Ryder had taken me home and spent the rest of Saturday night periodically checking up on me while he managed to do homework at the foot of my bed, as I faded in and out of sleep. I didn't know when exactly I was officially knocked out for the night after eating, showering, brushing my teeth, and getting ready for bed, but I knew he was gone by sunrise. I didn't mind much because my mind replayed my dad's visit and all the events of Tyriette thus far.

Though I assumed that a diverted Scorned Stone Spirit visitation would have some long-lasting draining-type effect on me, I was wrong. The following day I was rewarded with an early rising and a new sense of lightness and clarity towards the world. I met Dakota for breakfast before he left town, I finished my college applications, I finished my class assignments, and I even went on a run because I felt a surge of extra energy for some reason. It was a strange oomph of strength and a restless ease. It was directed at my wolf, at Ryder, at my family, and especially at my life as a whole. Something shifted and I wanted to share it with Andrew, but when I left for my run, he still wasn't home and neither was Cassandra. When I got back, I waited around for him and his unanswered texts, but got nothing in return other than a call from Cassandra saying she was at work and would be going to the Donahues' afterwards. And with that, I had the same relative feeling to go somewhere a Donahue once made me feel like I was trespassing.

***

I gazed onto the empty Lake Tyriette that shimmered from the hot Texas sun as I sat on the uneven pier. If I looked around, I could see the bank which was home to a tree containing a rope swing that Preston once swung from. I could see the tree where I once stood with Bailee and Stella's friends where I met Ryder. I could see the makeshift parking lot where Bailee and I once parked Evan's borrowed truck to stargaze—that's when I met Stormy. I could see the area that Ryder and his pack met at—when Preston was both banished and beaten. I could see the trail leading around the lake and over to where Vince, Rod and their other stoner friends would smoke—and later bear witness to Zander kissing me. I could see the park bench where Andrew, Stormy, Trevor and Aaron were concerned about Ryder's ability to kill—where Andrew made me promise to build and live my life how I wanted, with or without Ryder.

"You know..." Ryder's familiar voice began, causing me to look over my shoulder as he approached me from behind. He had a jovial look on his face with a touch of sincerity. "I hate that this is where we first met." He finished his walk towards the end of the pier, removed his shoes, and took a seat next to me, only instead of being crisscross like me, he sat with his legs straight out, only part of his calves extending past the pier's edge. He said a proper greeting towards me, steadied his positioning and I was easily able to lean into him.

"Why's that?" I asked with a breathy laugh while looking over at him. I didn't want to mention how I had technically seen the back of him as he climbed out of the passenger seat of Rod's truck at the diner the first day when I was in town and saw Preston roaring from its bed.

"Are you kidding? This place has an eclectic list of odd memories that I wouldn't think I would have to add 'met the love of my life' at," he scoffed in a laugh and leaned over to kiss my temple in the process. I chuckled along.

"Oh yeah, like what?" I asked, even though I had a list of my own aforementioned lake memories. He smirked and looked forward towards the body of water.

"Um...let's see," he sighed and then suddenly chuckled. "When I was 13 and 14, this is where I got my ass handed to me by Zander in front of the pack...and then got my Alpha title after the latter." He gulped, shook his head lightly, and then continued. "When I was 12, this is where I tried weed for the first time with Rod. I absolutely hated it at first but over time it wasn't so bad." I wanted to roll my eyes, but I couldn't because I actually wanted to hear about his life and his childhood and the memories he chose to remember. "When I was around...10 I think, Stella and I carved our initials into that post over there after her birthday party." I leaned away from him so I could view the wooden post that held up the pier, but I quickly felt his hand on my waist to keep me near him and to look at him. "I scratched it out freshman year so she would get the picture that even though she was under the impression we had sex or dated or anything, that we weren't meant to be this permanent thing she wanted us to be." I disagreed with the cruelty of that and wondered how I would've felt if I found my best friend/first love erasing a memory of ours for seemingly no reason. Back then, Ryder didn't really believe in imprinting, he adopted his brother's philosophy about doubting mates, and he lost all romantic feelings for anyone that wasn't me; it wasn't cruel to him then, but with the sound of his voice, I knew he hated that he treated her that way. He hated how each of those memories made him feel because it was stirring within him and I could feel it.

