Chapter 22

Nadia was jealous. With Andrea.

My heart jumped over my chest at the thought of my mate harboring feelings for me, but it didn‘t
change the fact that I was still not ready to tell her about Andrea yet. I didn‘t think she would be able to
accept that part of me knowing I was the same as the man she was running from.

But I wanted to give it another try at winning her over.

‘Can we talk now?‘ I finally sent her a mindlink when Hunter told me that he and Arrow were ready to
give us back control.

‘I‘m shifting back, but tell Hunter not to hurt me.’ Her voice sounded scared, and I found it adorable.

My wolf might be angry with her, but he would never hurt her unless he marked her again.

In an instant, Nadia shifted into her human form in front of my wolf, naked.

A low rumble vibrated from Hunter‘s chest, and it made Nadia move back, but before she could turn
around to run, Hunter laid down on the ground once more and lowered his head, whimpering as he
looked at Nadia.

A smile curled on her lips as she moved back forward and kneeled in front of my wolf. Hunter wasted
no time and started licking her legs up to the mound of her private part.

“Hunter, stop…” She giggled while I was trying my best to take the control away from my fucking wolf.
He wasn‘t making it easy for me.

She cupped Hunter‘s face and rested her nose on his snout while looking directly into my wolf‘s eyes.



“Can you give me Riley back?”

Hunter whimpered before he pulled away from Nadia, only to grab the shirt that I had taken with us,
handing it to her.

Smooth move, Hunter. Now I won‘t get the chance to touch her naked body.

“Thank you!” Nadia smiled at him and kissed his head before she pulled the shirt over her body.

And as soon as Nadia was already covered by my shirt, it was only then that my wolf gave me back
control and I shifted at once.

The smile on Nadia‘s face was replaced by pain as she darted her eyes away from mine.

“Nadia...”

“You‘re naked, Riley.”

“You‘ve seen me naked.”

“I don‘t want to see you naked right now.”

I let out a sigh and went to a big tree, sitting under it before calling her attention.

“Come here, sit beside me so you don‘t need to look at me.”

She turned around and walked towards where I was without looking down. She sat down beside me,
our arms brushing, but she didn‘t move hers away.

Nobody was saying anything. We just stayed there, staring at the view in front of us and letting the
sparks from our touching arms dance around us.



And when I couldn‘t keep the silence anymore, I started to open my mouth

“You asked me if I love Andrea. I don‘t. Not anymore. I did love her though, in my own way.”

I heard when she let out a deep sigh before she spoke.

“If she hadn‘t chosen the other Alpha, would she be the one here and not me?

“I don‘t know,” I answered as I rested my arms over my knees, which I bent up.

I felt pain crossing my heart, but I knew it wasn‘t mine. It was Nadia. She didn‘t know how to turn off her
emotions or she didn‘t know she was sharing them with me.

I saw her press her knees against her chest and wrap her arms around them.

“All I knew was that three weeks before she left, I was already looking for you. I smelled you for the first
time when I visited Darvin‘s territory. I waited for you to approach me, but you didn‘t come.”

“I don‘t understand.” Her voice was soft, and her face was tilted in my direction, with confusion written
all over it.

“The night of the full moon, was it the first time you smelled me?” I asked her.

She nodded her head in response, but she still looked confused. “And you?”

“I smelled you twice, Nadia. Twice before I met you that full moon night.”

“No I never smelled you before. I would have gone to you if I smelt you. I would have thought then that
you can take me away from my uncle.” She huffed. “And you said you went looking for me?” I nodded
my head.



“For three weeks, I kept coming back to your territory to look for you or any signs of you. And then
after that night we shared, even if I thought you left me, I kept looking for you. For a month, I kept
coming back to the Moon Stone Pack. I was hoping you would show up, but you didn‘t.”

So your question, if she didn‘t choose Caspian, would she be the one here and not you? I really don‘t
know the answer to that. But if you‘re going to ask me who I wanted to be here with me, that one I can
answer you with without any hesitation. I want you here, Nadia. I want you with me.

I swallowed hard before I continued. My throat really felt too dry.

“I know, I‘m not the easiest person to be with. You said it yourself, I have many sides. Maybe you have
only seen one side. Maybe tomorrow you will see another side and you won‘t like it. I don’t like me
either.” I forced a chuckle before I dropped my head low.

“But I just want a chance, Nadia. Just one chance. I feel like everybody is given a chance except me.
Maybe I don‘t deserve it, I don‘t deserve a chance because I‘m a bad person, but Nadia, you... I want
you so much. You‘re the only thing that was given to me that I really like. I don‘t want to lose you.”

And I couldn‘t stop my tears anymore.

“There are things about me that I‘m not ready to share yet. But one day, I will tell you everything about
me. Just be patient with me.

“Riley…”

“I never wanted to be a better man than I am right now, for you. So I could be enough for you. I know
I‘m nothing special. But here I a m, still hoping you will take a risk and give me a chance.”

My tears were already clouding my vision so that I couldn‘t see clearly, but I knew Nadia had moved
and was now in front of me, on her knees. She cupped my face and tilted it up before her thumb wiped



the tears from my eyes, and only then did I see her own tear –stricken face.

“Riley… I‘m nothing special either. And if you...” She was hiccuping, cutting her words.

“...you take a chance with me... I want... to take… a chance on you too. And we‘ll figure out
everything... else together.”

I nodded my head too eagerly as I cupped her face and wiped her tears with my fingers.

“I want you, Nadia. All of you.”

She was still crying. Tears kept pouring down her lovely face, but she was trying to smile.

“I have nothing to offer you, Riley. Just myself.”

“You‘re more than enough, baby... I don‘t need anything more.” I told her the truth.

I couldn’t explain the emotions swirling around me. They were mine and Nadia‘s. It was overwhelming
but in a positive way.

I pressed my lips to her forehead before pulling her into my lap. Her arms automatically wrapped
around my neck before our lips met to share a deep, passionate kiss.

I felt a big burden being lifted from my chest. I knew I still owed Nadia a lot of things, and she might
change her mind once she realized who I was before she came, but I would think about it next time.

One day at a time.

For now, I just wanted to lose myself in this moment, knowing she was willing to give me a chance to
love her.


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