Page 7 of Cursed Magic (Rejected Fate Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER SEVEN

A nother snarl reverberated through the walls, followed by a crash like shattering glass. My heart raced as I grabbed a plush crimson towel from the nearby rack.

“Where is she?” Ryker’s voice boomed, deep and guttural. “Has she left?”

Adrenaline surged through me, chasing away the exhaustion that had settled in my bones. I wasn’t sure if he was talking about Raven, Briar, or me, but it didn’t matter. He needed to get his ass back in bed so he could heal.

I hurriedly dried off, wincing as the towel brushed over the wounds on my back. Water dripped from my coppery hair, leaving trails down my skin as I snagged the black pajama pants and gray shirt Raven had left for me while Gage replied, “She’s in the shower. Chill, man.”

As I slipped on the clothes, my back throbbed with each movement. The soft fabric of the shirt clung to my damp skin, and I bit back a hiss as it touched the wounds. Every muscle in my body ached, a stark reminder of the night’s events.

“What do you mean she’s in the shower ?” Ryker barked, his voice closer now. “She said she’d leave as soon as she got Briar back. She needs to go!”

The intensity in his tone sent a shiver down my spine, even as my heart ached at how desperate he sounded for me to be gone.

Kendric said tightly, “Ryker, you need to rest. You’ve lost a lot of blood. Ember is safe, I promise you.”

I yanked open the bathroom door, straightening my shoulders, ready to confront Ryker and figure out what the hell was going on. But once I stepped into the hallway, I froze at the sight before me.

Ryker stood in the middle of the corridor, his massive body taking up most of the space. His bare chest heaved with each ragged breath, and he winced with every movement, likely in pain from his injury. The muscles in his arms and back were coiled tight, and the bandage wrapped around his torso was already stained with fresh blood, a harsh reminder of how recently he’d been at death’s door.

His wild eyes locked onto mine, the gold flecks in them practically glowing in the dim light, the iridescent sheen still missing. His expression smoothed out, softening the hard lines of his face. But just as quickly, that relief morphed into something darker, more primal.

“You,” he snarled, taking a step toward me. “You need to leave.”

His words knocked the breath out of me. After everything we’d been through, after he’d nearly died saving my sister, this was how he wanted things to end? My chest constricted painfully, and a lump formed in my throat.

“Ryker, I don’t underst-stand.” My voice, barely above a whisper, cracked. My wolf whined and growled. She was hurt just as much as my human side but also didn’t like how vulnerable I sounded. I hated how much his rejection hurt, how it echoed Reid’s public humiliation.

He moved closer, his towering frame dwarfing mine. The heat radiating off his body enveloped me, a glaring contrast to the chill that had settled in my bones. His scent—a heady mix of pine, rain, and something uniquely Ryker—enveloped me, making my head spin.

He reached out and gently grasped my shoulder. Pain shot through me, along with the sparks that sometimes came with his touch. But the agony was so strong that I whimpered, unable to hold back the sound.

Ryker dropped his hand and froze. “What the fuck is wrong?” His eyes narrowed as he examined my shoulder.

The sudden shift in his demeanor caught me off guard. One moment, he was demanding I leave; the next, he seemed worried. My head spun, unable to keep up with the rapid changes.

I paused, trying to find the right words so I wouldn’t smell like another big fat lie. After breathing the scent of blood for as long as I had, I wasn’t convinced I could stomach the stench of rotten eggs. “I’ll be fine. Just some battle wounds that aren’t nearly as bad as yours.” I nodded to his ribs and gritted my teeth so I didn’t wince in discomfort. The injuries were scabbing over, getting tighter and more uncomfortable.

Ryker’s eyes narrowed as if he could see through my facade. Without warning, he walked around me, his chest brushing mine. A spark jolted between us, but he moved behind me before the moan I swallowed could escape.

His fingers gently brushed my hair aside, exposing the wounds on my back. The light touch sent sparks racing across my skin, a contrast to the dull ache of my injuries. As Ryker’s breath ghosted across the nape of my neck, a shiver rolled through me.