"Tell me something good then," I pleaded and nudged his leg closest to me. His hand on my waist returned to the planks beneath him so he could hold up his lounging weight. I slowly saw his face start to brighten up.

"You know that rope swing over there near the bank where we party at? When I was 8, I convinced my dad to tie it up there because when I was 5, I fell into the lake and Zander had to jump in and save me because I was terrified of the lake's depth and couldn't swim..." I watched his eyes tick back and forth at the waving water. He smiled down on himself. "I was so embarrassed that I learned to swim that next summer so I wouldn't need to be saved ever again."

"And the rope swing?"

He looked over at me with his gorgeous chocolate eyes. "I wanted to prove to Zander I could swing from it and conquer my fears...but really, I just wanted something to be there for the next time someone fell in and needed something to hold on to." My heart grew for him in the moment for his nobility and even though this was an intimate moment, he eventually looked away and looked down into his lap once more. "Obviously it's been broken and tied and retied a bunch so it doesn't even touch the water anymore, but it's nice to remember." I stopped leaning onto him and turned to face him better, still with my legs folded while he leaned back onto his hands. He even had a mischievous look in his eye. Suddenly began pulling off his shirt and standing up.

"You know, we Floridians have this caution about swimming in ponds and lakes," I humored while realizing he was also about to prove his conquered fear with a swim right now along with his magnetism towards having fun. "Something, something alligators and ticks and..." I teased.

He paused while unbuttoning his pants, looked around himself, a full 180 degrees to each side of him. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, darling, but I don't see a swamp of alligators here...not to mention Floridians tend not to heed caution anyways," he replied, stepping out of his pants. Now he was only in a pair of maroon briefs and I noticed the Tyriette pack's sigil he had painted on his chest last night was still there as if it was a scar still fading away. I couldn't ponder on it long enough before he took a running start and cannonballed into the water. The splash wasn't large enough to douse me, but he did surface and hold his arms out towards me. "Come on. Join me," he laughed. The part of me that would normally act reserved was gone with Ryder, as usual, because I found myself taking off my leggings, shirt, and footwear and jumping into his open arms. The lake was a lot warmer than the late-September air would convince me. Ryder's arms found my waist and my legs found his so I could easily use him as my own personal buoy. I even put my arms over his shoulders and kissed him briefly. He stayed in the kiss and I felt him smile before pulling away. His eyes searched mine.

"I wish we could've met at school...or at some run-in in town...literally anywhere but here," he finally muttered to me as we bobbed in the water. He said it because he wanted us to have a place with a clean slate, just like our relationship, but it was an uncontrollable factor for the kind of control an alpha would want. I, on the other hand, was fine with our origins. Sure, there were other memories here, but as long as I got to meet him, I didn't care where it was. Places and their importance changed and molded as time did. Now I wished I had parked at that diner my first day in town and met him there.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed at me—not in concern, but in absolute awe. "Something's different about you today. I felt it last night, but today...it's just different."

I don't know why I couldn't assume he wouldn't be able to feel what I had felt all day. It was nice to think we could have a day of lightness and flirtation and closeness after a night full of mystical punishment unto Evan and my brief spiritual abandonment of this world, but I had to be honest. Of course he was tethered to my ever-growing pride within him as a mate and my acceptance of my stance as an Everton and acknowledgement of what was really going on in my life that did (or didn't) warrant me to be stressed out or over-involved all the time.

"I'm just happy," I told him with a wide smile that caused one to eventually creep onto his face. He could feel the joy I held, but I knew his Alpha mind was reluctant and therefore unconvinced. I played with his hair at the back of his neck and studied his face. "Andrew signed the pact. Natalie's left town and will help Oliver. The Leonards won't be a problem anymore. Evan's alive. I finished all my college applications plus my homework for the week. We are fine and my family loves you," I listed off for him as a reminder of why we should enjoy the moment. "Anything else is out of my control and it's out of your control and it'll all work out eventually, right?" I wish my stomach turned at the appearance of nonchalance, but it didn't. I was actually believing and accepting what I said. In fact, the only stomach turn I had in the last 12 hours was at my wolf wanting to have a bit more freedom. But for now, my conviction made Ryder lose some of his tension in his forehead and accept it too. He snapped right back into the Ryder that forgot the rest of the world when he was around me.

