Xena''s POV


    "Is that why you''re still inside me?" Iughed, feeling the warmth of Ryder''s body against mine in the pond.


    "Total ident," he replied, his voice dripping with satisfaction, not sounding the least bit sorry.


    "Liar, big fat liar." I bit his earlobe gently, enjoying how his body trembled against mine in response. The connection between us felt electric, primal-something I was still getting used to.


    "Can''t wait to see you swaying on that dance floor," he said, his voice rough with desire.


    "If I make it there," I teased, my tone deliberately provocative.


    "What does that mean?"


    "After you see my dress, you might not let me go." I kept my voice light, yful.


    "Is that so?" Ryder studied my face carefully, his green eyes flickering with equal parts desire and curiosity.


    "Yeah, that''s so."


    "I might just tear it off before we go, and then we wouldn''t make it to the dance because you''d have no dress," he threatened, his voice low and heavy with desire.


    "I''m not wearing anything underneath. You can fuck me before, during, and after the dance." I licked his ear, feeling his cock harden inside me. My walls tightened around his growing length, sending familiar waves of dizzying pleasure through my body.


    Just then, Ryder''s phone rang again. "Hmm." He nced back, hesitating whether to answer. I could feel his reluctance to break our connection.


    "Go ahead," I sighed, forcing myself to let go of the intimate moment. "Might be important."


    Ryder groaned as he pulled out of me, adjusting his pants. He was still hard when he stepped out of the water. I admired his body as he answered the phone, watching water droplets trace the contours of every muscle as he stood.


    "We need to go. Ryder''s voice shifted instantly from lustful to authoritative, his expression transforming so quickly it made me uneasy,


    What''s going on? William asked, his voice still thick with desire, clearly not yet recovered from his moment with Ama.


    They found something on the phone," Ryder answered curtly,


    "I thought they already linked it to a building in town?" William questioned as they began swimming toward the shore. I followed behind, suddenly alert, sensing something bad wasing.


    "Yes, but now there appears to be more information. Come on, we need to leave." Ryder grabbed a towel and started drying off. Every movement was hurried and tense,pletely different from the rxed man of minutes ago.


    William and Ama were first to shore. Ryder handed me a towel while gathering our things. He tossed my shoes to me, then grabbed my jacket and headed for the car. His entire demeanor screamed "don''t ask," but I couldn''t stand being kept in the dark, especially if it


    involved our safety.


    "What aren''t you telling us?" I asked through our mind link, cutting directly into his thoughts, feeling his anxiety and anger crackling like electricity through our connection.


    "They found pictures too," he replied shortly.


    "What pictures?" I pressed, my heart rate elerating, sensing the answer would upset


    1. me.


    "Pictures of us. From the night we were shot at. Pictures of us in the shop. Pictures since


    then, even from yesterday."


    We sat in the car, Ryder driving with obvious anger. My head snapped toward him


    at his words, fear washing over me like ice water.


    "Y-you''re saying I''ve been followed? Photographed in my own pack territory?" My


    jaw


    pter 188


    opped, feeling betrayed and vited to my core.


    der didn''t respond, but his knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. Pure rage liated from him as we drove toward the pack house, his anger almost tangible. William mediately picked up on it, his mood shifting to match Ryder''s state. He didn''t need to ow why to be protective.


    ma, why don''t you go take a shower in our room?" William suggested softly to his mate. e looked between the two men, then finally at me, her eyes full of questions and


    ncern.


    ?" she asked gently.


    or the sake of not stressing you out, please?" I begged, worried for my friend, especially nsidering her pregnant state.


    omething happened," she concluded, understanding shing in her eyes.


    ''ll tell youter," I promised.


    he took a deep breath, cing her hand protectively over her stomach. "Fine." She rabbed her things and headed to their room while we made our way to Alpha Benedict''s ffice, my heart pounding with each step.


    What the fuck?" Ryder growled, bursting through the door. His anger filled the entire oom like a physical presence.


    See for yourself," Alpha Benedict pointed at hisputer. He stood aside, not looking at he images. I appreciated that-there''s nothing more awkward than your father-inw eeing pictures of you and his son being intimate.


    Following Ryder, I watched as he clicked through the photos. Sure enough, there were pictures of us in front of the mirror at my shop. Then images of my shop after it was destroyed. Next came photos of me walking outside the pack house. Each picture made me feel more exposed and vulnerable, like my entire life was being watched by some malicious eye.


    "Go back," I said, my voice tight with fear. Ryder did as I asked. It was a simple photo of Ama and me sitting by the pool. It was clearly taken from a higher vantage point. Which


    meant...


    "Look at the next one," I demanded, my heart nearly beating out of my chest, fear and


    anger twisting inside me. Who would track us like this? Why? Most importantly, what else did they n to do?


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