07/10/2017

Ryder beat her home.

To be honest, Kristin was taking her sweet time, not wanting to go back and see his annoying face.

She walked into the kitchen to find Ryder eating.

"Beat you," he sang.

"I let you win," Kristin sang back, grabbing a water from the fridge.

"So what should we do tonight?"

Kristin stayed silent, acting really interested in her water bottle.

"Hello?" Ryder threw his empty water bottle at her.

It lightly hit her in the stomach, yet she still ignored him.

He sighed, "Are you ignoring me?" His whiny voice almost made Kristin laugh.

Instead she walked over to the living room and sat on the couch.

"Are you mad?" Ryder followed her in, taking a seat on the opposite couch.

She scoffed, "What makes you think that?"

"Why?" he asked with a teasing smile.

"You chased away my friend," she muttered.

He laughed, which irritated Kristin more.

"Why would you make it sound like we're together when we aren't!"

"What are you talking about?"

She groaned, "Please stop acting oblivious."

"It was for the best," he shrugged.

"What does that even mean? He was nice!"

"He was just acting nice to get into your pants."

Kristin gasped, "Excuse me?"

He had an amused expression as he kicked his feet up on the couch, getting comfortable.

"Not every guy is like that, you know."

"Most of them are."

"Why does it matter to you anyway? Stay out of my business."

"Someone's moody."

"I'm not, you're just very annoying."

"Maybe you should have told Alex you only wanted friendship."

"Stop lecturing me," she covered her ears with her hands, earning a chuckle from him.

"He just looked like bad news to me. Must have been the wolf senses," he pointed to himself, grinning.

"Ugh, you sound like my father!"

He shrugged, "You can call me daddy anytime."

Kristin fake gagged, "No thanks."

"You might change your mind," he teased.

She grabbed the remote and turned on the tv to distract herself.

"I feel bad for your mate."

"Who?" he got up, stretching.

"Whoever your mates going to be, I feel sorry for her."

Ryder walked over and sat down next to her, too close for her liking.

"And why is that?" he asked leaning in.

She shoved his chest to get him to move back but he didn't budge. Wolves.

"Because... you're you."

"Good one."

She stared at his smile before responding.

"Can you at least make an effort to find her so I don't have to pretend to be with you forever?"

"We don't have to pretend sweetheart," he winked.

Great, another nickname.

"That's a new one."

"You like it?"

"No."

Kristin was glad her phone rang so she didn't have to deal with Ryder.

She smiled at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Kristin!" Allison screeched, "I've missed you!"

Kristin chuckled, "Its been two days Al."

"You've been gone forever!" she groaned, "You need to come visit!"

"I will soon, I promise."

"Soooo," Allison drug out.

Kristin got up, walking into the kitchen. Mostly to distance herself from Ryder. By the tone in Allison's voice, she didn't want Ryder to listen in.

"What?" Kristin drug out the word as well.

"I need details! How's it living with your mate?"

"Umm, surprisingly annoying," Kristin said, eyeing Ryder from across the room.

He rolled his eyes, probably listening in.

"Has anything happened yet? Has he marked you?"

"Allison!" she tried shutting her up, but it was too late. Ryder raised his eyebrows, showing he had heard.

"Okay fine, you can tell me in person. Maybe I can come visit you?"

"Maybe," Kristin muttered, glaring at Ryder's grin.

"I want to meet this Ryder," Allison continued, "Especially since you approved!"

Allison stop talking! Kristin wanted to scream into the phone.

"Did I?" she said facing away from Ryder and closing her eyes, willing Allison to read her thoughts about shutting up.

But, to no avail, her and Allison were not wolves. They didn't have the weird mind-linking ability.

"Yes! You said he was hot yourself--"

"Okay Allison I have to go, I'll text you!" Kristin hung up on her best friend, dreading turning around.

When she finally did, she was met with a smirking Ryder.

Shocking.

"So you think I'm hot?"

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to eavesdrop?"

(Potter)

Crap.

She had forgotten about his mother until now.

"You didn't deny it," he shrugged.

She was thankful he didn't say the whole 'my mother's dead' part.

He let it go then, and she headed up stairs.

The time was six p.m. and Kristin was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

She had texted Allison back, explaining why she had hung up.

She really needed to tell her the truth. She was sick of just her and Ryder knowing about their fake relationship.

Her phone suddenly rang again, this time the caller ID read 'Father.'

"Hello?"

"Kris, how are things going?" her father replied lightly.

"Good," she lied.

"That's good. I knew you would be fine once you got to spend some time with your mate."

"Mhmm, yup." Kristin covered her face with her arm.

"Your mother wants to speak with you as well, but before I let you go, what do you think about going to dinner with your mother and I, and Rickard."

"Alpha Rickard too?" Kristin asked, her heart beating faster.

"Yes. We think it's a good idea to meet and see how you and Ryder are doing. Since we are allies now."

"Oh, yes, I guess that would be a good idea."

"Is tomorrow night good for you guys? I've already called Rickard and he is happy to attend."

Of course.

"Ummm... sure, what time?" It's not like she had a choice.

"Six o'clock, at Violet's."

Kristin tried to make her voice sound cheery, "Okay, sounds good."

Kristin spent another hour talking with her mother before going back downstairs.

She was surprised when the downstairs was empty.

She checked upstairs again, Ryder's bedroom door was wide open but empty.

Where did he go?she wondered, before heading back downstairs.

She was sitting on the couch, watching tv when she heard the back door open.

She gave Ryder a weird look as she watched him sit down on the couch across from her.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," he winked at her.

"Where were you?"

His dark hair was more disheveled than usual.

"The woods. I'm a wolf, remember?"

"Must have forgot," she muttered, looking back to the screen.

"I heard we're having dinner tomorrow night?" Ryder wondered out loud.

"I talked to my father," he explained, when Kristin gave him a confused look.

"Oh, yeah I guess." Just one more thing to stress about.

Ryder got up, heading to the kitchen. He returned, throwing a set of papers beside Kristin.

She looked over them, surprised that they were the contract they had signed.

"Where did you get this?"

"I figured we should have a copy, since it's about us anyway."

"Look at page five," he continued, watching as she started reading.

Ryder Ambroz and Kristin Marino have to get married, according to the agreed contract, due to Kristin's human status. This should happen as soon as possible.

"Oh my gosh," she groaned, throwing the papers back down.

"So this is what I'm thinking," Ryder said, his face turning serious. "We pretend to be engaged, that way our parents don't get impatient, yet we can hold the wedding off."

"So, we get engaged?" Kristin asked.

"Yes, fake engaged. Then we can say the wedding will be next year or something. That way they won't get suspicious."

"Okay, fine," she sighed, rubbing her temples. "This is stressing me out."

"Why? All you have to do is act like you like me."

"Yeah, that's really hard."

"Hilarious."

"So what now?"

"Now," Ryder said, kicking his feet back on the couch, "We mentally prepare for tomorrow night."

Chapter Seven read!

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