MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA
Chapter 213: Bonus - *

Chapter 213: Bonus Chapter *

The masked man slowly straightened, his chest barely rising and falling as he regarded Ryder, not with the usual shock victim might have, but with cold curiosity.

"You’re persistent," the man’s voice was low, laced with an almost amused tone.

Ryder couldn’t respond, but before he could move again, the man lunged, his body twisting in a blur of speed. The dart that had vanished earlier reappeared once more, this time aimed directly at Ryder’s heart.

Ryder flashed out of his way, turning mid-step and slamming a palm into the man’s chest.

Air surged from nowhere as the man’s chest caved in.

The force of Ryder’s strike sent the masked man hurtling backward, crashing into a stack of the stone desk. A loud boom with the sound of bones cracking filled the air. For a moment, he lay still, his body crumpled at an unnatural angle, his breathing shallow but steady.

Ryder took a cautious step forward, his body primed for another move. He didn’t trust this man. Nothing about him felt human.

Just then, the man slowly pushed himself up, his limbs moving in smooth, eerie motions as he straightened once more. His caved-in chest seemed to reform, the crushed ribs and internal injuries healing at an impossible rate. His eyes, cold and unfazed, locked onto Ryder.

"You think you can break me?" The man’s lips curled in something between a smile and a sneer, his voice unnervingly calm, as though the whole encounter was a mere distraction.

Ryder’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "I don’t need to break you. I want to kill you."

With that, he lunged. His fist aimed for the man’s face, but the man swayed just out of reach, his body moving in an impossible rhythm, as though he were dancing around Ryder’s blows.

Ryder’s frustration grew with each failed strike, the air between them thick with tension. He had to finish this, but the man... he was a ghost.

Just as he prepared for another strike, the figure reached out, grabbing Ryder’s wrist with a grip like iron. The dart appeared in his hand once again, gleaming dangerously.

"I’ll finish it, then," the man said, his voice a whisper just above Ryder’s ear.

The dart plunged forward with lightning speed.

But this time, Ryder was ready.

He snapped his free hand forward, grabbing the dart mid-flight. The sharp point scraped across his palm, but he didn’t hesitate. With a powerful twist, he jerked the man’s wrist to the side, forcing the dart to miss its mark by mere inches.

The masked man hissed in frustration, his eyes flashing with a dangerous spark. Ryder, sensing the shift, quickly reevaluated.

He was here to test his opponent. He knew the man wasn’t simple. But he needed to know his enemy.

Just as the masked man shifted his stance, the two darts on the stone table moved and flew straight at the man. He dodged one, but the other struck him in the shoulder with a sickening thud. The man barely flinched, but Ryder saw the slight stiffening of his body—a tell that the hit had landed, despite his otherwise unflappable demeanor.

The masked figure glanced at the dart embedded in his shoulder, a subtle flicker of irritation passing through his cold eyes. With a slow, deliberate motion, he reached up and twisted the dart free. The wound closed instantly, the skin sealing over it like it had never been there at all.

Ryder wasn’t surprised. His own healing powers were that great too.

With a low chuckle, the masked man dropped the dart, his gaze never leaving Ryder. "Interesting. You’ve been testing me this whole time, haven’t you?" he continued, "Well, it’s my turn."

Ryder didn’t answer. Instead, he shifted his weight, lowering his center of gravity. He was done playing games.

Before the man could react, Ryder launched himself forward with explosive speed, his body blurring as he aimed a brutal kick at the masked man’s midsection. But the man was ready.

In a movement so fast it was almost imperceptible, he caught Ryder’s leg mid-flight, his grip unyielding. The force of Ryder’s momentum left him slightly vulnerable, and before he could recover, the masked man twisted his body, throwing Ryder into the air.

Ryder’s feet barely touched the ground before he regained his balance mid-fall, landing lightly on his feet. He gritted his teeth.

"You’ve got persistence, I’ll give you that," the man said again, his voice rich with a predatory satisfaction. "But you don’t seem to understand your place, do you?"

The man took a slow step toward Ryder, his movements deliberate and confident. The dark energy surrounding him felt suffocating, like a storm waiting to break.

"You talk too much." Ryder growled, his eyes locked onto the man’s, a dangerous glint in his own gaze.

The room seemed to grow colder as the masked man’s smile faltered, a hint of madness creeping into his eyes. "Then, make me stop."

With that, the masked man disappeared from sight, moving at such a velocity that the air itself seemed to warp around him. Ryder didn’t hesitate. He surged forward, prepared for this exciting fight.

Just as his claws elongated, about to sink into the incoming figure, the man’s appearance changed–Reana. Ryder’s eyes widened but it was too late to take his hand back. His claws sank into her stomach.

Reana let out a sharp gasp, her eyes flashing with a mixture of surprise and pain. Ryder’s face paled and eyes widened in horror.

"R– Reana?" His lips trembled.

Reana’s eyes were wide with pain and betrayal as she reached out to Ryder. She tried to speak but blood trickled down her lips.

Ryder shot forward, but it was too late. Her figure collapsed to the floor with a choked gasp, but Ryder’s mind barely registered the movement. His heart pounded in his chest, the blood draining from his face as he realized what’d just done.

He killed his woman. His hands trembled. His whole body vibrated with horror.