Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

Chapter 306

Ryder's POV

The lab's lights had burned themselves into my eyes as I finally left the university research facility. The neural-controlled prosthetics prototype felt warm in my jacket pocket-Ama's breakthrough discovery that could change everything for Xena. My heart pounded with excitement as I slid into my car, immediately reaching out through the mind link:

Xena? Baby, I have incredible news.

Nothing.

The silence that greeted me was like ice water in my veins. I tried again, pushing harder through our bond.

Xena, can you hear me?

Still nothing. My hands trembled as I gripped the steering wheel, memories of the last pack attack flooding back. That same metallic taste of fear coated my tongue

now.

No, no, no. Not again.

My foot slammed down on the accelerator. The speedometer climbed-70, 80, 90 mph. Street lights blurred into ribbons of yellow light.

The pack gates should have been manned. They were always manned. But as I approached, I saw nothing but empty guardhouses silhouetted against the night

sky.

"GOD DAMN IT!" The curse ripped from my throat.

I didn't slow down. Didn't even think about it. The gate exploded into splinters and metal as my car crashed through. I had to get to the pack house.

That's when I saw them.

A circle of figures in dark masks holding torches like some twisted medieval execution scene. In the center of that circle, Xena knelt on the ground, her body crumpled and broken.

kings

as every muscle in my body seized

than any physical blow could have. It was like every foundation I'd built

before it transformed into

had just

pins as my car plowed through

the ground at a dead run. My dad turned to face me, and there. wasn't even surprise in his eyes. Just cold calculation, like

Chapter 306

with every ounce of fury I possessed. He caught it, the Impact sending shockwaves up my arm

faced each other across ten feet, father and son. The man who'd taught me to throw my first

enemy.

disappear?!" The words tore from my throat like broken

sound of my own desperation echoing back

his voice flat and emotionless. "You're too young,

SHIT!" I roared back at him, my control completely shattered. "Where were you when Mom died? Where were you when our pack was attacked? Where the fuck

the first time, something flickered across his face-shame, maybe,

was gone so quickly I might have

done talking. Done with his lies and

across the sudden silence. "This is

eye turned to us. I could feel the weight of their stares. My dad looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. When he nodded, it was

moment his agreement left

released like a loaded spring as I launched myself at the him. He shifted simultaneously. We were both massive

adrenaline. I twisted, using his grip against him,

was heavier than me, using his weight to try to pin me down, but I was faster. I slipped from his grasp and raked my claws down his ribs, feeling them

bone.

and rage split the

paw caught me across the face, claws opening three parallel

weight slammed into my left leg. I heard the bone snap before I felt it. The pain

my broken leg barely supporting my weight, blood streaming from a dozen wounds. He circled