《The Alpha’s Little Rogue》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Alessia¡¯s POV I should have known from the moment I walked in that something was off. The atmosphere had a smell that I couldn¡¯t shake ofl. But I take a step further into the house, my fingers clutching onto my phone as a sort of anchor. I don¡¯t know what I expected to find when I walked past the front door, but it wasn¡¯t this. It wasn¡¯t to find my Mother lying on the floor with a gaping hole in her chest where her heart was meant to be. Bile rises to my throat and before I can stop it, I¡¯m emptying both my breakfast and lunch onto the floor. My knees buckle, too weak to hold me up and I fall to the carpeted floor on my knees and hands. With a silent s o b, I crawl to my Mom¡¯s body. Grasping her cold, lifeless fingers between my hands, I press them against my cheek. The warmth that had once been present in them was now gone. What happened between the few hours of my leaving the house to go to the woods for a quick run? A crank from upstairs on the wooden floor takes my attention to the curved staircases leading upstairs. Another noise has me dropping my mother¡¯s hand beside her body and lifting from the floor. The noise sounded like shuffling. Like someone was ransacking through things. ¡°Where the f u c k is she?¡± A h o a r e thundering voice asked and then the crashing of things onto the ground comes next. I flinch and a whimper escapes me. ¡°Our informant said this was the house where she lives in,¡± another equally scary voice replies. ¡°Then where is she?¡± Another crash of something. This time it sounds like a chair has been knocked over. Are they looking for¡­me? At the prospect of that being true, my feet start moving backward before my brain even registers the movement. It seems only right that I choose this moment to forget about the vase that my mother insisted be ced beside the entrance. I bump into it. The painted vase with flowery designs goes crashing to the ground. Not even my fast reflex stops it from shattering into a million pieces. The only thing that I can do is hold my breath as the voices upstairs hush. Then the thundering footsteps have me reaching for the door handle and nearly ripping the door off its 1 O ¦° Chapter 1 hinges. I fly out the door just as the footsteps starting down the staircase. LET ME OUT Zuri, my wolf, screams at me as she tries to w her way out of me. But I couldn¡¯t shift. At least, not until I was such that I was hidden out of view. I can¡¯t shift and let them see me in wolf form. I have no idea of who or what they are but they will know what I am if I shift. I couldn¡¯t let them have that advantage over me. ¡°There she is,¡± A voice hollers from behind me, sounding closer than I would have expected. I don¡¯t look back to see just how close, scared that I might trip over my foot if I do so. 1 just keep on running. And running, and running. I ran away from the house where I had spent all my childhood. I run away from the lonely street that I know so well like it¡¯s the back of my palm. My Mom and I lived a secluded life, away from civilization or towns. I had always loved it and had never found a fault in it, but right now, I wish we had a neighbor that I could run to for help. ¡®Keep going!¡¯ Zuri urges. I can hear their footsteps right behind me. They are so close and it doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯re going to be letting up on me. I can¡¯t keep running like this. Sooner orter, I¡¯m going to get tired and they¡¯re going to catch up on me. I shudder to think about what will happen to me if that happens. I dive deeper into the woods, deeper than I¡¯ve ever gotten. Fear gripped my chest at the taught of getting lost and not being able to find my way back. But at the moment those thoughts are chased away as I hear them gain on me. They¡¯re getting closer. I have to do something. I have to- My train of thoughts stop and I barely keep myself from screaming as I fall. And keep falling. THUD! Ind in such a way that tells me that I certainly have some broken bones. Tryin that the observation is very true. to stand up lets me know F u c k! I think I broke a bone or at least fractured it. It will take at least an hour for it to heal up. With no hope of getting out of here any time soon, I decided to take in my prison. Grazing up, I¡¯m left with nothing but a clear blue sky that is now taking on an orange hue. I¡¯m in a hole. A very deep hole that someone dug up on purpose from the looks of it. It had been covered with some dry leaves like it was meant to be a trap. d¦Ò MMBBB BBBBBBB Chapter 1 ¡°Did you see where she went?¡± Z At the sound of their voices, I shrink into the hole, praying that they won¡¯t look down and see me. With my broken leg. I¡¯ll be an easy kill for them. ¡°She was right in front of us, the other one answers, and their footsteps inch closer. 97% 11:19 I tremble and pray lowly under my breath. In all my neen years of living, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever prayed. Yet, here 1 sat, with my head bowed and praying to a being that I didn¡¯t even believe to be real. How f u c k e d up was that? ¡°I think we should go.¡± Even from down here, I can hear the slight tremble in his voice. ¡°This is Alpha Caden¡¯s territory and we best leave before he gets a whiff of us.¡± ¡°But what will we tell him?¡± A pause.. ¡°He will have our heads if he finds out that we didn¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s in Alpha Caden¡¯s territory. She¡¯s as good as dead.¡± A shiver goes down my spine at his words. Who is this Alpha Caden and why is he so feared? Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Caden¡¯s POV I can smell them. It¡¯s more than one scent. It could be three or more but I could also be wrong. They all seem mixed together. They had entered my territory without permission and for that, they were going to pay dearly. It might just cost them their life if I see fit. Beta and Ga m m a, Alex and Raphael re my side, staying some feet behind me. They had my My but also knew that I had to be the first to approach these neers. back We were doing our rounds when we had caught the scents and we had immediately headed this way. That interruption alone has me at myst whisk end. It has been ages since thest issue of rogues. Werewolves just knew to stay clear of my territory. The rumors alone would make any sensible person not want toe within a fifteen-mile radius of my pack. And it has been that way for a long time. Until now. A wrong that I have every intention to make right. One of the scents is more prominent than the rest, meaning that the bearer is still present. My nostrils re as I take in more of the scent. It smells of caramel and something that I can¡¯t quite ce my finger on. Why does it smell so good? Getting back to the matter at hand, I go to the ce where the traps are set and where our invader will most definitely be. From afar, I can see that one of the traps has been set off. A dark smile settles on my lips. I wonder what it caught. The sound of groaning reaches my ear as I inch closer. It is a soft sound that unmistakably has to be coming from a woman, not that gender matters. Be it a man or woman, they were about to face my wrath. I get to the edge of the hole where the trap has been tripped and look over the edge. I stare down at the woman in the hole and something settles into my chest. She couldn¡¯t have been more than twenty and at that moment an emotion that I can exin gripped my chest. I can¡¯t exin it until- ¡®MINE!¡¯ Xavier growls in my chest and I feel my heart sink to my stomach. No, no, no. This can¡¯t be happening. But as her amber eyes look up to meet my green eyes, I know that I am wrong. This is happening. I have a f u ck i g mate. And it looks like she just figured out that I¡¯m her mate too. AJANG B B B B B B B B BI 96% 11:19 Her eyes widenically and her mouth falls open in a gasp. I would have probably found her expression funny if my insides weren¡¯t in turmoil. ¡°Bring her out and throw her in the dungeon.¡± I growl out to Alex and Raphael. Turning around on my heel, I match back to the pack house, not wanting to stay behind to see the shocked expressions on Alex and Raphael¡¯s faces. This has never happened before. In the case of a rogue, I always settled it immediately with a swift death. No one was spared when they intruded on my territory, but here I was, letting one of them live to see the next morning. On getting to the pack house, I head for my office, ignoring the blusters and yappings like I always do, I close the mahogany door behind me and slide into my seat with a deep sigh. A mate. I have a mate. How is that even possible? ¡°Why did you throw our mate in a cell?!¡¯ Xavier hollers from inside of me. I push him away, putting an invisible wall between our links so that I don¡¯t have to deal with his annoying It won¡¯t hold up for long and it will definitely make him angrier, but at this point, I¡¯ll take whatever moment of silence I can get. As I ponder over what course of action to take next, two swift knocks sound from the other side of the door. ¡°Come in,¡± I say, leaning back in my seat to give off an air of authority that I¡¯m definitely not feeling at the moment. Alex and Raphael walk in. Thetter locks the door behind them and the two take their seat in front of me without any prompting from me. ¡°The girl is been held in a cell just as you ordered,¡± Alex informs as a way of breaking the silence. I nod curtly, knowing that isn¡¯t the only reason for their appearance in my office. They could just have easily sent that over the mind link but instead, they decided to show tip in my office. ¡°What is it?¡± There¡¯s no use beating about the bush. Better to get this done and over with. ¡°Who is she?¡± Raphae] asks, taking the memo and going straight for the kill. ¡°My mate,¡± I answer simply and watch the chain of reaction that it sets off. Chapter 2 1 1 1 1 96% 11:19 Shock and doubt are the emotions that I very well expected. But Happiness? That is one that I didn¡¯t seeing. ¡°Really?¡± Alex asks, leaning in. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± The re that I give him must be answer enough because he settles back in his seat and stares nkly into space. ¡°How is that possible though?¡± Raphael asks this time. I feel a dull thump in my head and even though werewolves don¡¯t have headaches, I fear that I might just also be an exception to that. All the hows and whys are making my head hurt. ¡°I knew it was possible to have two mates but for an Alpha to is one I never heard of.¡± Alex voices out what we are all thinking. It¡¯s basically unheard of werewolf to have a second chance mate. And never have it been heard of an Alpha having one. I just so happen to be the first. P Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Alessia¡¯s POV I have been in here for what I would ¶Î 96% 11:19 me has been up to a day. It could have been longer, but with no window to tell the time of the day, I wasn¡¯t sure. Yet no one has visited me in the cell I¡¯m being kept in except the guards. They just drop a te of food through the hole and then walk away, ignoring every one of my questions. My leg has fully healed now- took it long enough- and I can finally start thinking of a way to get out of this mess. First, I just have to find a way out of this cell that has about a thousand guards lined up outside. Easy peasy. With a defeated sigh, I curl up on the single bed in the cell- the only piece of item it has. My arms wrap around myself as I rock back and forth. If I miraculously found a way out of here, where would I even go? I couldn¡¯t go back home. I can¡¯t bear to see my Mom still lying on those cold tiles. Tears run down my cheeks, blurring my vision of the stone walls in front of me. My Mom was the only person I had in my life. She had been the center of my world and now, she was gone. I will never get to hear her sweet voice. I won¡¯t get to see her smile directed at me or her nod of approval whenever I did something that made her proud. I will never get to taste her specialsagna. Without her, what was even the use of living? No, I can¡¯t have thoughts like that. I sit up and wipe away the tears that just keep on falling. My Mom would hit me over the head with a pan if she could see my miserable, defeated self. I need something to keep me going. ¡®Mate, Zuri whimpers. I knew about mates from the little that my mom told me about werewolves but it wasn¡¯t a lot. The idea of there being one person made especially for you seems almost surreal to me, I never imagined. that I would find mine. That fact that I never met any other wolf had just made it next to impossible. Yet, here he was. My Mate. The person that I was meant to spend my life with and also the person that has thrown me in this cell. ¡®Mate,¡¯ Zuri whimpers again, and I roll my eyes heavenward. She didn¡¯t care that our mate could have us killed at any moment. All she wants to do is cuddle and run alongside his wolf. ¦Ò¦Ò MMB B B B B B B B B BI Chapter 3 Hate to break it to her but I doubt that will ever happen. 96% 11:19 Pushing thoughts of my mate out of my head, I struggle to focus on other things. Namely, who those people were, and why they were after me and my mother? It was obvious that they had been carrying out the orders of someone. So the question was who wants me dead? And why? I need answers. Answers that I won¡¯t get if I stay locked up here. The sound of the nking of keys pulls my attention to the door. One of the men from the previous day currently has a bundle of keys in his hand which he uses to unlock the door. ¡°Follow me,¡± he says in a dry tone as he opens the door and starts walking away without another nce in my direction. Left with no other choice, I lift from the bed and follow him out of the room. I¡¯m momentarily blinded by the lights that shine into my eyes when we finally leave the dark tunnels leading to the cells. When I open my eyes, he¡¯s now a few paces ahead of me. ¡°Keep up,¡± he says without turning back to look at me. I hurry to catch up with him. We stop at the front of a ck mahogany door and he gives the door two swift knocks, ¡°Come in, answers a deep voice from the other side. A shiver goes down my spine and goosebumps break out on my arms as my head registers who the voice belongs to. ¡®Mate! Mate! Mate! Go to mate!¡¯ Zuri is literally having a field day in my head. ¡°Let yourself in,¡± the man simply says. That¡¯s thest thing he says to me before he walks back in the direction we¡¯reing from. He leaves me standing in front of the door with no idea of what to do. ¡°Come in,¡±es the voice again, this time with a hint of impatience. With a deep breath and a quick prayer to the heavens, I open the door and let myself in, He¡¯s sitting on his desk which is ced at the center of the room. It makes the big as s room seems small as he takes up every inch of it with that air of power that swirls around him. I shift from foot to foot, wondering what to do next. ¡°Are you going to stand there all day,¡± he asks dryly and I jump at the irritation in his voice. I don¡¯t know much about werewolves or rather I know nothing about them, but is that how a mate ought to act? UZN 96% 11:19 Chapter 3 I quickly close the door behind me and walk to the front of the desk he¡¯s seated behind. ¡°Who are you?¡± I looked up at him from the floor which I decided was the most interesting thing in the room. My brows knit together in confusion. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I guess it¡¯s a well-warranted question but my brain has a hard time catching up. ¡°Who are you?¡± He repeats, this time slower like he¡¯s talking to a dimwit. My checks flush in embarrassment. I¡¯m Alessia. Then I decide to continue, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry Inded on your territory. I was in a bit of a situation and-¡± ¡°What situation?¡± He asks, leaning forward in his seat. He raises an eyebrow at me as I ponder over if it would be wise to tell him about it. I know nothing about him and for all I know, he could be worse than those other guys. He sighs exasperatedly and falls back into his seat. ¡°Listen, Alessia,¡± my name leaves his lips almost like a purr. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a grace that I normally wouldn¡¯t give others. You can either take it or find yourself back in the cell.¡± I visibly have to hold back a shudder at the mention of the dark, cold ce that I¡¯m justing out of. I hate that ce with every fiber of my being but I¡¯m not sure I should tell him about what happened to me. One of the reasons is that I myself have no idea of anything at the moment. Where would I even start from? ¡°It would seem that you¡¯ve made your decision.¡± He looks down at the file on his desk, effectively dismissing me. ¡°No,¡± I rush out, my heart beating a mile a minute. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Caden¡¯s POV What she has just sprouted out seems possibly like something you would find at the back of a badly written horror flick. 96% 11:19 ¡°You got home and found your mother dead with her heart ripped out of her chest,¡± I ask dryly, barely able to keep the disbelief out of my voice. Our town, Gravero, hasn¡¯t had any report of a psychopathic murder in years. Sure, my territory was my main concern but I had made sure that the towns surrounding it were fairly safe. I¡¯ve had visits to the sheriff to make sure that everything was in ce. Not once has he mentioned anything about these killings. It could also mean that it started recently or that Alessia was targeted and not just a random visit. Somehow, the thought of that being the truth brought a curling sick feeling that settled into my stomach. Well, there was only one way to find out if she was telling the truth. Thirty minutester, I standing in front of a door that looked like aplete replica of the one Alessia described. It had the same chipped off-white color that she mentioned with the same mat ced outside. It is alsopletely bare of any surrounding neighbors or any sign of life just like she also mentioned. My handsnd on the doorknob, about to open it before I give a pause, a slightly rming thought entering into my head. What if this was all a trick? I could open this door and bepletely swarmed with rouges waiting for me on the order side. Maybe I should have brought some warriors along. ¡°Is everything okay, Alpha?¡± Alex asks from behind me. That pulls me out of my thoughts. I had the best warriors behind me. If anything should ur, I¡¯m d that they are the ones that are going to be watching my back. ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± I say in a low voice to Alex and Raphael. I can¡¯t hear anything from inside but I still open the door slowly. One step into the house and I¡¯m staring at the body of Alessia¡¯s mother which has its heart ripped out just like she said. She was telling the truth. ¡°F u c k,¡± Caden muttered,ing to my side and also staring at the body. ¡°What did that?¡± I had no idea. It could simply be a case of a rouge that lost it and went rabid, but something in my gut has me feeling that it¡¯s far more than that. actctt MBB MMB BBBBBBBBB Chapter 4 ¡°Check upstairs,¡± I tell Alex and Caden as I walk closer to the body. I hear Alex and Caden¡¯s footsteps climb up the stairs. I drop down to my knees beside the body, examining the person who was my mate¡¯s mother. I can¡¯t imagine how she felt when she walked in on this scene. I too lost my Mother at a fairly young age and it felt like the pain would never go away. If I had walked in and found my Mom like this, I have no idea how I would have reacted. With a sigh, I get back on my feet and pick up a nket thrown over the couch. Walking back to the body, I ce the nket over it. Once the body is covered, my gaze finally takes in the room for the first time. The house has a homey vibe to it from the flowers in the vase to the pictures hung on the wall. Even the faded wallpapers gives it a warm and cozy feeling. I stop myself from going over to examine said pictures. This wasn¡¯t why I came here. Once I got upstairs, I walked into the room that had Alessia¡¯s strongest scent. My feet take me over there before I even realize that I¡¯m already moving. I find Alex already in the room and I have to find the urge to let out a growl. ¡°Go check the other rooms, I¡¯ll take over from here.¡± Without a word, Alex walks out of the room. Left alone, I look around, trying to figure out what sort of person Alessia is. A person¡¯s room says a lot about them. As I looked around thepletely bare room safe for some photos, I had no inkling of who Alessia was. I could say that she was a warm person from the flowers-themed wallpaper but another nce at the room has me feeling otherwise. With another sigh -something I seem to be doing a lot, I walk over to her bedside table. I have to sidestep the broken pieces of mirror and the cluster of furniture and books thrown on the floor. The thought that someone was in her room and went through her things has my vision blurring. I sit down on her bed and start opening the drawers, looking for anything that might have been left behind by the murderer. After a thorough look around the room, I¡¯m assured that this isn¡¯t just a case of a rogue gone mad. She was definitely the target. The thorough searching of her room could not lead me to believe anything else. We wrap it up and take the body and a bag of Alessia¡¯s belongings back to the house. At thest moment, I also decided to bring some of her mother¡¯s. We pass through the underground tunnel so as not to stir up the house with rumors. I mind link one of the guards watching Alessia to bring her to the tunnels. Watching Alessia fall to her knees with a heart-wrenching s o b has my wolf screaming to be let out so that ¨C JJ MMB B B B B B B B B B Chapter 4 he canfort her. But I can¡¯t do that. 96% 11:20 All I could do was stand beside her and watch as she cried into her mother¡¯s body. All the while thinking about one question. Who is Alessia and who are the people after her? Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Alessia¡¯s POV 96% 11:20 out of After a few days of intensive crying and cuddling the urn holding my mother¡¯s ashes, I finally step the room. Food has been ced outside the door for me for the past few days and I haven¡¯t needed to even step out of the room. The room that has been assigned to me is painted baby blue with a few touches of an aesthetic vibe. It¡¯s not a terrible room to end up in but after crying for hours, those walls are thest things that I want to see. My wolf has been getting grumpy and whining, sobbing, and whimpering to go talk to my mate. She believes that it¡¯ll make us feel better. Another thing that has kept me locked up in my room is the noise and buzzing from outside the door. I¡¯m staying in a pack house full of werewolves after being the only werewolf that I know of for years. But my bones need some serious stretching so I ventured out of my room and into the living room. In the hope of finding Caden and telling him that I need a run. I¡¯m not foolish enough to think that I can just walk out of the house and go into the woods. I know that he definitely has guards looking after me. My train of thought stops as I stand in front of the living room. gap People. And they are everywhere. Some of them are watching a game on the TV. Some are just conversing with each other and others are ying a game on the game control center pushed to one side of the room. And not one of them looks like the person that I¡¯m after. My feet still as I get to the end of the hallway leading from into the living room. I¡¯m contemting going back and finding another way to talk to Caden when- ¡°Hey,¡± A tiny voice calls out. I look down and see myself looking into two gorgeous green orbs. I take in her features -her dark curls, button nose, and red cupid-shaped lips. I feel like I know her from somewhere else. I smile at her, deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth. It¡¯s better it¡¯s just a kid and not someone else. ¡°Hey there,¡± I squat down to her height and ruffle her wide curls, yfully tugging on one of them. Soon, she¡¯s smiling and giggling at me. Little kids are my favorite. Especially when they happen to be as cute as her. ¡°You¡¯re very pretty,¡± she says, looking up at me with sparking eyes. Ok, it¡¯s official. I love this girl. ¡°You¡¯re very pretty too,¡± Her smile bes wider. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I ask. ¡°Lucy,¡± she replies, beaming up at me. ¡°That¡¯s a very pretty name for a pretty girl like you.¡± JJ HNB B B G B BBBBB II Chapter 5 ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°Alessia,¡± I answer. She giggles, bouncing on her little feet. ¡°Are you the guest that Caden told us about?¡± Z I¡¯m slightly taken aback at how close she seems to be with Caden for her to call him by his name. 96% 11:20 Yes, I answer, nodding my head. So that¡¯s what he told people -that I¡¯m just a guest. I shove away the tiny silver of hurt that makes its way to my chest. ¡°Lucy.¡± A deep voice calls out from behind me, sending a shiver down my spine. ¡°Caden!¡± She squeals, running past me and into Caden¡¯s open arms. With the two of them side by side, the resemnce dawns on me. The reason why I felt like I knew her was because she was a replica of Caden. Is she his daughter? Again, another ache settles in my chest. But I feel foolish as soon as I think of it. She wouldn¡¯t call him Caden if he was her Dad. Or would she? ¡°I missed you. Where were you all day?¡± Lucy asks with a cute pout. Caden lifts her off the ground and sets her on his hip. ¡°I was in my office,¡± he pinches her cheeks. ¡°I had to take care of some documents.¡± I try not to let my jaw fall onto the floor. I have no idea on how to react to this new version of Caden. She wraps her little hands around her neck, resting her head on his shoulders. My heart starts beating faster for some G o d d am n reason so I look away from the cute picture in front of me. ¡°I made a new friend. Her name is Alessia.¡± At the mention of my name, I turn to look at Caden with wide eyes. How would he feel about that? It¡¯s very obvious that Lucy is important to him. How would he feel about me talking to her? ¡°Is that so?¡± The question is directed at Lucy but his gaze is fixed on me. ¡°Yes.¡± Lucy wraps her hands tighter around his neck. ¡°She called me pretty¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t lying. He finally tears his gaze away from me to smile down at Lucy. She smiles back at him. ¡°I and the other kids helped Chef to bake cookies. Do you want to have some?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He sets her down on the floor. ¡°Go ahead first. I just need to talk to Alessia for a bit.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± She ski p s past me and gives me a tiny wave that I return. Chapter 5 G ¦° G G 96% 11:20 ¡°I was just looking for you when I ran into her, I rush out, not wanting him to think that I was just lurking around the house. His brows knit together. ¡°Why were you looking for me?¡± | ¡°I need to go on a run.¡± He simply stares at me for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± My eyes widen just as my heart sinks into my stomach with a sickening feeling. I can¡¯t let him go with me. I can¡¯t shift in front of him. What if he discovers Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Caden¡¯s POV Alessia drags her feet all through the walk into the woods. It¡¯s as though she wasn¡¯t the one that requested for this run. I¡¯m doing her a favor yet she looks like she¡¯s been sent to her doom. I eye her as she bites her lips anxiously until they be bright red. Then I tear my gaze away just before my thoughts start entering a dangerousne. Like thoughts of what color her lips will be after thoroughly getting a kiss from me. I stop walking as I notice that we¡¯ve gotten to a clearing in the woods. This is where I alwayse to whenever I needed to just shift and let loose. It was also where most of the pack members had their runs. It was the perfect spot. Looking over at Alessia, I find her shifting on her feet and looking around the woods with a calcting look on her face. She better not be thinking about what I think she is. ¡°I will snap your pretty little neck if you even think of running away,¡± I say, knocking any nonsense ideal out of her head before it takes root. Her hand immediately reaches up to her neck and her eyes turn wide. ¡°I-i w-wasn¡¯t thinking of running away,¡± she stutters through her words. It brings a smile to my face to see the fear visible on hers. That¡¯s good. At least she won¡¯t be thinking of getting one over me. ¡®Why would you say such a thing to her? We aren¡¯t going to be snapping her neck, Xavier growls. ¡®Please, shut it, I growl back, annoyed at Xavier¡¯s behavior for the past few days. If he isn¡¯t wincing about Alessia then he¡¯s begging to go to her. And if he isn¡¯t doing that then he¡¯s giving me a hard time about the way I treat her. ¡®Why do you keep being a beast to her?!¡± I myself didn¡¯t know the answer to that question. It¡¯s not like Alessia has done anything unusual to make me wary of her. In fact, in the week that I¡¯ve been keeping my eyes on her, nothing that she did was out of ce or raised suspicion in me. So, why couldn¡¯t I just let my guard down-around her? It might be the fact that I¡¯m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she¡¯s my second chance mate. It could also be the dread that settles in my chest every time I think about that. Bringing myself back to the present, I look at Alessia to find her still standing in her clothes and her human form. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get ready to shift?¡± I ask as I shrug off my shirt and ce it on a tree branch. Next, I go for the button on my jeans. I¡¯ll be able to defend myself better in wolf form in case she tries to do ?d MMG B BBBBBBBB1 Chapter 6 anything. 96% 11:20 Alessia is watching me with wide eyes and lips that part open in a gasp, showing just a hint of her pink. tongue. My blood runs hot as I feel my jeans be tighter. Ok, so maybe this wasn¡¯t a good idea. I should have had either Alex or Raphael take her on this run. But the thought of her stripping down in close proximity to either one of them has my hands balling into fits. ¡°Strip,¡± I say dryly, not at all disying any hint of the hell that I¡¯m passing through at the moment. She just stands there and stares nkly at me. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to go for a run then I suggest we just head back to the pack house,¡± I say, already do than standing here all day long. I still reaching for my shirt to shrug it back on. I had better things to had some documents that- ¡°I¡¯ll strip,¡± she rushes out and starts walking away from me. