Ryker by Margo Bond Collins

Author:Margo Bond Collins [Collins, Margo Bond]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781774538814
Publisher: Kobo Originals
Published: 2023-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

RYKER STOOD BESIDE IVY in the suffocating silence of the clearing, their hands clasped tightly together. With his heightened shifter senses, Ryker could hear her heart hammering in her chest, a rhythm that matched his own.

Tension coiled within every member of the Idaho Pack, a tension born of fear, anger, and uncertainty—emotions that seemed to permeate the very air they breathed.

Suddenly, Jake emerged from the crowd that had been holding its collective breath. The shifter’s eyes darted nervously around the gathered pack members. He approached Ryker and Ivy with the cautious steps of a cornered animal, his gaze flicking back and forth like a pendulum.

“Liam… Ivy,” he murmured in a hushed tone, barely audible even to their keen ears. “I need to talk to you both.”

“All right,” Ryker said cautiously. “Say what you need to say.”

Jake glanced around once more before pulling them both aside, farther away from the listening ears of the pack. They found themselves shielded by the dense foliage that encroached on the perimeter of their gathering place. The three shifters formed a tight circle, their breaths mingling in the cool air.

“You have to trust me,” Jake whispered.

Ryker’s chest tightened, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him like an anchor. He knew all too well that misplaced trust could lead to betrayal and devastation.

But Jake had seemed to care about Ivy, and right now, that was enough for Ryker.

“We’re listening.” Ryker’s eyes darted around the dimly lit clearing, his senses heightened by the urgency in Jake’s voice. The rustling of leaves hung in the night air like a harbinger of danger. Ivy’s hand tightened around his, her warmth grounding him in the moment.

“Ellerson is planning an attack on the Moonstone Pack,” Jake whispered, his voice barely audible over the wind that whispered through the trees.

Ryker clenched his fists. The thought of harm coming to his family, his pack, sent a surge of fury through him. “Why would he do that?”

“Power,” Jake murmured. “He wants more territory, more control. And he believes the Moonstone Pack is weak.”

“Are you certain of this information?” Ryker asked, his gaze never leaving the other shifter as he searched for any sign of deception.

“I overheard Ellerson talking to his enforcers about it. I wouldn’t lie to you…Liam.”

Ryker took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring as he caught the faintest whiff of…something…emanating from Jake.

Does he know who I really am?

He could scent Jake’s sincerity but still needed to know one thing. “Why are you telling us?”

Jake clenched his jaw. “Because I don’t want to see anyone else suffer under Ellerson’s rule. He’s a tyrant, and his thirst for power has already caused too much pain.”

Ryker’s gaze remained focused on Jake, his muscles tense and coiled like a spring ready to snap. His mind raced, calculating all possible outcomes of this dangerous game they were about to play. He had to make sure Ivy was safe, above all else.

“Look,” Jake continued, his voice urgent. “I have to trust someone—” He paused, glancing at Ivy.

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