Rejected by My Alpha Mate; Nyra's Awakening

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Peace Before The Storm

"I just want to tell everyone..." she continues, placing a gentle, protective hand over her pastel sweater. "I’d like everyone to know..."

She pauses dramatically, pushing her blonde hair back. "...that I’m pregnant."

"What the fuck--" John mutters, besides him.

"And yes.." she smiles into the camera, "the father is Adrian Blackwood.

---

"Don’t embarrass yourself on your first date, Nyra. Jason’s been practicing his gentleman moves all week."

"What date?" Nyra scoffs in response as Jason opens the passenger side for her, "I hate Julian so much sometimes."

Jason laughs, turning to the hood back into the driver’s seat. "Maybe he’s shipping us." He jokes, starting the truck.

Nyra’s phone pings from the group chat before she respond. It’s a message from Leah and the other girls-- they had created a group with just the four of them after the party, and so far it’s been great.

It’s nice to finally have people who want to be her friends.

Lena: Nyra where are you and Jason going?👀

Lyra: Right, because they looked pretty cozy in that truck.

Nyra: 😂😂😂

He says it’s a surprise.

Naya: 👀

So a date!?

Nyra: of course not.

We’re just friends...

"Who are you texting?" Jason asks softly from besides her.

"Just the girls." She smiles, slides the phone back into her pocket, realizing that they’re not in the countryside of Moon-Crest.

Here, the air smells faintly of wildflowers, and freshly cut grass. It feels kind of peaceful.

"So....where are we going?"

Jason glances over with a sheepish smile. "Okay, full honesty...I’m taking you somewhere you can get out of your head for a few hours."

She seats up. "Where?!"

His smile widens as the car slowly pulls to a stop. "Here!"

Nyra’s confused expression slowly fades into a wide smile when she realizes they’re in the infamous Moon-Crest stables.

She had always wanted to visit it again-- the first time wasn’t so much fun, especially since she had to stand by the sidelines and watch her parents teach only Anna how to ride the horses.

Jason feels pleased when he sees her smile. "Do you know how to ride a horse?" He asks.

"No. But I want to learn!"

Jason pays for their tickets, while one of the staffs lead them to where the horses are grazing lazily.

Nyra instantly recognizes one of the horses from all those years ago. A black horse with shiny hair-- she instantly ignores all the younger horses and runs toward that one.

"Good choice." The woman beams, "she’s old, and many people don’t pick her these days-- but she was fire in her prime."

Nyra nods, petting her, "What’s her name?"

"Luna. And she’s super calm. Perfect for beginners, you’ll love her."

Nyra instantly falls in love.

Jason helps her slowly saddle the horse, completely patient no matter how many times she almost falls.

Finally, when she’s properly mounted on the tall horse, he swings up behind her, reaching from behind her to grab the ropes.

They’re so close now. Close enough that she can feel how fast his heart is beating.

She hates how her skin flushes.

"Ready?" Jason asks behind her, "just relax and lean back a little. I’ve got you."

Nyra nods and leans back slightly, feeling surprisingly comfortable resting on him.

The horse begins to move slowly, and a little bit rocky, "Like this?" she asks.

"Exactly. You’re a natural," Jason whispers, his voice warm against her ear. "I think you’ll be pretty good in no time."

Nyra shivers but doesn’t pull away, "Thank you Jason."

"Anytime. I’m here for you-- that’s why I suggested this. You needed the fresh air and my terrible jokes."

Nyra scoffs. "Terrible jokes, huh? Let’s hear one then."

Jason chuckles. "Why don’t horses ever gossip? Because they hate stirrups."

Nyra bursts out laughing, the sound bright and genuine. "That was so terrible!"

"You laughed though," he teases, leaning in, "Besides, I like hearing you laugh."

"But really...than you. This feels nice," the horse picks up speed. "I haven’t laughed like this in days. Thank you for bringing me here."

"Good. You deserve it. You’ve been so strong. Most people would’ve broken by now. I admire that about you."

Nyra glances back at him. "You know...you’re surprisingly sweet."

Jason chuckles. "Surprisingly?"

"I just... you’re kind of romantic. Most guys wouldn’t go through all this trouble just to make someone feel better."

Jason’s cheeks flush a deeper shade. He looks away for a moment, then meets her eyes again.

"I...I really like spending time with you, Nyra. A lot. More than I probably should right now, with everything going on."

Nyra turns slightly in the saddle. "Can I ask you something? Why are you so nice to me? None of your other friends even like me..." She swallows, "and I remember that day, by the old staircase. You protected me then too...why?"

Jason meets her eyes. "Because I God, I don’t know if you’ll hate me for this," he runs a hand through his curly brown hair.

Because..." Jason laughs nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I’ve been trying not to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"That I like you." He looks away for a second before meeting her eyes again. "The truth is...I’ve liked you for a while now. Even before this whole Adrian thing started. But after everything that’s happened, I didn’t want to keep it in anymore."

Nyra’s eyes widen slightly. Jason likes her? Since when? Why?

All the questions sitting on her tongue, dies when her phone buzzes loudly in her pocket.

Nyra wants to ignore it, but the notifications keep buzzing. She pulls it out with a small frown, realizing the messages are all from the group chat:

Leah: Oh uh.

Lena: Nyra, have you seen this???? ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Naya: Nyra where are you!?????

Nyra taps the link scowling at the absolute worse timing, only to freeze when she realizes it’s a link to a screen recording of Anna’s live that has just ended.

Anna’s face fills the screen, completely calm but it looks like she had been crying.

"I just want to tell everyone something..." she says, placing a gentle, protective hand over her pastel sweater.

"I’d like everyone to know..." She pauses dramatically, pushing her blonde hair back. "...that I’m pregnant."

Nyra freezes on the saddle, the phone slipping slightly in her grip.

"And yes, just as you thought.." she smiles into the camera, "...the father is Adrian Blackwood.