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going to?¡± I hate the confusion that I hear in my voice. ¡°Behind a tree to strip down,¡± she says inly like it was a pretty obvious thing I bit down on augh and instead settled on a scoff. ¡°You¡¯re stripping right in front of me. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting you out of my sight.¡± Does she think I¡¯m s t u p i d? Her checks tint pink and her mouth open and close with no wordsing out. ¡°Just save it and start stripping.¡± I take off my shirt and my jeans follow when Alessia finally seems to get the memo. She reaches for her shirt and pulls it off her, exposing the in white bra that she has underneath. It had to be the most unenticing underwear that I¡¯ve ever seen on a woman. But tell that to my c o c k that swells up and forms a tent at the front of my brief. With an inward groan, I turn my gaze away from Alessia before I jump her. Pulling off myst garment, I quickly shift into my ck shadow night wolf. I¡¯m a bit scared of letting my wolf be in control around Alessia, but I¡¯m also sure that I can fight him for control if the worstes to worse. I hear bones snapping into ce and I turn just in time to see Alessia transform into a huge dark brown wolf with light brown her. Her coat is magnificent as it blends in with the darkness settling around us.. Her coat isn¡¯t what grabs my attention though. It¡¯s her size. Her size which is bigger than that of an average female wolf. Only people who were rted to an Alpha have wolves thatrge. Heck, some Alphas didn¡¯t even get to be that size. §Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó Chapter 6 So the question is, which Alpha is Alessia rted to? And why on earth did she keep such a huge thing Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Alessia¡¯s POV Caden doesn¡¯t need to be in human form for me to make out the shocked expression on his face. It¡¯s clear as day. Before he can shift back to human form and tell me that he has changed his mind about letting me go for a run. I take off into the woods. I hear his heavy paws behind me and it just makes me go faster. I¡¯m dead if he catches me. I have no idea or sense of direction of where I¡¯m heading. I just know that I have to get away from him. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll end up dead if I don¡¯t. My breath gets knocked out of me as a huge weight ms into me from behind. My two hundred pounds of flesh crumpled to the ground as the huge weight pinned me down. We roll around for a bit beforeing to a halt in a patch of dirt and dried grasses. I close my eyes from the impact, my back on the ground digs into sharp stones and gravels but I don¡¯t dare to make a sound. Then I hear the sound of bones moving and cracking and then the weight on me reduces considerably¡­like he just shifted back. My eyes flutter open to find Caden¡¯s human form above me and- Oh my G o d. He¡¯s angry. No, he¡¯s livid. I can tell from the way his veins seem to pop out of his neck. ¡°Shift back,¡± he whispers darkly. His eyes aren¡¯t the normal green that I know them to be. They¡¯re now dark, almost ck in fact. His wolf is in control. If I was in human form I would have gulped. ¡°Now!¡± His grip on my chest tightens. ¡°Before I snap your neck.¡± I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to be able to snap my wolf¡¯s neck like a tiny twig. I close my eyes, envisioning my human body and shifting back. The weight on me became too prominent for me to ignore. I groan, shifting around on the ground and oni effectively stabbing myself with a dozen stones. ¡°Would you f u c k i n g stop moving!¡± His words sound strained and tight, making me reopen my eyes. At that moment, I take notice of the flesh pocking me in the stomach and also the state of our nakedness. My inside twists and blood rushes into my ears as I try to ignore the wetness forming between my thighs. No, I¡¯m not even going to be touching that with a five-foot pole. I gopletely still, not moving an inch. I wait- for him to get off me or make the first move to start a talk, -? & AKBBBBBBBBBB Chapter 7 but he doesn¡¯t do either. Instead, he stills as well and his nostrils re. ¡°F u c k,¡± he breathes the word out and I probably wouldn¡¯t have heard it if it wasn¡¯t for werewolves heightened senses. Then in the next second, Caden is off me and on his foot as though my body was made of hotva. 95% 11:20 I shove down the stu pi d hurt that bubbles in my chest and stand up as well, brushing the leaves and sand that stay on my body. ¡°Get dressed. You¡¯re done with your run,¡± he announces, walking over to the tree where his clothes were hung- I wasn¡¯t stu p i d enough to think that he would let me continue the run after the trick I pulled on him. It¡¯s a miracle that he hasn¡¯t taken a bite out of my head¡­yet. I quickly pull on my clothes just in time for him to return to me. He grips my arm and I know it was back on. He wasn¡¯t going to wait for us to head back to the pack house, he was going to have the confrontation here. Right now. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± He asks, his eyes looking at me expectantly. Surprisingly, his question didn¡¯te out in the volume that I expected. He sounded like he genuinely wanted to know what my issue was. Somehow, that was worse. My eyes fall to the ground, my head hanging in shame. ¡°Why did you run away from me?¡± He asks tersely. This time the annoyance I expected is present. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whisper, guilt eating me from within. ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology,¡± his grip tightens to the extent that it starts hurting. ¡°I want answers.¡± I swallow the whimpering up my throat and bite the inside of my cheek till I draw blood. ¡°Why won¡¯t you tell me who the hell you are? Why do you keep hiding things away from me?¡± His eyes are turning ck again as they sh in anger. ¡°I¡¯m tired of ying these games with you. How am I meant to protect me when you keep things away from me?¡± Now, I¡¯m the one getting angry. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your protection.¡± I pull my arm out of his grip and move away from him so I can think without him being all up in my space. ¡°All I want is to leave your pack but you won¡¯t let me.¡± My voice is increasing in pitch and I can¡¯t stop the anger rising to the surface. Heck, 1. don¡¯t want to stop it. ¡°The only thing you¡¯ve done for me is keep me caged in. First, you threw me in the dungeon and now, you¡¯re keeping me in that stu pi d room that I never asked for! I just want to go home.¡± It takes me a while to realize that I¡¯m yelling and¡­ crying. back As embarrassing as it was, I was full-on sobbing in front of someone that didn¡¯t give a dam n about me. Oh someone please just shoot me with wolfband and end my misery. ¦° 908 11:28 Chapter 7 I can¡¯t stop though. My breath is knocked out of me as Caden walks to me and silently pulls me into his embrace, his strong arms wrapping around my frame. That¡¯s when the dam breaks. I clutch the front of his t-shirt and let go. I didn¡¯t think it was possible to and have any tears left in me but apparently, I did. I don¡¯t know exactly how long we stand there..just hugging with me crying my heart out. But I do know that Caden doesn¡¯t pull away. He just stands there and holds me in his arms. D Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Alessia¡¯s POV After crying for what could have been minutes or hours, I pull away from Caden. My cheeks tint pink as I notice the wet patches on the front of his t-shirt from what I hope were tears. I say a silent prayer that it isn¡¯t anything other than tears. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the pack house,¡± he says, looking down at me with a worried expression on his face. The only other emotion apart from anger that he has directed my way. ¡°Ok,¡± I reply, twirling my fingers awkwardly, not knowing what to do with them now that they weren¡¯t clutching onto his shirt. We walk back to the pack house in afortable silence, not a word exchanged between us. When we get to the front stop of the pack house, Caden stops me with a hand on my arm just before I can open the door. I¡¯lle to your room tonight to talk this out. No more lies this time.¡± His piercing gaze holds mine determiningly. He isn¡¯t asking for my opinion, he¡¯s telling me what¡¯s going to be happening here. I nod, giving him my silent agreement that wasn¡¯t asked for. I¡¯m not delusional enough to think that he will change his mind if I simply refuse. The question was, did I want to refuse? ¡°I¡¯ll see you after dinner,¡± he tells me and opens the door to the noise of a packed house. I¡¯m still not used to living with people and I don¡¯t think I ever will. It¡¯s apletely different scenario from the life that I once had. Caden walks ahead of me and disappears into the house, leaving the door open for me. Pulling a deep breath into my lungs, I take the first step into the pack house and shut the door behind me. Now, all I had to do was keep my head down and make the escape to my room before anyone noticed my presence. Everybody was immersed in their own world and I pray none would notice me passing by. Just as I take my first step, my n gets bursted as a shadow appears in my path. From my line of view, I could see toes painted with hot pink nail polish and as I dragged my eyes up the body of the person who interrupted my escape, I was stunned into silence. The person standing in front of me was pretty. Maybe even beautiful. Everything about her was in perfect condition, from her blond hair to her hot pink nails. She looks so put together. A complete opposite to what I currently was. A smile is about to make its way when I mame out the expression on her face. It wasn¡¯t exactly one that said she wanted to be friends with me. 1/3 JMMB BBBBBBBBB I Chapter 8 ¨Ö 9% 11:21 With her nose upturn, she gazes down at me in disdain. Of course, she was taller than me. I don¡¯t even bother to hide my annoyance at that fact. I scoff and cross my arms over my chest. Blondie must not have liked that because the scowl on her face deepened into a deadly snarl. ¡°What were you doing with the Alpha?¡± She spits out. ¡°Caden?¡± I ask stup d l y. Who else would she be talking about if not Caden? The absurdity of this situation was messing with my head. Her snarl darkens. ¡°Caden? You call him Caden?¡± She enquires incredulously. ¡°Isn¡¯t that his name?¡± I ask dumbly, not getting what her issue was. ¡°It is but not just anyone is allowed to call him by his name.¡± She ces a hand on her hip and takes a long one over at me, eyeing my state of barefoot and ruffled borrowed clothes that were a size too big. Her nose wrinkled. ¡°Definitely not someone of your status,¡± she injects. The tiny envy that I harbor at her appearance immediately dies a quick death. Forget her beauty, this b i t c h was just sad to look at and frankly, I didn¡¯t have the patience nor ment a l strength required to deal with her. ¡°Excuse me,¡± I murmur, sidestepping her to continue with my escape n that was rudely interrupted. ¡°Hey!¡± She yells out but I ignore her even as I hear her hurried footsteps from behind me. ¡°I¡¯m not done talking to you.¡± Her wordse first before she grips my arm. I open my mouth, about to give her a piece of my mind when a voice interrupts us. ¡°Let her go, Julianna,¡± the voice drawls out dryly. A red-haireddy appears from the door leading to what I suspect was the kitchen. Was everyone in this pack just naturally beautiful or was there something in the air they were breathing in? Julianna- which I just learned was the Blondie¡¯s name- rolls her eyes and peels her grip away from my arm. I barely stop my eyes from widening. I didn¡¯t expect her to give in that easily. Julianna walks over to the stranger and pins her down with a re which the stranger returns right back. ¡°Stay out of my business, Scarlett. Your mate won¡¯t always be around to help you.¡± Then she tosses her hair over her shoulder and walks away. ¡°Thanks for that, I mutter to the helpful stranger. I like to think that I would have been able to handle Julianna on my own but it was nice to know that someone was kind enough to lend a helping hand. ¡°You¡¯re wee and just ignore Julianna. She¡¯s a bi ch to everyone,¡± she smiles softly. ¡°You¡¯re Alessia right?¡± Her brows raised in question. Mine raised in surprise. How did she know who I was? I Cd & M MB BBBBBBBBBI Chapter 8 ¡°Alex told me about you,¡± she supplies once she probably makes out the surprise on my face. Her answer doesn¡¯t do anything for me except deepen my confusion. 96% 11:21 ¡°Alex is my mate. He¡¯s the beta of the pack,¡± she tells me, probably wondering how I didn¡¯t already know about that. She was kind enough not to call me out on it though. I¡¯m assuming Alex is one of the men who were with Caden when he found me. Though I wasn¡¯t sure which of them he was. ¡°Let¡¯s go have dinner. The chef just finished with the sauce. The table should be set already.¡± open my mouth to tly refuse the offer. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to an hour spent in a room with people I was trying to avoid. Before I can open my mouth to tell her that- maybe in more friendly words- she pulls on my hand and starts dragging me in the opposite direction of my room. What was it with everyone wanting to manhandle me? Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Caden¡¯s POV. She is here. I¡¯m more surprised than anything. This is the first time since she arrived that she is out of her room and socializing. It doesn¡¯t look as if she wants to be here but at least she is present and talking to someone. ¡°You may bore a hole into the side of her head if you keep staring at her like that,¡± Raphael says beside me, drawing my attention away from Alessia eating her te of spaghetti. from ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring.¡± I deny the usation and focus back on my te. ¡°Sure you weren¡¯t,¡± he ribs, a s h i t- as s-eating grin on his face. I choose to simply ignore him. He gets his pleasure when he sees he¡¯s riling me up. I wasn¡¯t going to give him that satisfaction. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Alex asks as he settles into the other seat beside me with his newly filled te in his hand. ¡°What did I miss?¡± Great, now I have the two of them to annoy me. Just Caden staring at his pretty little mate, Raphael¡¯s mind links to Alex and me, more than happy to fill Alex in on the topic of the conversation. I hold my remark at his choice of words used to describe Alessia. Doing that would just make their day. ¡°Oh, realllly, ¡°Alex drawls out like the a s s h o l e that he is as he looks over at where his mate and mine are chatting away. ¡®Scarlett told me that she was going to try and befriend her. Seems she made it work,¡± he announces with a smile on his face. I wasn¡¯t surprised that he told Scarlett about the true identity of Alessia. Those two never kept anything from each other and I would never ask him to hide something away from his mate. ¡°Why would she want to do that?¡± I ask, genuinely curious and slightly thankful for the gesture. Why I was grateful to her for trying to get Alessia out of her shell is something I wasn¡¯t willing to think about. ¡°She noticed Alessia wasn¡¯ting out of her room. Said it wasn¡¯t healthy for someone to be closed in all day and dered to fix it,¡± he exins, turning his gaze away from thedies and digging into his food. Sounded like something Scarlett would do. Once that minx got something stuck in her head, she went for it without another thought. It was one of the reasons why Alex was so crazy about her. It is also a trait that I appreciate at the moment. Alessia needs someone like her. I decide to share an ounce of the problems weighing on me. ¨C J & M MB B B B B B B B B BI Chapter 9 06% 11:21 ¡®Do either of know of an Alpha that has a daughter or immediate rtive that went missing? I mind link to Alex and Raphael. If Alessia has a wolf of that size then she is definitely rted to an Alpha but I haven¡¯t heard of any Alpha with a missing family member. I was short of ideas and didn¡¯t know what other exnation to come up with. Sure, Alessia and I were going to straighten things outter but in the meantime, my mind couldn¡¯t help but cat away at my inside. ¡®No, I haven¡¯t heard of anything of that sort, Alex answer. ¡®Same here. It¡¯s Raphael this time. ¡°Why do you ask? Did something happen at a pack in the region?¡± I try not to let their answers dampen my mood. I was going to get the real answerster tonight anyways. I just have to pace myself. ¡®No reason. I know they wouldn¡¯t believe my vague reply but I wasn¡¯t ready to share anything with them when I didn¡¯t have all the facts yet. When I figure out what the hell was happening, then I¡¯ll ry it to them but for now, it was better they were kept in the dark. After dinner, I make my way up to my office to wait out the hours left for me to go to Alessia¡¯s room. Besides not wanting toe off as an impatient brute, I also didn¡¯t want to risk the chance of someone. seeing me entering her room. Our already sketchy excuse wouldn¡¯t be able to get us out of that situation. So I wait at my desk, doing mini-tasks to help keep me preupied. Once the clock¡¯s hand hits eleven, I¡¯m off my desk and heading for Alessia¡¯s room. I scout out the premises before cing two swift knocks on her door. I half expected her to be fast asleep but as soon as I ce the second knock, the door flies open to show a fully awake Alessia. She wearing a thin ck tank top that hangs a little off at the shoulders and ck shorts, another borrowed set of clothes from Scarlett. It urred to me that I should have already bought her some new clothes of her own. Most of her clothes. were ruined when those rogues searched through her things. I put the thought at the back of my mind for future purposes. ¡°Are you nning on having our talk in the hallway?¡± I ask, seeing as she still hasn¡¯t opened her door for me to walk in. ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispers, realizing her mistake. Her cheeks tint a lovely pink color and she moves away from the doorway, holding the door open for me to walk in. I quickly move in, not wanting someone to catch me doing that. Once in, I walk over to the open and stand in front of it, gazing out at the dark sky brightened by a single moon. window At the sound of footsteps, I turn around to find Alessia sitting at the edge of her bed. In that moment, I contemte the wiseness in picking her room as our ce of meeting. It wasn¡¯t safe to a? & H M G GGGGGGGG BI Chapter 9 90% 11:21 be in closed quarters with her. Not after what happened in the woods. Not after realizing that my body couldn¡¯t be trusted around Alessia. ¡°Why did you want to talk to me?¡± Alessia questions. Thankful for the distraction. I lean on the window edge and cross my arms over my chest. ¡°Who are you?¡± This was the second time I was asking her that question and this time, I prayed that she didn¡¯t tell me another lie. She sighs, twirling her fingers in herp- something she does a lot. After a few beats, she looks at me and holds my gaze. I¡¯m the daughter of an Alpha.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Alessia¡¯s POV I did it. I told him the truth. Shifting in my seat, I wait for his response with bated breath. Is he even going to believe me? Half the time I didn¡¯t even believe it myself. His facial expression is inscrutable, not giving any hint as to what he is feeling. ¡°Which Alpha is your father?¡± He asks, his voice low and even. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I whisper, looking him in to let him know I wasn¡¯t lying about this. e eyes He scoffs and straightens. ¡°You really expect me to believe you don¡¯t know who your father is?¡± He arches a brow in disbelief. I sigh, knowing this was what would happen. I had fully expected it but for some reason, I held hope that he would believe me. ¡°My Mother never told me who he was.¡± Even as I say it, I realize how stu p i d it sounds but I continue, ¡°She was a human and he was an Alpha grieving the loss of his Luna. That¡¯s all she told me. She said it was too dangerous for me to be in his life.¡± I never demanded to know more about the person who fathered me. Mostly, because I didn¡¯t care- having my mother was more than enough for me- but also because I wasn¡¯t ready to hear it. I wish I hadn¡¯t been such a worthless spine and asked my mother more about who he was. Caden¡¯s gaze holds mine, searching for something. Whatever it¡¯s that he sought, he must have found it because his eyes soften a bit, but I¡¯m not about to think that it means he believes me. ¡°Do you think those rogues were after you because of your father?¡± He voices the thought that I¡¯ve been pondering over since I walked in on my Mom¡¯s body. But without any knowledge of who my father was, I was off to a dead end. Was it possible that someone. from that life was after me even after years of running away from them? ¡°F u c k!¡± Caden exims out of the blue. ¡°This is terrible. We have no idea who those people are or where they might be getting their orders from. For all we know, they might be sitting outside the pack territory. just waiting for you to step a foot out. He throws his head back and runs his fingers through his hair, making it go wild in different directions. ¡°I could leave your pack if you want,¡± I innocently offer. Five seconds ago, that had seemed like the right thing to say. Caden was stressing over something that wasn¡¯t his to worry over and I had thought that offering to leave would relieve that stress. Add M M B B B B B B B B BB MMB BBBB Chapter 10 But as Caden sets his dark gaze on me, I immediately regret saying those words. It didn¡¯t look like it relieved his stress in any way. Instead, he now looks wrung tight and about to explode at any second. 96% 11:21 ¡°You go nowhere.¡± He steps forward, stopping in front of me and looking down at me. ¡°I mean it, Alessia. Don¡¯t even think of stepping a foot out of this pack house without me by your side.¡± The anger that I had felt in the woods, rises up my chest again. It was obvious that he wanted nothing to do with me so why was he so hellbent on keeping me by his side? ¡°I want to leave,¡± I say instead of all the other colorful choices of words I could have used and wanted to use. He rolls his eyes like he¡¯s dealing with a petnt child who keeps misbehaving. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere,¡± he simply states. Ok, f u c k this. I¡¯m trying to be the biggest person here but clearly, he wasn¡¯t appreciating my effort. I stand up and the fact that I still have to tilt my head back to look at him just adds insult to the injury. ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to keep me locked up here!¡± I¡¯m not even trying to keep my voice down. I¡¯m passed caring about who hears us. That¡¯s his issue, not mine. He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. A breath puffs out of his mouth as the vein in his neck pops dangerously. Was it wise to be pocking him when he looked like he was already at his knife edge? No, definitely not. Did I care? No, definitely not. When he opens his eyes again, they are back to the ember-green orbs I know. ¡°What do you think is going to happen when you step a foot out of here?¡± He asks calmly, a contrast to what he was a few minutes ago. He arches an eyebrow in expectation of my answer when I stay silent. I have given that question some thought but voicing those thoughts out would make me sound so dumb. I want to go back to my house but I know for sure that there might be someone waiting for me to walk right into their trap. Aside from my house, I have no way else to go. ¡°Exactly.¡± He doesn¡¯t look smug like I expected. ¡°You can¡¯t leave at least not until we¡¯re sure that there isn¡¯t still someone after you. Do you understand that?¡± Time to retrace back my steps. ¡°Ok,¡± I nod and Caden looks like a weight has been lifted hon is shoulder. ¡°But¡­¡± I begin and his shoulders hunch again. ¡°I want you to train me,¡± I finish. ¡°Train you?¡± His brows furrow in confusion. ¡°I want to learn how to defend myself,¡± I spell out for him. When I came across those men in my house, the first thought that entered my head was to run away. I hated it. And if I ever wanted to find them and make them pay for my Mom¡¯s death then I needed to know how to fight. For that, I needed Caden¡¯s help and I was sure that he wasn¡¯t going to- ¡°No.¡± Comes Caden¡¯s answer. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Caden¡¯s POV She wants me to train her. I wasn¡¯t such an idiot that I couldn¡¯t put two and two together. Her wanting to learn how to defend herself only meant that she was nning something stup i d in that head of hers. Maybe she was nning to find her mother¡¯s murderer or was nning to run away as soon as she could throw a few punches. Either way, I wasn¡¯t going to be helping out in executing any foolish n of hers. If she was working on getting herself into trouble then she sure as hell was going to be doing it on her own. Her crestfallen face pinches at my heart but my resolve wasn¡¯t going to wither away just because she felt hurt. She was going to thank me when she still had her life. ¡°No?¡± She echoes. ¡°Why not?¡± I breathe in deeply, willing this conversation to be over already. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go and do something stu p i d.¡± She throws her hands up into the air.¡± I just want to learn how to fight,¡± she exims exasperatedly. ¡°How is that doing something stu p i d?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re going to try to get back at the people who killed your mother.¡± I might not know Alessia for that long but I did know some things about her. One of them being that she never backs down. She crosses her arms over her chest defensively and huffs. ¡°How would you know what I¡¯m going to do?¡± She asks with her chin jolting out stubbornly. The whole stance gave off a more adorable look than the defiant one she was probably going for. I force down an involuntary smile. ¡°I can see the look in your eyes,¡± I say, giving her a knowing look. Another thing about Alessia that I¡¯ve picked up on is that she is a bad liar and by bad, I mean sweaty palms, stuttering, eye twitching kind of bad. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t nning on doing that,¡± she stutters, her voice going high and low in several pitches. Just like I said. A very bad liar. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± I tell her, curious to see just how hard she¡¯s going to try to convince me otherwise. ¡°Caden, please.¡± She holds my hand, shocking me with the touch. ¡°Help me out here and I promise I won¡¯t try to run away again.¡± I narrow my eyes at her. ¡°You already promised me that,¡± I remind her. She groans, stomping her feet on the ground. M & J M BBBBBBBBBB Chapter 11 96% 11:22 I roll my eyes at her childish behavior and brush past her. ¡°So it¡¯s settled. You aren¡¯t leaving my pack and I¡¯m not going to help you get yourself killed.¡± Getting thest word in, I open the door and exit her room before she can dere that this war isn¡¯t over yet. I climb up the stairs to the top floor where my room is located. Opening the door, I shrug off my shirt and trousers, doing all that in the dark. Thank goodness for werewolves¡¯ heightened senses. Then I climb under my sheet and stare at my ceiling, my thoughts going back to Alessia like they seem to be doing nowadays. What exactly was I doing with her? I wasn¡¯t nning to keep her as my mate but I still haven¡¯t rejected her yet. Thinking about these things led me to emotions that I wasn¡¯t ready to decipher. You like her, Xavier taunts. That¡¯s why you haven¡¯t rejected her yet! ¡®I don¡¯t like her,¡¯ I snarl, even as my heart ski s a beat at my words. I also wasn¡¯t about to decipher the reason for that. In fact, I wasn¡¯t ready to decipher anything. ¡®Which Alpha do you think could be her father,¡¯ I ask, changing the subject away from my feelings for Alessia. There¡¯s no way of us knowing. Her mother ran away so it¡¯s possible that the Alpha in subject doesn¡¯t even know he has a missing daughter.¡± Another angle to it. If that¡¯s true then this situation just got a whole lot messier andplicated. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to let anything happen to her, Xavier tells me. ¡®We¡¯ll protect her.¡± We haven¡¯t agreed with a lot of things since Alessia fell into our life. This was one thing we both agreed on. ¡°Yes, we will, I reassure. I close my eyes, willing my brain to quiet down and let me get some much-needed rest. If I¡¯m going to deal with Alessia¡¯s continuous nagging tomorrow then I need to get some shut eye. At five am, I¡¯m off my bed and sliding on my workout gear. Then I go downstairs to find,my pack members surrounding the dinning table and munching on a banquet. ¡°Alpha,¡± Alex says, nodding my way as a form of greeting from the seat where he sat with his arm around. his mate¡¯s chair. Scarlett smiles at me and I give them both a curt nod in acknowledgment. I head to the table, grab an apple off it, and continue my path to the door without talking to anyone else. I like heading to the training grounds first to get a head state before others start pilling in. The quietness helps ground me and calms me on the inside. dd MM BBBBBBBBBB Chapter 11 ZN 96% 11:22 After a few minutes of doing my usual routine, people start milling in. Ever since the increase in rogue attacks, I have made it mandatory for everyone above the age of eighteen to have a session of training at least twice a week. If anything unfortunate should happen, I want them to be able to protect themselves and the young. Pouring my frustrations onto a punching bag, I keep my front to the entrance to take note of the people walking in. My punches slow down and I barely stop the bag from swinging into my face as I fix my gaze on who just walked in. It¡¯s Scarlett and chatting away beside her is¡­my mate. