Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Alecia stood at the edge of the tarmac, listening to Ryder profess his love for her again. She kissed his cheek before turning to get on the plane but he took her arm, stopping her, and then pulled a brown envelope from inside his coat pocket. “It’s for your dad,” he said.

She opened it. Inside was a picture of President Richard speaking, written across the picture was, “Thanks for your dedicated support Mr. Bell. Can’t wait to meet you, Richard.”

Alecia jumped into Ryder's embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “My father is going to be so happy. I love you so much.”

He kissed her on the head. “You better get going.”

She turned from him and held his hand as she stepped through the tunnel, finally letting go at the last possible moment. Soon, she would be with him again, but now she couldn’t wait to see her father.

Alecia stood in the doorway of her family’s den. Her father watched the news while reclining on the couch. The show would be over soon and then she would give him Ryder's present. What would he say? He would be excited and love Ryder even more. Her mother sat opposite of her father, with a book on her lap, reading. The scene looked idyllic, the perfect image for a painting of a modern day family. She would cherish these moments and seek to reinvent them when she had her own family. Ryder would be a great father just like President Richard.

She squeezed the top of the envelope. She missed him already - the ache for him was painful. Only two weeks more and then she would be sleeping in his arms every night, waking up to his sweet kisses on her eyelids.

“How long have you been standing there?”

She blinked, and lifted her gaze to her father, who held the remote control. He must have just turned the television off. She walked to him and sat next to him.

“Daddy, I have something to tell you.”

Her father smiled. “Please tell me you’re going to marry that boy.”

“Daddy,” she said through a giggle. “It’s too soon.”

“Yeah, it is, but I like him.”

She stared at her father’s eyes. They were about to get wide. “Ryder got you a present.” She handed him the envelope.

“He did? What a nice boy,” her father said.

Alecia held her breath as her father opened the envelope and pulled out the picture.

His eyes widened before he jumped to his feet. “How did he get this?”

Her mother came over and glanced at the picture. “Oh my,” she said, placing a hand to her lips.

Alecia stood and pointed to the figures standing in the background. Her father’s eyes followed her finger as he brought the picture closer to his face.

“Is that…?”

“He’s his godson. Daddy, they’re very close.”

He lowered the picture. “Are you saying I had a child in my home that close to the president?”

Her smile widened.

“Wow,” he said.

“I’ll be back.” She walked to her room and came down a few seconds later with a picture Ryder had emailed her. The picture featured her kissing Richard on the cheek while they stood on the roof of the offices of Hendrix Attorney at Law. She handed the picture to her father. “You’ll like this one better.”

His mouth dropped open. “You met him?”

“I spent two nights at his house.”

A light pinkness seeped into her father’s pale cheeks. “What’s he like?”

“He is so charming daddy, and loving. He loves Ryder like he was his own son.”

Her father placed the picture on top of the other one, and he reached to his daughter’s cheek, caressing it.

“I love him, daddy.”

“I’m glad. There aren’t many fish like Ryder in the pond.”

Yeah. Ryder was the best thing that could have happened to her. “I best go call him. He wanted to hear about your reaction.” She kissed her father on the cheek and ran upstairs to get her phone.

Ryder reclined on his bed, tossing a baseball between his hands. His cell phone lay on his lap. When was the girl going to call? She was supposed to give her father the present five minutes ago. Every part of him felt tense. A heat filled him. He hated being at home. The large Regency mansion never held any of the warmth, comfort or joy he found at Alecia's home. The expectations of his future weighed on him here. He swore every time he walked to his room, the portraits of his ancestors glared at him, reminding him every Hendrix heir had achieved success and he’d better not be the first failure.

He looked up when he heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” he said.

His father walked in with a sharp glare in his eyes. What was his problem now? Ryder sat up, gripping the ball he held in his hands.

“You made inquiries at the church for the summer,” he said.

“Yes, sir.”

“Why did you do that?”

“Because I’m going to convince you. I just haven’t figured out how yet, but I promise you I’ll make sure she’s trustworthy.”

His father’s lips twitched in a snarl as his eyes narrowed. “You’re not going to be around this summer.”

Ryder clenched the ball. “What do you mean?”

“It’s about time you started becoming the Alpha you’re meant to be. I’m sending you and Lucas to Buffalo hills.”

Ryder took a deep breath. He wanted to throw the ball at one of those gray eyes.

“May I ask why?”

“You two are going to train with the council there.”

Ryder looked up at the ceiling. Control. He needed to remain in control. If he let his father see his anger, he would pay.

“When last did you turn --''

"That would be when I went to visit Richard, I --''

"Don't interrupt me boy!" George Hendrix, protector of Alpha's snapped. Ryder nodded.

His father drew out his claws. "When last have you used this? When last have you killed a human?" A smirk formed at the corners of his mouth. "Or do you think being a werewolf is all about the bullshit -- protecting humans and the nonsense society would tell you? Being a werewolf is all about being on top of the food chain, it's about using your powers to further the cause of werewolf glory over these stupid humans. You would go to Buffalo hills and learn a about this."

