Dear Alpha, You Are Not My Type!

CHAPTER 3 - AN ALLURING PROMISE

Ariana

The next morning, I woke up to a commotion downstairs. It was barely dawn, and the muffled sounds of voices carried through the walls, followed by laughter and what sounded like my mother’s excited chatter. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sat up and groaned, the events of last night hitting me like a brick. Ryder. The mate bond. Ethan.

Pushing aside the lingering tension in my chest, I hurriedly threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater, curiosity getting the better of me. What was all the noise about? I padded down the stairs, still a little groggy, only to stop dead in my tracks at the sight that greeted me.

Standing in the middle of my living room, with an infuriatingly smug expression, was Ryder. And beside him, his father—Alpha Nicholas Blackthorn. The Alpha of our pack. The two of them stood there, towering over everyone else, their presence commanding and impossible to ignore.

What the hell?

The room was filled with flowers. Lavish bouquets of roses and wildflowers covered every available surface, and a few small, intricately wrapped gifts were placed on the coffee table. My mom was beaming, practically glowing with pride as she exchanged pleasantries with Alpha Nicholas. My dad stood nearby, his expression more reserved but respectful.

“What’s going on?” I asked, still halfway down the stairs.

At the sound of my voice, all eyes turned toward me, but it was my mother’s teasing smile that made my stomach drop.

“Ariana, dear,” she said sweetly, “you didn’t tell us you found your fated mate!”

My breath caught in my throat, and suddenly everything made sense. The flowers, the gifts, Ryder and his father… They were here because of the mate bond. Because Ryder had told them we were fated mates.

I clenched my fists, anger boiling beneath the surface. He had the nerve to show up here, to involve our families, after I had already rejected him?

My eyes locked on Ryder, who simply stood there, arms crossed over his broad chest, his lips tugging into that cocky smirk that I had come to hate. He was enjoying this. Enjoying the fact that I was caught off guard.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders before walking into the living room. “Mom, Dad,” I started, trying to keep my voice steady, “you’ve got the wrong idea. I haven’t accepted Ryder as my mate.”

The room went silent. My mother’s smile faltered, confusion flickering in her eyes as she exchanged a glance with my father. “But, honey,” she said softly, “he’s your fated mate. Why would you—”

“I rejected him,” I cut her off, my gaze hardening as I looked directly at Ryder. “And he should accept it.”

Ryder chuckled under his breath, shaking his head like I was being ridiculous. “You can’t reject me, Ariana. Not without a valid reason.” His voice was dripping with amusement, like this was all some big joke to him. “So, what’s your reason?”

My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at him, the words burning on my tongue. “I’m already in a relationship,” I said firmly, louder than I’d intended. “With Ethan.”

The air in the room shifted, the weight of my words hanging between us. Ryder’s smirk disappeared, his jaw clenching. I could feel the tension radiating off him, sharp and dangerous, but I didn’t back down. I wasn’t going to let him bully me into accepting this bond.

Alpha Nicholas frowned, his eyes narrowing as he looked between me and Ryder. “Ariana,” he said in a calm but authoritative tone, “fated mates are a sacred bond. You can’t simply choose to be with someone else.”

My parents stared at me, equally shocked. I could see the confusion and disappointment in their eyes, but I didn’t care. This was my life, not theirs.

“I know the rules of fated mates aren’t required anymore,” I said, refusing to let anyone guilt me into this. “I have the right to make my own choices, and I choose Ethan.”

Ryder’s eyes were blazing now, the heat of his anger barely contained. He took a step forward, but Alpha Nicholas held up a hand, stopping him from saying anything in front of my parents. “Excuse us for a moment,” Ryder said tightly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Ariana and I need to talk. Alone.”

My dad opened his mouth to protest, but I quickly stepped forward, desperate to get this over with. “Fine,” I muttered, heading toward the back door. “Let’s talk.”

Once we were outside on the balcony, the cold morning air brushing against my skin, I whirled around to face him. “I don’t want this, Ryder,” I said, my voice shaking with frustration. “I told you last night. I rejected you. Why can’t you just accept it?”

Ryder didn’t answer. Instead, he moved toward me with a predatory grace that made my heart race. Before I could react, he backed me up against the wall, his hands on either side of my head, trapping me. My breath hitched as he pressed his body closer, his scent overwhelming me.

“Ryder,” I started, but the words died on my lips when his hand slipped down, grabbing my thigh and lifting my leg. In one swift movement, he wrapped my leg around his waist, pressing me firmly against the wall.

“What are you doing?” I gasped, my pulse skyrocketing.

Ryder leaned in close, his breath hot against my neck as he whispered, “I don’t like the idea of anyone else touching what’s mine.” His voice was low, dangerous, filled with possessiveness that made my skin prickle. “And you, Ariana, are mine.”

I tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge, his grip on my leg tightening. “I’m not yours,” I hissed, glaring at him. “And I never will be. I’m with Ethan now. You need to accept that.”

Ryder’s eyes darkened, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. “You really think Ethan can make me back off?” he asked, his voice mocking. “Do you think I’m going to let some fake relationship stop me from getting what I want?”

“It’s not fake,” I shot back, though I knew it was a lie. “Ethan cares about me. He’s—”

“Bullshit,” Ryder snarled, cutting me off. “I can smell the truth on you, Ariana. You don’t love him. He’s nothing but a pawn in your little game to get rid of me.”

I froze, the truth of his words cutting deeper than I expected. He knew. Of course he knew. Wolves could sense lies, and I had walked right into his trap.

Ryder leaned in even closer, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, “You can play whatever games you want, but it won’t change the fact that you belong to me. And I’m going to have you, Ariana. One way or another.”

I pushed against his chest, panic rising inside me. “You need to reject me, Ryder,” I said, my voice trembling. “If you really don’t want me to be disgusted with you, then just reject me and let me go.”

He pulled back slightly, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. “Reject you?” he repeated, his lips curling into a cruel smile. “You really think that will stop me?”

My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at him, fear and anger mixing together in a chaotic swirl. “What do you want from me?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Ryder’s gaze dropped to my lips, and his smile widened, dark and full of promise. “I want you. All of you. And mark my words, Ariana—when the time comes, I’ll be the first man to taste you.”

My stomach twisted at his words, heat flushing through me despite the anger bubbling inside. He let go of my leg and stepped back, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he watched me struggle to catch my breath.

“See you soon,” Ryder said with a smirk, turning and walking away, leaving me standing there, shocked and dumbfounded.