Kendric stood with his back against the wall, his clothes wrinkled and frumpy. Xander slumped across from him with his head hanging low while Gage stood centered behind them with his arms crossed.

“When did this happen?” Ryker’s heartbeat remained steady despite the dark tone.

The warmth of his body was intoxicating. Heat emanated from him, seeping into my own skin. My wolf stirred restlessly within me, yearning to lean back into his solid frame. However, I refused to do anything like that since he’d made it clear he didn’t want me here.

“During a tea party,” I quipped, trying to defuse the situation.

He gritted his teeth, the faint sound of grinding enamel making it evident he didn’t find me amusing. “Not funny, lil rebel. I need an answer, or I may lose my mind.”

I stepped toward the other three to gain a little distance from Ryker and clear my head then used the wall to steady myself.

“I was slashed by one of the attackers when I was trying to protect Gage.” I wanted to focus on why Ryker was desperate for me to leave.

He blinked and then scowled. His brows furrowed into harsh lines across his forehead. His eyes darkened, and he hung his head. “I can’t believe I forgot that happened.”

I lifted my hand to touch his arm, but my shoulders and back screamed in protest, and my mind yelled no. He’d made it clear he wanted me gone.

Instead, I forced a small smile. “You were severely injured and losing blood like crazy. I don’t even know how you held up that long, so I’m not surprised that the end of the fight is fuzzy for you.”

He ran a hand through his already disheveled dark hair, his slightly trembling fingers betraying his exhaustion and the toll his injuries had taken. “That’s still no fucking excuse. Did you get hurt anywhere else that I should remember? Or after I passed out?”

His gaze raked over me. The intensity of his stare made it hard to breathe, and I reacted as if he could see right through me. I fidgeted under his scrutiny, hyperaware of every ache and pain in my body.

“Other than my hand, there’s nothing too extreme.” I raised my right hand to show him the claw marks on my wrist. “Just some scrapes and bruises. Nothing that won’t heal.”

Ryker frowned, and he looked to his three packmates. The intensity in his gaze made me glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of it.

“How much trouble did she cause?” He arched a brow.

The three men exchanged uneasy glances, but Kendric cleared his throat and met Ryker’s eyes. “She fought well and didn’t cause any panic.”

Xander nodded, his stoic expression softening slightly. “She was instrumental in our escape this time. Without her, we might not have made it out.”

Ryker tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

The tension in the hallway thickened as Kendric opened his mouth to respond.

Before he could get a word out, Gage lifted both hands. “We should discuss this later.” He shot a warning glance at the others. “You need to rest, Ryker. We can fill you in on all the details once you’ve recovered more.”

Ryker tilted his head back and clenched his jaw as he looked between his packmates. “No, I want to know now. What aren’t you telling me?”

The air crackled with unbroken tension. Xander straightened from his spot on the wall while Kendric kept his expression carefully neutral.

Gage stood his ground, dropping his hands and facing his alpha head-on despite not being well. “All right, if you insist on knowing now…” He tilted his head to the side as if steeling himself. “After you were stabbed and lost consciousness, we were still surrounded. Ember… She ordered us to leave her behind so we could get you, Gage, and Briar to safety.”

Ryker’s eyes glowed and widened as his wolf inched forward.

I fought the urge to back away from him. I didn’t want him to think I was intimidated. I wasn’t—I just didn’t like seeing that anger directed at all of us.

A low growl rumbled in his chest. “She did what ?” His hands clenched at his sides.

I bristled, anger flaring in my chest. The accusation in his voice stung even though it wasn’t directed at me. How dare he talk about me as if I wasn’t standing right here? As if my choices and actions didn’t matter? If he wanted to act like I wasn’t part of the equation, I would force him to reconsider.

His nostrils flared. “You listened to her? She’s not your fucking alpha—and you left her behind, injured like this?”

“Hey!” I snapped and stepped forward despite the protest of my aching muscles. “I’m right here. Don’t talk about me like I’m not in the room. If you’ve got a beef with anyone, it should be me . “

The corners of his lips tipped upward before the skin around his eyes tightened. “Did you just say beef ? How old are you? Eighty?”