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Alessia¡¯s POV 96% 11:22 As I walk into the training ground with Scarlett by my side, I involuntary start searching for Caden and find him in front of a punching bag and¡­ staring at me? Nope. ring. Definitely ring at me. 1 trail my eyes down his body and have to take a moment to appreciate just how fine he is. Dragging my eyes back up his body to his eyes, I find him still ring at me and that appreciation dies. 1 I avoid his gaze, turning my head away from him andughing at something Scarlett just said. Scarlett has proved to be a reliable person and maybe even a friend. She showed me to the training grounds and even promised to help me out with some basic training skills. She walks ahead of me and picks up two dumbbells from a shelf pushed to the wall. She brings it over to where I¡¯m standing. ¡°These are one of the lightest weights. We¡¯ll start with this and move on to some heavier ones. She passes them over to me and I take them from her, barely hiding a groan at their weight. These were seriously some of the lightest? ¡°Ok,¡± I say tentatively, wondering how many times I could lift this without seeming like a weakling. ¡°Then afterward, we¡¯ll take someps around the track in human and wolf forms. Then move on to some basic fighting skills, she informs, smiling reassuringly at me. ¡°In no time, you¡¯ll be able to hold your own in a fight. ¡°Thank you for helping me. I really appreciate this.¡± I meant that. I want to learn how to fight and defend myself and I¡¯m grateful to her for helping me out. ¡°Don¡¯t mention-¡± Scarlett gets cut off as Caden stands between us. His green eyes are lit with the mes of hell as they burn. into mine. He grabs the dumbbells from me effortlessly. Showoff. ¡°What on earth do you think you¡¯re doing here?¡± He grits out, the vein on his neck popping out and distracting me for a second. Would that vein suddenly burst out one of these days? I trail my gaze away from it and back to his gaze. ¡°Scarlett is teaching me how to fight since you wouldn¡¯t.¡± That¡¯s right girl. Stand up for yourself. So what if he looks like he¡¯s five seconds away from strangling me and dumping my body in a dumpster? It¡¯s not like he can do that with all these witnesses. He couldn¡¯t¡­right? He turns over to Scarlett and I open my mouth, ready to defend her if I need to. Hold this for ma nvine the dumbbells over to her and Scarlett wordlessly takes them off Chapter 12 his hands. He turns back to me with the fire still present in his eyes. ¡°Come with me.¡± He ces his hand on the small of my back. To anyone, it looked like he was being a gentleman and guarding me out of there but I knew better. I was about to get an earful from him out of the view of these unsuspecting people. I could have stood my ground and prevented him from dragging me out, but something tells me that would just make my situation worse. ¡°I can walk by myself.¡± I whisper, taking care to keep my voice low to prevent the people with super hearing from eavesdropping. I could bet my left ear that half the people in here were straining their cars to get a whiff of our conversation. ¡°Shut it. We¡¯ll talk when we¡¯re out of here,¡± he whispers back and continues leading me away from the training grounds and in the direction of the pack house When we¡¯re a few good feet away. he stops and lets go of my back. I almost whimper at the great feeling of loss thates over me. Another second and I would have been begging him to put his hand back on me. Thankfully he starts talking. Or rather, yelling. ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± He asks exasperatedly. ¡°Do you just purposely go against my words to try and get a rise out of me?¡± I scoff. ¡°You think highly of yourself don¡¯t you.¡± As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret it. Why do I keep digging my grave deeper? Caden on the other hand looks about ready to burst into mes. If he was an animated character, I was very sure that he would have mesing out of his head. Of all the things I expected, it wasn¡¯t for Caden to just sigh and for his shoulders to dete. ¡°Just go back to the pack house,¡± he says, turning around and already dismissing me like I was an irate child. That¡¯s it? He¡¯s just going to walk away without even yelling or warning me off. Like he couldn¡¯t even be bothered. Like I wasn¡¯t worth it. I inust be a suck e r for punishment. That¡¯s the only reason why I stop Caden by yelling, ¡°I¡¯ll tell people that we¡¯re mates. Almost dramatically, Caden turns around, that fire back in his eyes and it makes me¡­happy? Was Caden right? Do I get off on riling him up? He walks back to me., What did you just say?¡± In a show of saving face, I cross my arms over my chest and jolt my chin out. ¡°I¡¯ll tell people we¡¯re mates if you don¡¯t let me train.¡± Figuring out that the ball was in my court, I take it up a notch, ¡°and you¡¯ll be JJ MMB B B B B B BBBB Chapter 12 UZN 90% 11:22 training me yourself.¡± What better way to learn something than to learn from the best? Caden looks at me unbelievably. Then he chuckles. That chuckle turns into augh and thatugh turns into a full-blown, belly-rumbling, knee-ppingughter. What the hell? Did I just break Caden? Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Caden¡¯s POV Was she seriously ckmailing me right now? The chit has some backbone that¡¯s for sure. N 96% 11:22 I can¡¯t help butugh at her attempt though. It¡¯s almost pitiable. 1 ¡°Why are youughing?¡± She asks, looking at me anxiously and a little worried. Can¡¯t say I me her though. 1 straighten up and wipe off a nonexistent tear from the side of my eye. ¡°You¡¯re funny. You know that right?¡± I tell her, giving her what possibly is the first smile that she has received from me. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be funny,¡± she spits out, her brows furrowing in barely concealed anger. ¡°I meant what I said.¡± The smile on my face disappears. ¡°No, sweetie, you weren¡¯t being serious.¡± I stalk over to her while holding her gaze, making sure she can see the look in my eyes that was probably murderous. ¡°If you¡¯re being serious then that would mean that you were ckmailing me,¡± I trail off. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be stu p i d enough to do that, would you?¡± Her mouth closes and opens like a fish out of water. A smirk makes its way to my face. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± As expected Alessia has no heat to her words. ¡°Go to the pack house,¡± I say in a firm voice, letting her know that I was tired of her nonsense. I turn around and start making my way back to the training grounds, the conversation with Alessia already pushed to the back of my mind.. ¡°Caden!¡± Alessia yells out to me. I barely stop myself from rolling my eyes as I turn to find her ring at me. She matches over to me and pokes me in the chest. ¡°I¡¯m been serious here.¡± The shock at having her poke me in the freaking chest fades away and makes way for anger. I grip her hand tightly, exacting more force than needed. Alessia whines and her eyes fall to the fist clenching her hand. Breathing in slowly, I release a bit of pressure from my hold but still keep her in my grip. ¡°We both know that you aren¡¯t.¡± I hold her gaze, daring her to tell me otherwise. Right in front of me, her whole resolve crumbles. ¡°Why won¡¯t you teach me?¡± Her eyes water and my chest. squeezes. ¡°I just want to learn how to defend myself. What¡¯s so wrong about that?¡± The anger in me goes out as a teardrop rolls down her face. CS & MM GGG GGG GGG Chapter 13 *UIN96% 11:22 ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself hurt,¡± I husk out, trying to remind myself why teaching her to fight was a bad idea. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she promises earnestly.. I know she¡¯s lying. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s going to give up a chance of getting her revenge and I just realize that nothing I say or do will change that. So, instead of trying to stop her, why not just help her? At least this way, I can keep an eye on her and make sure she is actually properly trained for whatever idea she has cooked up in her head. I can feel my resolve wither away before I even open my mouth, Tll teach you.¡± Her eyes brighten up as a huge smile takes over her face. ¡°No more ckmailing. One word about us being mates and I¡¯ll end the training,¡± I push out. It¡¯s not like I thought she would really spill out our secret but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise,¡± she rushes. She makes a notion of zipping up her mouth, locking it, and throwing the keys away. I fight away the smile that¡¯s trying to make its way to my face. Smiling about her silly antics will just make her feel morefortable around me and think that she could try something of this sort again. Better to shoot it down before it happens. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the training ground.¡± I let go of her head and started walking back to where we came from. I don¡¯t have to look back to know that she¡¯s hot on my heels. She appears beside me. ¡°Thank you so much for doing this.¡± ¡°Thank me by not doing something foolish,¡± I mutter, already feeling a pinch of regret settle into my chest. I hope I wasn¡¯t helping her head to her doom. Pirts WPI We get back to the training ground and I immediately head to the shelf of dumbbells, ones. that I dropped off with Scarlett. I walk over to Alessia and hand them over to her. ¡°Do fifty,¡± I instruct and take immense pleasure in watching her eyes turn to saucers. Maybe Alessia will run off and get rid of this idea, and I won¡¯t have to worry about her doing something stup d. But then her face hardens as she does the first lift and I worry that I may be wrong about her. She doesn¡¯t look like she is about to back down anytime soon. Thirty minutester, Alessia is panting as she does thest one and hands the dumbbells back to me. I conceal my surprise and take them from her. Ok, so maybe she was able to withstand that but will she be able tost till the end of the session? Dropping the dumbbells back onto the shelf, I pick up a pair of punching gloves next and walk back to her. dd MMG B B B B B BGG B Chapter 13 She fixes her gaze on the gloves in my hand and I can just feel the dread that washes over her. Ok, so maybe I¡¯m being a bit hard on her but she did ask for this. I¡¯m just giving her what she wants. 065 11:22 ¡°Wear this.¡± I pass them over to her and watch as she pulls them on, barely concealing a few whines that I know are products of her screaming muscle, I c o c k my head to a punching bag hanging from the ceiling. ¡°Let me see how hard your punches are. I want to know what I¡¯m walking with.¡± By the time I¡¯m done with her, Alessia might just be begging me to leave her alone. §Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó§Ó Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Alessia¡¯s POV Everything hurts. I feel like I¡¯ve been run over by a truck, pushed off a cliff, and then mmed into a wall repeatedly. I can¡¯t move off the bed but I also know that I can¡¯t stay in bed for the whole day. Not after basically begging Caden to help train me. It will just give him the perfect excuse he needs to end our sessions. My rise off my bed is filled with groans and whines that I¡¯m sure woke up the entire pack house. I¡¯m a werewolf with super healing strength but da m n, this pain is something else. By the time I¡¯ve managed my way out of the bed, all my muscles are screaming at me and my shaky legs. seem about ready to give up at any moment. I manage to force myself to head into the bathroom and do the least I can in my morning routine. I¡¯m pulling on my workout gear when my door flies open. Thankfully, I¡¯m in gym shorts and I still have my tank top from the previous night on but I still find it right to call him out on it, ¡°can¡¯t you knock?¡± Caden simply closes the door behind him and walks into the room. ¡°You werete. You were supposed to be at the training grounds ten minutes ago.¡± He stands in the middle of my room and trails his gaze up and down my body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He asks, an eyebrow arched. He must have noticed the awkward way I was standing and the pain I¡¯m very sure is written all over my face. ¡°Nothing.¡± I force out, cing a smile that ends in a whine as I stretch the muscles on my face. Goddd, I feel like I¡¯m being pierced with a thousand needles. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± He tersely asks and grips my arm. ¡°Where are you hurt?¡± 1 yelp, curling my bottom lip in to hold out a scream. That hurts,¡± I whimper, trying to pull my arm out of his hold. Caden drops it like it wasced with wolfband. ¡°You didn¡¯t have a cold bath after our session?¡± He asks incredulously, looking at me like I¡¯ve grown two heads. ¡°Cold bath?¡± I ask confused. Cold bath? How on earth was I supposed to know I was meant to take a cold bath after those exercises? That was the first time I so much as threw a punch so how was I supposed to know that? Caden groans and runs his fingers through his hair as he stares at me like he doesn¡¯t know what to do with AS & AMB GB BBBB Chapter 14 me. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to the training ground today.¡± Caden states, looking at me with something akin to worry. ¡°No.¡± I rush out, knowing this was what would happen. ¡°I want to learn. I¡¯m not that hurt. I make a show of clenching my fist and punching the air but it ends in a yell. ¡°You are going to hurt yourself more than you would learn anything. He walks into my bathroom and I follow him mindlessly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask as he crunches down beside the bathtub and fills it with water ¡°Running an ice bath for you,¡± he replies without looking back at me. Then he stands up and looks down at my body. ¡°Undress. I¡¯ll be back with some ice soon,¡± he says, heading out of the bathroom and leaving me standing alone. After a second of wondering what was happening, I peel away the clothes off my body as slowly as I can and wrap my naked body in a fluffy towel. I hear the door to the room opening again and then Caden appears in the bathroom doorway with a bag of ice in his hand. He walks over to the bathtub, not even sparing me a gaze, and pours the whole bag into it. 1 inch over to it, thinking about how cold it was going to be. Some puff of icy smoke wasing out of it and I wasn¡¯t looking forward to sinking into that icy hell. ¡°Get in,¡± Caden says, dropping the empty ice bag on the bathroom counter and turning to face me. I look at my towel-sped body and then back at him, hoping he gets the memo without me having to spell it out for him. ¡°Soak in it for twenty minutes at least,¡± he mutters, heading for the door. ¡°I¡¯m going over to the training grounds and you¡¯re not to leave the house in my absence.¡± Did he really think I would run away in this state? And even if I did, how far would I get before he caught up with me and dragged me back? Something tells me it won¡¯t be that far. ¡°After the cold bath, you¡¯ll pretty much be back to normal but I don¡¯t want you heading over to the training ground,¡± he bites out. ¡°Your session with continue tomorrow.¡± I nod, waiting for him to get out so I can soak into what I hope will soothe my worn-out muscles. Throwing onest gaze at me, Caden walks out of the bathroom and out of the room, closing the door behind him with a click, I sigh outwardly, dropping the towel to the ground and rising a foot into the bathtub. A shiver runs down my spine from the temperature but overall, it isn¡¯t as bad as I thought it would be. 2/3 Chapter 14 I immerse my whole body in the water and rest my back against the edge of the bathtub. Closing my eyes, I breathe out deeply as I feel my muscles loosen up. I don¡¯t know how long I stayed in there but by the time I open my eyes again, the ice in the bathtub is almost fully melted and my skin has turned puffy. I climb out and nearly moan at the soft relief of no more sore muscle. That bath worked like magic and I hate to say it but maybe Caden isn¡¯t all that bad. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Alessia¡¯s POV Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, I find my way out of my room and into the main room. Aside from my experience with Julianna, no one else has given me grief. Add in the fact that Scarlett is an amazing person and I feel like I owe it to myself to try and make friends with the people living here. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯m going to be staying here and finding new acquaintances seems like the next best thing to do. mission! With my mind, I stand at the entrance to the room and start scouting for a possible friend ande up short. Most of the people around seem half my age and the ones closer to my age are moving around the house hastily, obviously upied. They don¡¯t look like they¡¯ll be willing to stop what they are doing to make friends with me. It finally dawns on me that everyone else is at the training grounds and my mood immediately detes. Dejected, I turn around to head back to my room and spend another day with only myself forpany. ¡°Alessia,¡± a tiny voice squeals and it grabs my attention to the little girl running towards me. She stops in front of me with a huge smile on her face and I knee to get to her height. ¡°Hey, Lucy. How are you doing today?¡± I ask, looking at her pink dress that is covered with glitters. Seems like someone is having a lot of fun. Unlike me. My mood turns sullen again as I¡¯m reminded that I have no friends here. ¡°Chef and I with some of my friends are making biscuits. Do you want to join us?¡± Her eyes hold hope as I contemte my options.. Staying in my room all by my lonesome self or joining Lucy and some other kids to make biscuits that we¡¯ll probably end up eating. It wasn¡¯t really a hard choice. ¡°Of course, I would love to join you.¡± I smile at her and get up to my feet. Taking hold of her hand- because it¡¯s so freaking cute and tiny, I lead us into the kitchen where a dozen. little kids are surrounding a woman that seems to be in herte fifties. ¡°Mrs Smith,¡± Lucy calls out as we draw closer to thedy. ¡°I brought a friend along,¡± she announces, and a dozen eyes belonging to little kids settle on me. I squirm under their watchful gazes. Kids could be brutal sometimes. ¡°Hey, dear,¡± the woman greets me with a smile on my face. Her eyes narrow as she observes me. ¡°I haven¡¯t 1/3 J J ¥³ 96% 11:23 seen you around here before.¡± Then she makes an ¡®O¡¯ shaped sign with her lips. ¡°You¡¯re Caden¡¯s guest. right?¡± I may just be imagining it but when she said guest, it sounded like she was implying something else. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I answer back with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Alessia,¡± I introduce, waving at the little kids still watching me inquisitively. ¡°Come sit with me.¡± Lucy tugs on my hand to get my attention. I look down at her to find her pointing at the counter that has several stools around it. Following her to the counter, I ce her on a seat and take the one beside her. Now v seems like the perfect time to ask the questions that have been pondering my mind for a while. And who better to ask than an unsuspecting kid who probably has all the answers I need? ¡°Lucy,¡± I call out in a low voice and she lifts her head from the coloring book that she¡¯s intensely focused on. ¡°Yes,¡± she answers in a tiny voice. ¡°Is Caden your father?¡± I mutter. Her face scrunches up in utter disgust. ¡°E. He¡¯s my big brother.¡± The instant relief that I feel is almost embarrassing. Jeez, I need to get a grip on myself. Now that it has been brought up, I just realize that I haven¡¯t caught a glimpse of their parents. Did something happen to them? I¡¯m just about to ask her the next question on my mind when a bowlnds in the middle of the table, making me jump out of my skin like I¡¯ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. I trace the hands holding the bowl up to the face of Mrs Smith. ¡°Ok kids, let¡¯s huddle up and make some biscuits,¡± she says cheerfully and a crowd of children surrounds the countertop a secondter, each trying to hop onto a stool. y pushes her coloring book to the side and focuses all her attention on Mrs Smith. Lucy ¡°Alessia, you¡¯ll be my assistant today.¡± Mrs Smith says it in a firm voice that lets me know, that she wasn¡¯t asking but telling me. I get down from my seat, helping a little boy who was standing on the side climb onto it. Moving over to Mrs Smith¡¯s side, I help her pull out the rest of the ingredients that will be needed for the biscuits. When all of our items have been assembled on the countertop, we start directing the kids on what to do. We help the kids pour the flour into the bowl and add the butter. It¡¯s a messy but fun job. I watch as the kids manage to get more flour on the floor and themselves than into the bowl. @S & AMB B B B B D D D D Chapter 15 96% 11:23 After that stressful experience, Mrs. Smith and I decided to add and stir the other ingredients ourselves. After the batter is ready, we let the kids fill the various shaped pans with it. We pop the pans in the oven while the kids help to clean up the mess they made. Two rolls of kitchen paper and ten napkinster, the kitchen starts to go back to its former glory. The dinging of the oven pulls our attention back to our baked goods. The kids shuffle and jump on their seats as Mrs Smith brings out the pans. She doesn¡¯t bring it to the counter knowing that the kids will probably jump onto it and end up hurting themselves. While the biscuits cool down, we bring out some sprinkles and any other thing that will be nice to have with the biscuits. The front door opening, followed by the sound of loud voices have the kids getting down from their seats. to greet the adults. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Caden¡¯s POV I enter the pack house to see Lucy running towards me like she always does. ¡°Hey sweetie.¡± I greet as she jumps into my open arms. I set her on my hip and wiped the flour stain on her check. ¡°What did you do today?¡± I ask, already knowing the answer. ¡°We made biscuits,¡± she replies excitedly. ¡°I can see that,¡± I say, dusting a speck of flour from her hair. She¡¯s going to be needing a very long bath to get all this from her body and hair. ¡°Alessia helped us,¡± she announces just as the subject of our talk steps out of the kitchen. She walks over and stops in front of me. ¡°How did the training go?¡± She asks. I can¡¯t help but notice how domesticated this is. It looks like I came home from work to be greeted by my wife and sister at the front door. It leaves me feeling uneasy. ¡°It was ok.¡± I set Lucy down on the ground and she flies into the kitchen, leaving Alessia and I in a bubble of awkwardness. Alessia clears her throat and shifts on her foot as she looks around her. I take a good look at her and notice that just like the other night, the shirt she has on is falling off her shoulders. I made a men t a l note to remedy that and now seems like the time for it. ¡°Follow me,¡± I order, taking hold of her hand and dragging her towards the door. ¡°Where are you taking me to?¡± Alessia asks but that¡¯s the only objection she makes. She doesn¡¯t try to pull her hand out of my hold or dig her foot into the ground. I smile at that. It seems my little brat is learning quickly. My thoughts halt as I register that I just referred to Alessia as mine. When did I start thinking of her in that way? ¡°Answer me.¡± Her whining pulls me away from my thoughts. Stopping in front of a Toyota Camry that was hardly ever in use, I gesture for her to get in but she just stands there and keeps staring at me. I huff, walking around the car to the passenger¡¯s side and pulling open the door for her. Then I dramatically bow down and gesture a hand into the car. ¡°Would you please do me the honor of getting into the car?¡± I ask, my tone dripping with sarcasm. She crosses her arms over her chest. ¡°Not until you tell me where you¡¯re taking me to. You could be driving Chapter 16 G 9 me out to the woods to bury me in a ditch for all I know.¡± *UIN 967 11:23 With a groan, I consider actually following through with that idea. Why was this girl so insufferable ¡°I¡¯m taking you to get a new set of clothes,¡± I admit, already regretting the kind act. Maybe I should have given this task to someone else. If only she didn¡¯t tend to try and run away at every chance she got. ¡°Oh,¡± she mumbles dumbly. ¡°You could have simply told me that.¡± With an eyes roll, she walks to my side and slides into the car. Rolling my eyes as well, I shut the door and round the car to the driver¡¯s seat where I slide in and insert the keys into the ignition. The car was so out of use that 1 silently prayed for it to still be working when I turn it on. on Thankfully, the car roars to life and I shift it into gear, peeling out of the driveway where it was parked. I continue driving without a word from Alessia and I appreciate the peace and quiet for however will last. When we get into town, it changes. ¡°Why did we have to go into town to get me clothes?¡± I don¡¯t have to look at her to know that her nose is scrunched up in confusion. long it ¡°The mall in our territory isn¡¯t much.¡± In fact, a lot of us had to go into town when we needed certain things. It wasn¡¯t that we didn¡¯t have good malls or stores in the pack territory, but they were just some things that you will find at a better quality outside the pack territory. Clothes happen to be one of them. I pull up in front of a two-story building called Fortmate Gorcery and Mall. It was a ce that my pack members regrly frequented and a ce that I¡¯ve visited myself. Turning off the engine, I shift my torso sideways to face Alessia. ¡°Behave well when we get inside. You can¡¯t let anyone know you¡¯re a werewolf. That means no funny business,¡± I warn sternly. Alessia nods and I grab the keys out of the ignition and get out of the car. I¡¯m rounding the car to get to Alessia¡¯s side when she slides out of the car. ¡°Follow me,¡± I tell her, walking in front of her and leading her to the entrance? We get in and I immediately head in the direction of the mall. Alessia follows closely behind me but I don¡¯t let my guards down just yet. This was exactly the kind of scene in the woods before she hightailed it when I wasn¡¯t looking. I push open a pair of ss doors and hold them open for Alessia to pass through. The mall we¡¯re standing in isn¡¯t overly fancy. They had the basic wears that someone would need and each item was in various sizes and different shades. The variety was one of the reasons why this mall was well known. Chapter 16 1 DZN 965 11:23 ¡°Pick out whatever you need,¡± I tell Alessia who is simply staring at the mall with a neutral expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for whatever you pick out,¡± I add, in case her thoughts were leading her down that path. ¡°Ok,¡± she mumbles, still staring at the space and rack of clothes around us. ¡°I¡¯ll be over there.¡± I point over to a chair pushed to the wall where I could be able to have an unobstructed view of the entire store and Alessia. Walking over to it, I settle down and get ready for what I know is going to be an unbearably long time. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Alessia¡¯s POV 1 watch as Caden takes a seat on the chair pushed over to the wall. Walking over to the racks lined up. I start browsing for anything that might catch my eye. As much as I hate depending on someone for my basic necessities, I also hate wearing someone else¡¯s clothes. I might just so happen to hate thetter a little bit more. So here I¡¯m, epting Caden¡¯s help and looking for new sets of clothes. I pick out random clothes off the rack that happen to catch my eve Throwing one look back at Caden to find him still staring at me, I walk into the changing room and shut the door behind me. In the privacy of the changing room, I peel off my clothes and put the first outfit on. It¡¯s a cute sweatpants with a matching shirt. It¡¯s a nice andfy outfit that I could wear around the pack house. I try on all the outfits, sorting them out into two piles; the ones I was buying and the ones I was keeping back on the rack. Currently, the two piles were almost equal in height. I pick up thest outfit and wonder why I had taken it off the rack. It was a pretty little ck dress that had a sca tt e r of gems around it. It¡¯s the kind of dress you would wear to a fancy event or a dinner date. Things that I would never be able to attend any time soon. So why did I pick out this dress? Opening the zipper, I pull on the dress and struggle to zip it back up. With a gasp, I admire the image staring back at me from the mirror. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had something this pretty. Or expensive. I run my hand over the bodice, marveling at how the light catches on the gems at all the perfect angles. It¡¯s such a beautiful dress. Too bad I couldn¡¯t have it. With a sigh, I reach behind me to unzip the dress to put it back on the shelf. I stiffen as the zipper refuses to give out. No matter how much I tugged on it, it didn¡¯t give way. Anxiety starts crawling up my spine as I realize how screwed I was. With onest attempt, I try to get the dress off by lifting it up my body and over my head. This just worsen my case and nearly got stuck on the way up. I push it back down my body and pant from a shortage of breath. The only thing I¡¯ve managed to achieve was to shorten my breath and nearly dislocate my arms. Dread ms into me as I realize what it is that I have to do. I need to call out to Caden and ask for his help. ¡°Caden,¡± I whisper yell, knowing he¡¯ll be able to hear me just fine. ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± Caden¡¯s voicees from the other side of the door and I close my eyes, breathing in deeply to prepare myself for the embarrassing moment about to happen. Chapter 17 ¡°I-I¡¯m stuck in my dress,¡± I whisper, wanting the ground to open up and swallow me. ¡°Pleasee in and help unzip me. I don¡¯t want to rip the dress I would have to buy it if that happened and the money wasn¡¯t a meager amount. The door squeaks open to show Caden with a confused expression on his face which lessens when he sees me in the dress I¡¯m in. I turn around, mostly to hide my red face and also for him to help with the stuck zipper. ¡°I tried it on and it got stuck. Could you help me out of it?¡± I feel his heat behind me before I feel his touch. His hand slides up the center of my back in search of the zipper and finds it at the top of the zipped-up dress, He pulls on it but it doesn¡¯t make it less stuck. Caden¡¯s hand reaches for my hair, his fingers brushing my nape as he moves my hair over to the side. Goosebumps break out over my skin at the graze and I hope that he doesn¡¯t notice it. Though I doubt it went past him. He doesn¡¯tment on it though. He tries again and this time, after a few seconds of him pulling on the zipper, I feel it slide down as I finally breathe freely without the tightness from the dress. I know my bare back will be exposed since I had taken off my bra while trying to get into the dress. The dress had a built-in bra so there had been no need to wear one in the dress.. I hold the front of the dress and quickly turn around to face Caden. I stiffen as our eyes lock together. His pupils are blown out and I gasp at how dark they are. Clearing my throat, I pull my gaze away from his. Thank you for that, I mumble, waiting for him to move out of the closet so I could pull this dress off me and shove it back into the rack where I found it. Caden¡¯s gaze is still locked on mine as his eyes roan over my face and lower. One second he¡¯s staring at me as though he doesn¡¯t know if to kiss and then in the next second, that lookpletely disappears. ¡°I¡¯ll be outside,¡± he announces in a monotone. I nod, not knowing what other answer to give. Caden walks out and I quickly jerk the dress off my body. Adding it to the pile of things I wasn¡¯t taking with me, I pick up the two piles in separate hands and walk out of the changing room. Time to get this over with T Chapter 18 Chapter 18 hapter 18 Caden¡¯s POV I¡¯m fighting with my wolf as I move back to where I was formerly seated. She¡¯s our mate. Why can¡¯t we have her?!