Ryder nodded again as a coldness formed in the pit of his stomach.

“Don’t say a word to Alecia.”

“Yes, sir.”

His father left the room. Ryder threw the ball hard against the wall. It bounced off, hitting a lamp in the room and shattering it. He sank down on the bed. Now he had another problem to deal with. How could he explain his sudden disappearance to the girl he loved? But, then again, she wasn’t that hard to fool. He picked up his phone and pressed the button for her number.

Alecia picked up her cell and was about to punch the button for Ryder's number when it rang. She pressed ‘accept’ and placed the phone to her ear. “Impatient, aren’t you?” she said.

“I just wanted to hear your voice.”

She stopped, and bent her head to the side. Something was wrong. Instead of confidence, she heard dread in his voice. “Ryder, you’re.…”

“Do you love me?”

“I do. What’s wrong?” Alecia gripped the phone. Had his father said something to him about the relationship? Was he calling to put things on hold? No, that couldn’t be it. Ryder would fight for her.

“How much do you love me?”

She looked at her father, who stared at her with his eyebrows arched. She walked out of the den to the living room and sat down on the couch. “I love you more than anyone on this earth.”

“Will you never leave me?”

“No, I’ve already told you that.”

“Would you do anything to help me accomplish my goals?”

Hadn’t she already proven it? She went against all her beliefs for him. “Isn’t that what married couples do?”

“I wish I could see your eyes right now.”

“Why?”

“I just do.” He took a deep breath and released it in a smooth stream. “My father wants me to go to Moscow this summer to take some international business classes, and intern with a friend there.”

“That will be a great opportunity for you.” A calmness flooded through her. Was that all that was wrong with him? Maybe he was afraid about them being apart?

“It means we can’t get married this summer.”

She smiled. “Well, we’ll get married later.”

“Yeah.”

“Ryder, my father wants to talk to you, and thank you for the picture.”

“Was he shocked?”

“Yeah, but he’s glad he got to know you first. I’m going to give him the phone.” “Okay.”

She walked back to the family room. Her father sat on his leather chair, his worn copy of A Portrait of an Artist in his hands. He turned a page slowly, but focused on her. His eyes wavered. If Ryder had ever needed someone, he needed the man before her.

“Is he okay? You look so worried?” her father asked.

“He’s fine.”

Her father took the phone and said hello – his face brightening with each sentence he spoke. She sat on a recliner, laying her head on a soft knitted pillow.

“Yeah, it’s kind of a surprise, but you know what son....”

Alecia glanced at the clock. Those two would probably talk all night. She pushed herself from the chair and made her way to her bedroom, laying on her bed and snuggling a koala bear Ryder had bought her. The scent of Ryder's dark axe cologne floated all around her. Her father always wanted a son, and Ryder needed a human father figure.

He came to see her the next day, before he left for Moscow, and Alecia was satisfied to simply hold him, breathing in the smell of his dark axe cologne, basking in his werewolf aura. He had not told her how long the internship in Moscow would last, but Alecia missed him already.

Her mother made dinner, and they all sat together, eating like one family, then it was time for him to go.

Alecia stood on her tippy toes and place a firm kiss on Ryder's lips. He stood there, not moving – arms limp around her waist. Must be scared of what her father would say.

Her mother spoke. “Alecia, we must….”

Ryder took her by the head and stared into her eyes. “I’m going to call you every night. I promise.”

An unsteadiness grew in his usual confident eyes. “Are you okay?” she mouthed.

“Remember, I love you, more than anyone.” He kissed her hard with a fierce passion and then let go of her. She stumbled back, the break was sudden, harsh.

Alecia focused on Ryder as her mother led her away. What was wrong with him? He leaned against the wall with slumped shoulders, like he was never going to see her again. heaven please, let the summer end soon.

The next day, Lucas and Ryder walked into the council's training center. He blinked his eyes at the brightness of the stark white wall. Just white. Couldn’t his father have found something a little less bright? Light gray seemed more fitting, but one must keep the crack heads’ spirits up. He turned to his father and Richard holding out his arms. “Here I am.”

Richard patted him on the shoulder. “We’ve all done this and come out fine.”

“You're an Alpha for a reason Ryder,” his father said.

Ryder felt his body tense as he curled his hand into a fist. He wanted to punch the man in front of him. His father chuckled, obviously realizing how he felt. He always did that, encouraging his anger, pushing it forward, but then forcing him to control it and use it to manipulate people. Maybe he liked what he saw.

Ryder turned to Richard. “Have the keep an eye on Alecia. I don’t like that Kyle. I know he’ll try something with me out of the picture.”

Richard patted Mr. Hendrix on the back. “See, he’s already turning into you.”

A wry smile crossed Mr. Hendrix's face. “I want to see more.”