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"I thought you kept your word." Disappointment laced Ryker’s voice as he had high hopes for their first kiss. He also was not expecting her to go back on her word as it was unlike her.

Valerie equally felt guilty as she wasn’t someone who went against her word. "I do, but..."

"You don’t think I’m worthy of your kiss?" His disguised tone lacked warmth as he spoke. It was for her own good that he was trying to hasten things.

He wouldn’t be able to keep her in hiding forever. Wars might break out, and what if there was a natural disaster? The weather has been friendly so far, but it wouldn’t be long before the thunderstorms set in.

He would have to move her to the pack house whether or not they both liked it. Valerie was speechless but was still honest with him.

"I just don’t want to kiss anyone who isn’t my mate."

Ryker perceived that this was going to be more difficult than he thought. She was still holding on to her wolfy illusions as though she still had her wolf. He must have earned her friendship but was still far from reaching her heart, as she was very much concerned about the bond.

"But Alpha Tristan? Did you kiss him?" There was a pause as he spoke again, sounding alarmed as he looked for groceries to cook a good meal for her. "There are only noodles. Doesn’t the Alpha feed you?"

He was ashamed to have forgotten to send her the next set of groceries, forgetting she had shared all her groceries with Alessia and run out of supply. Yet, she never complained or asked for more. No wonder she hadn’t cooked.

Also, he needed to get her a heater. The electrical heater would raise suspicions as he would have to get an expert to install it for her. The only choice was to build her a fireplace to keep her warm. It was all his fault that she lost her wolf anyway.

If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have even felt the least feverish. His thoughts were invaded by her explanation.

"Tristan was my mate then, and that was before the rejection. There was nothing more after that. I already told you. As for the groceries, I never intended to ask. There are vegetables in the backyard. Your Alpha already did enough by housing me here. I don’t want to be a pest."

Ryker didn’t know how to feel about her words. If only she knew how important she was to him. Even more important than his life. His eyes tinged a little, and he realized it was the warning of a tear drop.

How weird? He never shed a tear before, what now? It was better to blink it back. He recalled that there was indeed a vegetable garden, but because it was behind the cottage, he hardly ever went there during his visits.

For how long she had depended on its supply, he had no idea. Now that she mentioned it, he felt less guilty. Even if he forgot to send her groceries, she won’t starve to death, but he would remember to send it anyway.

As he began boiling the water for the noodles, he asked her, "Your mate whom you shared a kiss with betrayed you, so why not someone like me? I will never betray you."

Valerie smiled bitterly, not knowing the outcome of her friendship with Ryker. It would only turn to doom, but with her current boring life, it was exactly what she needed to spice up her mood.

Suddenly, fear swarmed through her heart at the recollection of Alpha Denzel. What would he do if he found out that Ryker frequented the cottage? Valerie could not comprehend how he was going to take but was grateful that he hadn’t been around for a long while.

That was ever since she told him she lost her wolf. Was he guilty? Valerie was curious in knowing how he felt about it but was certain that she did not want to see him. For a man who never smiled like Ryker nor said anything comforting to her, she wondered why the moon goddess had even paired them.

Her life was good without a mate and suddenly, she lost everything when she found her two mates on the same day.

"Your Alpha will kill me if she finds out about us."

Ryker shrugged. It was just unfortunate that she didn’t know, but he was the Alpha anyway. "I don’t care. I would rather die for the woman I love," he said sincerely, but Valerie felt nothing out of the ordinary.

"There can’t be love without a bond," she pointed out. Ryker disagreed instantly.

"That is not true. Humans fall in love without a bond. It’s all about the one who makes you happy."

The talk of humans made Valerie uncomfortable, as she had turned into a complete human but couldn’t accept that she was human. It was just too painful to accept. The aroma of the noodles began to waft through her nostrils, being the exact thing to take her mind off what was being discussed.

"Do you have a special way of cooking noodles? The aroma is enticing," she said with excitement, taking in a deep breath to inhale the delicious aroma.

Ryker was amazed by this soft, innocent side of her. Like they say, there is a girl in every woman, just as there is a boy in every man. Valerie was showing her girly side.

"I’m glad you love it even without tasting it yet. Please don’t forget to invite me to cook for you again if you like this meal.

No one ever visited Valerie at these times except Ryker, so Valerie was not afraid of being nipped in the bud.

"I hope you are serious cos I might just take you on that offer. Indeed, I would have loved to kiss you now, except that your beard is scary. Do you want me to trim it for you?" She asked, reaching for a pair of scissors.

Ryker froze instantly. His main disguise was the fake beard, and as soon as it’s trimmed, Valerie would begin to make the comparison in spite of the fake tattoo and fake gray eyes.