¡¯ Xavier growls, his teeth baring at me. sway We can¡¯t. We just can¡¯t. We have fought about a lot of things and most times, I let Xavier have his because he always wanted what was best for us. This time, I¡¯m not giving way for him. Alessia may be our mate but that was going to be it. We aren¡¯t going to mate with her or stake our im on her. Overall, everything will be so much easier if I just reject her and put an end to all this, but for the life of me, I can¡¯t do that. I can¡¯t bring myself to say the words. G o d knows I¡¯ve tried to do so countless times. Xavier shuts me out and I sigh, knowing that I¡¯m going to have to increase my runs to get him back on my good side and even that may not work. I¡¯m well and truly screwed. Five minutester, Alessia steps out of the changing room with her previous clothes back on, holding onto two piles of clothe I stand up and walk over to her. ¡°You¡¯re done?¡± I ask, ready to go back to the pack house and recollect myself. Being alone in Alessia¡¯s space is a dangerous thing. ¡°Yes, I just need to put this pile away, she answers, looking down at the pile on her right hand where on top of it is the ck dress that she got stuck in.. I take them from her hold. ¡°Go wait in the line. I¡¯ll put these away and meet you there.¡± I take away the pile of clothes before she can voice out aint. She nods and walks in the direction of the check out where there¡¯s a bit of a line. I wait until her back is turned to me before I move for a rack and put back the clothes, minus the ck dress. That one ising home with me. Then I quickly pick out a in white T-shirt and some jeans, bundling the dress in the middle of them. I walk over to Alessia and hand my credit card over to the cashier when it¡¯s time for her to ring up our items. Thankfully, Alessia¡¯s gaze is fixed on something else so she doesn¡¯t notice when thedy adds the ck dress to our bag of clothes. I quickly sneak the dress into the bags containing my clothes and hand over the other bag to Alessia. ¡°Thank you,¡± she says as she takes the bag from me. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to repay you. I promise, she whispers. ¡°Ok,¡± I answer, knowing this is what she needs to hear to feel alright about epting my help. Something tells me that she wasn¡¯t used to being dependent on anyone other than herself. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the pack house.¡± MBBBBBBBBBBI *Ëij¼ 95% 11:23 Chapter 18 I lead her back to the car, opening the back seat and throwing our bags on the seat. Then we slide into the car and I drive us back to the house. When we get to the house I park out in the front and leave the engine running. ¡°Take your bag. I want to go park the car at the back,¡± I tell her and watch as she gets out and opens the back seat. She pulls out her bag and just before she closes the door, she mumbles another quick thank you. For some reason, I find myself smiling as I back the car and drive around to the garage to put it away. Grabbing my bag from the back seat, I lock up the car and start heading for the front of the pack house. Just as I¡¯m about to turn the handle on the front door to open it, I hear a conversation from the other side of it. ¡°You s l u t! Are you throwing yourself at Caden to get new clothes?¡± An irritating voice asked. I immediately know who the voice belongs to and my blood boils as I twist the door kn b and push the door open. I find Julianna all up in Alessia¡¯s space and backing her into the wall. My wolf growls, seeing red and I feel my ws dig into my palm. Moving over to them, I stand behind Julianna and Alessia¡¯s eyes flick up to mine. She must have seen the danger in them because hers widen. ¡°Julianna,¡± I growl lowly u DER my breath, fighting to keep my wolf in check. Goosebumps break out over her exposed back and her spine stiffens as she turns to face me. ¡°A- alpha,¡± she stutters, bowing her head down. ¡°What how on earth do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I step into her space like she did with Alessia.ght a guest into my pack and this is how you show your hospitality? By harassing her and questioning morals?¡± She must have realized just how much trouble she¡¯s in because she breaks into a s o b and falls to her knees. ¡°Forgive me Alpha. It wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me. Apologize to my guest who you offended,¡± I whisper darkly. Julianna nearly falls onto her butt as she turns around on her knees to face Alessia. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for insulting you. Please forgive me.¡± By this time, we¡¯re already drawing a crowd as people hurdle up with confused expressions on their faces, wondering what the f u c k was happening. I need to end this. ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t let you off this easily,¡± I growl at Julianna. ¡°Get out of my sight.¡± She scrabbles to her feet and flees out of the room, shoving and pushing through the crowd. 2/3 && MNB BBBBBBBBB1 Chapter 18 N Alessia is still pressed to the wall and staring at me with the same expression on the crowd¡¯s faces. Confusion. 95% 11:23 I clear my throat and turn my gaze to the crowd. Within a second, they¡¯re tripping over each other to get out of my view. With onest nce at Alessia, I pass the now-empty hallway to my room. On the way up the stairs, I remember the dress I got for Alessia and turn around to head for her room instead. I open the door slowly to find the room thankfully empty. I quickly drop the dress on her bed and exit the room like I was never there. MM BB BBBBBBBB I Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Alessia¡¯s POV 95% 11:24 I walk behind Caden as we move deeper into the woods. Wee to a halt and I nearly bump into him because I¡¯m staring at his a s s instead of looking at where we are headed. Caden throws me a look with a raised eyebrow that is answered with a blush from i me. I can¡¯t exin it but something has changed. At least something has changed for me. I no longer hate Caden as much as I wished I did. It started when he defended me from Julianna and then finding the ck dress that I wanted on my bed created a turmoil of conflicting emotions within me. Then when I tried to thank him for the dress, he shut down my attempt by reminding me that I had promised to pay him back for the clothes. I mean, I¡¯m meant to hate him because he¡¯s keeping me imprisoned but then, if he did let me go, where would I even go to? Basically, Caden is the only hope I have and in a way, I¡¯m thankful that he hasn¡¯t dropped me on my a s s yet. Wait¡­is this what they call stockholm syndrome? Am I in love with my kidnapper? I¡¯m pulled out of my thoughts by Caden¡¯s harsh tone. ¡°I said undress,¡± he bites out, letting me know that this isn¡¯t the first time he has said those words to me. A tint of embarrassment in the form of a blush graces my cheeks and I turn around to do as he said, knowing that there was no way he was going to let me go behind a tree. Not after the trick I pulledst week. In fact, I¡¯m ever surprised that he¡¯s letting me have a run. However, he did heavily threaten me and provide me with vivid images of what he¡¯d do to me if I even thought about running away. I quickly strip down and just as I¡¯m about to take off myst piece of clothing, I hear Caden shifting. I shift as well before turning around to face a wolf with a midnight ck coat. Xavier. I found out Caden¡¯s wolf name from Scarlett and I¡¯ve been itching to get a good look at it since then. Apart from the brief moment that it disyed its strength by mming me into the ground, I haven¡¯t gotten at glimpse since then. ¡®He¡¯s beautiful, Zuri breathed out with a sigh, and so strong! I have to agree with her on that. Xavier is beautiful. His coat is dark and glows in the night light. He is about the height of an average man and he¡¯s huge. Walking closer to him, Zuri rubs her snout on his fur, feeling the soft fur. 1/3 13 ? ? 0 Z 11:24 Chapter 19 Xavier in return nudges Zuri away with his head pressed into her side. It almost seems like they¡¯re ying with each other. Something I never thought to be possible When Xavier growls lowly and pushes Zuri again, I definitely know that he¡¯s ying it with her. It makes the big ck beast less scary and maybe even a little adorable. Zuri runs a bit to the front and looks behind her to check if Xavier is following and sure enough he¡¯s directly behind her. She then strutters for a bit before turning around to wait for Xavier to join her. When he gets to her side, she rolls onto him and pushes both of them to the ground. Just as I¡¯m sure that Xavier is about to have our heads for that trick, he rolls us over so he¡¯s on top and then he buries his face into Zuri¡¯s shoulder, using his fang to graze her flesh. After a few seconds of doing that, he lifts his head up and rubs his snout on Zuri¡¯s. They y around for close to half an hour and Zuri has the time of her life; ying with Xavier and running freely in a wide space. I know that she¡¯s going to be talking about this for days toe. Weter shift back to our human forms and change back into our clothes. ¡°Tell me about werewolves,¡± I ask Caden when we¡¯re together again. The only things I know about werewolves are the ones that my mother told me about. She wasn¡¯t one of us so definitely there were stuff she didn¡¯t know about. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± He asks, walking the path back to the pack house. ¡°Everything,¡± 1 answer. ¡°Tell me about mate.¡± That¡¯s one thing that has been bugging me ever since I found out I have one. I know nothing about mates. Like what are they to do together? What would happen if one decided that they didn¡¯t like their mate? Are they just forced to live together forever? A shiver goes through me at that thought. I can¡¯t imagine being forced to spend a lifetime with Caden when it¡¯s obvious that he doesn¡¯t want me as a mate. Caden stiffens and my brow furrows, What is his adversary to mates? First, he deres that he wants nothing to do with me and now, at the mention of the topic, he stiffens up. ¡°Mates are chosen by the Moon goddess herself.¡± He clears his throat. ¡°They are meant to love one another, strengthen their mate bond by marking each other, mate, and spend their life together. ¡°What happens when one doesn¡¯t want to mate or mark their mate?¡± I ask the question on my mind, waiting expectantly for an answer. Caden pauses, not saying anything for a while. ¡°They reject them.¡± Reject them? How does one do that? 2/3 &&B DDDDDDDDD Chapter 19 95% 11:24 Something tells me that it wouldn¡¯t be right to ask Caden such a question so I keep shut. Besides, Caden isn¡¯t the only person that I can ask. I make a ment a l note to ask Scarlett about it the next time I run into her. We walk the rest distance in silence and I go up to my room, still wondering about how to reject one¡¯s mate J Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Alessia¡¯s POV I¡¯m angry at Caden. Then again, when am I not? I just can¡¯t understand him. His inscrutable facade annoys me and now, I¡¯m trying to take that annoyance out on him. Keyword: Trying. ¡°Harder,¡± Caden growls,nding a blow to my shoulder and winding me. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to knock out an opponent of twice your size with these weak punches.¡± I upgraded from using a punching bag as my sparing partner and for the past few days, I¡¯m been sparing with Caden. It hasn¡¯t been easy. To think I thought Caden was difficult to bear when he was yelling at me from the side of a punching bag. Fighting him has got nothing on that. The fact that he isn¡¯t taking it easy on me makes me both happy and scared for my life. How long will I survive this training? My wondering thoughts leave my stomach exposed and Caden takes advantage of it, throwing a punch at me that leaves me with my butt on the ground. I¡¯ve passed the stage of being embarrassed at how many people are witnessing my failure day after day. All I want now is to wipe that f u c k i n g smug smile that appears on his face every time I fail. ¡°Get out of your head,¡± he throws at me from my position on the floor. I huff. Of course, he noticed that I wasn¡¯t focused. He always does. I lift myself off the floor and back onto my feet, ready for another round with Caden. No matter how many times Ind on my butt. I always pick myself back up and face him. ¡°Again,¡± he says, going back into position. We circle around each other for a minute and then I see it¡­my opening. A chance to finally throw what will be my first punch at Caden. I take it, rushing forward and going straight for my mark. Unfortunately, like I should have foreseen, Caden dodges it like he always does and then I¡¯m flying past him and heading straight for the ground. I close my eyes waiting for the impact that doesn¡¯te. When I open them up, I find Caden¡¯s face level with mine and his arms wrapped around me, holding me up and preventing another embarrassing fall. My eyes drift down to his lips, tracing the perfect bow with my gaze. When I lift my gaze back to his, I find them locked on my lips and my breath hushs, my tongue peeking out to lick my suddenly dry lips. I JJ HNB B B B B B BBG BI Chapter 20 11:24 eyes darken as they follow my movement and just as I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s definitely about to kiss me, he pulls away. Back to square one. With a sigh, I wipe the feeling of hurt in my chest and pull away from his hold. I don¡¯t even bother to look around to see if anyone noticed our almost kiss. He clears his throat, the vein in his neck popping. ¡°That¡¯s all for today. We continue from here tomorrow. I don¡¯t get any words out before I¡¯m watching his back as he heads over to a group of teenagers. I sigh heavily, feeling totally exhausted from both the fight and Caden¡¯s mood swings. Is this how it¡¯s meant to be? Is he going to keep trying to kiss me and then pull away at the veryst second? When Caden is done training me for the day, he leaves me to my own means and sometimes I continue training. Other times, I just head back to the pack house to lick my wounds while I soak in cold water. Today happens to be thetter. I turn around without looking at Caden and head for the exit. Halfway through my walk, I hear footsteps hurry behind me and turn around to find Scarlett trying to catch up with me. I stop and wait for her. Shees to a halt beside me and looks at me with something akin to pity that leaves me feeling confused. ¡°I saw you with Caden,¡± she informs, that expression still on her face. Great. I bet the whole pack saw us. At this point, do people actually believe Caden¡¯s half-baked lies? I force a smile onto my face. ¡°It was nothing. I just lost myself for a second there. Thankfully, nothing happened,¡± I wheeze. I¡¯m a terrible liar and Scarlett must have noticed it as well because her expression doesn¡¯t change. ¡°Caden is just¡­¡± She trails off, looking for the right words to use. ¡°How do you reject your mate?¡± I ask, cutting her off. Her eyes whip at me and widen in shock. ¡°You want to reject Caden?¡± She asked, sounding astounded. I shake my head, keeping my eyes straight ahead. ¡°I just want to know more about mates,¡± I answer, telling the truth. The idea of rejecting Caden may have urred to me a few times but it held no concrete. If our dynamic should change, it will be because of Caden and not because I rejected him. UZN 95% 11:24 Chapter 20 Scarlett sighs in relief, closing her eyes as she ces a palm on her chest. What was that about? Is she holding out hope of Caden and me working out our differences? I¡¯m almost tempted to tell her not to hold her breath. ¡°To reject your mate, you have to say your name, position, and the pack you reside in. Announce that you want to reject them and that¡¯s it,¡± she exins, using tiny gestures with her hands. It sounds so easy but I know it¡¯s anything but. ¡°What happens afterward?¡± I ask. The mate bond destroys and the both of them are free of each other. Some werewolves aren¡¯t able to bear the loss and end up running insane or going rogue.¡± She shivers. Running insane or going rogue? Dear G o d, am I going to be stuck with Caden forever? Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 POV Alessia¡¯s POV I¡¯ve starteding out of my room more often. Mostly to chat away with Scarlett, y with Lucy and the other kids, or simply to grab a quick snack from the kitchen. Today happens to be one of those days where I¡¯m simply grabbing something from the kitchen. I reach up for the cupboard where the snacks such as Doritos and chips are kept. With a frustrated groan, I §Õ§à in search of the stool I normally used to grab the snacks. Why they put them so high up was far beyond me. Do they think everyone was just naturally that tall? I drag the chair over and climb onto it, using it to open the cupboard and bring out the Doritos bag that had brought me out of my room in the first ce. With a smile, I proceed to demount from the stool when the legs start wiggling. My eyes widen as I realize what is going to happen next. I clutch the Doritos to my chest as a form of support and brace myself for the impact which doesn¡¯t come. ¡°Are you ok up there?¡± A voice calls out from below me. I look down to find bright blue eyes tw in k l i n g up at me with concern ingrained in them. The stranger got hold of the unstable chair and saved me from a painful fall. I quickly hop down from the death contraption and smile at the person who saved my a s s. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. Then since this is the first time I¡¯m meeting him- not including the few times that I¡¯ve hand passed him in the hallway or sat across him at the dining table- I introduce myself, stretching out my for a handshake before I can stop myself. ¡°I¡¯m Alessia,¡± I inform even though I¡¯m sure he probably already heard about me from the rumors mill flying all around the pack house. Not trying to brag or anything but I¡¯m the talk of the pack. He smiles, looking down at my hand and epting it. ¡°I¡¯m Jake. I¡¯m a warrior of the pack,¡± he introduces, holding my hand for a while longer than socially appropriate. I awkwardly pull my hand from his and shift on my foot, looking for a proper way out to head back to my room. ¡°I and some other friends are ying some games in case you want to join us.¡± He ends his request with a shrug letting me know that the choice is up to me, and that he wouldn¡¯t mind if I choose to escape to my room. I look at the ce he gestured to and find a crowd of people, most of them my age and some looking older. They¡¯re all surrounding a table and ying what looks to be a card of game with alcohol at the side. I know wolves didn¡¯t get drunk so the alcohol was probably just there for fun. I chew on my bottom lip, conflicted on what to choose. Finally, I look back at Jake who¡¯s still standing dd MMB B BBBBBBBB Chapter 21 patiently and waiting for my answer. 95% 11:25 ¡°Yes, I¡¯d love to join you guys, I offer. ¡°Though I¡¯m not really good at cards. I grimace at the end of my words. That was an understatement. I sucked terribly at cards. He chuckles, heading for the fridge. ¡°It¡¯s ok. It is not a serious game. We¡¯re just trying to while away time.¡± he exins, pulling out a beer from the fridge and I breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°You could juste sit with us and watch¡± I could do that. It doesn¡¯t seem like a big deal so I nod and follow him to the table where everyone is huddled together. ¡°Guys, this Alessia, Jake announces, gesturing to me. ¡°She¡¯s joining us.¡± Heys, Hellos, and a few smiles are thrown my way as I take a seat beside Jake on a couch. Jake ratters off some names that I try my d a m n e s t to memorize. ¡°So, Alessia where are you from?¡± A guy sitting at my other side asks, Frank I think was his name, and conversations hush as everyone turns to stare at me. I swallow. ¡°From the neighboring town,¡± I answer, praying they don¡¯t see through the lic. The guy opens up his mouth again, probably to ask another question but is cut off by Jake. ¡°You all need to stop bothering my new friend. I don¡¯t want you driving her away,¡± he jokes and everyoneughs, turning back to what they were doing before the question was brought up. I throw Jake an appreciative smile. He has officially saved me more than once. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ying?¡± I ask Jake, noticing another hand was being dealt but he didn¡¯t get any cards. I tear into my Doritos and dig in. ¡°I lost thest round so I have to wait until the next game. I suck at cards too,¡± he admits, smiling at me evilly as he dips his hand into my bag of Doritos. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t let such behavior pass with me but on second thought, I decide that Jake isn¡¯t all that bad so I let him have a share of my Doritos. However, he still finds the need to sneak and shove his hand in when he thinks I¡¯m not looking. We watch the others y while munching on our snacks. Jake managed to get kicked out in the first round. of the game so we have to wait for a long time before the second game starts. We both managed to lose in the first round again and are attacked byments from all angles about how bad we were at the game. We ignore them and continue eating what would be our third bag of Doritos. We threw questions at each other while waiting for the next game so we could join again and probably lose in the first round again. All in all, this isn¡¯t such a bad way to spend one¡¯s afternoon. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Caden¡¯s POV They¡¯reughing and having the time of their lives. 9% 11:25 I snarl as I watch Alessia throw back her head andugh at some thing Jake whispered to her. I eye the non-existent space between them and my wolf growls just as I feel my ws dig into my palms. Before today, I haven¡¯t taken much notice of Jake. He is my pack member and a fine warrior but he didn¡¯t warrant any focus form me. As I watch him talking with my mate, I suddenly wish that I¡¯d gotten rid of him a long time ago. Anything would have been better than seeing the two of them chatting away like they¡¯ve known each other since forever. ¡°I know that look on your face,¡± Rapheal taunts, looking at the view where my gaze is fixed. ¡°They look like they¡¯re close. I wonder how long- I don¡¯t hear the rest of his words because I¡¯m walking out of the pack house and heading straight for the woods even as my wolf hollers and screams for me to go back and get our mate away from Jake. A good, long run is exactly what I need. I¡¯m not even deep in the woods before I¡¯m shifting into my wolf with my clothes still on and ripping them into tiny pieces. Running around my boulders for a while, I try to push the image of Alessia and Jake out of my mind but end up failing. After a while, I give up and change back into human form. That¡¯s when Alex and Raphael join me by my side in their wolf form. They shift into human form like me and Alex throws me a pair of jeans and t t- shirt from the bag he had been holding with his teeth. We all get dressed and start our daily patrol in silence until Raphael breaks it by asking Alex a question. ¡°How is the houseing along,¡± he asks, looking towards Alex for an answer. I also turn to face Alex, curious to hear what the answer will be. ¡°They¡¯re doing the finishing touches. Scarlett and I should be set to move in next week.¡± He has a huge grin on his face as he says this. I obvious that he¡¯s looking forward to leaving the pack house and living in his. new home with his mate. Scarlett is pregnant and the two of them decided to build a house for themselves and the kids like so many other mated couples did. Alex has been working on getting the house ready for the better part of a year, nning it even before Scarlett got pregnant. ¡°We are going to miss you guys,¡± Raphael injects and I silently agree with him. I¡¯m going to feel the loss of my beta even if he¡¯s still going to be living close by. ? ? M M G G Chapter 22 BBB 95% 11:225 Alex shakes his head and clears his throat, trying to hide away the light moisture in his eyes. ¡°Enough about me.¡± He looks at me and I silently dread what ising out of his mouth next. ¡°What about you and Alessia? Raphael told me that you saw her with Jake and had an angry fit.¡± At his words, 1 shoot a deadly re to Raphael who shrugs with a smirk fixed on his lips. d. I groan, sniffing around for any unfamiliar scent before turning back to the conversation at hand. ¡°Nothing is going on between us,¡± I answer, shooting another re at Raphael and his loud mouth. Hopefully, he¡¯ll find a mate of his own and stop sticking his nose in my business. ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you rejected her?¡± Alex asks with an eye roll. Suddenly, I¡¯m d that he¡¯s going to be moving out of the pack house soon enough. I don¡¯t answer his question, instead focusing on checking out the boulders like they ought to be doing as well. ¡°You aren¡¯t being fair to her,¡± Raphael mumbles lowly and I whip my head to him. ¡°You¡¯re stringing her along. You have no intention of even acknowledging that she¡¯s your mate yet you don¡¯t want to see her with other guys.¡± He scoffs. ¡°Sounds selfish to me if you ask me.¡± It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t ask him then. I open my mouth to tell them to butt the hell out of my business. I know they have my best interest at heart but I was done listening to all this nonsense about Alessia and me. ¡°You would have had to eventually arrange a marriage to another wolf even if you hadn¡¯t met her. The elders wouldn¡¯t have let you remain unmated forever.¡± He nces my way. ¡°You¡¯re lucky the Moon goddess gave you another chance. Don¡¯t throw it away.¡± How can¡¯t they understand my reasoning for not wanting to acknowledge Alessia as my mate? They were the ones by my side when I lost Kiara and nearly also lost myself. They were the ones who helped me to keep my head straight. So why do they keep pestering me on this topic? ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear another word on this topic.¡± There were a few times that I had to reinforce that I was their Alpha. This was one of those times. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate having my decision questioned.¡± They mutter words of understanding and I walk away from them, my head a loop of mashed-up thoughts. Why did the Moon goddess do this to me? Haven¡¯t I already suffered enough? Why did she feel the need to dangle a supposedly second chance mate just when I wasing to terms with losing the first one? Alessia draws danger to her wherever she goes. Maybe not intentionally but she sure as hell didn¡¯t try to avoid it. She wants to go head first into it and something tells me the danger is far greater than either one of us anticipates. If something happens to her, will I be able to survive losing another mate? MMB B B B B B B B B B Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Alessia¡¯s POV A knockes on my door and I furrow my brows, looking at the clock mounted on the wall that reads. eight pm. Who could be knocking at my door by this time? I push myself up, lift from my bed in my nightwear and move tentatively to the door. Caden stands on the other side with a bored expression on his face. ¡°Get dressed in something and come on outside. We¡¯re going somewhere,¡± hemands. He¡¯s dressed in a pair of jeans and a in white T-shirt. Not something that is sleepwear appropriate. He¡¯s heading somewhere and ns on dragging me along with him. I hide a groan. ¡°Do I have to?¡± The training for today had been more intense than usual and all I wanted to do was to sleep on a bed. ¡°There¡¯s no one around and there¡¯s absolutely no way I¡¯m leaving you all by yourself,¡± he says, looking at me like he expected me to bolt past him and head for the door. This time, I don¡¯t hold back my groan. ¡°I already said I¡¯m not going to run away.¡± He looks down at my current outfit. ¡°Get dressed ande out,¡± he husks out. ¡°Where are we going to?¡± I ask, epting fate. There¡¯s no use fighting with Caden on this. I¡¯m sure to lose. this round. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we get there. Just get dressed ande and meet me downstairs.¡± He turns around before he can see the re I shoot his way. With another groan, I m the door loud enough for him to hear and dig into the closet, looking for an appropriate outfit for an asion I didn¡¯t know. I finally settled on a pair of jeans and a shirt, something simr to what Caden was wearing since that was all the clue I got. If I happen to be overdressed or underdressed, it will be Caden¡¯s problem. In fact, maybe embarrassing him a little will teach him something. I finish dressing up and head down to meet with Caden as he basically ordered. When I get downstairs I notice something off. The pack house is usually quiet at this time of the day but never this much. I couldn¡¯t even hear a single snore and everywhere was eerily silent. Where did everyone go to? ¡°Where¡¯s everyone,¡± I ask Caden when I join him. 1/3 Chapter 23 UZ N95% 11:26 ¡°They¡¯re in the woods, he answers, walking ahead of me, I follow him. ¡°What are they doing in the woods?