand on the table. "Don't you dare talk to me like that! Ryder is my best friend."

"Oh really?" He threw his arms in the air in exasperation. "Another 'best friend'. What do you think I am? An idiot?"

Yeah, I mean, I do

"I don't have time for this." I said, as I saw where this conversation was going.

I turned around to leave but he grabbed my hand from behind.

The tingles. I felt them. From the tip of my toes to my split ends, I felt them.

"Does Ryder know about what happened between us yesterday, then?"

"No." I told him. I hoped Ryder didn't believe the rumors.

His cold expression changed into one of smugness and he got up from his seat.

He stood in front on me, really close and said,"No? Well then I'd be interested in seeing how he'd react when he finds out how close you were to me last night."

His hands moved up my arm and sparks ignited everywhere he touched.

"How your body pressed against mine and how you moaned my name." He whispered in my ear as moved my hair from my shoulder to reveal the hickey he gave me last night.

He bent down and his lips brushed against my ear lobe as he spoke and I shivered.

"How you practically begged me to take you right there and then and mark you as mine."

His words made me gasp and pushed him away, glaring at me.

How dare he bring that up! Was he trying to ridicule me?

"Are you calling me desperate?" I snapped at him, gritting my teeth.

My chest moved up and down in fury and he just shrugged.

"Atleast that's what he'll think."

My fisted curled in anger and my eyes burned with fury at his attitude.

"What kind of a fucked up person are you? Ryder doesn't know we aren't mates! He won't understand that I just did it because I was in heat and you are my mate. It was my body speaking, not me."

Chance's triumphant look faltered and he looked at me with an icy expression.

"Your body speaking and not you? Are you telling me you regret whatever happened between us yesterday?"

His blunt question took me off guard. I opened my mouth and closed it. Trying to form a reasonable sentence. Should I tell him the truth?

❤️

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