Need a ride, princess?

Amara's POV

The rest of the morning passed in a haze, Jaxon’s words and the intensity of his gaze replaying in my mind. I hated that he could affect me so deeply with just a few sentences.

By the time I finished getting ready for school, I was more determined than ever to avoid him. I grabbed my bag and hurried outside, hoping to catch the bus before anyone could interrupt my plans.

But, of course, nothing went as planned in the world of the triplets.

As I reached the curb, I heard the unmistakable roar of an engine. I glanced back and froze. A sleek, black Lamborghini was pulling up beside me.

The tinted window rolled down, revealing Jaxon behind the wheel, looking far too smug for my liking. “Need a ride, princess?”

“No,” I said immediately, gripping the strap of my bag tighter.

“Too bad,” he replied, pushing the door open from inside. “Get in.”

“I can take the bus.”

“Not today, you’re not.” His tone left no room for argument, but I wasn’t going to let him control me.

“I don’t need you to babysit me, Jaxon,” I snapped.

He leaned over, his eyes locking with mine. “Who said this is about babysitting? Just get in, Amara.”

His persistence was infuriating, but the thought of standing there arguing while the bus left without me was even worse. With a frustrated sigh, I climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut.

“Happy now?” I muttered, crossing my arms.

“Ecstatic,” he said with a smirk, shifting the car into gear and speeding off.

The ride was silent at first, the tension between us almost palpable. I kept my eyes fixed on the window, refusing to acknowledge his presence.

“Why do you always fight me?” he asked suddenly, his voice breaking the silence.

“Maybe because you don’t give me a choice,” I shot back, still not looking at him.

Jaxon chuckled, the sound low and almost... playful. “You’re stubborn. I like that about you.”

I turned to glare at him. “I’m not here for your approval.”

He glanced at me briefly, his smirk softening into something more genuine. “You should be.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” he said, focusing back on the road, “you’re not like anyone else, Amara. And it drives me crazy.”

His words caught me off guard, and I found myself speechless for once. I stared at him, trying to decipher the emotions flickering across his face.

“I don’t believe you,” I finally said, my voice quieter now.

He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “You don’t have to. Just keep being you, Amara. That’s enough.”

For the rest of the ride, I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said. Jaxon was confusing, infuriating, and everything I should stay away from.

And yet, he was also becoming someone I couldn’t ignore.

By the time we reached the school, my emotions were a tangled mess. As I stepped out of the car, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d ever be able to untangle them—or if I even wanted to.

Jaxon leaned across the passenger seat, his gray eyes meeting mine one last time. “See you around, shortcake.”

I rolled my eyes, but a small, involuntary smile tugged at my lips as I walked away.

---

The rest of the day passed in a blur, but my thoughts kept returning to Jaxon. His words, his smirk, the strange intensity in his eyes—it all replayed over and over in my mind like a song I couldn’t get out of my head.

It was ridiculous. I shouldn’t be thinking about him at all. Jaxon was the last person I needed in my life, and I had spent far too many years avoiding people like him. I didn’t want to be drawn into their world, to be another girl they toyed with. But even now, when I tried to push him out of my thoughts, it felt like my mind betrayed me.

After school, I rushed to get home, hoping to escape the constant war raging inside me. I just wanted to be left alone. But of course, the universe had other plans.

I stepped into the house, my stomach sinking as I spotted the familiar silhouette standing by the stairs.

Ryder.

He looked as imposing as ever, his black leather jacket almost blending into the shadows. His intense gaze locked with mine the moment I entered, and I felt that familiar pull deep in my chest.

I froze for a second, my heart skipping a beat.

“Amara,” Ryder’s voice was low, almost like a warning. He took a step forward, the tension thick in the air. “We need to talk.”

I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to be near him, to feel his presence tearing at my resolve. But I also didn’t know how to ignore him.

“What’s there to talk about?” I forced the words out, trying to keep my voice steady.

His expression softened for a fraction of a second, but then it was gone, replaced by the usual intensity. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I’m not avoiding you,” I lied, my voice shaking just slightly.

“Yes, you are,” he said quietly, his tone softer now, as though trying to unravel something deep within me. “And it’s driving me insane.”

I couldn’t breathe. The pull between us was so strong now, so undeniable. The more I resisted it, the stronger it grew.

“I don’t want this, Ryder,” I whispered, taking a small step back. “I don’t want you.”

He didn’t move, didn’t flinch. Instead, his eyes narrowed, as if trying to figure me out. “You don’t mean that.”

I shook my head, frustration building. “I do. You don’t get to play with my emotions. You don’t get to control me.”

I was so tired of this. Of them. Of their power over me. I could barely keep my thoughts in line, my emotions on a leash. The more I tried to distance myself, the more they pulled me in.

Ryder finally took a step closer, so close that I could feel his warmth radiating off him. “You think I’m trying to control you?” His voice was low, almost dangerous. “I’m trying to *claim* you, Amara. You’re mine, whether you want it or not.”

I gasped at his words, the finality in them sending a shockwave through me. I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to say something like that to me. But then again, with Ryder, nothing surprised me anymore.

“You’re wrong,” I snapped, my breath coming faster. “You can’t claim me.”

“I don’t have to ask permission, sweetheart,” he said with a smirk, his hand reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re already mine, whether you want to accept it or not.”

Before I could respond, his lips were suddenly on mine, crashing into me like a tidal wave.

I froze. My mind screamed at me to push him away, to stop him, but my body betrayed me. I didn’t push him off. I didn’t pull away. I let him kiss me, let his mouth take control.

Everything inside me screamed in protest, but my wolf—my wolf—wanted this. I felt the pull stronger than ever before, an insatiable hunger that I couldn’t fight. Ryder was my mate.

I hated it. I hated that he was right. I hated that I couldn’t fight it.

But as his hands gripped my waist and pulled me closer, I knew I wasn’t strong enough to push him away anymore.

He pulled back slightly, his breathing heavy, his face inches from mine. “You can deny it all you want, Amara,” he whispered, his voice ragged, “but you belong to me.”

I closed my eyes, every part of me trembling, every part of me torn between pushing him away and falling deeper into this dangerous connection.

“I won’t fight you anymore,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “But don’t think I’m going to make this easy for you.”

He smiled, a dark, almost possessive smile. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

And as he leaned in to kiss me again, I realized, with a mix of fear and yearning, that I was already lost.