¡± I ask again, tired of his vague answers and monotone replies. o answer my We step out of the house, heading in the direction of the wood when Caden finally decides to questions with a straight answer. ¡°Alex and Scarlett are moving out of the pack house next week and into their new home and the pack members decided to throw them a farewell party,¡± he grunts, leading us deeper into the woods. I knew that not everyone lived at the pack house. It wouldn¡¯t have contained all of them. I just didn¡¯t know that pack members threw a farewell party in celebration. Is it just Caden¡¯s pack that does that? Or is it because the people leaving are the beta and his mate? Either way, it was nice to know that they all went out of their way to do something this thoughtful for them. I followed him for the rest of the way without anyints, actually excited to see how the party his. I hear the music and the sound of people talking before we get there. I smile as I see the designs and decorations set up. It must have been hard for them to set all this up in record time. Caden disappears out of the blue, leaving me alone, even though I know that he¡¯s definitely watching me wherever he is. I go in search of the celebrants. I may have not been here for long but I had made a friendship with Scarlett so it was only right that I congratte her on her new home. Finding both Alex and Scarlett together, I walk over to them with a smile on my face which Scarlett returns when she sees me approaching them. ¡°Congrattions,¡± I say to both of them. Scarlett pulls me into a tight hug and keeps me at arm¡¯s length when she pulls away. ¡°Our house isn¡¯t very far from the pack house. You¡¯re always wee toe visit us if you something,¡± she tells me, a wide grin on her face, her eyes sparkling. ever need I nod, keeping it at the back of my mind. After chatting with Scarlett for a bit, 1 discreetly moved away so that the other guests could get to her. Then I grab a bottle of drink and go in search of a quiet ce to rest off my tired muscles. I find an old log of wood on the floor at the far end of the party and take a seat on it. It gives me a perfect view of everything happening around me. Watching the crowd of people dancing and chatting together, I feel an ache of sadness form within me. Is this what it¡¯s like when you belong to a pack of your own? You¡¯re thrown a party and told about how 2/3 5 Chapter 23 ve away. deeply you¡¯ll be missed when you move Will I ever experience something of this sort for myself? My mom was my constant and forever until she wasn¡¯t. I¡¯ve never belonged to a pack and I¡¯ve never wished to belong to one because I never knew what I was missing. Being here and surrounded by all these people who were here for Alex and Scarlett leaves me feeling empty. Somehow, I wish that I¡¯d get to experience this for myself one day. -¦Ò & MMB BBBBBBB BBI Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Alessia¡¯s POV *PZN 957 17:26 1 sit alone, wallowing in self-pity and tired to the f u c k i n g bone. What had started out as a wonderful night has now left me depressed and more tired than I was before. Sighing. I lean back against the tree behind me, wondering when Caden will deem it fit for us to go back to the pack house. It isn¡¯t going to be anytime soon that¡¯s for sure. ¡°I thought I saw you,¡± A voice says from above me and I look up to find Jake staring down at me with a beam on a face. ¡°Hey, I say, my mood lifting up a little with the presence of my new friend. He lowers himself and sits on the log with me. ¡°How are you enjoying the party?¡± He drops the bottle in his hand onto the sand. ¡°It¡¯s fun. I may not have done much since I got here but even then I have to admit that the party is lively. My sullen mood just won¡¯t let me make the most of it Since I have Jake beside me, someone who has been a member of the pack forever, I ask him the question on my mind, ¡°Do you all throw a party for anyone moving out of the pack house?¡± I ask, turning my body a bit to the side to face him. He smiles as though remembering fun memories. ¡°We mostly do. Though sometimes, we just have a special dinner when we can¡¯t find the time to throw something of this sort. He gestures to the extravagant decorations around us. ¡°And Alex and Scarlett have important ces in the pack so it was a must that this party was held.¡± Turning to face me. ¡°Why did you ask?¡± I shake my head, turning the face of the party again. ¡°No reason. Was just wondering.¡± ¡°You guys didn¡¯t do this at your pack?¡± He asks. 1 stiffen. This is the first question that Jake has asked me in rtion to my other life and I think he just realized that too. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to p r o d,¡± he rushes out, looking frightened at the prospect of upsetting me. Sighing, I shake my head. ¡°You didn¡¯t p r o d and no, we didn¡¯t do this from where I¡¯m from.¡± Jake was my friend and he deserved to be told a little truth. ¡°I didn¡¯t live with a pack,¡± I whisper lowly, praying that somehow he wouldn¡¯t hear me. But he did. His breath hitch. ¡°You¡¯re a rouge?¡± He sounds more surprised than anything and that gives me hope that he won¡¯t suddenly start avoiding me. add MM BBBBBBBBBB Chapter 24 ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I confess, waiting to see what the verdict is. Is he going to start avoiding me or is this moment going to provide me with a trustworthy friend? I wait on bated breath for his next words or action. ¡°That must have been hard on you,¡± he says and my head whips in his direction to find him giving me a look that I could only describe as sympathetic. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine not being in this pack. How do you do it?¡± My eyes water, the sadness within me epassing at his question. 1126 His hand falls to mine resting on the log. ¡°You have a pack now.¡± He smiles weakly. ¡°You may not have the pack link but you have me as a friend and I would love to be in a pack with you. I turn away, blinking rapidly to hide the tears trying to escape. I didn¡¯t expect this. ¡°Enough about this emotional c r a p. He chuckles, standing up and downing the rest of his drink in one go. Then he drops the bottle back onto the floor and smiles at me mischievously. ¡°Do you want to see something cool?¡± I nod without thinking and follow him further into the woods, not caring about what Caden may do when he finds out that I left. Jake leads us further and further into the woods until he stops at a¡­cliff? rocks. It¡¯s breathtaking and I stare at it in 1 inch closer and look down the edge to see waves crashing into awe, mesmerized by the way the tides and waves seem to be at war. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± I breathe out, still looking at the sight down the cliff. ¡°It¡¯s one of the best ces in the pack. A lot of people know about it but at night, it¡¯s the perfect ce to sneak away to for a little me time.¡± He looks over to me, lifting a brow. ¡°Do you want to jump in?¡± My eyes widen as I look down at the rocks I can see in the water. Someone could get seriously injured if theynded on them. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good,¡± I say, inching away from the edge, my self-preservation skills kicking in. ¡°Suit yourself. I¡¯m going in.¡± He whips off his shirt and shoes, and jumps in, screaming along the way. Waiting, I search for any sign of him in the bottomless water and let out a sigh of relief when his head. pops out. ¡°This is f u c k i n g awesome,¡± he yells out and Iugh, lowering myself down to the ground and sitting at the edge to watch him y around in the water. He gets out of the water about half an hourter all wet and dripping. He shakes his hair, spraying the water all over me like a dog. Well technically, he is one. I shriek, hiding my face behind my hand. ¡°Al going to go back to the party in this state?¡± I ask. ¡°No.¡± He bends down and picks up his discarded shoes and clothes. ¡°I¡¯m going to call it a night and head 2/3 MM BBBBBBBBBB I Chapter 24 back to the pack house.¡± He looks over at me. ¡°Are youing?¡± UX N 95% 11:26 I pondered for a moment. I know Caden has probably noticed my disappearance by now and is looking everywhere for me and I¡¯m dreading the inevitable screaming that¡¯s going to take ce. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± I¡¯ll deal with Caden tomorrow. Right now, I just want to sink into my bed. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Alessia¡¯s POV 95% 11:26 As expected, I got the screaming of a lifetime the next day and Caden took out his anger on me the next few days at training. It¡¯s been a week now and I can still feel his gaze digging a hole into my back, watching my every move like a hawk. It¡¯s all so suffocating and g o d da m n annoying. Exhaling loudly, I sink into the sofa in the living room, the only ce aside from my room that I¡¯m permitted to be in. Even with being confined in this tiny space, Caden¡¯s watchful gaze follows my every movement from the ce he sat at the other end of the room with Raphael. Alex and Scarlett moved out two days back and for someone that I¡¯ve only known for a few weeks, I miss her presence already. The front door opens, revealing Scarlett with Alex right behind her as though summoned by my thoughts. up, smiling as I walk over to her to be engulfed in a big warm hug. I stand ¡°How are you doing?¡± She asks, squeezing me tighter. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I pull away from her when I feel something porking me in the belly. I look down and my eyes widen at the sound of another heartbeating from Scarlett¡¯s body. The bump isn¡¯t all that noticeable unless you¡¯re looking at it closely. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant.¡± I try my best to keep my voice as low as I can. I haven¡¯t heard any news about her pregnancy around so she may be trying to keep it on the down low. I don¡¯t want to be the one to ruin her fun. She nods excitedly, her eyes sparkling with joy and her skin glowing with what I can only assume to be a result of her impending motherhood. She¡¯s radiant. ¡°The crib just came in today. Do you want to see the crib?¡± She¡¯s practically bouncing on her feet and I know that she¡¯s just downright giddy at the prospect of showing me said crib. I nod without thinking and my mood detes as I remember Caden¡¯s insistent on me not leaving the pack house. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯te with you to see it.¡± I give her a sad smile to disy my apology. ¡°Why not?¡± Her face is crestfallen and I me n t a l l y curse Caden to hell at the look on her face. I throw a pointed look to where he sitting and chatting with her mate and Rapheal. ¡°He won¡¯t let me even step out of the front door,¡± I grumble, already at my whisk end with this house imprisonment. It is not like I had anywhere to go but since this house arrest has been ced on me, I find that I suddenly want to go to a lot of ces. Seriously, anywhere would do. A & M MB B B B BBB BU Chapter 25 She res in their direction and starts stalking there before I can hold her back to talk some sense into her. I catch a few words that she says to Caden on the other side of the room and with each word my eyes widen even further. It ranges from something about Caden being an a s s h o l e to her wanting to shove something up his¡­ behind. Is she trying the get herself killed? I know that she¡¯s the beta female but there has to be a limit to the leinancy that she can have. Ridden with fear for Scarlett and her baby, I watch as Caden¡¯s face turns into different shades of red. Then Scarlett walks back to me with a victorious smile on her face that leaves me in a state of confusion. ¡°He said you could leave the house,¡± she announces, grinning widely. I immediately turn my gaze to Caden, getting a whish in the process. Caden is staring at is with a grim expression on his face but he does nothing when Scarlett takes my hand and drags me to the door leading outside. I hold my breath until we¡¯re outside the house, not wanting to jinx this sudden change of fate. ¡°How did you do that?¡± I ask incredulously, puzzled as to how she used mere seconds to achieve something that I¡¯ve been trying to do for days. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I know things that would make him very sorry,¡± she replies smugly and I stare at her in awc. ¡°Let¡¯s go see the crib now.¡± She ps her hands together and starts sk i p pi n g ahead of me. I watch her worriedly but thankfully she doesn¡¯t trip on the five-minute journey to her house. Admiring the house in front of me, I take it in and all its glory. The walls are painted with an off-white color and the front door is a warm brown color. I walk to the porch, standing on a you¡¯re wee mat ced outside the front door. The overall home has a homey vibe that ispleted with a tiny overhead light. She opens the front door and lets me in. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see the crib,¡± she squeals, dragging me before I can take in my environment but from the few things I could see, the house is beautiful inside as it is on the outside. She pulls me into a room that is obviously designed for a baby. It¡¯s painted in a light blue hue with drawings of stars and wolves. Two of the wolves were leaning toward each other lovingly. Alex and Scarlett¡¯s wolves. The wooden crib is sitting in the middle of the room and is painted white. It looks like it has been taken off the front page of a baby magazine. Their baby is going to be protected by both his or her parents. They hadn¡¯t even arrived into thid world. 2/3 Chapter 25 MMB BBBBBBBBB and yet, they were already greatly loved. Z 95% 11:26 I want to have this. I want to have a baby that I can love and dote on. Sadly, I don¡¯t think I can have that with Caden as my mate. Ìï Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Alessia¡¯s POV Ever since Alex and Scarlett moved out of the pack house, my new sitting partner has be Jake. Whenever it¡¯s time for dinner, Jake gives me a small smile and pats the seat beside him in invitation. I¡¯ve been having my dinner with him ever since and it hasn¡¯t changed. What also hasn¡¯t changed is the re I always feel on the side of my face whenever I¡¯m seated beside Jake. A re that I¡¯m feeling right now. Jake makes a funny remark about something from his teenage days and I find myselfughing. My ears perk up at the sound of a low growling from the other end of the table. I look over there, meeting Caden¡¯s ck eyes and gritting teeth then I quickly turn my attention back to Jake, not wanting him to notice Caden staring at us. Jake goes silent beside me and I turn to face him to find him looking at the end of the table where Caden is seated. ¡°Why does Alpha Caden keep staring this way?¡± He looks at me confused. ¡°Is there something going on between you too?¡± Deny. That¡¯s the first thing thates to my mind so that¡¯s exactly what I do. ¡°Of course not.¡± I scoff. In the past week. I¡¯ve managed to make Jake believe that I had an issue that I escaped from and that Caden had been the one to help me with it. ¡°He¡¯s just a friend of mine who lent me a helping hand when I needed it.¡± The growl on the other end of the table gets louder, drawing the attention of the other people seated around the table. Though none of them dare to ask Caden what the issue is. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to know that Caden is listening in on our conversation and apparently, he doesn¡¯t like what he¡¯s hearing. ¡°I¡¯m done here. Do you want to go outside to the porch?¡± I ask Jake, standing up with my emptied te in my hand. ¡°Sure,¡± he answers, standing up with his te and following behind me into the kitchen. We ce our tes in the sink and head on outside to the porch. There are a few people seated around. but overall, it¡¯s a quiet night and the cool breeze warms my skin. Outside with us is a couple, far away from us but it¡¯s still very visible that they¡¯re cuddling up with each other. The guy has his arms wrapped around the girl while she¡¯s sitting on hisp and resting her head on his chest. Jake is watching the couple as well with a wistful and longing gaze. It¡¯s one that I¡¯ve seen on several asions and one that I¡¯ve always tried to ignore because truthfully, it¡¯s none of my business. Jake¡¯s gaze catches onto mine before I can turn my head away. He gives me a smile that doesn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Do you ever wonder if I have a mate?¡± AJ JAN B B B B B GB BGG Chapter 26 UZN It¡¯s a question that I¡¯ve asked myself a few times. Most of the wolves around Jake¡¯s age have found their mates. Except for a few like Raphael. I have wondered why Jake hadn¡¯t found his yet but I knew it would be insensitive to ask him, especially when I was keeping secrets from him. He chuckles at my silence. Tll take that as a yes¡± With a sigh, he falls back on the ground, gazing up at the stars. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for my mate ever since I turned eighteen. I¡¯ve visited packs and searched everywhere possible for her.¡± I follow his movement, lying down on my back and keeping quiet, not wanting him to stop talking. ¡°Six yearster. I gave up and I haven¡¯t searched for her ever since,¡± heughs bitterly. ¡°I keep seeing everyone my age with their mate and starting a family together. Decided that maybe she just doesn¡¯t exist or maybe she¡¯s dead.¡± 1 suck in a breath at his words, feeling the cloud of sadness surrounding him. I have no words tofort him so I keep quiet, hoping that my presence may just provide some feeling of companionship. I decided to give him a little truth too. ¡°I-i found my mate recently, I mutter in a low voice, not wanting anyone else to catch wind of my words. Jake shuffles, leaning on his side to face me. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I sit up, needing to prepare myself for the wordsing next. ¡°He hates me and I don¡¯t know why but I wish he didn¡¯t.¡± I rub my suddenly itchy eyes. ¡°It¡¯s stu p i d because we act as though the other doesn¡¯t exist and anytime we try to talk, it ends in a fight.¡± I hear Jake moving beside me and then I feel his hand on my back. ¡°It¡¯s not s t u p i d. He¡¯s your mate and you¡¯re going to feel emotions for him that you¡¯ll have no way of controlling.¡± I confide in him a bit more, saying something that I¡¯m not willing to admit to even myself. I¡¯m thinking of rejecting him. The wordse out and my heart squeezes, aching at the thought of it. ¡°No! Zuri hollers, whimpering at my words. You can¡¯t do that! We need Caden.¡± I ignore her, pushing our barrier up and locking her away. This isn¡¯t something that I just thought of in the spur of the moment. It¡¯s something that I¡¯ve been debating over for weeks now ever since I learnt about the possibility of rejecting one¡¯s mate. ¡°A-are you sure about that?¡± Jake stutters, disbelief evident in his voice. I know how it must sound to him- someone who has been looking for his¡¯mate for the better part of his life- but unfortunately, even some of us with a mate still have it difficult. If Caden isn¡¯t going to reject me then I¡¯ll just have to. ae & HNB B B B B BBBBBI Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Caden¡¯s POV 95% 11226 My ears twitch as I listen in on their conversation. What could he be saying that¡¯s making herugh that hard! My lips curl, releasing a growl when I hear her tell him that I¡¯m simply a friend of hers. A f u ck i n g friend?! Is that what they¡¯re calling one¡¯s mate NOW! I¡¯m very much aware that I have no excuse for my behavior. Alessia may be my mate but I¡¯ve never treated her as such. In my defense, I also haven¡¯t rejected her. She doesn¡¯t have the right to court someone else when I¡¯m still her mate. Though, I don¡¯t know if she fancies him or is simply a friend to him but why else would she beughing so hard at his jokes that aren¡¯t even all that funny? The most annoying part of it all is that I can¡¯t do anything without raising a few brows. People are definitely going to wonder what our rtionship is if I go across the dining table and drag her away from Jake. It doesn¡¯t stop me from considering the option though. And then the f u c k i n g chit dared to excuse herself and leave the dining hall with Jake following behind lik e a lost puppy. Didn¡¯t he have anything to do other than stick himself to Alessia? Am I not giving the warriors enough tasks? This is on you, Raphael mind links and my gaze goes away from Alessia¡¯s empty seat to Raphael who¡¯s sitting beside me and eating away like he didn¡¯t just instigate something that could blow into a fight. I hold myself back. What is on me?¡± I mind link back, taking the path of acting clueless. I want to believe that the stern warning I gave to him and Alex was enough to make him back down. ¡®It¡¯s your fault that Jake is all over her and it¡¯s also your fault that you can¡¯t do anything but watch them. He gives up the pretense of eating and smirks my way, knowing that there¡¯s nothing I can do to him in this crowded dining hall. I grit my teeth, my ws digging into my chair. I hate Raphael annoying a s s and I most especially hate the fact that he¡¯s right. Abruptly standing up from my seat, the chair drags loudly on the ground, drawing everyone¡¯s focus away from their meal to me. Giving onest re to Raphael and ignoring the awkward stares directed my way, I start heading for the door where Alessia and Jake walked out. My footsteps stall until Ie to a stop, staring at the image in front of me. My vision blur as a rage none like anything I¡¯ve ever felt curls around my spine. Jake, the person who¡¯s about to be a dead man very soon, has his hand on my mate¡¯s shoulders as he 1/3 J JAMB B G B BBBBBB MPB¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦© Chapter 27 94 11:26 whispers something to her. They talking in hushed voices and try as I may, I couldn¡¯t pick up anything from the conversation, not unless 1 risked going closer to them. Alessia smiles at him and the rage burns like an inferno of hell. My wolf is growling and drawing his fangs out, wanting to show Jake what happened to people whoy hands on our mate. I force him to stay back, deciding on another route. If I can¡¯t find a way to stop Jake from getting closer to Alessia without drawing eyebrows then I¡¯ll just have to try out another option. Turning around on my heels, I go straight for Alessia¡¯s room. Opening the door, I don¡¯t bother with the light and go to an armchair in the corner, ready to wait for her appearance. It doesn¡¯t take long for Alessia to walk back into her room. As soon as she walks in, she stiffens, clearly seeing me in the shadows. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Her footsteps sound on the hardboard as she walks over to me. The moonlight streaming in through the open window illuminates her as she advances to me. I stand up and meet her halfway. ¡°I want you to stop seeing Jake,¡± Imand, going straight to the point. Alessia¡¯s mouth falls open. She gape at me in an expression that I can only describe as incredulous. Then that expression turns to anger and her eyes sh ck. ¡°Who the f u c k do you think you are to dictate to me who I can and can¡¯t befriend?¡± She c o c k s her head to the side. ¡°Your mate.¡± As soon as the words leave my mouth, I immediately know that I¡¯ve f u c k e d up. Perhaps that¡¯s why I did what I do next. Alessia¡¯s mouth falls open and just as she¡¯s about to produce what I know will beshing words, I pull her. into my arms and silence her with a kiss. Her lips are stiff beneath mine as I press her tighter into my body, the kiss that had simply been to keep her quiet morphs into something more. My hand slides up her back to her neck, holding her still for my exploration. Just as I¡¯m sure that she¡¯s going to be standing still throughout the kiss, Alessia lets out a soft moan, and her lips part. I take advantage of the opportunity, sliding my tongue into her mouth for a taste. A groan forms at the back of my throat just as Alessia¡¯s arms snake around my neck. My sweatpants press ufortably to my now hard c o c k and Alessia¡¯s arousal fills the air. That¡¯s when I realize that things had gotten out of hand and that I need to put a stop to it. Having onest taste of her lips, I pull away, breathing harshly through my mouth. It unnerves me that no amount of workout has left me this breathless, yet just a few seconds of kissing Alessia has this effect on me. It alsoforts me to find Alessia in the same state as I am; lips red and bruised, eyes nearly ck and zed over with her hot breath fanning my face. Chapter 27 I lower my lips to her ears and hear her breathe hitch. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you talking with Jake again, i whisper, taking her lobe between my teeth and biting on Alessia moans, still holding onto my aims. I pull away from her, leaving her in her dared state, and exit her room into the hallway where I take a moment to collect myself. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Alessia¡¯s POV Caden is avoiding me. And he isn¡¯t even bothering to hide the fact that he is 3 Z At first, it was restricted to ignoring my every presence but now, he¡¯s pawning me off to Raphael. ¡°Raphael will be the one spar with you today,¡± Caden says // already making a move to leave my sight. Raphael stands awkwardly to the side, eyeing Caden and me worriedly and looking like he doesn¡¯t want to be in the middle of whatever is happening. I have nothing against Raphael but he isn¡¯t the person I made a deal with. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you training me yourself. I ask, waiting for ame excuse. ¡°I can¡¯t always be training you. I have other pack members I have to attend to as well.¡± Looking over to Raphael. ¡°Don¡¯t go easy on her,¡± he says giving Raphael a pointed look and Raphael nods. Then Caden is walking away and heading over to a young man. I watch as he directs the man and corrects his posture. Sighing. I turn to face Raphael who smiles sheepishly at me. ¡°I promise that I tried to make him reconsider but whatever happened between you two must have been really serious. He gives me a sad smile. ¡°I may not be as good as Caden but I¡¯m an awesome trainer. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re in good hands.¡± I smile back at him. It¡¯s not his fault that Caden is being an a s s and it wouldn¡¯t be right to put on a sullen mood. Brightening up at his words, I walk over to the mat. ¡°Come on then.¡± I co k a finger at him and take up my position. Raphael is a good fighter, maybe even as good as Caden. I have difficulty holding up my own and by the end of the training, I¡¯m panting and dripping with sweat. ¡°That was a good training. You¡¯re getting really good.¡± Raphael wipes his forehead with the back of his palm. I beam at the praise. ¡°Thanks,¡± I mumble, my gaze going back to Caden before I carr help it. He¡¯s all over Julianna who seems to be having the time of her life and failing on purpose just to have his arms on her. Caden seems not to notice this ploy and looks to be genuinely interested in helping her out. I roll my eyes, fighting back the tiny sting of hurt in my chest. I find Raphael staring at me sympathetically and I lower my head, ashamed that he noticed me staring at them. ¡°I¡¯m going to go back to the pack house,¡± I announce. My clothes were sticking onto my body and I¡¯m 1/3 ? ? M M B B Chapter 28 irritated with Caden. A cold bath is exactly what I need to relieve this stress. ¡°Sure. We¡¯re through for the day. It was nice training with you.¡± He walks away, heading over to a cute girl I mainly see him with. I wonder what¡¯s going on there. I head on outside, going straight to the pack house where I¡¯m nning to stay for the rest of the day. Ever since Jake has been assigned to an assignment outside of the pack- somehow, I know Caden has to be behind it I¡¯ve been left to my device. So now, all I do is train, hide away in my room, eat, and then repeat the process again. I added a little extra routine earlier this week and it includes cursing Caden into the hell of eternal d a m n a t i o n. Today isn¡¯t going to be any different. ¡°Alessia,¡± a voice calls out. A voice belonging to Caden, the current bane of my existence. I halt, contemting if it would be wise to face him when my emotions are still very raw. ¡°What do you need?¡± I bite out. ¡°Are you done training Julianna? Doesn¡¯t she need you to help her with finding her footing?¡± I cringe as soon as the words are out of my mouth. I sound like an obsessive jealous girlfriend and I¡¯m so far from it that it¡¯s almostughable. ¡°This is what I was afraid of.¡± His words hang in the air and I turn around to face him. ¡°What is that?¡± I ask snarky, not able to keep the hurt out of my voice. ¡°This, he punctuates, gesturing to my person. ¡°You¡¯re acting as though I promised you something when I didn¡¯t. I haven¡¯t epted you as my mate yet you act like I hurt you.¡± The blood running through my veins boils in an uncontroble anger. ¡°You kissed me!¡± I yell out, the frustration from the past few days pouring out of me in waves. ¡°You came into my room and you kissed me!¡± He has the dignity to at least look a bit ashamed but then it¡¯s quickly gone just as soon as it came. ¡°I admit that I¡¯m at fault for that and I¡¯ll willing to ept the responsibility for any ideas that it may have given you.¡± A pause and his eyes were saddened. ¡°It was just a little kiss and nothing more. It would be foolish to make it into something more. Something that it isn¡¯t.¡± My eyes sting and I clench my fist until I¡¯m sure that my knuckles could cr a k. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± I grit my teeth and force myself to hold back the tears trying to escape. ¡°Alessia, I¡¯m sorry if I hurt you. It wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± He truly looks like he¡¯s genuinely sorry: Well, f u c k his feelings. His apology means nothing to me. They don¡¯t matter at all. Not when I¡¯m nning 10 put an end to this¡­ whatever it¡¯s we have. If I was having second doubts before then this situation has solidified the fact that this isn¡¯t going to work out for us. I¡¯m going to do it. I¡¯m going to reject Caden and put an end to all this. 2/3 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Alessia¡¯s POV I wake up feeling hot all over. My forehead is warm when I ce the back of my palm on it. What¡¯s happening? Could I be falling sick? Weren¡¯t werewolves immune to illness? With a pained groan, I drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom to freshen up. I can¡¯t afford to miss a day of training when Caden is being an a s s. He¡¯ll probably take it as an opportunity to end my training The shower cools me down and I spend a longer time in it than I normally would. It¡¯s still fairly early in the morning when I head downstairs. Early enough that the living area is void of any soul. This was the time I usually got up to head to the training grounds. It¡¯s the time that Caden set for me to have extra training lessons before others came by. Still feeling a slight headache and fever, I change my direction from the front door to the kitchen, hoping to find something to alleviate this illness. I halt in my step as I see a figure standing in front of the coffee maker. Jake.