Hiding From HIM // Ten, Nine, Eight...Forever His Mate. *Completed*

VI

Amelia

I watched Ryker's broad shoulders as he disappeared into the pack mansion. I could already tell that my cheeks are flushed pink as a result of our previous physical position. I even felt his warm breath hit my skin as the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Shuddering, I turned back around and walked over to the breakfast table.

The atmosphere was too silent, any werewolf could tell that Aria and Catherine were having a mindlink conversation. I cleared my throat which brought them back to reality.

"Sorry about that. We were just curious about something." Aria confessed, scratching the back of her head.

"Anything that I can help with?" I offered, genuinely curious as to what they could be thinking about. If it has to do with me and my fake story, then I must clarify so that they don't find me suspicious.

"Well, dear, my son has never allowed any pack member, let alone young woman from a different pack, address him as anything but Alpha Hill. Yet, here you are. Originally when you kept calling him Alpha Ryker Hill, I thought he would be angry and his Alpha side would take over. However, he just said told you to call him Alpha Ryker." Catherine stated, genuinely confused at her son's behavior.

"Oh, he probably thinks of me like a sister then." I quickly laughed it off.

Ryker must be starting to feel our mate pull. I must get to the portal before he finds out the truth or else he will keep me trapped like his caged bird, justifying it because we are mates.

The two women appeared to have believed the lie and we continued with the rest of our meal.

***

"And, this is the last guest bathroom. Well, that concludes our home tour, is everything to your liking?" Aria had just finished giving me a tour of their Hill mansion which lasted almost an hour.  It's five floors with fifteen bedrooms, over ten bathrooms, one home theater, an inground pool on the lowest floor and two kitchens, one for Ryker and one for the family.

"Yes, thank you. Your home is very beautiful. I think I'll need a map to get around though!" I joked, looking around the fourth floor.

"Of course, I'll have one prepared after dinner." Aria assured, walking towards the elevator.

"No, Ari I was just kidding," I started, "I meant Aria. I'm Sorry." I apologized, feeling embarrassed.

"No, please call me Ari. It sounds nice coming from you. And, I can show you our tennis court and basketball court next if you'd like? I can't show you the fifth floor though, that's Ryky's personal floor," she said with a hint of a warning to not go up there. The elevator reached the main floor as a 'ding' resonated and I turned to fix my hair into a braid using the mirrored walls inside of the elevator.

"Wow, Alpha Ryker Hill has a whole floor to himself? If that doesn't confirm that he's a bit of a narcissist then I don't know what will." I mused out loud. Aria shook her head back and forth with a panicked expression.

"Don't worry, it's not like he can hear us. Besides, I'm sure even you would like to land one strong, quick slap on Alpha Ryker Hill's face too? I mean, from the short time that I have known him, he seems like a selfish and arrogant man, right?" I continued after tying my elastic around my braid and taking a step back, only to be met with a hard wall.

Aria's expression became priceless and I found out what real fear meant at that moment. With closed eyes, I reached my hands behind me and felt around the wall. The body heat, and muscles rippling from underneath his buttoned-up shirt confirmed the fact that it was not a wall. Bracing myself for the worst, I turned around and stared into the broad chest of a tall man. I sent a silent prayer to Moon Goddess, hoping for the man to be anyone except for Ryker but clearly my prayers did not reach higher than the ceiling.

Ryker stood before us, in all of his masculine glory with his buttoned-up shirt loosely fitted and sleeves pulled up, displaying his muscled arms. I screamed loudly and stumbled back until I hit Aria's body. I recognized the two men behind him as Joey and Cameron from the first night. They looked highly amused and curious as to how the situation would unfold.

"Aria. Out." Ryker hissed before stepping into the elevator alone.

Aria squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring smile and left me alone with him. He pressed the fifth floor and closed the doors. Not knowing what to do, I turned away from him and folded my hands while praying for salvation from the demon I was trapped with.

Suddenly, I felt his hand grab onto my arm as he spun me around to face him. My eyes were still closed until the elevator reached the fifth floor. He pressed the 'close' button on the doors though.

"Narcissist? Big slap on my face? Do you have any idea who I am?" Ryker began, furiously.

"Yes, I do. I'm sorr--" He released a powerful growl that echoed throughout the elevator and made me jump.

"I wasn't done talking. Do you even realize that I put the search for my own mate on hold so that I can help you reunite with yours and your family? I put all of my best trackers and computer technicians on the task to find out when the next full wolf moon will be taking place and how we can send you through the portal while you are pregnant. And yet, I'm selfish?" He yelled, looking at me with blood red eyes, indicating that his Alpha wolf took over.

"I...am sorry...I didn't know, I swear. I should not have said that. I am sorry, Alpha Ryker Hill." I stammered, shivering from the murderous look his face held.

Ryker breathed slowly before releasing my arm and taking a few steps away from me. His eyes returned to their original colour and I noticed the fatigue displayed on his handsome features.

"No, I apologize, Miss Carce. My Alpha wolf has been restless since a couple weeks ago when I caught the scent of my mate but could not locate her. It is not your fault, many people think the same of me but it is fine because no one will touch my pack since they fear me." He stated running his hands through his hair.

"Pack? You said it singularly but you are an Alpha to the whole province of Lelling which has ten capitals and one pack per capital, including you're first pack and Lelling's main capital, Darkstale. Granted, you aren't the Alpha to my pack, Thunderling, but you still have nine other packs."

"They are all one pack to me, I will protect every single one of them regardless of which capital they belong to." He said as he pressed the 'open' button and started unbuttoning his shirt.

I reached for the main floor and pressed it as Ryker turned around to face me. My whole body shook with desire from seeing his bare upper body and toned abs.

"Dinner will be served in ten minutes. You should head to the dinning room, I'll be there after my shower, Miss Carce." He said, never losing eye contact until the elevator doors started closing.

"Yes, Alpha Ryker."