Rayna's POV
My father hardly ever invited me to his office, so when I got the message requesting my urgent presence, I knew something was up.
As I got dressed, I tried to figure out why the hell he would need me so urgently at such short notice. Maybe he had found another suitor for me, or maybe he was finally going to let go of this Ryan nonsense.
I highly doubted that the man never gave up so easily, but a girl could dream, right?
The secretary ushered me in as soon as I got there, and pushing open the heavy oak doors, I found my father behind his desk, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. Opposite him sat Ryan, an unreadable expression on his face.
Disappointment washed over me. Yup, he has definitely browbeaten Ryan into accepting his terms, whatever they were. We were going to have to go through with this drama.
Fuck.
"Rayna, there you are!" boomed my father, opening his arms magnanimously as I walked over to give him the ceremonial peck on the cheek, completely ignoring Ryan. My father gestured to an empty chair next to him. "Come, come; we have much to discuss."
I forced a smile, my gaze flickering to Ryan, looking for a clue as to what just went down, but all he offered was a curt nod, his posture stiff and formal. I guess I would have to find out from my dad.
"So," my father began, his voice taking on a theatrical tone, "I have some exciting news for you, my dear."
He launched into a detailed explanation of Ryan's proposal: the one-month public courtship, the "getting to know each other" charade.
My stomach churned with every word. So, was this their elaborate plan? A chance for Ryan to save face? How dare he act like he was doing me a favor? Like I was some communicable disease that had to be borne with shame and effort and managed in public? How dare this asshole?
My jaw clenched tight. This entire situation felt like a mockery of my feelings. A way for Ryan to save face while fulfilling some pack obligations.
"So, that's where we are right now." He said when he finished, apparently not noticing how tightly I clenched my jaw to prevent myself from lashing out with words I would probably regret later on or how tightly I wound my fingers, so much so that the white of my knuckles was showing.
God, this was so humiliating.
I could do nothing but nod. It seemed all had been worked out without me, so why was I even here?
My father pushed himself up from his chair and said, "I am going to give you two spaces to have a little chat." He has the self-satisfied look of someone who has just brokered a billion-dollar deal. "Take your time."
The door had hardly shut before I rounded on Ryan.
"Did you suggest to my father that you need a month-long trial period to decide if I'm worthy?"
He shrugged, his voice low and clipped. "I was simply being realistic, Rayna, especially given the circumstances."
I felt my anger boiling over. "Realistic? About what? That I'm some unrefined barbarian in need of taming."
He met her gaze; his eyes were stormy. "Perhaps not unrefined, but... unfamiliar. This isn't exactly a love match, is it?"
The sting of his words struck a raw nerve. "And whose fault is that?" I retorted. "Perhaps if you weren't so busy pining after some other woman, you might actually be open to the possibility of having an actual, mutually beneficial arrangement, you absolute dolt!"
"Well, I am pining after another woman, aren't I?" He snapped back, glaring at me. "Don't get this wrong, Rayna. I honestly don't give two sh*t about how you feel about this; it wasn't my idea, so don't act like I am holding you here against your will; this is strictly for appearances, got it?"
I glanced at Ryan, a flicker of something akin to condescension crossing his features. Condescension? I bristled.
"Well," I said, straightening my back, a steely resolve taking hold. "If this is all about appearances, then let's get on with it. But make no mistake, Alpha Ryan, I won't be anyone's consolation prize."
With that, I stood up, my gaze unwavering. Ryan rose as well, his expression again unreadable.
"Perhaps," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle, even though it was a little begrudging, "we should take a walk and discuss the details... privately."
I hesitated. Did I dare trust him alone? Yet the prospect of an honest conversation, away from my father's watchful eyes, held a strange appeal. I wasn't even sure we were going to have that, most likely just more bickering, but I was willing to at the very least give it a shot.
With a curt nod, I followed him as he left the office, ignoring the curious look of my father's secretary as we passed her desk. It was almost noon at this point. The crisp autumn air greeted us as we stepped outside, throwing the fallen brown leaves in our path beneath our feet as we walked by.
We walked in silence for a while, deep into the thick woods surrounding the pack. I waited until we were out of earshot before I let out the frustration that had been building up inside me for a while now.
"So," I started, hearing the irritation in my voice, "you get to play the hero, the reluctant suitor who graciously bestows his attention upon me for a month. How very noble."
He stopped, turning to face me. His eyes held a flicker of annoyance. "You and your father planned this entire thing, Rayna, not me."
"You didn't seem too uncomfortable reading out the terms back there, though?" I pressed, my eyes never leaving his face. "In fact, you seemed right at home, putting me in my place as the annoying bitch that has been forced on your noble ass."
"You were forced on my so-called noble ass; I just accepted this entire thing because it is my duty."
"A duty you'd rather avoid, apparently, given how long it took to even get you to the table to discuss it." I retorted, unable to stop myself. I realized I might have said so much when he stopped in his tracks, pausing with a sharp breath.
My words hung in the air, sharp and accusatory, and for a moment, I thought he was going to turn around, walk back to my father's office, and cancel the arrangement right now. Instead, he clenched his jaw before releasing a deep, frustrated breath.
"Look," he said, his voice low, "let's not pretend either of us is thrilled about this. I'm not some lovesick puppy you need to rescue, and you're not some damsel in distress waiting to be swept off your feet."
"That much is sure," I muttered, frowning and brushing off a stray leaf from my shirt.
"I am serious, Rayna. I hate this more than you can imagine. I am having a shittime having to put up with all this for the sale of my pack while the woman I actually love, who also loves me, thinks I hate her and that I am deliberately sabotaging our relationship. It isn't easy at all."
There was a grudging honesty in his tone that surprised me. It wasn't the arrogant dismissal I'd expected. A flicker of something... vulnerability? Maybe I was imagining it.
"Then why agree to it?" I challenged, my voice softening slightly.
He ran a hand through his hair, his gaze fixed on the distant trees. "Because sometimes," he said slowly, "duty comes at a cost. And sometimes, that cost is swallowing your pride."
It sounded like he really meant that, poor bastard. For the first time in a long time, maybe ever, I didn't want to rip his head off and toss it as far away as I could.
Was I starting to get soft?
I shook my head. "Look, there isn't any need to argue over this. It's a crazy situation, but we are adults, yeah? We can figure this out. We can pretend to like each other for at least a month."
He looked at me, seemingly noticing the change in my tone, before nodding, "Yes, of course."
"The Festival of the Full Moon is in about a week," I said, my brain working fast now. "Maybe if we show up together as a couple, it can get people off our asses for a while. Especially my dad."
He looked at me, a bit impressed, and said, "That's actually a pretty good idea."
"Don't look so fucking shocked, Ryan." I snorted, turning around to return home. This long walk was over. "Also, wear something nice to the festival. I don't want my date looking like one of the bodyguards."