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Chapter 187
~Tempest’s POV~
The late afternoon sunlight streamed through my room’s tall windows, casting warm golden hues across the soft lavender walls.
I sat cross-legged on my bed, absentmindedly stroking Summer’s fur in my mind as she paced restlessly. Her need for action mirrored my frustration.
"He’ll get what’s coming to him," I muttered under my breath, clenching the phone in my hands.
Summer growled softly, agreeing but clearly unsatisfied.
Just as I considered taking a long run to vent my pent-up energy, my phone buzzed in my hand, startling me. Glancing at the screen, I froze.
Ryland.
I hesitated for only a moment before answering. "Ryland?"
His deep, soothing voice came through the line. "Tempest. I heard what happened."
His words were simple, but the concern laced through them was unmistakable.
I smiled, forgetting my anger momentrarily. "Let me guess—you’re calling to stop me from hunting Kane down, aren’t you?"
There was a short pause before he sighed. "Do I need to?"
I chuckled, leaning back against the headboard. "Probably. But it’s sweet of you to check in."
"Sweet?" he echoed, and I could almost hear the amused tilt in his voice. "I wouldn’t say that. I’d call it smart. I know how you get when you’re angry, Tempest."
His teasing tone made me laugh softly. "And how do I get, Ryland?"
"Reckless," he said simply, the warmth in his tone betraying the sharpness of the word.
"Reckless?" I repeated, feigning offence. "I think you mean passionate."
"You and I both know there’s a fine line between the two," he countered and a chuckle rumbled in his throat. "I’d rather you didn’t cross it."
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling. "You worry too much."
"You don’t worry enough," he shot back, and then his voice softened. "I don’t want you getting hurt."
His sincerity was like a balm to my frayed nerves, leaving me momentarily lost on how to respond for a moment. Finally, I said, "Thank you, Ryland. Really."
"You don’t have to thank me," he replied, his tone lighter now. "Keeping you alive is part of my job."
"Oh?" I teased, leaning into the playful banter. "Is that all I am to you? A job?"
There was a brief silence before he spoke again, his voice quieter. "You know you’re more than that, Tempest."
My heart skipped a beat at the unexpected weight of his words. I quickly masked my reaction with a laugh. "Careful, Ryland. You’re starting to sound sentimental."
"And you’re starting to sound smug," he retorted, though there was no real bite to his words.
We lapsed into a comfortable silence for a moment, and I found myself relaxing against the pillows, his presence over the phone as steady as if he were sitting beside me.
"So," I said eventually, trying to steer the conversation away from my emotions, "what else is new in Ryland’s world? Any damsels in distress you’ve rescued lately?"
"None worth mentioning," he replied smoothly. "Though I think I have my hands full with one particular troublemaker."
"Is that so?" I said, grinning. "This troublemaker wouldn’t happen to be me, would it?"
"Who else?" he quipped, and I could almost see the smirk tugging at his lips. "You’ve got a talent for keeping me on my toes, Tempest."
"Someone has to," I shot back. "You’d be bored otherwise."
"True," he admitted, his tone softening. "But I wouldn’t have it any other way."
His words hung in the air, and for a moment, I felt a warmth spread through me that I couldn’t quite explain.
"Ryland," I said finally, my voice quieter now. "Thanks for calling. You didn’t have to, but it means a lot."
"For you, I’d do anything," he said simply, and my heart skipped again.
I smiled, the warmth in my chest threatening to overflow. "You’re too good to me, Ryland."
"Someone has to be," he replied, his voice teasing but with a hint of sincerity that made my cheeks warm.
Before I could respond, he added, "Take care of yourself, Tempest. And don’t do anything reckless."
"I’ll try," I said, laughing softly.
The call ended, leaving me staring at my phone with a stupid grin on my face. Just as I was placing it down, a voice from behind startled me.
"I see you’ve found someone decent."
I spun around, my heart leaping into my throat. Zade stood casually leaning against my doorframe, his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips.
"How long have you been there?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Long enough," he replied, his smirk widening.
Suspicion flared in my chest as I got to my feet and crossed the room toward him. "And what are you doing lurking outside my door?"
Zade straightened, meeting my gaze calmly. "Same reason as the guy on the phone."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what part of that reason are we talking about? The caring for me, checking up on me, or doing anything for me, part?"
His smirk deepened as he leaned slightly closer. "What do you think?"
For a moment, I was at a loss for words, his proximity and the playful glint in his eyes throwing me off balance. Finally, I rolled my eyes and stepped back.
"You’re impossible," I muttered, though I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips.
"And yet, here I am," he quipped, his tone light but his gaze steady.
The tension in the room was intense in a way, but before it could become overwhelming, Zade stepped aside, his smirk softening into a genuine smile.
"Take care of yourself, Tempest," he bid goodbye, his voice quieter now. "You’re safe, which is nice."
I nodded, watching him leave, and for a moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if the world had suddenly grown more complicated—or if I was finally starting to unravel the connections I hadn’t noticed before.
Once he was out my door, I shook my head. There was no way he’d be interested in me. He had a mate. Zade was only playing, right? Or was he not?
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m