"What was that part about your family loving me?" he asked in a teasing manner and I playfully scoffed while unwinding my legs from him and attempting to swim away, but with an "aht, aht, aht" and a hold onto my arm, Ryder returned me to my rightful position entangled with him. I rolled my eyes because even though I told him my dad visited me and mentioned Ryder, I hadn't gotten into the specifics of anything else.

"They like you," I confirmed with a poorly concealed grin, much to my detriment of probably having to hear him gloat about his approval sometime in the near future. He simply smiled fully and begged me to continue with that alone. "And it turns out that our dads may have known we were destined for each other a lot sooner than when we met."

Ryder suddenly frowned in curiosity. "How much sooner?"

"At least fifteen years or so," I guessed. The corners of Ryder's lips twitched into a smile. "Whenever Bailee and Brett's parents got married. That's when my dad first met you and basically loved you on the spot, so he says," I continued in a laugh. I replayed the memory of how animated my dad spoke of toddler Ryder, but it came across as cursive words floating through my mind instead of the very real spirit form of the massive man that was Albert Everton. Instead of smirking at the admiration, Ryder had a different look on his face. His eyes even trailed away from mine. "Him and Marc talked about you and me and the possible reunion of the Obsidian pack." I said that to maybe feel faith or hope rise within him at either our bond or the potential of the town's pack, but I interpreted...absolute sadness...coming from him. And it was conflicted. Because it was about Marc. Ryder wanted to mourn; his wolf wanted a distraction; his Alpha side was regretting the consideration about Marc telling him to fight off our bond til even later. I found myself hugging into him as if that would at all solve anything. With my head on his shoulder, I was turned inwards with a perfect view of his new, fading rune.

I remembered everything my father said about the Everton Hurricane that marked our territory and represented our family and wondered about the sword enclosed in a shield. "Why is this your pack's symbol?" I finally asked him in a near whisper. I guess I was meant to distract him.

"When my dad was Bitten and learned about werewolf lineage with your dad and the Evertons, he looked into his own lineage to see if there was at all any other drop of werewolf blood in the family," he began and then snickered briefly. Maybe my attempt at distraction wasn't enough distance from Marc. "There wasn't, but he did discover that a good portion of our long-dead relatives were knighted. So he took an interest in all of that Middle Ages, Order of the Garter stuff." My eyes met the shield and sword as if I could start to see the remnants of once was a coat of arms of the extension of the Ramon family tree. "So, as he grew up as a beta, he was learning from the Evertons, sure, but he was also trying to forge his own legacy of his own bloodline like it once was. You know: integrity, valor, gallantry and a touch of loyalty—the makings of a chivalric knight and a great Ramon blah, blah, blah. I want to encourage that with my pack, but honestly, it was just a bunch of shit coming from my dad of all people...and then Zander."

It made sense. Maybe Ryder couldn't see it as he drenched his memories in convoluted understandings of his father or maybe his intentions, but it made sense to me. Sure, Zander was off the mark, but Ryder was everything my dad said Marc took pride over. He had character amongst integrity. He was courageous when challenged. He was absolutely devoted to me, his pack and his convictions. Sure, maybe the politeness of "gallantry" was a bit under construction, but no one could deny how charming he was. Ryder was all of that and more. And he got that from Marc—someone who was candid, someone who was absolute in his actions, someone who was loyal enough to break Fate and escape an Escape. But there was no way Ryder was going to admit to believing in Marc because it was still fairly difficult for myself to see it. Maybe I shouldn't have jumped to immediate distraction earlier. "My dad forgave him. For everything," I notified as the sole reason as to why I was able to see Marc's character more clearly right now. I even sent him the memory of my father saying it so. I was sure Ryder was glad his face was wet from the lake so I wouldn't be able to differentiate from a tear leaving his eye. "And you're a True Alpha who is as charming and chivalric as ever, so maybe that Order of the Garter ideal wasn't total bullshit."

