Page 24 of Fated (The Bonded Legacy #1)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
LENA
L ena smirked as she stretched her legs in the back seat, rolling her shoulders with exaggerated ease. “Ah, it feels good to be a champion,” she teased, voice laced with mock superiority.
Ryker groaned dramatically, leaning his head against the window. “Don’t start.”
“Don’t start?” Lena’s smirk widened, savoring her victory. “I took you down three times during warrior training today, Ryker. Three times !”
He jabbed a finger at her defensively. “I let you win.”
“Oh, please.” Lena snorted, flicking her wrist dismissively. “The first time, maybe, but you were actually trying the second and I still wiped the floor with you.”
“Let’s not forget the Blackwater beta-heir,” Aiden chimed in from the driver’s seat, tone full of pride. “Lena annihilated him in her next match. That wasn’t beginner’s luck, it was skill. You should be proud, Cian.”
Cian arched a brow, glancing at his sister through the rearview mirror. “I am. I always knew she could hold her own. The real question is whether Ryker’s ego can survive this summit.”
Lena laughed, leaning back in her seat. “You know, I was worried at first. I thought maybe Ryker was taking it easy on me, but after seeing him get knocked around a few times, I realized I’m just that good.”
“Watch it,” Ryker grumbled, tone more playful than irritated. “I’ll remind you that I did take down the Bloodstone and Ironclaw betas after I got into my groove.”
“ After ,” Aiden emphasized, smirking as he caught Cian’s eye. “It took you a few rounds of getting your ass handed to you first.”
Cian snorted, a rare smirk tugging at his lips. “Maybe if Ryker hadn’t had his soul sucked out through his dick while getting finger-fucked in the ass at lunch, he might’ve had a better showing.”
Aiden barked out a laugh, and Lena’s gasp filled the car. She smacked Ryker’s arm, golden-brown eyes wide with mock horror. “Wait! Again ? Goddess, Ryker, wasn’t last night enough?”
“What do you mean, last night?” Aiden demanded, jerking the wheel. “What happened last night?”
Ryker raised his hands defensively, grin as unapologetic as ever. “First of all, we already talked about how it’s rude to kink shame, Mrs . Bloodstone,” he began, leaning toward Lena. “Second, I told you at breakfast that I wasn’t sure if I liked it. So naturally, I had to verify the results.”
Lena groaned, covering her face with her hands. “Goddess, give me strength.”
Ryker leaned back with a dramatic sigh, placing a hand over his chest as if recalling a fond memory. “She lubed me up with her tongue this time, so I was ready for it. And guess what? I fucking loved it!”
Cian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Selene, spare me.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” Aiden muttered, shaking his head despite his obvious amusement as he focused on the road.
“Don’t act like you’re not impressed,” Ryker shot back, grin impossibly wide. He reached forward, wrapping his arms around Cian from behind the seat. “She’s special, you know. Truly a gift.”
“Why don’t you tell them who this paragon of virtue that you’ve been letting defile you is?” Lena prodded dryly, though she couldn’t suppress the laughter bubbling in her chest.
“Her name is Tessa,” Ryker said, sighing dreamily. “Beta Thurston’s and Luna Ylva’s daughter. And honestly, I’m almost hoping I don’t find my fated. I have half a mind to claim her as my chosen. Gah, that mouth. Those hands. The pups we’ll have together!”
Aiden snorted, unable to contain his laughter. “You’re hopeless, I swear.” The humor in his voice faded as he continued. “Be careful where you talk about your escapades. Thurston is a serious male, and I doubt he’d take hearing about your dalliances with his unmated daughter too kindly.”
Cian shook his head, voice filled with resigned exasperation. “I’m starting to think coming to this summit without Dad was a mistake.”
“Stop lying to yourself,” Ryker teased, settling back with a cocky grin. “You’d be bored out of your mind if Alpha was here to reel me in.”
Lena couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head at the absurdity of it all.
“Just…try not to embarrass the pack too much, okay? We’re supposed to be impressing people here, not scandalizing them.
Or do you want to explain to my father how news about your appetite for anal play was a prominent discussion of the summit? ”
Ryker winked at her. “Don’t worry, Lena. I’ll keep the scandal confined to my bedroom.”
Their laughter echoed in the confines of the Jeep, carrying them the rest of the drive. Elara’s energy melded seamlessly with the invisible threads connecting them all.
Aiden pulled into the parking lot minutes later, the warm glow of the restaurant’s lights spilling out onto the pavement. The sign above the door, The Silver Fork Steakhouse, promised hearty meals and good conversation. Exactly the kind of break they all needed from the intensity of the summit.
Rich scents of grilled meats and fresh bread hit them as they stepped inside. The cozy atmosphere contrasted the summit’s stark formality.
A young hostess with a bright smile greeted them at the entrance. “Welcome to The Silver Fork. Do you have a reservation?”
“Moonshadow party, table for four,” Aiden replied, glancing at his watch.
“Perfect.” She made a note on her tablet. “Just a few minutes. Feel free to wait by the bar.”
As they stepped aside, Lena scanned the lively restaurant. Conversation hummed beneath clinking glassware, the place surprisingly busy for Monday. She couldn’t help but wonder if other summit attendees had the same idea about dining off-site.
Her gaze drifted over the tables of diners, curiosity piqued as she searched for familiar faces. She spotted a table of beta-heirs she vaguely recognized from the training grounds, another with older alphas deep in discussion. Then her gaze stopped, catching on something—or rather, someone.
His brilliant emerald eyes held her captive, piercing her even from across the room.
Kai.
Lena’s breath hitched as her gaze locked with her mate’s, their bond singing even at this distance.
He sat near the back, tearing apart a dinner roll, surrounded by Darius, the Bloodstone beta, and his heir.
Her pulse thundered in her ears as Elara’s presence surged forward, a molten ripple of need coursing from her core to her fingertips.
Goddess, he’s gorgeous, she thought, unable to tear her gaze from him despite the stiff set of his shoulders and tight line of his jaw.
The restaurant’s low amber light caught on the sharp edges of his cheekbones, casting shadows that only emphasized their perfect cut.
His gaze alone sent invisible fingers trailing down her spine, each vertebra igniting one by one.
The spell lifted when she took in Kai’s expression. There was no warmth or longing in his gaze.
Just anger.
He wasn’t happy to see her. Not in the slightest.
Lena felt herself deflate, the initial spark of excitement snuffed out by the icy edge of his glare. Elara curled inward like a wounded animal, the wolf’s vibrant energy dimming to a protective flicker.
“Lena?” Cian’s voice pulled her back. “You okay?”
She blinked, tearing her gaze from Kai to find her brother’s concerned frown. “Yeah,” she managed, lips stretching into a forced smile. “Just taking in the place.”
Before Cian could press further, the hostess returned. “Your table is ready.”
Following her, Lena glanced back once more. Kai’s gaze remained stoney, their bond thrumming dangerously tight like a guitar string, ready to snap.
Lena slid into her seat, trying to shake off the burn of his glare as she felt her wolf’s agitation churning beneath her skin like stormy waters.
She’d barely started to settle when a large shadow fell across the table.
She glanced up, anxiety spiking as the now-familiar figure of Alpha Darius stood confidently at the head.
“Well, well,” Darius exclaimed, booming voice carrying above the lively chatter of the restaurant. “What a pleasant surprise! I insist we all dine together, seeing as we’ll be family soon.”
Lena’s forced smile faltered, fingers clenching around the edge of the menu.
So much for a quiet reprieve.