Instructing her to temper her demeanour, he had yet to witness her true capabilities; although diminutive in stature, she possessed resilience and adeptness in managing men of his ilk. Her internal monologue had consistently been robust. He was correct in asserting that Brianna was exceptional; she surpassed all of them. While he was in the midst of informing him that he did not merit Brianna, Nolan abruptly seized her and carried her away. She observed that Ryder was seething with rage, yet she was equally incensed.
Her entire being was fervently compelled to safeguard the Woman.
He required correction, and no one else appeared to possess the courage to accomplish it. Indeed, she did, and she would continue to do so. She screamed and struck Nolan, demanding that he release her. He was extraordinarily strong; her efforts to impact him were futile, as he remained unperturbed by her struggles or strikes.
She was forcibly confined to the rear corner of the aircraft and instructed to remain silent by both Luca and Enzo. They all appeared before her abruptly. She did not fully comprehend the situation until she heard it. A thunderous roar, painfully loud, caused her ears to ache, and even her inner voice retreated. “Alpha wolf rages,” her mind conveyed, as she recognised that she had provoked Ryder excessively. They were all positioned before her as he approached her.
I overheard Luca attempting to pacify Ryder’s wolf. It was not Ryder she had angered, but rather his wolf, which appeared to briefly meet her gaze before disappearing into the bedroom.
She heard all three of them exclaim in alarm, “Aiden, no,” and suddenly, Luca and Enzo vanished from her vicinity as they pursued the wolf. Confused by the situation, she then heard Nolan curse.
Nolan?She enquired, and for the first time, observed fury in his gaze, entirely focused on her. He appeared to be infuriated, particularly with her.
A minute later, Luca and Enzo were found glaring at her, but it was Luca who harshly stated, “Well Stella, now you must elucidate to Brianna how she was Marked and claimed by Aiden while she was unconscious.”
“Designated and Asserted?”She was unaware of its meaning, yet it appeared unfavourable to her.
“Carlos, it is advisable to keep her away from Ryder, as she may face dire consequences when Aiden relinquishes control.”
She experienced fear for the first time regarding these men, complied with Nolan’s instructions, and remained silent. I intended to enquire about the meanings of “Marked” and “Claimed,” but I sensed that it was not an opportune moment. ‘I apologize.’ occurred to her.
Ryder’s Perspective
Ryder was utterly incensed with both Aiden and Stella. His wolf had completely lost control and marked Brianna, who was unconscious and unable to provide consent, while Logan was present on the bed beside her and witnessed the entire incident.
The boy gazed at him, his eyes wide with astonishment, having just witnessed his father’s wolf charge into the room and viciously bite his mother, displaying aggression and indifference to her condition. Ryder was likely unaware of the recent events, and he struggled to articulate an explanation to a boy who possessed minimal knowledge of their reality.
Had not yet established a genuine connection with the boy, having only recently initiated the process, and it could potentially be compromised now. He anticipated that Rowan would confront his son for the first time and attack him.
Ryder was fairly confident that Rowan perceived them as a pack, albeit a small one consisting of just the three of them. As the Alpha Wolf, his responsibility was to safeguard everyone, particularly his mother, who he recognised was decidedly uneasy with Ryder.
He reclined away from Brianna’s body, his gaze fixed on Logan. Aiden surrendered all authority to Ryder the instant he marked her neck. Uncertain of how to initiate interaction with the boy, he nonetheless perceived the complete glimmer of white and blue-green in his son’s eyes. They were conversing with one another.
Rowan likely comprehended that Aiden was asserting his claim over his Mate. Designating her with a visible “I’m sorry.” He informed Logan as he rose, and he genuinely was. This was not his preferred method of execution. He had not yet secured Brianna’s full acknowledgement of their Bond, and now, upon awakening, she would discover herself Marked and claimed by him.
Aiden continued to traverse the recesses of his mind, yearning for Stella due to her profound disrespect, which had provoked his wolf into a full Alpha rage. He had unleashed this fury upon Brianna, and now, having done so, it was likely to exacerbate the situation between them.
Ryder fervently hoped it would not lead her to an unequivocal rejection upon awakening. One did not simply mark the unconscious. Although she recognised him as her Mate, he hoped it would alleviate her apprehension regarding their connection.
Nevertheless, he harboured doubts.
He observed Logan and Rowan’s response to what they had witnessed, apprehensive about the boy’s Wolf emerging and provoking a confrontation over Brianna. However, he could not reasonably venture into the aircraft cabin, as Aiden was likely to attempt to confront Stella.
He was also cognisant that his entire Alpha Unit was aware of the recent events and had attempted to intervene, though their efforts were futile; given the minimal distance to cover, none could have prevented it. They had made an attempt, however.
Chaos had ensued, and he was the instigator.
He needed to determine how to rectify it immediately. I was unaware of how to accomplish that. Brianna’s awakening was critical; should she rouse during the flight, she might inadvertently release Layla, potentially leading to the destruction of the aircraft. Brianna wished to avoid any damage to West’s plane and any ensuing midair conflict that could result in catastrophic consequences.
This was a harrowing ordeal. Ultimately, he observed Logan’s eyes transition to their blue-green radiance, reminiscent of his own. The boy gazed intently at him, his eyes filled with such fury that he contemplated whether he appeared similarly when enraged. He could not hold the boy accountable; the anger did not astonish him.
He had already expressed his apology, and he could not retract his—indeed, his wolf’s actions, without issuing a rejection, which he was unwilling to do. There was no possibility of that occurring.
“Leave,” the boy hissed, conveying not merely a remark but a directive that emanated from him.
