You already lost me, Ryder.

Amara's POV

I barely made it a few steps before I heard him behind me, his footsteps pounding against the ground.

"Amara," Ryder called, his voice rough and urgent. Before I could react, his hand wrapped around my wrist, halting me in place. His touch sent a jolt through me, awakening a part of me I’d been trying so hard to suppress.

“Let me go, Ryder,” I whispered, my voice shaky and unconvincing.

“No,” he said firmly, spinning me around to face him. His eyes burned into mine, wild and desperate, as if he was afraid I’d slip away if he loosened his grip.

My wolf stirred within me, her resolve crumbling at the closeness of him. She begged for him, for his touch, his warmth, his love. And as much as I wanted to resist, I could feel myself breaking, my walls crumbling under the weight of everything I felt.

“Amara, please,” Ryder said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. “Don’t walk away from me. Don’t do this.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and no matter how hard I tried to hold them back, they spilled over, streaming down my cheeks. “You don’t get to ask that of me,” I said, my voice breaking. “Not after everything you’ve done.”

His jaw tightened, and his hand moved to cup my face, his thumb brushing away my tears. The gentleness in his touch was at odds with the storm in his eyes. “I know I’ve hurt you,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know I’ve made mistakes—terrible mistakes—but Amara… I can’t lose you.”

I shook my head, trying to pull away, but he held me firmly, his hands now cradling my face. “You already lost me, Ryder,” I said, my voice trembling with emotion. “The moment you made me feel like I wasn’t enough for you.”

His eyes closed briefly, as if my words physically hurt him. When he opened them again, they were shining with something I hadn’t seen before: raw, unguarded emotion. “You are more than enough,” he said, his voice cracking. “You always have been. I was the one who wasn’t enough for you.”

I stared at him, my tears falling faster now. The sincerity in his voice, the vulnerability in his expression—it undid me. My knees felt weak, and before I could say anything, he pulled me into his arms, holding me as if letting go would destroy him.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured into my hair, his voice trembling. “I’m so damn sorry, Amara. For everything. For pushing you away. For making you think you didn’t matter. You matter more to me than anything. Please, just… let me fix this.”

His words broke something inside me, and I collapsed into his embrace, sobbing against his chest. He held me tighter, his hands stroking my back, my hair, as if trying to soothe the pain he’d caused.

When my cries began to subside, he pulled back just enough to look at me. His hands stayed on my face, his thumbs gently wiping away the remnants of my tears. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “But I swear to you, Amara, I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to prove to you that I can be the man you need.”

And then, before I could respond, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was soft, tentative, as if he was afraid I might pull away. But I didn’t. I couldn’t.

My wolf howled with relief, with joy, as his touch ignited something deep within me. His lips moved against mine with a gentleness that made my heart ache. This wasn’t the Ryder I was used to—the one who was rough, guarded, and distant. This was a man baring his soul, pouring everything he felt into this kiss.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, his breath warm against my lips. “I love you,” he said softly, his voice raw with honesty. “I always have. Even when I didn’t know how to show it.”

I closed my eyes, my heart warring with my mind. I wanted to believe him, to trust the words spilling from his lips. But the scars he’d left were still there, raw and unhealed.

“Ryder,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I don’t know if I can…”

“You don’t have to decide right now,” he interrupted gently, his hands still cradling my face. “Just… let me hold you. Let me be here for you. Even if it’s only for tonight.”

I nodded, too overwhelmed to speak, and he pulled me back into his arms, holding me as if I were the most precious thing in the world. For the first time in a long time, I let myself lean into him, let myself feel the comfort of his embrace.

For now, it was enough. For now, it was everything.

The ride home was suffocatingly quiet. Ryder sat beside me, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched as if he was holding back words that threatened to spill over. I stared out the window, watching the darkened streets blur past, my mind an overwhelming mess of emotions.

I wanted to say something, to break the silence, but the lump in my throat wouldn’t budge. His confession, his touch, his kiss—they all lingered in my mind, replaying over and over like a song I couldn’t turn off. My wolf was restless, aching for his closeness again, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.

When we finally pulled into the driveway, Ryder parked the car but didn’t move to get out. For a moment, we just sat there, the only sound the soft hum of the engine.

“Amara,” he started, his voice low, hesitant.

I didn’t let him finish. “Thank you for bringing me home,” I said quickly, my hand already on the door handle.

He sighed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “I meant what I said, you know.”

I paused, my breath hitching. But I couldn’t do this right now—not again. “Goodnight, Ryder,” I said softly, stepping out of the car before he could respond.

The cold night air hit me as I walked up to the front door, fumbling with my keys. I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn’t turn around. Once inside, I leaned against the door, exhaling a shaky breath.

The house was silent, almost eerily so. It mirrored the emptiness I felt inside. Without a second thought, I headed straight to my room, my feet moving on autopilot.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My room felt like a sanctuary, a place where I could finally let myself unravel without anyone watching.

I collapsed onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling, my thoughts a chaotic mess. The way Ryder held me, the way his voice cracked when he said he loved me—it all felt too real, too raw.

My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, her longing for him making it impossible to push him out of my thoughts. I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the weight of everything I’d been holding in.

I didn’t know how much longer I could keep doing this—running from him, from myself, from everything we could’ve been. But tonight, I just needed to breathe. To think. To feel. Alone.