The Alpha and The Witch.

Chapter fifteen (Ryder)

The car ride home was quiet and awkward, much like the ending of their make out session. Neither of them said anything, they had just silently agreed to walk back to the car.

The radio was playing a slow song, the singer was describing her time away from her lover and how it had corrupted her emotions.

I never thought I could feel this way,
the ache in my bones hasn't left since you've gone away. Oh how I miss you, my baby.

"I -er-" She was trying to say something, anything to break the silence.

"Do you want me to promise I'll never do that again?" He asked thickly.

She looked at him, his expression blank like he wanted it to be.

"No," she said flatly.

"I understand this is complicated for you, being that I am the creature here." He was feeling

"Can you stop saying that!" She said with a sigh, "I- I really like you in... When you're Snowball."

He felt the corner of his mouth pull into a smile, "Don't call me that! I hate that nickname."

She shook her head, "Oh, but didn't you say we don't get to choose our nicknames, Snowball."

Ryder glanced at her with bright eyes, "Fine, Violet."

"I thought I was Aconite or wolfsbane?"

"Well... I suppose you're both," he shrugged. "You truly are the most beautiful poison I have ever seen."

His words had sent a shiver down to her spine, Ryder heard her heart increase. He knew this was wrong and yet every part of him said it was perfectly right.

"So, then you will be Snowball."

"I suppose I will."

"Ryder," she paused, chewing on her lip in what must have been thought.

"Yes, Violet?" He never took his eyes off the road, his hands firmly wrapped around the steering wheel.

"I- er- What exactly is this, besides a bad idea."

He chuckled, "It is a bad idea, isn't it? Well... I'm not sure... Perhaps than we should try to leave it at that?"

He didn't like that idea either, but if she wanted to than he would easily do the same.

"Yeah, maybe we should."

"I don't think I can though," he said glancing at her, the realization hit him faster than a curveball. "I mean, I am usually known for my self control... But not with you. I show up in the middle of the night, sneak you off to the woods and- well actually I sound like a mass murder."

She tried to keep herself from smiling but she couldn't. Ryder wanted more nights like this, more nights where he didn't feel pressure and the person with him wasn't pestering him with questions about his plans for the packs. But of course the reality would set in, she was a witch and he was a purebred werewolf who would have to marry a purebred bride.

"We should really focus more on Ortus," she said with a tinge of regret in her voice.

"You're right," he said, as they made the turn onto the dirt road. "Platonic."

She nodded, "Yeah, I think that's what's best."

"That's perfectly fine," he shrugged, parking the car on the dirt road by the hill.

She gave him a half hearted smile before opening the door, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The next morning Ryder was laying in his bed, his blue curtains were pulled back, letting him admire the view of the pool. His face was stuck on a huge grin, he couldn't stop thinking about Amethyst. They had parted ways with goofy grins and he had never felt so annoyed and intrigued by one person in his life.

"Are you Ill?" His younger brother asked, he hadn't noticed Luke walk in.

"Not that I know of," he replied.

"Well," Luke took a seat on the foot of his bed, dressed in his school uniform. "Tonight-" he paused and sniffed the air. "I can smell the American all over you."

Ryder mentally slapped himself; he should have seen that one coming. "No idea what you're talking about."

"Amazing, Gwendolyn was right. You do furrow your brows when you lie," he said nonchalantly. "Come on now, brother. I would know that smell anywhere, she smells like sage and honey."

Ryder cocked an eyebrow, "Sage and honey... Are you sure you're smelling properly?"

Luke moved closer and took another whiff, "Yes, that's her." He found it strange that Luke smelled it so differently, he himself could still smell the lavender and vanilla on his skin.

"Are you going to tell me then?" He asked impatiently.

"I bumped into her at a pub," he lied.

"Worst liar ever. Could you lie if your life depended on it?"

"Probably."

"Well work on that then," he said standing up and brushing himself off. "She's a bit young for you, mate." He said before walking out the door and leaving Ryder surprised. "Tonight's the big game if you care to come," he added from the hall.

Ryder would be there, he always went to Luke's game since he joined the team.

As he prepared for his day, his mind was less focused on Amethyst and more on Ortus. They had gotten practically no where and it was really starting to worry him. The fact that they could cover up their tracks and hadn't fallen for any of the traps laid out was alarming, it almost made him wonder if they had someone working with them from the inside.

It was a possibility to Ryder, that his father's associates may be involved in Ortus, but why?

"Tomorrow is the meeting with the sub-Alphas," his mother reminded him as he jolted out the front door.

"Yes, I know," he shouted behind him. He was buckled into the Impala and on his way to one of the safe houses to look for any kind of clues before Luke's game.