Great, he’s not going to say anything. He’s just going to ignore that little announcement.
I thought he had to love me back if we had any chance of being mates?
She felt like killing him.
Matters weren’t helped by the way he stared at her for a long moment, his expression quizzical.
“It’s more than you,” she reiterated. “When I was in that cage … I gave up on life.” Her voice cracked. “And when Sebastian died, I felt ashamed for feeling that way. I’ve promised myself that I will live … because he can’t.”
For a moment they sat in heavy-hearted silence.
“Maybe you should take me home,” she whispered, looking away, an ache throbbing in her chest.
“Jaeden?”
“What?” She refused to look at him.
Gently, he took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him, his eyes searching. “I’m not ignoring what you said—”
“Ryder, don’t—”
“Shut up for a second. Jaeden, I wouldn’t have suggested we might be mates if I hadn’t been falling in love with you. I love you.” He grinned ruefully. “Despite the fact that you make me crazy. I’m just … awed that I could do that for you, that I could help you that way.”
Relief flooded her, and she let him draw her in for a long, comforting kiss that heated up too quickly. He withdrew, laughing shakily. “I’m going to kill Lucien for extending his trip.”
Jaeden laughed at his belligerence, her doubts melting into the shadows of the surrounding forest. “Yeah, ’cause I’m sure Lucien is enjoying being away from the pack.”
“Point taken.” He looked around them. “I suppose I better get you home.”
“Can’t we stay … just for a little longer?”
He smiled. “Sure.”
They settled side by side, listening to the sounds of the insects in the nearby woods, the chirping of birds that should have been asleep.
“So, you really want to fight, huh?”
Jaeden laughed. “Yes. I’ll be fine. You’ll be there.”
He chuckled and put his arm around her, drawing her in. “Nice try.”
“Ryder?” she asked after a few moments of delicious silence.
“Hmm?”
“Why did you decide to be a Rogue Hunter?”
It took him a moment to answer and then he squeezed her closer once more. “Because of my dad.”
Her heart thudded a little with the sad remembrance that Ryder had lost his father when he was a young boy. “Your dad?”
“Yeah. Because of what happened to him. What he couldn’t prevent from happening. He was strong, don’t get me wrong, but he was always just a family man. However, he loved Caia’s father, respected him a great deal. Rafe was a Rogue Hunter, and a great one at that. But for the most part, I remember Rafe being the guy everyone turned to, you know. He was a good guy. A truly good guy.
“I remember my dad defending him when he brought Adriana into the pack. A lot of people back then were already sore over Mikhail’s stupidity and betrayal. When Rafe fell for Adriana’s lies, only a few stuck by him. People left. Of course, Magnus and your dad were two who stuck by him—so did Lucien’s. And my dad. Jeez, my mom would rag on Rafe so badly, which would just end in an explosive argument between my parents. My dad would take me and Aidan aside and tell us quietly that Mom was just upset, but not to listen to the pack’s tales about Rafe. Or Caia. My dad was really fond of that kid.”
Jaeden quietly placed her hand on his chest, feeling it thud quickly into her palm.
“That’s why he was there when Adriana came back for Caia. He was at their house. He told Rafe to take Caia and run, he would hold her off.” He cleared his throat, and she hurt for the way it still hurt him now. “My dad was a brave guy, strong, and he did a heroic thing. But he wasn’t trained to fight. And he especially wasn’t quick enough to fight a magik.”
“So you became a Rogue Hunter.”
“I became a Rogue Hunter. So I could fight and give myself a better chance of staying alive to keep protecting the people I cared about.”
“That’s why you’re so protective of Caia.”
He nodded, clasping her hand tighter to his chest. “My dad didn’t die for nothing, Jaeden. He died to keep her alive. She’s here for a reason, and I trust that. I’ve come to trust her.”
“So you’ll fight for her?”
“Yeah, I will.”
Jaeden felt an overwhelming respect for him in that moment, a feeling so strong, it actually took an unyielding grip on her chest. “I said I would fight with her. But I trust you. I guess I’ll fight for her as well.”
She felt his smile without looking for it.
“Why don’t you just give him the tools tomorrow?” she asked in a “guys have no logic” tone.
Ryder shrugged. “I’m trying to stay on his good side.”