¡± I call out, looking at his familiar brte hair. I didn¡¯t expect him to be back so soon. He turns around, a smile fixed on his face. ¡°Alessi-¡± The smile on his face disappears as his eyes widen and his nostrils re. His eyes darken, nearly turning ck. ¡°Alessia, go away. Leave right now.¡± He rounds the kitchen Ind, not turning his back to me. My brows furrow in confusion and I move closer to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is everything ok?¡± I ask, starting to get a little worried at this weird behavior. A sharp pain has me clenching my head, heaving and gasping at the immense pain. What in the hell is happening to me? Am I dying? ¡°Alessia, you¡¯re in heat,¡± he rushes out. ¡°You need to go back to your room. I can¡¯t be around you right now. in the doorway leading out of the kitchen. The Please, go away,¡± he begs desperately, eyeing my positi only way out of here. I hear him but at the same time, my focus is on the throbbing in my head. ¡°Alessia,¡± he groans, his eyes darkening. Then he groans again and walks purposely towards me. He grips me by the forearm and starts pulling me towards the stairs. Not being able to fight him, I follow willingly, feeling like my head might just explode. I¡¯m in heat. I know what that means. I need Caden to mark or mate with me, unless I¡¯m going to be in unimaginable pain for a while. Jake is still dragging me and cursing harshly under his breath. Something about him not being cut out for 1/3 J 1 3 94 11:27 Chapter 29 this. I ignore him, too focused on my pain. What am I going to do? I need Caden but I know that there¡¯s no way in hell that he¡¯s going to think of even touching me. He hates me. Me being in unimaginable pain and despair isn¡¯t going to change that. Just as we reach the front of my door, my knees buckle and I fall down, grasping at the floor with my nails as blinding pain shes behind my eyelids. Goddd, I don¡¯t think I can survive this pain. There has to be something I can do. At this point, I¡¯m willing to do anything to get rid of this pain. ¡°Mate,¡± Zuri whines. ¡°We need mate. We can¡¯t have him. I yell inwardly, not having the strength required to deal with a whining wolf. Jake is looking down at me worriedly, his eyes going over my hunched form on the ground. ¡°You need your mate¡¯s help. F u c k that. If I can¡¯t get what I need from Caden then I¡¯ll just get it from somewhere else. I force myself onto my feet and move closer to Jake who tentatively steps back, looking ready to bolt at any second. Jake, please help me.¡± I don¡¯t exactly know what I¡¯m begging for but I just know that I¡¯ll be able to get it from him. ¡°It hurts so much,¡± I beg, whining as another sharp pain hits me, nearly bringing me back to my knees. Jake¡¯s eyes arepletely ck now and his tongue slides out, running across his lips as he inches closer to me. I sigh, knowing I¡¯m going to get the help I need. His fingertips graze my face as he cups my cheek and- A secondter, Jake is on the floor and a raging Caden is on him, plummeting him to the ground. ¡°How dare youy hands on my mate?!¡± Caden growls. No, that¡¯s not Caden. It¡¯s Xavier. 1 gasp, my head reeling from the sudden change but thankfully, I have the brain to react quick enough. ¡°Caden,¡± I call out, rushing to them. ¡°Stop it. You¡¯re going to kill him,¡± I pull on his arm, trying and failing to get him off Jake¡¯s unmoving form. Is he dead? My hands slip away from Caden¡¯s arm as I curl into a ball on the floor, my eyes stinging as another wave of pain hits me. Suddenly, I feel myself being lifted from the floor and held by a warm body. I sigh, burying my face into at muscr neck and breathing in their scent. They smell so f u c k i n g good. Will they taste this good too? Without thinking, my tongue slides out and I run it up the muscr neck, feeling the pulse beating widely. Hmm, they don¡¯t taste as good as I would expect but that¡¯s probably due to the fact that I¡¯m licking a skin. I can¡¯t seem to make myself stop though. I fist my hands into the front of their shirt and bury my face Chapter 29 deeper into the ce where their shoulder meets with their neck. More. I need more. So much more. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Caden¡¯s POV I¡¯m physically fighting with myself. Forcing my wolf to stay back and fighting the urge to m Alessia into her bed and take her like I so badly want to. Her licking and sucking on my neck like it¡¯s her very own popsicle isn¡¯t helping matters. 1 gasp- f u c k i n g gasp as her teeth sink into my skin, not deep enough that she¡¯s marking me but enough for it to send shock waves directly to my c o c k. Power walking into the bathroom, I ce her on the counter and quickly put some foot between us. Not that it helps with my predicament because no matter what I do, Alessia¡¯s scent keeps whiffing into my nose. It¡¯s epassing the whole room and I don¡¯t know how long I can fight it. ¡°Undress,¡± I bite out, clenching my fist and fighting the desire to do it for her. I remind myself that cing a hand on her will make all my good intentions fly right out of the window. Alessia hurriedly peels off her sticky clothes from her sweaty body. I force myself to keep my eyes fixed on her flushed face. Looking further down will break my resolve. Alessia kicks off herst piece of clothing- a cotton white panties which I can see in my peripheral view. Just that sight has my c o c k turning harder than steel. She is peeping at me beneath hershes, observing me like a predator would to a prey. ¡°Caden,¡± she drags out on a breathless moan, and then I¡¯m visibly shaking from the force I¡¯m exacting to hold back. Her hands slide down the front of her body and my decision of not looking at her rips into shreds. I follow her hand through the valley of her breast and watch with bated breath as her legs fall open, revealing a soaking wet pink p us s y. I groan, gripping the front of my pants to stop myself froming like a pre-teen. Alessia doesn¡¯t stop there. Her fingers slide down further until they¡¯re pressed against her c l i t. With a moan, her head falls back on the mirror behind her, exposing her slender neck that begs to bear my mark. My fangs slide out of my mouth, wanting to sink into Alessia¡¯s neck. Closing my eyes, I count to ten, thinking of the grossest thing I cane up with to take my mind off Alessia¡¯s beautiful bodyid out on the counter for me. When I start feeling like I¡¯ve got everything back under control, I peel my eyes open slowly, and like a dream, Alessia is still sitting on the counter with her legs spread open. I walk over to her, quietly closing her thighs shut before I lose control of myself. Then I pick her up again and head for the shower. Alessia hangs on my body, this time she¡¯s biting and G 3 1 Chapter 30 pulling on my earlobes and it¡¯s almost as arousing as when it was my neck. Walking into the bathroom with all my clothes on, I put on a struggle with Alessia to stand on her feet but she insistently holds onto my neck until I concede. I turn on the shower head, cing it at the lowest temperature. We both need this cold shower. As soon as the water hits us, Alessia squeals and jumps out of my hold, pressing her back to the bathroom wall to avoid the harsh water. Moving closer to her, I draw her back into my hold. ¡°You need it. It¡¯ll help you feel so much better,¡± I exin, pressing her face into my chest and running my hand down her back. Being close to me- her mate- will also help reduce the ache. This much I can give to her. ¡°Caden, I-i-¡± she clutches the front of my soak-through t-shirt, burying her face deeper into my chest and making me reconsider my choices.. Is it wise to have Alessia this close to me? ¡°Please. I need you.¡± Her head lifts and she gazes into mine, her eyes shining with tears. ¡°It hurts too much.¡± Her nails are now digging into my skin, leaving crescent marks that will be gone in the next minute. ¡°Alessia,¡± I grit out with a pained groan, conflicted with myself. Alessia¡¯s hand starts trailing again, but this time, it¡¯s my body she¡¯s exploring. I stiffen, holding my breath as her hand falls to the front of my sweatpants¡­and then she squeezes. Before either one of us realizes what¡¯s happening, I have Alessia back in my hold again and I¡¯m power- walking back into the bedroom. Alessia clothes are thrown at all areas of the room and I ignore them, heading for the big bed and swiping down the rest of her striped clothes to the floor. I ce her in the middle and shrug out of my disgusting wet clothes that are starting to dry on my body. I leave my boxer on as ast act of self-control then I¡¯m lowering my body into Alessia¡¯s opened arms and. locking my lips with hers. At first, I thought for sure that my mind had blown our previous kiss out of proportion, making it into this insane make-out that I never could get out of my head. I was wrong. In fact, I have reason to believe that I undermined the kiss, reducing it into something less because I couldn¡¯t bear to keep away after tasting those lips. Alessia sighs into the kiss and her legs fall open, pressing the outline of my c o c k into her pu s s y. Event through the weak boxer, I can feel her wet p u s s y pressed into my co c k and I can f u ck i n g smell it. Can almost taste it. What difference will it make o take a little more from her? As long as we didn¡¯t mate or mark each other, ¦Ò A W Chapter 30 94% 11:27 the rules. then I could have a few more stolen tastes. I just have to get my freaking c o c k under control and a b i d e by Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Caden¡¯s POV. Alessia¡¯s fingers sink into my hair, pulling on the end strands as her legs wrap around my waist. I deftly slide a hand under her head, holding her still and taking what I need. I explode every mouth, sliding my tongue in and tangling it with hers.. corner of her She¡¯s the one who pulls away from the kiss with a gasp, drawing in air through her parted lips. Unable to 1 ce onest kiss on her lips and start heading down her body. Skimming my nose down her cheek to her neck, I slide my hand under her body and lift her lips tosh onto her breast. for up my With a moan, she arches her back, practically feeding them to me. I take the invitation, sucking harder on the nipple in my mouth. I swirl it on my tongue and release it with an obscene pop sound. Not missing a beat, I go to the other breast, sucking, biting, and rolling it between my fingers until it¡¯s hard and identical to the other. Alessia is a hot mess beneath me. Her moans and gasps are getting louder and her hip is bucking wildly under me. Most of the pack members will be at the pack house and the kids will be at the pack school, meaning the house is practically empty at the moment. Though, I¡¯m sure that my absence is being noticed at the training grounds. I quickly sent a quick message to Alex through the mind link, telling him that an issue urred then I quickly shut off the mind link before the questions coulde. I¡¯m sure Alex will be worried at my vague. exnation but I can¡¯t find it in me to give a dam n. Not when Alessia¡¯s perfect body is spread out under me. Digging my hands into the bed, I lift my body off hers and take a leisurely long look down her body, storing everything away. Alessia is watching me through half-open eyelids with a dazed look in her eyes and her pink tongue peeks out of her mouth as she pants. The blush in her cheeks goes all the way down to her chest and even further down to the top of her gorgeous breasts. My gaze slid down further past her belly and then to the middle of her legs when a patch of ck curls rest neatly. My wolf rises to the surface as I stare down at her sex where her cl i t stands erect. Before I know it, I¡¯m reaching down and cupping her there. Alessia gasps and her legs spread wider, opening herself up for me without any hesitation. I chuckle, pressing my palm firmer and Alessia lets loose, bucking her hip into my hand and seeking what she so badly needs. Chapter 31 UZN 12:31 ¡°Do you want toe?¡± It¡¯s a stup i d question to ask but I love the way Alessia nods her head frantically with a tiny moan. With a smile. I lower my head over hers, taking her lips again, unable to get enough of it. Then I continue my earlier path down her body. I take my now sticky palm away from her sex and grip her legs, draping them on my shoulder, wanting herpletely opened and exposed. My nostrils re as I breathe in her arousal. 1 dive in, heading straight for her cl i t. Teasing her will cause me more pain than please. She moans just as I let out a groan at the taste of her. I could easily spend my days between her legs without any issues. Holding her hips down to stop her frantic movement, I take my time exploring her depth. My tongue slides into her and another groan leaves my mouth as she constricts tightly on my tongue. It brings to my mind thoughts about how tightly she will grip my c o c k if it was inside her. Just as quickly as the thought enters my head, I banish it away before it can take root. Having ideas of my c o c k buried in Alessia¡¯s sex isn¡¯t going help my case. Shutting down my head, I focus on bringing Alessia pleasure and she thanks me with high pitch moans and gasps. I reach up for her breasts, kneading it and pinching her nipples until they be hard pebbles. I unrelently suck on her c l i t and f u c k her with my tongue, mimicking the movement that I would love to be doing with my c o c k. Alessia¡¯s back arches on a strangled moan and her legs clenches around my head as her pu s s y ms down. on my tongue. She screams, clenching my hair in her fists- hard enough to give me a bald patch- and riding her o r g a s m. As her thrusts slow down to soft jerks and her fingers fall out of my hair, I slow down my movement to soft strokes with my tongue, savoring her sweet taste and already wanting more. I pull away from her and climb up her body, licking my lips as I go. I take her parted lips in a kiss and knowing that she¡¯s tasting herself on my tongue nearly undo me. I¡¯m out of her arms in a second and rushing into her bathroom. Without two seconds, my pants are around my ankle and my c o c k in my fist. ying what happened in the past five minutes my head, I bring myself to an o r g a s m and when I fall over that cliff, it¡¯s Alessia¡¯s name that¡¯s on my lips. Washing my hands and cleaning myself as best as I can, I walk back into the room and find Alessia sleeping with a sated expression on her face. It won¡¯tst long. In a few hours, she¡¯s going to wake up and start seeking another release. Sitting at the edge of the bed, I push away the hair on her face and tuck it behind her ears. I need to get her out of this house. What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t gotten here just in time to see Jake about to pounce on her? MBB M Chapter 31 QM II * N 83% 12:31 My hands clenched into fists as my mind wanders into dark ces. Mind linking both Alex and Raphael, I exin the situation to them as best as I can and tell them that the pack is in their care while I¡¯m away. Of course, questions get asked but I exin the urgency of the situation to them and though they aren¡¯t satisfied with my answers, they don¡¯t ask any more questions too. I already have in mind a ce where I¡¯m going to be taking Alessia. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Caden¡¯s POV I UN 83% 12:31 I see Alessia¡¯s decision in her eyes before she opens her mouth to voice it out. ¡°Ok,¡± she whispers. Then her head rises to meet mine. ¡°How long does itst?¡± ¡°A week. Could be more.¡± Most of the people that I know who have found their mate are mated and have marked each other before the first heat cane. A heat is basically nature¡¯s way of telling you that you have to fasten the pace. For mates who reject each other, the heat doesn¡¯te around but since Alessia and I have neither done the first nor thetter, nature has decided to take things into its hands. I don¡¯t want to tell Alessia that us rejecting each other may just be an option to put her out of her misery. Mostly, because I¡¯m not sure if the heat will stop after the rejection and also because¡­I¡¯m not ready for the rejection. Ah! Yes, I know I¡¯m being a selfish a s s by making Alessia go through this pain but I¡¯m going to make sure I ease her pain in any way that I can. Alessia¡¯s rumbling stomach breaks the silence and I chuckle as she flushes bright red. That o r g a s m must have really taken something out of her. I stand up and make my way over to the door, turning around just when I have my hand on the doorknob. ¡°I¡¯m going to find something for us to eat in the kitchen. I always have the kitchen stocked up with snacks if not food stuff. In the case of neither of them being avable, I can always ask Alex or Raphael to run over here with something. ¡°You can have a bit more rest. I¡¯ll call you once I¡¯ve whipped something up.¡± Just as I expect the fridge is fully stocked with foodstuffs. The kinds that don¡¯t perish. So, I don¡¯t have much to work with but I manage to find the ingredients needed for a quick pot of spaghetti. + 1 hurry up with the food, not wanting Alessia to have another wave of heat before she has the chance to get something in her stomach. As I chop the vegetable, I gaze out the open window, admiring the wide expanses of trees surrounding the house. The house that I got as soon as Iid eyes on it. 3 Ever since the number of members upying the pack house increased drastically, more houses have been built for mates who wish to move out of the pack house and into a home of their own. This particr house is set back from all the other houses and hidden behind several tall trees. The view was what sold it to me and I knew that I had to have it even though I had no ns for it. Itter transformed into my hideaway, a ce where I run to when I need a moment to unwind without the duties of being an Alpha of a pack weighing on me. Those times have since increased in the past few years and I¡¯ve taken to making sure that the house always has the necessary necessities avable. I boil the spaghetti and mix it in with the sauce. Then I set the table and head back into the room to call * UZ N 12:31 Chapter 33 for Alessia where I find her snuggled into the nket on the bed. For some reason, a smile makes its way to my lips which I quickly wipe away in ce of an indifferent expression. Keeping the expression in ce, I head for the bed and nug Alessia a bit. ¡°Wake up. I¡¯ve made something for us to eat.¡± I slowly pull away the nket from her body. Big Mistake. The shirt that I put on her has risen from its position on her mid-thighs and is now around her waist, exposing her from the hip down. I swallow my tongue, coughing as I quickly turn my head to the side. A motion that I now realize to be stupi d because I¡¯ve already seen Alessia stark naked so seeing her in this state shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. I hear shuffling on the bed and then Alessia is standing in front of me, her cheeks tinted pink and her eyes focusing on anything in the room other than me. I clear my throat again to get rid of the lump stuck there. ¡°I¡¯ve set the table in the kitchen. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± I¡¯m already heading for the door before Alessia can answer. Her footsteps sound behind me as we both walk into the kitchen where two tes are sitting in the adjoined dining area. We take a seat opposite each other and Alessia digs into her te of spaghetti, stuffing her face with the food like she expects the te to grow legs and run away from her at any moment. ¡°Slow down,¡± I say, twirling some spaghetti on my fork and cing it in my mouth. Like how a normal person is meant to eat. She takes the ss of water on the table and drinks it halfway before she opens her mouth to talk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I¡¯m just so hungry.¡± She takes another bite of her food. We eat in silence and when we¡¯re done, Alessia thanks me for dinner and insists on taking care of the dirty dishes. While she doing that, I made use of the bathroom, dressed in casual wear, and walked into a room that I turned into a makeshift office for my visits. You would think that the most difficult part of running a pack was the actual running of it. You would be wrong. Somehow, the finance takes the cake. Keeping track of how the money is spent and where it¡¯s spent always takes up half of my day. ¡°Caden!¡± Alessia screeches and I jump out of my seat and bolt for the door. ND D Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Caden¡¯s POV H Her scream has me running straight to the room where the door is left open. Rm1231 Inside, Alessia is curled up in a ball on the floor with just a towel around her. I rush inside, falling on my knees and gripping her in my arms. ¡°Sheesh. It¡¯s ok, I¡¯ve got you.¡± I whisper, pushing her wet hair out of her face. ¡°Caden, she breathes out. Her head lifts to mine and then her lips are on mine. I steady myself so we don¡¯t both tumble to the ground in a heap. Alessia doesn¡¯t share the same goal as me because she throws her arms around my neck and pushes her weight into me, sending us both to the ground. With a humph, Ind on the ground with Alessia above me, still assaulting my lips. ¡°Ales-¡± I¡¯m cut off with another kiss, one that takes away my breath and leaves me senseless. Alessia pulls away from my lips and starts heading down my body. I pull in air through my lungs. Air that is infused with her scent and arousal. With a groan, I flip us over, tired of being on the receiving end and wanting to have my hands and mouth on Alessia. 1 She peeps up at me and her tongue slides out from her mouth to lick her lips, tearing my gaze away from her eyes to her mouth. F u c k! That f u c ki n g mouth is going to be the end of me. o ¡°Caden please, help me,¡± she whines under me, pulling my gaze back to her pleading eyes. I cover her lips with mine, ce my palm on the floor, and push up from the ground with Alessia in my Carrying her bridal style, I lift from the floor and move us towards the king-size bed where I¡¯m going to test its strength. cing Alessia in the middle, I follow her down and lower my body over her with my lips still locked with hers. I undo the knot holding the towel to her body and peel it away, expost her body to my eyes, Going down her body, I ce her legs on my shoulder and go straight for the kill, sucking on her cl i t. Alessia gasps, thrusting her hip up into my face, asking for more and more I give her. With my lips still on her c li t, I reach up for her breasts, kneading them in my hands and driving her wild. Soon, Alessia is bucking and gripping my hair strands, thrusting wilding into my face and screaming out Chapter 34 sounds of pleasure. My c o c k is a hard mass in my trouser and I resist the urge to rock into the mattress to seek for some release. This is about Alessia¡¯s pleasure, not mine. I¡¯ll finish myself off in the bathroom only after she has reached her climax. Not before then. Alessia lets out a gasp and her p u s s y clenches around my tongue as her o r g a s m takes over it. It¡¯s beautiful to watch as she falls apart on my tongue; her eyes shut close, her lips part in a breathless moan, her back arched into a bow, and her hip press her p u s s y into my face. A breathtaking view that I thoroughly enjoy being the executor of Alessia¡¯s hip settles down and I take onest longing lick at her sex before pulling away from her. She pants on the bed, a sated look on her face, and the pain that was etched on it when I ran into the room is now gone. Those eyes open to show brown orbs, holding an expression that I can¡¯t quite ce my finger on. Just before I can figure out what it is, Alessia sits up with a blush and quickly wraps the towel back around her body, noticing the state of undress she¡¯s in. It¡¯s almostughable to watch her trying to be modest after riding my face a few seconds ago, I don¡¯t make a mention of the fact though, allowing her to delude herself. The monster in my pants is now an unwavering force that demands some attention. I look over at Alessia, ready to make up an excuse for her and get away from her to take care of my raging hard ¨C on. Alessia¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t on me though. Well, technically speaking they ¡®are¡¯ on me since she¡¯s staring at the beast in my pants with wide eyes. Does she think it¡¯s going to jump out of my pants and attack her? I hold back a scoff at my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m going to excuse myself now. Get dressed.¡± I stand up not even attempting to cover up. She is already staring openly at it so there¡¯s no use trying to retain some modesty at this point. Her eyes whipped up to mine like she wasn¡¯t drilling a hole into my c o c k a second ago. ¡°Are-aren¡¯t you going to¡­¡± she trails off and her gaze goes down again to the imprint showing on my sweatpants. Her tongue slips out of her mouth and slides across her bottom lip. F u c k! I groan, closing my eyes and clenching my fists to stop myself from pulling her back into my arms and making sure that we¡¯re both satisfied. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± I beg. F u c k i n g beg. ¡°Like what?¡± She asks, sounding breathless in a way that I know wasn¡¯t from the org a s m I just gave her. HBBM Chapter 34 12:31 ¡°Like you want to have my c o ck inside of you.¡± I answer before I can stop myself from releasing the word vomit. The words have the effect that I expected them to have on her. She gasps and her eyes ze over just as her hand clenches the towel tighter to her chest. ¡°I-I just wanted to help you out.¡± ¡°Do me a favor then and stop looking at me like you want me to f u c k you senseless. There¡¯s only so much I can take before I snap.¡± Those are thest words I give to her before I step out of the room and into the other room to give myself a quick release that ends in her name. Alessia. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Caden¡¯s POV 2 I thought it was a good idea to sleep in the same room with Alessia in case another wave of heat should ur at midnight. I¡¯ll be just within reach and will be able to easily assist her. I was f u c k i n g wrong. At around three am, I wake up to Alessia on top of me with her hip grinding into mine. Somehow, she managed to strip off all her clothes without waking me up and is now naked on top of me who also happens to be wearing just a skin-tight brief. Mistake number two. I don¡¯t sleep with a stitch of garment on but have made an exception tonight because of Alessia. I should have worn more clothes instead of this brief because right now, I can feel every inch of Alessia¡¯s p u s s y that¡¯s pressed against my c o c k. Alessia¡¯s hands are gripping my pecs for support as her hip moves sensually on top of me. ¡°Alessia.¡± Her name is a pant on my lips as I try to pull her off me. The only thing 1 seed in doing is making her dig her nails into my chest and fasten her thrusts. Her p u s s y is drenching through my light brief and her wetness is smearing all over my leaking coc k. This is heaven-wrapped up in a bacon of hell and then drizzled with excruciating pain. ¡°Alessia, get off me.¡± I know I could easily remove her from my person but I can¡¯t think of a way that won¡¯t result in her getting hurt. And truthfully, I don¡¯t have the willpower to fight this when I am receiving such great pleasure from having her rub on me. Alessia ignores my plead and lowers her head to mine, effectively pressing her breasts against my chest. Her mouth takes mine in a heated kiss that ends up bing a power struggle. I end up winning the battle and hold Alessia by the hair for my brutal attack. I taste every inch of her mouth, getting my full before releasing her and heading straight for her neck.. Alessia tilts her head to the side, exposing her beautiful neck for me toy my mark on. I suck her flesh into my mouth as her thrusts flutter, letting me know that she¡¯s close. I grip her hip in my hard and help her by directing her weakening thrusts. Soon, Alessia is burying a scream at the side of my neck and her hip has now slowed down to slight jerks. She rolls off me and falls onto the bed beside me. My limbs are weak and I don¡¯t think I could make myself get up from this bed even if I tried. But the waging coc k in my briefwon¡¯t let me have a goodnight rest if I don¡¯t do something about it. MBGME Chapter 35 83% 12:31 Without giving it a second thought, I slide my hand into my soaked brief and pull out my weeping coc k. I hear a hitched breath from beside me as I give myself the first stroke. The wetness from both my precum and Alessia¡¯s wetness makes the slide easy. I feel eyes on me as I push my brief down, exposing the entire length of my coc k. Giving myself a few leisure strokes, I spread the wetness all over it and then I start giving myself fast hard pumps. A whimper is heard from beside me in the otherwise quiet room and a soft sigh follows afterwards. Those sounds are what make me hasten my pace, chasing the pleasure in sight. The bed ruffles beside me and a low moanes next followed by the scent of Alessia¡¯s aurosal in the air. Is she¡­touching herself? I could easily look over to her to find out but what would be the fun in doing that? My finger twist under the swollen head of my coc k and Alessia¡¯s breath turns heavy as the smell of arousal in the air intensifies. Giving her a show, I take my hand off my co c k and bring it to my mouth, spitting on it before taking it back to my coc k. Alessia is panting now and I can confirm that she¡¯s definitely getting herself off at the sight of met masturbat i n g. I¡¯ve never been one to draw out a session. I prefer a swift and hard rubbing with no beating around the bush but somehow, I find myself wanting to prolong this session. So when I feel the white-hot pleasure going down my spine, I press my eyes shut and squeeze on the base of my c oc k to hold it back. Alessia lets out a drawn out moan beside me that ends in a gasp and that¡¯s when I let myself go. I curse as 1 feel all my limbs seize up. After what could have possibly been minutes or hours, Ie down from my high. What in the f u c k i n g hell was that? It felt as though my soul departed from my body for a moment there. 