Dear Alpha, You Are Not My Type!

CHAPTER 2 - FAKE DATING AGREEMENT

Ariana

Ryder’s eyes darkened as my words sank in, his jaw tightening with barely restrained frustration. “Not your type?” he repeated, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Do you even realize who you’re talking to?”

I crossed my arms and stood my ground, refusing to let him intimidate me. “I know exactly who I’m talking to. And it doesn’t change anything.”

Ryder stepped closer, his presence all-consuming, filling the small space between us with heat and tension. “Look at me, Ariana,” he said, his voice thick with irritation. “I’m the hottest guy in this pack. Future Alpha. Strong, good-looking, and every girl would kill to be in your position.” He gestured to himself with a smug grin, as if that explained everything. “You should be proud to even be considered my Luna once I take over as Alpha.”

I rolled my eyes, unimpressed by his arrogance. Typical Alpha male. Always thinking they were the center of the universe. “You can brag about yourself all you want,” I said coolly, “but it doesn’t change the fact that Alphas aren’t my type. And I want nothing to do with you.”

Ryder’s face hardened, and for a moment, I saw a flash of something raw—something vulnerable—before he masked it with his usual cocky smirk. “You don’t get it, do you?” he muttered, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’ve been obsessed with you for a year now. Ever since I turned nineteen, I’ve known we were mates. But I’ve been keeping it to myself, waiting for you to figure it out. Waiting for you to come to me.”

I blinked, startled by his confession. He’d been obsessed with me? For a whole year? My heart raced at the thought, but I quickly pushed the feeling aside. “That’s not obsession, Ryder,” I said, my voice firm. “That’s infatuation. And it doesn’t mean anything to me.”

His eyes narrowed, the playful arrogance slipping away as he took another step toward me. “You can deny it all you want, but the bond is there. You felt it, too. And I’m not going to just let you walk away.”

My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, excited by Ryder’s determination, but I wasn’t about to give in. Not to him. Not to the mate bond. “You’re going to have to, Ryder. Because I’m not playing this game with you.”

Without waiting for his response, I turned and stormed off, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t stop until I reached the sanctuary of my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My emotions hit me like a tidal wave, and I collapsed onto my bed, burying my face in my hands. Hot, angry tears spilled down my cheeks as I cursed the moon goddess for putting me in this situation.

Why? Why Ryder Blackthorn, of all people?

My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, but I ignored her, too consumed by the mess that had just been dropped on me. I wasn’t ready for this. I wasn’t ready to be anyone’s mate, especially not Ryder’s. The thought of spending the rest of my life tied to someone like him was unbearable.

But as I lay there, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me, a thought crossed my mind. A way out.

If I can’t reject him without a good reason… then I’ll have to make him reject me.

I sat up abruptly, wiping my tears away as my plan began to form. There was one person who could help me with this. I needed Ethan. If anyone could play the part of a fake boyfriend to push Ryder over the edge, it was him. He’d understand. He always did.

Without wasting another second, I rushed out of my room and headed downstairs, hoping I could catch Ethan before he left. As I stepped outside, I spotted him by the front gate, saying goodbye to a few guests.

“Ethan!” I called out, running up to him.

He turned, surprised by the urgency in my voice. “Ari? What’s going on?”

I grabbed his arm, pulling him aside so we could talk privately. My heart raced as I tried to figure out the best way to explain. “It’s Ryder,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “He’s my mate.”

Ethan’s eyes widened in shock. “Ryder? As in… Ryder Blackthorn?”

I nodded, my chest tightening. “Yeah. And I don’t want him.”

Ethan’s face darkened, his usual lighthearted expression fading into one of concern. “What do you mean you don’t want him? Isn’t he supposed to be, like, your fated mate or whatever? Isn’t that… good?”

“No, Ethan,” I said firmly. “It’s not good. I don’t want to be tied to someone like him. I’ve seen how he treats people, how he acts. He’s not my type. And I can’t—” My voice cracked as I struggled to get the words out. “I can’t do this.”

Ethan placed a hand on my shoulder, his green eyes filled with worry. “Ari, I get that you don’t want this, but what can we do? You can’t just reject him without a reason, right?”

A spark of determination flared inside me. “There is something we can do,” I said, meeting his gaze. “You can pretend to be my boyfriend.”

Ethan blinked in confusion. “What?”

“Think about it,” I explained quickly. “If Ryder sees us together—if he thinks I’m already with someone else—he’ll get pissed. He’ll hate the idea of sharing me with anyone, and eventually, he’ll reject me. Problem solved.”

Ethan frowned, looking uncertain. “I don’t know, Ari. That sounds risky. What if it doesn’t work? What if Ryder doesn’t care?”

I shook my head, confident in my plan. “Trust me, Ethan. He’ll care. He’s already obsessed with me. If he sees us together, it’ll drive him crazy. He’ll have no choice but to reject me.”

Ethan was silent for a moment, his brows furrowed as he considered my words. Finally, he let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “Alright,” he said reluctantly. “If this is what you want… I’ll do it. I’ll be your fake boyfriend.”

Relief washed over me, and I hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Ethan. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

He hugged me back, his voice soft. “I just want you to be happy, Ari. Even if this plan is completely insane.”

I laughed weakly, stepping back and giving him a grateful smile. “It’s only temporary. Just until Ryder gives up.”

Ethan nodded, though there was still a trace of worry in his eyes. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I didn’t. Not really. But I had to try something. I couldn’t let Ryder—or the mate bond—control my life. This was my way out, and I was going to take it, no matter how messy things got.

As Ethan left, I watched him disappear into the night, my heart heavy with the weight of what we were about to do. It wasn’t going to be easy, and Ryder wasn’t the type to give up without a fight. But if this plan worked, I could finally take back control of my life.

I just hoped it didn’t end in disaster.