He instantly leaned over to press his lips to mine and I didn't need my legs curled around his hips to know he was excited about it whilst appreciative I gathered enough sentiment to tell him that. He pulled away briefly though. Just like I could feel my own feelings and wolf stirring, I could feel the love and gratitude and honor emit from him towards me. He was transparent before, but I didn't need him to physically say anything to tell me he needed to hear that. I knew he did and appreciated it. No more distraction or affirmation was needed because it was resolved for him. His world was re-oriented. That's why I felt a shift from Misunderstood & Mourning Son Ryder into Mate Ryder. The difference was a millimeter's worth of a smirk and a certain lightness in his eyes. "Yeah well, right now, I only want to charm you," he whispered on my lips before sealing the gap. I felt his hands slide down my backside and latch onto my underwear before we were making new memories at the infamous Tyriette lake.

***

"You really think we'll be fine," Ryder said or maybe questioned, hours later when we were done and semi-dried and he sat in the passenger seat of my car as the sun died. We were exhausted from the afternoon's activities plus the hot rays of the sun, but lazily looked over at each other. "We can just focus on us and school and the future now. Nothing else." Again, each of his statements were dangerously close to an inflection indicating inquiry. I reached over to grab his hand and he still managed to relax even more into the seat.

"I'm afraid all we have left to worry about is the mundane tribulations of high school," I tried to joke.

"Booooo," he groaned and leaned over to put his head on my shoulder while still holding my nearest hand and lacing our fingers. I realized I only really had one thing to worry about now. Well two things with one common denominator.

"Ugh," I realized. "I have to figure out how to get Bailee to forgive me."

"She will though," he said. "Evan will be back in school eventually, hanging around your brother, who is fortunately now aligned with me so I'll do them both a solid by being cordial. Bailee will see we're fine and forgiven, so then she'll forgive you...for whatever she blamed you with in the first place. It doesn't actually make sense why she would be mad at you—"

"A lot of things don't make sense around here," I reminded, withholding my assumptions about her possibly resenting me for knowing about the werewolf secret and not telling her. "And considering I still haven't seen nor talked to Andrew all weekend and Aaron told me Evan was knocked out all day today, I doubt this little Ashlynn forgiveness trail will be happening as soon as I'd like."

Ryder slid away from me and sat straighter. "You haven't talked to Andrew either? He's got a Beta in recovery, a bored girlfriend prancing around town with her annoying brother, and a sister who just got visited by a spirit," he scoffed. "Where could he possibly have more priorities to be?"

"The college trip this weekend that was in Dallas?" I reminded. "They're not back yet."

"No, they are back because as soon as I drove past the school late last night—or whatever time I left your place—and saw their bus return, Trevor was calling me about redoing the Tyriette treaty even though his parents won't be here til winter," he rolled his eyes.

Now I frowned at the apparent disappearance of my brother, even though my wolf set to his frequency didn't seem very alarmed at his absence. And speak of the devil, Andrew texted me and I watched the message flash onto my dashboard's screen to read: "I'm omw back. Glad you're okay"

"Well good to know he's alive and his phone works," I mumbled. Ryder let out a breathy, single chuckle before I sighed.

"Well I'm sure y'all will have more than enough time to talk when he gets back," Ryder said. "And I still stand by what I said. Bailee will forgive you."

"Mm..." I hummed, unconvinced at the moment. He checked the time on the dashboard once more and began fidgeting for good reason. "You're gonna be late."

"Sunday night dinner..." he confirmed with a stretch of his limbs that conveniently allowed him to be in my space once more and kissed my cheek. "You're welcome to come."

"Mm, no thanks. I'll wait up for Andrew and I'm sure Stella will call me later to talk about—" I didn't want to say "her weekend with Trevor" because I knew how much Ryder still didn't really like to think about that. "—her weekend at North Texas since she wants to go there next year for school. I'm sure she's even more excited now."

Ryder narrowed his eyes briefly before grinning, opening the passenger door with his right hand, and stealing a kiss from me. "You could've just said 'Trevor.' I'm indifferent towards him, but he's still not Voldemort; you can say his name," he teased before climbing out of the car. I roared the mustang to life and rolled down the window as he leaned into it. "Let me know if you want me to pick you up for school tomorrow...Or you can meet me at the diner for breakfast since we haven't had a date in a while."

"That'll depend on if you've messed with my engine by the morning," I flirted, indicating that I didn't forget about his little stunt. He looked over towards the hood of the car for a couple seconds and then pursed his lips with a shrug.

"We'll see how I'm feeling by then," he taunted with a wink. I playfully rolled my eyes before we said our goodbyes for the night.