1 I kick off my brief and use it to wipe off the c u m on my stomach and hand, and then I toss it to the corner of the room. Alessia is quiet beside me and I finally turn to the side and find her staring at me again with the expression that still can¡¯t make it It¡¯s gone before I can decipher it and in its ce is wariness with a touch of tiredness. ¡°Sleep,¡± I mutter, taking note of the fact that it¡¯s still very early in the morning and silently thanking the Moon Goddess for the absence of any neighbor. MB BM Chapter 35 12:31 She nods and closes her eyes and I watch her like a creep until her breath evens out. Then I close my eyes to get some shut eyes as well. It must have been sometimeter that Alessia curls up to my side with her head on my chest because that¡¯s how we wake up in the morning. MBB M Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Alessia¡¯s POV I walk over to the space beside him, making sure to still keep a bit of distance between us. I can¡¯t believe that I did what I did this morning. In fact, I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯ve been doing since this ster heat started. It¡¯s like someone takes over my body whenever another heat wave starts and then I¡¯m left marveling over what I¡¯ve done when it¡¯s over. I peek over at Caden through the corner of my eye to see him chopping the vegetables with impable concentration. Most of what I perceived from Caden has been proven wrong in the few days that we¡¯ve been locked in together. I for one never thought of him as someone to go out of his way to help someone who he doesn¡¯t like. Though he hasn¡¯t outright told me that he doesn¡¯t like me but he also hasn¡¯t implied otherwise. My gaze shift to his arm wielding the knife and cutting the vegetables with a precession that I could never hope to achieve. 22 This entire scene seems almost domesticated in a way; me prepping the necessary ingredients for the food and Caden cutting the vegetables. It almost seems like we were pulled out of a magazine for healthy living lives of couples. A snort escapes me at the thought of Caden being on the front page of a magazine and giving a quote about how he made his marriage life work for him. Caden gaze goes to me and he arches an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± His hand slows down as he turns his attention to me. I pause like a deer caught in the headlight. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± I drag out as Caden co c k s his head to the side. ¡°I just thought of a funny joke in my head.¡± The white lie flies out of my mouth easily but I don¡¯t think Caden buys it because his eyes narrow at me before turning back to the vegetable. I hold in a sigh of relief and focus on the task assigned to me. The rest of the cooking is spent in a comfortable silence as Caden and I work as a team. When the food has been made, Caden and I dish our portions onto tes and make our way to the adjoined dining table. I sit in my previous spot from yesterday and Caden sits opposite me like he also did yesterday. ¡°Thanks for helping me out and making dinner and-¡± A pause. ¡°Thanks for everything.¡± I know that I¡¯ve thanked him a few times but he keeps doing these things that make me feel indebted to him. I can¡¯t do anything but disy my appreciation though. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep thanking me,¡± Caden says sternly, leveling me with a reprimanding look. ¡°I¡¯m part Chapter 37 of the reason why you¡¯re going through this right now and it¡¯s my duty to help you out.¡± 8% 12:32 His duty? Is that what he sees it as? A duty that he has no other choice but to fulfill? I have to admit that it does seem like I¡¯m the only one getting anything out of our deal and the other day when I offered to help. Caden had immediately shut it down. My mind goes over to yesterday and I quickly pick up the ss of water on the table beside my te and use it as a shield to hide the blush on my face. It didn¡¯t look like a duty to him when he took his c o c k into his hand and made himselfe. My legs squeeze together as the memory of what I did enters my head. I acted like a harlot without any self-control but I can¡¯t me myself. Caden looked so perfect with his body stretched out on the bed and his c o c k in his hand. I squeeze my eyes and press my lips together to stop a moan from escaping. I open them up to find Caden¡¯s attention has shifted from his te of food to me. ¡°Are you having another heat wave?¡± Caden asks as the ck in his eyes widens. His nostrils re as his cutlery hits his te. ¡°I can smell you.¡±- Oh G o d, someone should just kill me right now and save me from this nightmare. Do I lie to save face and make him believe his assumption? ¡°No,¡± I whisper. ¡°I-I was just¡­¡± With my eyes, I beg him to put me out of my misery. He doesn¡¯t. Instead, he leans back in his seat and crosses his arms over his chest as a smirk settles on his lips. ¡°You were just?¡± The smirk on his face transforms into a breathtaking smile as his eyes shine in mischief. ¡°I¡¯m done with my dinner.¡± I rush out, standing up abruptly and nearly falling my chair to the ground. Caden¡¯sughter follows me all the way to the kitchen sink where I quickly wash my te and the dirty dishes stored there. I¡¯m putting everything away just as Caden approaches with his dirty dish in his hand. ¡°I was nning to wash them myself,¡± he says pointedly, eyeing the dishes that I¡¯m currently putting away. 3 ¡°You did most of the work,¡± I remind him, making sure to keep my gaze down on the floor. I wipe my wet hands on the kitchen napkin. ¡°I¡¯m going to use the bathroom.¡± I power walk out of the room before he can say anything but I think I hear a chuckle. Groaning, I close the bedroom door behind me and throw myself onto the bed, thinking of ways to end this embarrassment. Caden probably thinks that I¡¯m some kind of sl u t that thinks of sex twenty-four- seven. The bad thing is that he wouldn¡¯t be wrong to think so. I force myself to stand up and walk into the bathroom. I turn the shower on and stand under it for a MBB M Chapter 37 minute. I praying that the water washes away what just urred at the dining table. 12:32 As I¡¯m toweling my body, the stinging sensation starts. The telltale sign that another wave of heat is about to happen. My mind goes back to what Caden said at dinner. Does he really think of helping me as a duty? Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Caden¡¯s POV I¡¯m seated at the chair in my office, not really seeing the words in front of me. My mind is on other things. Namely Alessia and how she¡¯s going to be the death of me. I¡¯m dying to know what she was thinking about at dinner but I think she¡¯ll rather dig her grave and bury herself before admitting anything to me. I chuckle at that thought as I remember her running out of the kitchen like her a s s was on fire. And what a fine a s s she has. Groaning. I close the file in front of me, giving up on the pretense of working. I close my eyes and fall back onto my seat, my mind wandering over to other things about Alessia. Like how the color of her eyes changes from dark brown to near ck when she¡¯s aroused. Or how she seems like a whole new person when in heat wave. I wonder if that how she naturally is when she¡¯s horn y or if the heat waves are intensifying this behavior. Not that I¡¯m her taking said pleasure from my body without any prompting. Another groan escapes me as I feel my coc k grow in my pants. I should probably get this one out of my system so I don¡¯te in my pants like a teenager when the next heat wave appears. Sliding my hand into my sweatpants, I pull out my co k and give it a firm rub with my fist. My gaze snaps to the door at the sound of it opening. It reveals Alessia standing in the doorway, naked with her gaze fixed on me. ¡°I think it¡¯s happening again,¡± she says as a form of exnation and walks into the room, pausing when she notices what I¡¯m doing with my hand. She blushes bright red but then something shes in her eyes. ¡°Do you want some help with that?¡± Her lips part and her pink tongue slips out. She runs it across her lips, still staring at my co c k like it¡¯s her dessert. I groan, gripping my c o c k tighter. ¡°I warned you not to look at me like that.¡± My gaze runs over her naked body, making my coc impossibly harder. Something that I didn¡¯t think to be possible. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± She asks, bringing her gaze to mine. She moves closer to me and stops at the side of my desk. ¡°Are you going to f u c k me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me, I snart feeling an o r g a s m crawl up my spine at the thought of throwing her onto my desk and f u c ki n g her senseless. Alessia moves closer, and stands in the space between my desk and me, so close to me yet so far. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask as she falls onto her knees on the ground, making her face level with my c o c k. She couldn¡¯t be doing what I think she is. MG GM Chapter 38 * UN 831 1234 She nces up at me for a second before shifting her gaze back to my co k. ¡°I just want to help you like you¡¯ve been doing for me.¡± I close my eyes, fighting for some self-control to stop myself from taking what she¡¯s so beautifully offering. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do something you don¡¯t want to because you think you have to. I¡¯m helping you out. because I want to not because I feel you have to repay in some way.¡± It¡¯s taking every in me to reassure her that she doesn¡¯t need to suck my coc k as a way of showing her gratitude to me. Alessia still doesn¡¯t get off the floor. Instead, she ces her palms on my thighs and draws closer, her gaze still fixed on my coc k that¡¯s ready to burst at the seams. I¡¯m not doing this because I think I need to. I¡¯m doing it because I want to.¡± I open my mouth to rify if she really means her words. I don¡¯t get anything out though because the words on my tongue die in the form of a gasp as Alessia¡¯s mouth swallows my coc k down her throat. My wide eyes stare down at her as her head bobs up and down, making my coc k disappear and reappear in her mouth. The blood in my head rushes straight down to my coc k, leaving me feeling light-headed. I force my heavy lids to stay open because this is something that I need to see. Alessia is going down on my co c k and I need to see every second of it. This is going to cause many sleepless nights toe. up She¡¯s having a hard time taking the entire length down her throat but what shecks in skills is made in enthusiasm. She¡¯s eagerly taking me down like she genuinely enjoys having my coc k in her mouth. The little moans that she¡¯s making help reinforce that idea. My fingers slide into her hair and I pull her off my coc k. It slides out with an obscene pop sound and then Alessia is looking at me with a frown on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Wasn¡¯t I good?¡± Her frown deepens as self-doubt reflects in her eyes. Any better and I might have lost my head. I drag her up from the floor and onto myp. She straddles me with my coc k pressed between us. I try not to think about how easy it will be to lift her and sink her onto my hard coc k. Instead, I focused on reassuring her that she was fantastic. ¡°You were awesome,¡± I brush a strand of hair away from her face, ¡°but this isn¡¯t about me.¡± With my hand in her hair, I direct her mouth down to Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 QMII * UN 8% 12:32 Caden¡¯s POV I n t my lips over hers, thoroughly exploring her mouth. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get tired of tasting these lips. Each time I think that I imagined how sweet they tasted, I¡¯m proven wrong. Pulling away, I press our forehead together as my fingers slide out of her hair and down her back. Alessia is panting and her soft breath fans my face. I stand up and Alessia¡¯s legs automatically go around my waist. With one hand swipe, the files on my desk. go crashing onto the ground and I ce Alessia on the now empty table. Following her down, I cover her lips with mine again, not being able to get enough of her taste. Alessia¡¯s legs go around my waist, pressing my co c k against her bare pu s s y. She lets out a gasp just as I groan at the feel of her sex touching my c o c k. I can¡¯t imagine how it will feel to slide deep into her p us s y if just a contact feels this awesome. I pull away before things get to the point of no return. I may just cross over the line and won¡¯t be able to pull myself back. & With Alessia spread out on my desk like my very own dessert, I take my seat back in my chair and drag her to the edge of the table. With her legs hanging over the table, I ce them on my shoulders.. The heels of her feet dig into my back as I lower my head down and close my eyes, drawing her sweet scent through my nostrils. Her pu s s y is already glistening with wetness even without a touch from me. She¡¯s so responsive and it drives me insane. I press my tongue t on her sex and she bolts upright with a long moan on her lips. Smiling, I take a long lick up her pu s s y and pull on her cli t with my tongue which I then suck into my mouth. Alessia is a whimpering mess under me. Her legs press to my head as she tries to shut her legs together, the sensation too much for her to bear. Gripping her thighs, I pull them apart and hold them there, holding her open for my assault. Her fingers sink into my hair and just as I think that she¡¯s going to try to pull me away, she presses my face harder into her sex, basically begging for more. I chuckle and it vibrates against her pus s y, sending a jolt through her. Letting go of her thighs, I raise a hand between us and press my thumb to her cli t as I slide two fingers deep inside her to the knuckles. 1 pull my fingers out of her andtch back onto her cl it. With my fingers now drenched with her wetness, a trace a path down her p u s s y to her other hole. MD BN Chapter 39 Alessia stiffens as I press a finger on the hole, but no ¡°Cad- prating her. ¡°Sheesh,¡± I cut her off, sinking my tongue inside her p u s s y and effectively taking her attention away from the finger prodding at her a s s h o l e. Her hip lifts to my face and I take that opportunity to slide the finger in. Alessia cries out, mping down on my tongue and the finger inside of her. My c o c k is now making a puddle on my thigh with the amount of precum leaking from the head. I slide the finger into her as s deeper and c o c k it once it¡¯s in. That sets Alessia off and her c u m rushes onto my waiting tongue. Ip her p u s s y eagerly, taking every drop of sweetness thates out of her sex. When her screams slow down into soft moans and gasps, I slide my finger out of her a s s h o le and take my tongue off her p u s s y. While she¡¯s still gasping and writhing on my desk, I stand up to my feet and push my sweatpants down to my knees. Gripping my c o c k, I f u c k my fist furiously. Alessia¡¯s lips around my coc kbined with the beautiful o r g a s m I just witnessed from her, guaranteed this to be a very fast session. Soon, I¡¯m shooting a hot rope of cu m onto Alessia¡¯s stomach. I fall back into my chair as my weak knee fails to hold me up. Out of the corner of my eyes, I get a peek of Alessia sliding a finger through the c u m on her stomach and bringing that finger up to her mouth. Her tongue slides out of her mouth as she tastes my c u m. I close my eyes at that sight, afraid of what I may do if I watch her for any longer. I open them up again to find Alessia sitting on the edge of my table and looking down at me with my c u m still smeared all over her body. Realizing that she¡¯s going to need another shower to get cleaned up again, 1 push myself out of my seat and carry her in my arms with her legs on either side of my waist. ¡°I can walk by myself without any assistance,¡± she says even as her legs tighten around my waist and her hands snake around my neck, holding onto me. I press my head to the side of her neck to hide my smile, something I seem to be doing a lot around her. ¡°I want to carry you around, I tell her, cing a kiss on the side of her neck and feeling goosebumps break out on her skin. I trail the kiss up to her cheek and her forehead all the while wondering why I feel different around her. Walking into the bathroom, I turn on the shower head and walk under it with her still in my arms. The evidence of our session together washes down the drain as we share a slow sensual kiss. What is Alessia doing to me and why don¡¯t I have the urge to stop it? Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Alessia¡¯s POV ¡°You need to be quicker than that,¡± Caden says as he turns his head to the side, missing the punch I throw at him. 1 grit my teeth, holding back a groan and trying again with a jab to his right side which he easily dodges with ease. The next punch I thrownds on his shoulder and I stop myself in time from doing a victoryp around the room. Caden nods at me in approval. ¡°You¡¯re getting better,¡± he says and then out of nowhere he twists my right arm to my back and presses my body flush against his. ¡°but you have to be sharper and concentrate on your surroundings. Don¡¯t take your eyes off your opponent just because younded a punch on them.¡± Did I mention that we are having this practice naked in the bedroom? Somehow, between the f u c k i n g and o r g a s m s, Caden decided that it¡¯s been long since I had a practice with him. So, here we are in the middle of the bedroom, naked as the day we came into this world and trying to win against the other. I breathe out harshly, praying that he doesn¡¯t notice the changes in my body. I can¡¯t be med for them though. Try having a hot guy pressed against you and see how well you¡¯ll fare¡­ ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Caden whispers into my ear, his lips so close to my neck that I feel his breath on it, making the hair there stand on end. He traces the back of my neck with the bridge of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m over here trying to teach you some fighting skills and you¡¯re too busy daydreaming.¡± My hope of him not noticing flies out the window and crashes into the ground into pieces. He definitely noticed. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± He takes my earlobe into his teeth and bites on it. I moan before I can help it, my legs squeeze tight, trying to create some friction to help release the tension within me. It was less than an hour ago that I had thest heat wave so it¡¯s too soon for artother one to ur. It will take a few hours for the next one toe by. Will I have to wait until then before I can have Caden¡¯s hands on me again? Will I be able to survive until then? Caden releases my hand pinned between us and pulls away from me. I mourn the absence of his touch but then, he¡¯ll pull me back into his hold and cover my lips with his. My gasp of surprise is swallowed in the kiss. This is the first time that Caden has touched me without a heat wave in sight. What does that mean? I quickly wrap my hands around his neck and pull him closer, not wanting to jinx this change of fate. I¡¯m MMBGM Chapter 40 not about to second guess Caden touching me like I so badly need. BURN 12:32 Caden¡¯s tongue slides into my mouth, twirling around my tongue in a fight for dominance. Which he casily wins. Not that I give a dam n. I¡¯ll dly lose many kissing battles if it means that he¡¯ll keep kissing me in this way. Like he can¡¯t get enough of my mouth. Like he needs his lips on mine as much as he needs his next breath. I melt into the kiss and Caden¡¯s hand around my waist is the only thing holding me up. We start moving backwards and I don¡¯t take notice of it until we tumble in a heap on the bed. Caden follows me down and 1 spread my legs for his body to fall into. I moan at the press of his coc k against my sex. His coc k that I had my lips wrapped around yesterday. His coc k that I badly want my lips around again. I don¡¯t know where the strengthes from but I flip us around. Probably because Caden allows it but I¡¯m willing to delude myself into thinking that I flipped this huge hunk of a man all on my own. Ow that I have him under me and exactly where I want, I start my mission. cing a kiss on his lips, I quickly trail the kisses down to his chest before it turns into another make-out session. Yesterday, I was pulled off his coc k before I could have his taste on my tongue. Today, I n on taking my time and driving him crazy until hees in my mouth. Given that this is the first co c k to be ced in my mouth, the level of anticipation and enthusiasm that I¡¯m showing baffl es mie. Is it always this way with anyone or is it different because Caden is my mate? Pushing those thoughts out of my head, I continue my exploration of his body, my kisses heading down to the light trail of hair leading to his v-line and directly to his fully hard co ck. My tongue slides out of my mouth and I run it across the head of his c o c k, collecting the precum pooling there. Just like yesterday, it¡¯s neither sweet nor bitter but it is a taste that I wouldn¡¯t mind getting used to. What I love most about having Caden under me and at my will is the rush of power it gives me. I may be the one on my knees but there¡¯s no mistaking who¡¯s holding the staff of power here. I lose myself into it; sucking on his head and taking him into my mouth until I can feel the head of his c o c k hitting the back of my throat. I take my time driving him crazy and when Caden is groaning and trying to pull my head away, I tighten my grip on him until I feel the thick rope of c u m shoot into my mouth. I dly swallow around his c o c k, taking everyst drop in. dulonely hur the time I null away and climb back up his body. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Caden¡¯s POV We¡¯ve been staying in this house for a week and a few days. Alessia¡¯s heat waves have stopped and it¡¯s time for us to get back to reality and back to the pack house. For some reason, I¡¯m dreading the inevitable. I always knew that this day was sure toe so why does it feel like a knifeced with wolfband is being pushed inside of me? I throw thest bag into the back seat of the car with a heavy sigh. Then I walk back into the house in search of Alessia where I find her putting on her shoe in the room. I lean on the doorway, watching her like a creep as she does the simple task of sliding on her shoes. Will it be weird if I pull her into my arms and ce a kiss on those sinful lips? The answer to that question is a definite yes. Her heat has ended and though no words have been spoken about what comes next, we both know that everything ising to an end now. ¡°We should get going,¡± I say, straightening up and walking into the room. Alessia does thest knot on her shoe and stands up, dusting invisible dust off her clothes. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± A heavy sigh escapes her. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to know what people will say when we arrive together. The rumors are going to be crazy.¡± We could have chosen to arrive separately but at the end of the day what difference will it make? People are going to put two and two together ande up with whatever conclusion they choose. It would be stupi d to go out of our way to cate their irrational thought. Let theme up with whatever they want. ¡°Just ignore them. It will eventually die off once a new topices their way.¡± Doubt enters my mind even as I say those words. The pack has always had something to say about Alessia and I rtionship. Our going away together for a week is just going to serve as fuel for the hungry lions but it can¡¯t be helped. ¡°What am I going to tell Jake? I still need to apologize to him for what happened.¡± She¡¯s biting her nails now with a faraway look on her face. ¡°I hope he isn¡¯t mad.¡± He may not be mad but I¡¯m definitely furious right now. What does she mean by she¡¯s going to need to apologize to him? Is she nning to remain friends with him even after what urred? ¡°Are you still going to be talking with that jerk?¡± The words are out of my month before I can help it but I can¡¯t find it in me to regret them. Maybe I should have chosen a better choice of words but I¡¯m just calling it as I see it. Her eyes narrow as her forehead pinches together in what I can only call annoyance. ¡°He wasn¡¯t at fault.¡± I scoff, rolling my eyes and digging my grave digger. ¡°He was going to kiss you when I came and I doubt that he would have stopped at that. My hands clenched into fists as my vision turned red. Imagining what could have happened if I hade a secondter makes me want to find Jake and give him an extra dose of beating. He¡¯s so lucky stopped when I did. 82% 12:33 Chapter 41 ¡°He was the one who brought me up to my room. He was trying to help me,¡± she says, her eyes shing. her annoyance shifting into anger. ¡°Yeah, he was definitely trying to help, Lle would have been very helpful to you if I had walked in a secondter.¡± Groaning. I run a hand across my face. This isn¡¯t how I want ourst day in this room to go. All this is because of that b a t a r d. Even when he isn¡¯t around, he somehow finds a way to cause trouble. ¡°The only reason why he was going to kiss me was because I basically begged him to,¡± she says exasperatedly, throwing her hands up in the air. 1 growl, digging my nails into my palms hard enough to draw blood. ¡°Besides you said it yourself that unmated males are going to be drawn to a female in heat. It wasn¡¯t his fault.¡± I¡¯m not hearing a thing of what she¡¯s saying, the blood rushing through my ears is all I can hear. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should be talking with him anymore. I don¡¯t trust him with you.¡± She¡¯s the one who scoff¡¯s in disbelief this time. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you trust him or not. He¡¯s the only friend I have in that pack house and I¡¯m not going to lose him just because you don¡¯t f u c k i n g trust him.¡± ¡°You have Scarlett!¡± I yell out, remembering the few times that she sat beside Scarlett at dinner and chatted away with her. ¡°You don¡¯t need him.¡± ¡°Scarlett has moved out of the pack house in case you didn¡¯t notice and yes, I do need him.¡± That¡¯s the last words she throws my way before she pushes past me and heads out of the room. The moments we shared in this same house shattered to the floor. All because of f u c k i n g Jake. Why couldn¡¯t she just listen to me? I close the front door harder than necessary, thanking the Moon goddess when it doesn¡¯t pull off its hinges. I follow Alessia outside to the parked car and slide into the driver¡¯s side. Alessia is gazing out the window with her arms crossed over her chest. The don¡¯t f u c k with me aura around her has me keeping my lips shut for the duration of the ride back to the pack house. She flies out of the car as soon as I park in front of the pack house and is already swinging her bag over her shoulder and heading for the house before I can get any word out. F u c k i n g Jake. H Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Alessia¡¯s POV I throw the bag on the bed and watch as it content in it doesn¡¯t spill out onto the floces from the bed and onto the floor. Thankfully, the Throwing myself onto the bed, I pick up a pillow and press it on my face, using it to muf fl e the frustrated screams that tear out of me. Why is Caden such a hardhead? How could such a wonderful week take a drastic turn and end on such a bad note? Rolling onto my side, I look at the picture of my mother on the bedside table, missing her more than ever. If she were here, she would know what to do. She always had an answer to every problem. I blink rapidly to stop the tears gathering around my eyes from falling. I¡¯ve already cried enough and I promised myself not to do any more of that. The only thing left to do is get revenge and avenge her death. I¡¯m going to find those ba s t a r d s and when I do, they¡¯re going to be wishing that they never crossed paths with me or my mother. I sit up on the bed and gaze out the window, seeing that it¡¯s starting to get dark out. It will be time for dinner soon and then the awkward moment of looking for where to sit starts again. I need to look for Jake and apologize tu save myself from that awkwardness. Standing up. I pick up the duffel bag from the floor and shove it into the closet, making a menta l note at the back of my head to put away the clothes in it. Then I head out of my room and start scouting for Jake. I don¡¯t find him anywhere around the pack house but I do receive some curious stares and hush whispers. My mind runs wide, trying to figure out where he could be. Then it clicks and I¡¯m leaving the house and heading into the woods without giving it a second thought. Just as I suspected, Jake is sitting at the edge of the cliff and gazing down into the water below when I arrive. His head whips to me at the sound of my footsteps and turns away from he sees who¡¯s approaching. /sink down and sit beside him, maintaining the silence. We sit together for what has to be minutes before I decide to be the bigger person and start what is going to be a dreadful conversation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whisper. ¡°Caden had the wrong idea and he-¡± I pause not knowing what else to say. I can¡¯t say more without giving everything away. ¡°He is your mate isn¡¯t he?¡± He states matter of factly, not really asking a question. ¡°He¡¯s the one you¡¯re thinking of rejecting. I knew telling him about that was going toe back and bite me in the as s one of these days. How did he figure out that Caden is fny mate? Were we that obvious to the extent that he saw through our bulls h i t or is he just observant and a good judge of character? MBGM Chapter 42 II 12:33 I open my mouth to deny it but then stop. What use would that be? For him to havee to that conclusion, it means that he¡¯s sure about it and I don¡¯t think a few lies will make him doubt himself. Neither denying nor epting the usation, I keep quiet and gaze down at the beautiful body of water. What will it feel like to be this calm on the inside? No turmoil. No thoughts of revenge or vengeance and no thought of a mate that drives one to the brink of madness. Jakeughs. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really sure about that theory but it seems I was right.¡± Disbelief etch in his words. ¡°You¡¯re thinking of rejecting an Alpha? The strongest Alpha in the region?¡± He asks incredulously. 1 fear the understanding I developed with him is now gone. Of course, he won¡¯t get or understand me now that he knows who my mate is. He¡¯s probably going to think I¡¯m crazy. ¡°It¡¯s not what it seems like. We don¡¯t even acte we¡¯re mates. We avoid each other and almost always end up fighting whenever we try to have a conversation.¡± This afternoon is proof of that. Caden and I are far from a perfect match. ¡°The beating I received sure did feel like it was from someone¡¯s enraged mate,¡± he cups his jaw. ¡°I can still feel the punches.¡± I whine, throwing him an apologetic grimace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. It was my fault that Caden pounced on you when you were just trying to help me out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± His hand drops away from his face. ¡°I kind of deserve it.¡± Before I can ask him what that statement meant, he¡¯s talking again. ¡°Are you better now?