Ryder's POV
My breathing seized for a moment. My head was pounding at the guard's words. I dropped the file page and raised my face to see the guard.
"What did you say?"
"The Luna jumped into the East Gate river and she's drowning," he answered.
I didn't wait anymore. I got out of my chair, bolting out of the office. I ran out of the mansion, the freezing cold blowing through my hair.
I stepped on the hard snow and pushed the east gate open. My eyes scanned every inch of the place.
"Elodie !" I roared, taking off my coat quickly and diving into the water without thinking.
I swam deeper, ignoring the cold water prickling my skin, and I saw her sinking toward the bottom.
My hands moved fast, swimming toward her. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her up.
Fast, cold gasps escaped my lips when I got to the top, and I carried her out, laying her on the floor. She was pale and quiet.
I checked her pulse, and it was gone. "Hell no. You don't get to die until I say so," I muttered.
"Someone get the doctor!" I shouted.
"But, Alpha… she's—" one of the guards spoke, but I flashed him my angry eyes.
"I said get the doctor now!"
He scrambled off, and I started to do chest compressions. "Come on. Breathe," I gritted.
My wolf clawed inside me, howling in pain. "Breathe, damn it!" I pushed my hands harder, counting every beat. I pressed my lips down on hers, blowing air, and returned to the chest compressions.
"Come on, Elodie !" I growled. "Wake up!"
She coughed, spitting out water. I breathed in relief. Her eyelashes fluttered, opening just a little to look at me.
Her wet hair clung to her face. "That's it," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "Breathe."
I scooped her into my arms and walked back to the mansion as fast as I could. I took her to her room and had the maid change her out of her wet clothes while I stood outside.
When I got in, she was dry, still pale, and lying on the bed.
The room heater was warmer than normal, and the doctor arrived. I watched him examine her, my hands balled at my sides.
"She's hypothermic," he said. "She needs to stay warm."
"Anything else?" I demanded.
"I'll give her some medication to deal with the cold so she doesn't have long-lasting effects. But you have to make sure she takes them," he lectured.
My eyes went to her, and she gulped. "Don't worry. I will."
The door closed shut as he left, and she tried to sit up. "Do you have a death wish?"
She paused.
"I… I'm sorry," she said, her head low.
"I don't need your sorry. It's nothing to me."
"I know I've caused you a lot of trouble," she said, then lifted her face. "Why did you save me?"
"My uncle paid good money for you. He would never let me hear a moment of peace if you died."
She nodded and held her hands together. She looked fragile, and the redness came back to her cheeks.
"I thought I would please you," she said.
"I don't value stupid deaths."
Was she crazy? Who the hell jumps into a frozen lake because someone said so?
I strolled to her bed and touched her chin, turning it until she faced me. "Why?" I muttered, staring at her green eyes. "Why do you keep testing me?"
"I… I don't…" she stammered.
"That's not what it looks like," I whispered. My eyes trailed to her pale, plump, heart-shaped lips. My throat tightened at the sight of them. Her scent flooded my senses.
And I felt it—the invisible pull around me to her—and my wolf paced restlessly. "Mate," he breathed.
My hands dropped instantly from her face, and I backed away. "No," I hissed under my breath.
There was no way— not in hell—was she my mate.
"Alpha," she called gently, and my heart thumped faster. I felt weak in the knees, and my wolf threatened to claw out of me.
"Mate!" he repeated.
"You'll stay here, and next time you act like this, I'll make sure you're really dead," I spat and left the room, slamming the door hard.
I got to my office and felt my legs wobble. This wasn't happening.
"Why did you leave?" my wolf questioned.
"You're insane."
"Not as much as you."
"She's not our mate," I hissed.
"Fight it all you want, but the Moon Goddess has already chosen. She's our mate," my wolf gnawed.
"She's weak and not fit for us," I argued.
"She's perfect. You're too busy running away to notice. You should have realized when her scent pulled you in," he replied, and I sank into my seat.
Reading became hard; each page was blurry and confusing. I dropped the pen and took off my glasses, frustrated.
"Damn it!" I cussed. "I can't think straight."
My mind wandered to Elodie. I was worried about her. And now she was on every page I turned. "Screw it," I murmured and rose, heading out of my room.
My feet stopped at her door, and I hesitated. "Go on," my wolf urged.
I pushed the door handle gently and walked in. She was asleep, and I breathed out in relief. One look at her and her scent pulled me closer, my feet inching toward her bed.
My hand lowered to touch her face. Her skin was soft against my fingers. I leaned in, my face inching closer to hers and…
I stopped, resisting, when her eyes opened. "Ryder," she whispered softly.
Oh no. Those eyes. The way they twinkled made my knees weak.
My heart raced, and I froze in place, not moving. I should have left.
"Mate. She's ours. Only ours," my wolf howled, and my face inched closer to hers.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, and I snapped back to my senses.
I moved away from her, holding my breath. Her eyes locked on mine, and in that moment, I knew I was doomed.