“What?” A salty taste filled my mouth. “Are you really insulting me right now?”

“Oh, if I wanted to insult you, I would’ve chosen something a lot worse than that.” He grimaced. “I should have known you’d do something reckless like this. It’s a pattern with you, isn’t it? Always putting yourself in danger, always trying to be the hero.”

His words stung, but I refused to back down. I lifted my chin, meeting his fierce gaze head-on. “I wasn’t being a hero . I did what I had to do to protect everyone. You were unconscious and bleeding out. Gage was struggling to stand on all four legs. Briar needed to get to safety. And Kendric and Xander had to work together to carry you. Also, I was the only one who could see the attackers. What else was I supposed to do?”

He lifted his right hand to his mouth and bit his finger before pointing at me. “You are supposed to stay with the group, to let us protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection, and we never agreed to you all protecting me. You only promised to help me find Briar, remember?”

Instead of answering my question, he bared his teeth at the others. “Why the hell did you listen to her?” he growled, the tone low and dangerous. “She’s not your alpha. I am.”

The hallway seemed to shrink as Ryker’s anger filled the space.

Kendric stepped forward, his broad shoulders tense. “Ryker, you were unconscious and bleeding out. We had no better option. Ember’s plan was the only way to ensure everyone’s survival. If we’d stayed, we would have been more vulnerable. ”

Xander lifted both hands placatingly. “You have to understand. We were surrounded, outnumbered. Ember’s quick thinking saved us all.”

Groaning, Gage closed his eyes and shook his head just as Ryker’s almost exploded.

“Enough!” he roared. His face had flushed an angry red, the veins in his neck standing out prominently. His nostrils flared as he took sharp, ragged breaths. “You all were outnumbered? And you left her? What the fuck is wrong with you three?”

My jaw dropped, and my blood heated. “Are you seriously blaming them for following my orders? I made the call, not them. They wanted to stay and fight, but I knew it was hopeless. I ordered them to leave so that at least most of us would survive.”

Ryker’s mouth twisted, and his eyes narrowed into tiny slits. His entire face contorted with visible rage, and I took an instinctive step back.

“And that makes it okay? You were willing to sacrifice yourself? To throw your life away?” he spat.

“I wasn’t ‘throwing my life away,’” I snapped, my voice rising. “I was trying to save everyone else’s. Including yours, you ungrateful ass!”

“Ungrateful? Me?” Ryker pointed at himself. “I took a knife for your sister because she’s important to you. How the hell am I ungrateful?”

My heart clenched. He was right. He’d risked his life protecting my sister.

But then his hypocrisy dawned on me, reigniting my anger. “That’s exactly my point.” I placed my hands on my hips, ignoring the way my muscles screeched in protest. “How is what I did any different? I stayed behind so the three injured people and the two carrying you could get back safely. I made the same choice you did—to protect the lives of others at the risk of my own.”

He shook his head vehemently, his dark hair falling across his forehead. He winced again, his hand instinctively going to his injured side. “That may be, but it doesn’t change the fact that what you did was reckless and foolish.”

“Then I guess we’re both idiots.” I wasn’t going to let him get away with the double standard.

“No, we’re not. You’re leaving, and I’m going to stay and get proof of what the Blackwoods did to our families and take them down.” The iridescent sheen glistened over his eyes for a few seconds, hiding his irises, but it faded as quickly as it had appeared. “Your life means more to me than mine.”

“See, you’re desperate for me to leave. Why act like you care when you don’t?” I hated how my heart panged so badly it felt like it could implode.

Ryker’s body went rigid. The fierce anger that had contorted his features moments ago melted away, replaced by an intensity that made my breath catch.

“Do you really want to know why?” he rasped.

The sudden shift in his demeanor caught me off guard. I swallowed, my heart pounding against my ribs. Part of me wanted to say no, to run away from whatever revelation was coming. But a larger part of me needed to know. I needed to hear him say he hated me.

“Yes,” I whispered, the word barely audible even to my own ears.

Ryker placed a finger under my chin, forcing our gazes to connect. He opened his mouth, and I tried to prepare myself for the agony sure to come.