Alpha King’s Mate
Chapter 48

Reika POV

I played with the kids for a while and spoke with Damian. He seemed nice, but it was awkward talking to someone I didn’t know even though we were related. Looking around, I noticed Ryker was gone, that he couldn’t even bear to be around me for a few minutes, even when he was gone all that time.

Sitting under the tree next to play equipment I watched the kids play, watching my brother and his mate. They seemed happy, always touching, always smiling at each other, making me wonder if we could ever be happy like that. I feel for my wolf suddenly feeling lonely, but like usual, I get no reply.

Some part of me seeks out interaction. I never realized how lonely it was without my wolf. She was literally all I had, and she was gone, now I had nobody.

Damian looks around for a second before spotting me, he walks over sitting next to me on the grass while Lily tries to get the two boys off the monkey bars.

“Where did Ryker go?” He asks, looking for him.

“Not sure I think he is inside; I can feel he is close,” I tell him.

“That must be strange for you, not having your wolf to guide you and in your head,” he says, and I nod.

“It’s lonely,” I admit to him.

“You have Ryker,” he says, and I look at him.

“I don’t think he wants me for a mate,” I tell him looking past him and at the house.

“He does, he just doesn’t know how to show it. Do you want him?” He asks, making me think.

I looked at Lily, she seemed happy to have a mate. But we aren’t like them, Ryker hated me, probably still does.

“My wolf said mates are bad,” I told him.

“I never asked what your wolf wanted but what you want. So, do you want Ryker for a mate?” he asks. I don’t answer. I don’t know how to be his mate.

“You should spend time with him, he isn’t as bad as you think”

“Did you replace anything, Tyson said you found where I lived?” I ask, wondering if they found Amanda’s daughter. I wish I could remember her name. It would make it easier for them to replace her, yet every time I try to remember all I get is darkness.

“You should ask Ryker.”

“But you were there, you went with him?” I ask and he nods.

“You never should have been raised like that? Go see your mate Reika, he missed you just as much as you missed him” He says before hopping up.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“That’s why you feel lonely, Reika, not because your wolf is gone, but because your mate isn’t near you. I am the same with Lily when she isn’t around. I get the same urge to want to be with her, like gravity trying to pull us back together”

“He is probably busy,” I tell him.

“Only one way to replace out,” he says walking over to his mate.

I sit there for a bit before getting up and heading inside. I used my nose, following his scent before realizing he was in his room. I knock on the door but get no answer. Opening the door his scent was stronger, so I knew he was in here.

“Ryker?” I ask peering into the darkened room; the roller shutters were down blocking out the light. I hear soft snoring, realizing he was asleep. I walk over to the bed looking down at him, his face relaxed peacefully in his sleep.

Damian was right, just him being close was enough. I almost felt calm, warmer inside, reminding me of how I felt with my wolf, she always made me feel calmer. I knew she would protect me; it was weird getting the same feeling from him considering he hurt me.

I climbed on the bed across from him, maybe I could nap with him, and he wouldn’t mind. Anything to make the hollow feeling leave, it felt cold and made me feel like I couldn’t breathe, making me have to concentrate hard forcing myself to breathe.

“Come here” I hear his voice before seeing his silver eyes flicker open in the darkness, making me freeze as I climb on the bed.

“I won’t hurt you Reika, but your anxiety will stop being close to me,” he says rolling on his side to face me.

“Anxiety?” I wonder what he means.

“That feeling you’re getting, that’s what it is called, why you feel like you can’t breathe,” he says.

“Do you want me to go so you can sleep?” I ask thinking maybe I should leave and go to Tyson’s room; he might rest better if he can’t hear my thoughts.

“I will sleep better with you beside me,” he says, making me look at him while I debate what I should do.

“Did you replace Amanda’s daughter?” I ask him but he reaches for my hand.

“Not yet.” He says and I feel something strange wash over me making me wonder what it is. It made me feel sad, overwhelmingly sad.

“You can feel my emotions,” Ryker answers my thoughts about the strange feeling.

“So that’s not my feeling?” I ask and he shakes his head.

“No mine, because you’re over there and I am here, so come lay with me,” he says pulling the blanket back.

I crawl closer before laying down, Ryker reaches over before gripping my h*p and flipping me before dragging me closer and pulling the blanket over us.

I feel the heat from his chest seep into my skin, warming me. Sparks rush over my skin, and I turn over facing him. “Lift your head up for a second,” he says, and I do.

He puts his arm under the pillow before using his other arm to pull me closer and I lay my head on his arm.

“That’s where you belong,” he says. Pulling me to his chest. I put my hand on his cheek feeling it, his skin scratching my palm.

“I need to shave,” he says when I feel his hand move under the blanket going to my lower back. He rubs circles with his fingertips. My body relaxes as his scent surrounds me making me want to lean in and inhale his mouth-watering scent.

“That feels nice,” He whispers, turning his face and k!ssing the inside of my palm, his eyes closing. My stomach flutters at his words and he chuckles while all I can think about is his scent and the strange feeling in my belly.

“You can if you want,” he says, making me confused.

“I can hear your thoughts,” he says, his arm under my head moving and I replace my face pulled closer to his when he suddenly sits up looking down at me.

He puts his face in my neck, running his nose across the mark on my neck making me squirm as it tickles, my entire body feeling like it is engulfed in sparks. He laughs and I can feel it rumble in his chest when I suddenly feel him run his tongue over it before he svcks on it.

I didn’t think the tingles could get any worse but the moment he ran his tongue over it, my entire body tensed, the tingles spreading everywhere rushing to between my legs. Making a m0an leave my l!ps, my

hand on his side tugging him closer as he svcked on my skin. A strange feeling washes over me, making me want to pull him closer, I didn’t want it to stop as I pulled him closer, my breath coming out airy like the noises escaping me.

He growls softly, almost a purring sound before he pulls back looking down at me. He smiles, brushing his nose on mine. When he goes to pull back I k!ss him, and he freezes and I pull back.

Did I do it wrong? I wondered when he didn’t react, and he chuckled while shaking his head.

“No, I just wasn’t expecting you to do it,” He whispers before pressing his l!ps to mine. His hand goes to my neck before he tilts my face, his thumb tugs my chin gently making my l!ps part and I feel his tongue trace across my bottom l!p before moving between my l!ps.

He k!sses me softly, his tongue brushing mine before he k!sses me harder, his tongue tasting every inch of my mouth and I k!ss him back.

He makes a strange noise before svcking my bottom l!p in his mouth before pulling back. He looks down at me pecking my l!ps softly before laying back down.

He tugs me closer, placing my head on his chest and I touch my l!ps, liking the tingling feeling on them. His hands stroked my hair before I felt him k!ss my forehead.

“Do you want to sleep with me? I mean. Not that…. Argh never mind, just stay with me,” he says, making me wonder what he was trying to say. I just nod, closing my eyes and draping my arm across his chest, he pulls the blanket up and I snuggle against him, nice and warm.