¡± He asks with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I can¡¯t smell anything so I¡¯m assuming that¡­¡± He trails off his words for me to continue. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s gone.¡± My cheeks feel hot as avoid his gaze. Lately, I¡¯ve been having a lot of embarrassing moments. ¡°So, are we friends again?¡± I ask, looking up at him with a hopeful expression on my face. ¡°Of course we are.¡± He sounds surprised at my question. ¡°Why would you ever think that we weren¡¯t?¡± Caden beating him into the ground shes into my mind as a very good reason but I shake it off. If he wants to bury everything under the rug then I have no right to refuse the kind gesture. I sigh in relief and fall onto the grass, gazing up at the sky as my mind wanders off to the ces it usually goes to at this time of the day. ces where Caden resides in. No matter how hard I try, I can never get him out of my head and senses. NON M Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Caden¡¯s POV At the dinner table, I make sure to drill a hole into the side of Jake¡¯s face but the idiot just doesn¡¯t know how to take a hint. He sticks to Alessia¡¯s side throughout dinner and afterward, they stay outside together. Wasn¡¯t the beating I gave to him a clue enough? Or is he just daft? ¡°I take it that you have an issue with Alessia¡¯s new friend,¡± Raphael says pointedly once the dining room. starts clearing off with people moving to the main room or their bedroom. I huff, neither proving nor denying his im. Let him think whatever he wants. A few minutester, I see Alessia and Jake heading back inside and stopping at the end of the staircase. Straining my ears, I catch Alessia telling Jake goodbye and Jake mumbling something about a movie. Not that I care about what the as s h ol e ns on doing. Atst, they go their separate ways, with Alessia going up the stairs and Jake disappearing into the kitchen. My gaze follows Alessia¡¯s back up the stairs and when she disappears around the corner, I jump up to my feet. Raphael¡¯s head turns to me and he looks highly amused as I put together a string of words to form an excuse before heading straight for the stairs. I stop on the setpnd floor, contemting my next move. If I¡¯m to go into Alessia¡¯s room, will I achieve anything other than stirring up another one of our fights? Deciding to go with a much safer choice, I change direction up thest fleet of stairs to my room. On that floor, I head to my room and immediately walk towards the desk pushed to the corner of the room where aputer sits on top. Sliding into the chair, I turn it on and log into what brought me here. The screen fills up with an Image of Alessia¡¯s room without any Alessia present but the sound of the shower running lets me know exactly where she is. I personally installed a camera in Alessia¡¯s room when I gave it to her. At first, it was because I couldn¡¯t trust her and felt like she was up to something. I hate to admit it but recently, I¡¯ve been using it to spy on her. There¡¯s no excuse for it and I¡¯ve silently promised myself to uninstall it as soon as I can. The soonest that I can isn¡¯t that soon though. Alessia is always around that room and it¡¯s not like I can knock on her door and tell her that I need to uninstall a camera I ced there when I thought she was dangerous. She would have a fit. Rightfully so. I rarely ever use it anymore but there are some doors that my willpower crumble and I sumb to watching her through the cameras. Today happens to be one of those days. Alessia pads into her room mped in just a towel and I nearly choke on my tongue as the towel falls to the ground. Quickly turning my gaze away, I attempt to give her what little privacy I can provide. It¡¯s MBB NO Chapter 43 almostughable. 2x 12:33 After waiting for some good minutes to ensure that she¡¯s definitely dressed, I turn my gaze back to the Alessia is now dressed in just a pantie and a t-shirt that looks very familiar. Too familiar. 1 squint my eyes, trying to make through the ck and white picture where I¡¯ve seen the shirt before. Then it clicks. It was one of the shirts I took over to the house we stayed at. It was the only shirt I wore there before we gave up on clothes. So, did Alessia sneak it into her bag before we left? That cheeky brat. I smile at the thought of her looking for an excuse to get into the room to find it. Alessia throws herself onto the bed, making the back of the t-shirt rise and expose a bit of her panties. The color of it is unknown because everything is a boring ck or white color. 1 silently curse myself for not installing a color CCTV instead of this in ck and white. I sit at my desk, watching Alessia like a creep for Go d knows how long before deciding to call it a day and retire to bed. Just as I reach for the button to turn it off, a sound filters through the screen. I look at the image of Alessia in her bed and snuggled into the duvet. Straining my eyes, I look more closely and find something moving under the covers. Her hand. Groaning and at the same time, cursing and thanking my fate, myser eyes stay on that hand, following its every movement. That hand starts moving faster just as her moans increase. The cover shifted away, revealing a bit of her thighs. Alessia¡¯s hand bunches up my t-shirt and raises to her nose and that¡¯s when I lose it. 1 My hand moves on its own ount and works on getting my trousers ofl. My coc k is in my fist in the second, sliding through my hand as I follow Alessia¡¯s movement with my eyes. Her face turns into the pillow beside her, probably trying to muf f l e her sounds of pleasure. Too bad we weren¡¯t still at that house where she could scream and moan as loudly as she wanted without having to worry about who could hear her. My finger swipe over the top of my coc k, collecting the precum there and using it as a lube. I¡¯m too lazy to leave this screen and go to my bedside table, so this will just have to do. Alessia presses her face harder into the pillow but it doesn¡¯t stop me from hearing what she says just as shees. She screamed my name. Caden. That¡¯s all it takes for my coc k to pulse in my hand and shoot ropes of cu m that fall on my chest. ND BN Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Alessia¡¯s POV ? FUZN 82% 12:33 ¡°Focus on our opponent. Don¡¯t be distracted. One wrong move can cost you everything!¡± Caden yells, throwing a punch that I narrowly miss. Thanks the goddess for that because it was headed to my face. 1 st a g g e r on my foot and nearly go crashing to the ground when Caden wraps his fingers around my upper arm to pulls me back up. ¡°Focus on your footing,¡± he says, letting go of my arm. ¡°What¡¯s up with day? Gett the cloud, otherwise you¡¯re going to get yourself killed.¡± head out of His words hit me and I hide a pout by turning my gaze to the ground. I have to admit that for the past few days, I¡¯ve managed to suck so bad. Almost as bad as when I started training and that¡¯s saying something because those days were terrible. ¡°Maybe you aren¡¯t getting enough sleep,¡± he says pointedly, eyeing me with a knowing look in those green orbs. No, it¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no way that he knows what I¡¯ve been doing alone in the dark for the past few days. Absolutely no way. My mouth falls open and no wordse out as I stutter. Does he know? He smirks at the look on my face, definitely enjoying seeing me squirm under his gaze. ¡°I get enough sleep. I manage to push out the words that feel like chalk on my tongue, too scared to think of the possibility of him knowing. I won¡¯t be able to live with myself if he does. How will be able to look. him in the face again if that happens to be the truth? ¡°Is that so?¡± He arches his brow in question. ¡°You don¡¯t do anything that take up your time before going to bed?¡± The question seems too specific for him to be going out on a limb here? Does he know? Did he hear somethingst night? That couldn¡¯t be possible, I always make sure that my voice is low. There¡¯s no way he heard it up in his room¡­unless he was standing directly outside my door. ¡°That¡¯s it for today,¡± Caden says, stopping my train of thought. ¡°We¡¯ll continue tomorrow. Hopefully, you¡¯ll be well rested by then. I expect a better performance tomorrow.¡± He throws onest disapproving nce at me before walking away to meet f u c k i n g Julianna who¡¯s waving her hand widely in the air to get his attention. Why does that bit c h always need his help? At this point, she might just be worse than me. I roll my eyes hard enough for it to get stuck behind my head as Caden wraps his arm around her to show her how to throw a punch at the punching bag in front of her. Isn¡¯t that what she still wanted the previous day? MBGM Chapter 44 it I turn my gaze away from them to prevent myself from doing something I¡¯ll regret. I wouldn¡¯t put past my wolf to take control and rip the bit c h¡¯s head off her neck, then parade it around the house like it¡¯s a trophy. My wolf howls at that idea trying to get me to see the bright side of it. It seems Julianna brings out the violent side of my wolf. I shake my head and start making my way out of the training grounds to head to the pack house and take a much-needed cold bath to help loosen my sore muscles. In the pack house, a few people are roaming around but most of them are either still at the training grounds or in school. I passed through the house undetected with no one stopping me to ask where Caden and I had been in the previous weeks. Those urances have been happening far more than I like. I obviously knew that rumors were going to arise after our disappearance but I never expected it to get to the extent. And I thought for sure that it would have died out by this time. Instead, it seems to have intensified. I¡¯m actually getting stopped by people that I¡¯ve previously never exchanged a word with. Sneaking into my room, I close the door behind me and breathe out a sigh of relief at my sessful escape. I walk into the middle of the room and grip the end of my skin-tight shirt to pull it over my head when somethinges to mind. If Caden wasn¡¯t standing outside my door then the only other way he would have figured out what I¡¯ve been up to is if- My hands drop down, pulling my shirt back on as I look around the room with wide eyes. Did Caden bug my room? I nce around the room, looking for anything sticking out of a wiring or behind a picture frame. Basically anything suspicious or standing out of ce. When Ie up short with nothing, I shake my head, pushing away that idea out of my head. I would like to think that I would have noticed if I had been watched. I definitely would have¡­right? My paranoid mind doesn¡¯t let me strip down in the room though. Instead, I go to the bathroom and get naked there with the door locked. I want to shake my head at my silly self but the question of ¡®what if¡± hangs at the back of my head, hovering just out of reach. I soak up in the bathtub for what could have been hours and insanely, I wrap a towel around my body and walk into the room to pick out what to wear. Then I walk back into the bathroom to get dressed there. At dinner, I sit with Jake, and like usual, I try to ignore Caden¡¯s gaze digging into the side of our head. By the time dinner is over and I¡¯ve headed back up to my room, all thoughts of a hidden camera in my room. are gone. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Alessia¡¯s POV I walk into the clearing in the woods where the bonfire is being held. Caden filled me in on the way here and apparently, every full moon, the pack holds a bonfire, and fights are held to improve the pack spirit. I have no idea how getting beat to a pump helps restore one¡¯s spirit but whatever, I¡¯m not the one running a pack here. People are all over the ce in all states of undress with some of them even goingpletely naked and nobody bats an eye at them. It¡¯s another thing that I¡¯m finding difficult to get used to. People just walk around naked and nobody gives a dam n. In the center of the clearing is a circle where two gigantic wolves are circling around each other. I push through the crowd to get a better view just as the bigger wolf bites into the neck of the smaller one and draws blood. 1 gasp, expecting others to be as shocked as me but all I receive is screams and cheers from all around me. They are feeding on this and seeing that, therger wolf attacks again, this time going for the neck. Holding my breath, I watch as the smaller wolf moves out of the way just in time, making the bigger wolfnd on a heap on the ground. Seeing his chance, the smaller wolf pounces on the bigger one, pressing his weight down on the wolf to hold it down. The crowd erupts into yells and a guy appears out of nowhere and hits the floor three times, calling the match to an end. I breathe out a sigh of relief as the two of them pull away and leave the clearing to go lick their respective wounds. Now that there¡¯s nothing left to watch, the crowd disperses, everyone moving onto other things. I follow the crowd and look for a ce to rest my wary bones from today¡¯s training. I find a shade in the corner of the wood but first change direction to get a drink from the refreshment table. Taking a can of beer from the table, I head in the direction of my hideout, ready to spend the rest of the night there to avoid any unwanted presence. Out of nowhere, I bump into someone and I open my mouth to form an apology when the person speaks. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing here?¡± Julianna asks, snarling at me with a demonic look in her eyes. ¡°This event is for pack members and thest time I checked, you weren¡¯t a part of this pack.¡± The apology on my tongue immediately dies a fast death. ¡°It¡¯s none of your f u c ki n g business.¡± I go to sidestep her but the b it c h follows me, cutting my path again. around Did I mention that she¡¯s one of the people walking around naked and did I also mention that she has more than a few inches on me? All of this added together makes for a very awkward situation as her breasts j i g g e in my face every time she moves to block my path. They are very beautiful breasts but I want them out of my f u c k i n g face. MBB M Chapter 45 MII AM 82 12:34 I move back a few feet and re at her. ¡°Move out of my way.¡± I grit out through clenched teeth. Why is she even doing this? Ever since Caden had that talk with her, she had made sure to stay clear of my path and avoid me at all costs. What happened to make her start her persecution of me again? She crosses her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts higher up and making my eyes involuntarily fall on them. Dear Go d, can someone please get this woman a shirt? At this point, I will ept her wearing a bra. ¡°Fight with me.¡± She smirks and moves closer to me making me take a step back. She must have interpreted it as my being scared because her smirk transformed into a full-blown devilish smile. ¡°Nah, I think I¡¯m going to pass up on that offer. I tip my drink in a salute at her and make another attempt. to pass by her and again, sheers me. I breathe out harshly through my mouth, already feeling my wolf rising to the asion to teach Julianna a lesson but I¡¯m not stupi d. Neither am I looking for a chance to meet with death. I know that Julianna is going to have me eating dust in approximately two point five seconds if I give her a chance. My wolf may be bigger but size doesn¡¯tpete with years of training and skills. ¡°Are you scared?¡± She asks, smiling brightly and showing her perfect set of teeth. ¡°I promise to take it easy on you. ¡°I said I¡¯m not interested and I don¡¯t think Caden will appreciate you pestering me.¡± I re at her, praying for her to get a hint, and scramble out of my line of sight. It¡¯s a low blow by bringing Caden into the conversation but hopefully, it has the desired effect I hope for. It doesn¡¯t. The mention of Caden only seems to agitate her. Her eyes narrow, turning ck and. introducing the presence of her wolf. Cra p! This isn¡¯t what I wanted. ¡°Julianna, I think you should leave now,¡± A deep voice says from behind me and I turn to see Jake in my orbit I haven¡¯t seen him since the beginning of the night so I just assumed that he had other matters to attend to. Julianna looks at both of us, probably wondering if it¡¯s wise to challenge one of the best warriors in the pack. Apparently, she still has some brain cells left in her head because she shoots onest re at me and walks away. I finally release the sigh of relief that I¡¯ve been holding. ¡°Thanks for that.¡± Jake smiles at me. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Alessia¡¯s POV Jake follows me to the hideout I find in theer of the clearing. It only has a few people milling around, a perfect ce to hide away and as a bonus, it has an undisrupted view of the the circle where another fight is being held. This time, the people fighting are in their human form, fully dressed, and are women. It¡¯s an intense battle that draws a lot of crowds. I put my money on the dark-haireddy who seems to be throwing the most punches. ¡°Are you you still going to reject him?¡± Jake asks from beside me and my head whips in his direction before looking around to see if anyone hears his question. Everyone is either chatting away with a friend or focused on the fight and even if they did hear him, there¡¯s no way for them to figure out that he¡¯s talking about Caden. Jake is still looking at me when I turn my attention back to him again. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not sure.¡± Ever since our week away, I¡¯ve been conflicted on what path to take next. If only I could have a rtionship like that with Caden then I wouldn¡¯t need to reject him. The issue now is that I doubt such a thing could ever happen. ¡°If ever you decide to go through with it, just know that you have someone here waiting for you,¡± he mutters, looking at the fight that¡¯s currently drawing more heat and cheers. Someone waiting for me. Could he be implying what I think he is? I shake my head, not wanting to believe that. ¡°Thanks for being a good friend,¡± I say, ski p p i n g past the whole confession because I don¡¯t dare to deal with something like that at this moment. He chuckles and turns his gaze to meet mine with a smile on his face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t implying friendship. I meant I¡¯d be waiting for you as more than a friend.¡± He spells out. Ok, so there¡¯s no way I can try to go around that. Not after he confessed tantly to me, basically writing it in the sand for me. My head lowers to the ground to avoid his gaze. What am I supposed to say to that? ¡°Jake I can¡¯t-¡± My words get cut off as a deafening scream is heard from the h o a r d of people gathering around the circle. A crowd that seems to be growing by the minute. It seems like a new fight is to start soon. A figure appears in the circle and understanding dawns on me as I realize why the crowd got into a fit. It¡¯s because their Alpha has just graced them with their presence. Caden stops in the middle of the circle, mped in just sweatpants and nothing else. His opponent is MBBM Chapter 46 dressed in the same way. My gaze goes over Caden¡¯s body, trailing from his neck, down to believe that I had my body wrapped around all that. his bulging bicep and thighs. I can¡¯t 82% 12:34 My eyes move over to his opponent, taking him in. The only word I cane up with is ¡®monster because that¡¯s exactly what he is. He is well over a foot above Caden and the veins in his neck pop out. His arms lookrge enough to squash my head to bits. I gulp down saliva when I get a look at his eyes. Murder. That¡¯s what is written on themn. Is Caden going to be able to defeat this giant? All my attention moves away from Jake¡¯s confession to the fight of a lifetime. I realize that I¡¯ve been holding my breath when I start getting dizzy from theck of air. Breathing out deeply, I bite my bottom lip as the referee wave a g in the air,mencing the start of the fight. They circle each other and then Caden¡¯s opponent strikes first. Caden sidesteped him, sending the big bloke of muscle to the ground. That just seems to make him angrier and as he lifts from the ground, the veins in his hands pop out around his clenched fist. Caden doesn¡¯t seem bothered by the angry bull. He maintains a perfect posture of calm and watches his opponent through steel eyes. Then he advances,nding a blow on the jaw of the guy and sending him sta g g e r i n g back. A secondter he has gotten back his bearing as he charges at Caden. How is he already ok after such a punch? A blow like that would have knocked me out for hours. It also just urred to me that Caden isn¡¯t using his full strength on me when we train. He¡¯s taking it easy on me and for that, I¡¯m going to be eternally grateful to him. I shiver as the huge guy throws a punch thatnds right in the center of Caden¡¯s chest. I could have sworn that I heard some broken bones but Caden simply shakes it off and rushes to the guy. 1 Everyone¡¯s breath is hitched as Caden punches him right in the gut, making the guy double over and fall to the ground with a cry. A few secondster no soundes from him. The referee walks to the center of the crowd and raises Caden¡¯s hand above his head, dering him the winner of this fight. Pride blooms in my chest as Caden steps out of the circle, receiving congrattions and pats on his back. ¡°I think you should take some time to reconsider if you really want to reject him,¡± Jake whispers. ¡°Don¡¯t go doing something that you¡¯ll regretter.¡± I muse over his words as I watch Caden approach Alex and Raphael who wee him with smiles and yful punches. If I were to reject Caden, would I end up regretting it? Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ALG USE LYN 82% 12:34 Caden¡¯s POV POV This has been long overdue. I need to get this out of the way and get it over with. So that¡¯s why I¡¯m inside Alessia¡¯s room and trying to get the CCTV camera off the wall. I bring out the pocket knife I brought along for this situation and start digging into it. The sound of the door opening has me flipping around and quickly storing the knife in my back pocket. What is she doing here? I thought she went out with Jake like she usually did after dinner. She¡¯s not supposed to be here for at least another half an hour. That¡¯s the only reason why I came into her room. Alessia closes her door behind her and stops walking immediately as she notices my presence in the center of the room. I simply stand there like a deer caught in the headlights, confused as to what to do next. My head runs a mile a minute, thinking of a good excuse toe up with to exin my presence in a room. A very good excuse that she¡¯ll actually buy and that won¡¯t make her suspicious. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± Her brows furrow together in confusion as she walks further into the room. ¡°I came to ask if you want to go for a run.¡± It¡¯s out there before I can take it back and Alessia¡¯s beaming face lets me know that I made the right choice of words. ¡°Are you being serious?¡± She rushes over to my side and takes hold of my hand, sending a jolt up my hand. and I barely stop myself from ripping my hand out of her hold. ¡°Do you really mean it?¡± I know that I¡¯ve been strict with Alessia and only allowed her to go for a run when necessary but I never expected to get this reaction from her. Am I being too harsh on her? ¡°Yes, I am. You deserve it.¡± Her skills have been improving drastically and what better excuse than to use that as a way out? She blushes and tugs a piece of hair that has fallen over her face to behind her ears. ¡°Thank you.¡± She whispers. And then her energetic self is back. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± She rushes for the door and holds it open for me. My gaze goes over to the mirror where the CCTV camera is still hidden behind. I sigh, knowing that I¡¯m going to need to find another time to get rid of it. Alessia isn¡¯t going to be letting me out of her sight anytime soon. Picking my battles, I smile at her and follow her out of the room. She closes the door behind us and s k i p s down the stairs in front of me. I fight a losing battle with a smile that makes its way to my face. I¡¯m definitely going to be inviting her for more runs if it makes her this excited. Everywhere is dark when we step out of the pack house but thanks to our heightened senses, we have no MBB M Chapter 47 problem with navigating our way around the dark woods. M 82 12:34 Alessia walks in front of me, already knowing the path that leads to the clearing where we have our runs. She stops there and turns to face me with her smile still intact. ¡°I know I said that I¡¯m going to be taking you for a run,¡± I start, ready to use the c r a p p y day to my advantage. ¡°I was thinking that you could finally receive some lessons on fighting in wolf form.¡± The smile on her face disappears and she groans loudly, throwing her head back. na I shoot her a stern look and start stripping down. I ce my clothes on a tree bark and wait for her to do the same. She follows me and also strips down as well, no longer shying away like she did before. It¡¯s beautiful to watch her getfortable in her body. ¡°We¡¯re going to shift and I¡¯m going to go over some techniques with you,¡± I tell her, bringing forth on my wolf presence. It¡¯s going to be very difficult tomunicate with her without any mind link joining us together but it¡¯s a challenge that I¡¯m willing to take on. I shift into Xavier and Alessia follows, shifting into Zuri. I put some distance between us and lower myself to the ground. Zuri is standing still, watching me to see what Ie up with. Her gaze turns to something at the side and that¡¯s when I attacks. I race towards her and Zuri doesn¡¯t see meing as my body ms into her, bringing her to the floor then I bare my teeth in her face. If I were a predator she would have been dead with my teeth in her neck. I roll off her and move away again. This time she keeps her eyes on me as I circle around her. I look for an opening and find it when she looks rxed and least expecting an attack. I m into her body, bringing her to the ground again but this time, I sink my teeth into her shoulder. Not hard enough to draw blood but enough to leave a mark. She whines and shakes me off her. Then her tongue slips out as she licks her injury and looks at me with a wounded look in her eyes. ¡°Why did you hurt her? Xavier screams at me. ¡®She needs to learn. Would you rather she gets hurt a little bit or die when she steps out of the pack?¡± My question quiets him down and he draws back, letting me have full reign again. I turn my gaze back to Alessia¡¯s wolf who has stopped licking her wound and is now looking at me angryly! Good Maule MBB M Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Alessia¡¯s POV Caden and I are dressed but neither of us attempts to walk the distance back to the pack house. Instead, we are sitting on a rock and gazing up at the stars in the sky. move my shoulder, whining at the sharp pain that goes through it. I can¡¯t believe Caden f u c ki n g bit me. Our training has started getting more intense and now, I am actually getting bruises which I nurse when I get to my room. ¡°Put some ice on it when we get to the pack house and it should be alright by tomorrow morning,¡± Caden says, looking at the hand that I am cuddling to my chest. ¡°Thanks,¡± I mutter, still a little bit sore with my feelings hurt. I know I asked for this but again, did he really need to bite me to prove a f u c ki n g point? He could have just knocked me to the ground. Tell me about your mother.¡± My head whips to the side at Caden¡¯s words and I stare at him in shock. He wants to hear about my mother. Does he mean that he wants to know about what she told me about my father or does he really want to hear about her? ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask to rify my confusion. If his question is about the former then he¡¯s about to be disappointed because he isn¡¯t going to get anything out of me. I already told him about everything that I know. ¡°What was she like?¡± He asks, using his leg to kick a stone resting on the ground. ¡°I want to know what sort of life she lived.¡± My eyes blink back tears that I fight to hold and not let slide out. Breathing in deeply, I summon forth the memories I have of my mother. ¡°She was a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul,¡± I start, remembering my mother¡¯s beautiful smile that lights up even the most gloomy days. ¡°What else?¡± Caden is looking at me with softness in his eyes. ¡°She makes these mean baked goods and when I was little, she would always have a te of it waiting for me on the counter,¡± I smile fondly as the memory hits me so hard that I can almost smell my mother¡¯s cookies in the air. ¡°I¡¯m trying to imagine a little you running from school to get home for treats. Caden chuckles, his eyes t w i n kl i n g. ¡°You must have been very cute.¡± I¡¯m trying not to be baffled at the fact that this is one of the few times that Caden and I are having a conversation that haven¡¯t led to a fight. Yet. ¡°I wasn¡¯t cute.¡± I roll my eyes, remembering my eight-year-old self. ¡°I had pigtails and the worst bangs BIL Chapter 48 ever.¡± I cringe as an image of myself appears in my mind. Cadenughs harder. ¡°Come on. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t all that bad.¡± It was. It was very bad. ¡°What else do you have to say about her?¡± Caden is looking at me expectantly with all his attention on me. ¡°Whenever I did something wrong and she had to scold me. She always looks like it causes her more pain than it did to me and then afterward, she would give me an extra cookie when Ie home the next day. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that you caused all that much trouble,¡± Caden says, his head co c k e d to the side like he¡¯s trying to imagine me being in trouble. ¡°Enough about me. I wave my hand in the air to clear the conversation away from me. ¡°What about your parents?¡± I¡¯ve been pondering over this question for a while now. I haven¡¯t caught a glimpse of Caden¡¯s parents since I got here and I also haven¡¯t heard any new about them. Leaving the only other option that something must have happened to them. Caden closes up, his shoulders stiffen and a dark look crosses his face. I immediately regret asking that question. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer it. I-¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s ok.¡± He smiles sadly at me. ¡°It¡¯s not a secret. Everyone already knows what happened and you deserve to know too.¡± Then he sighs heavily and I wait with bated breath for his next words. ¡°It was a rogue attack. The same one that took my mate.¡± A pause. ¡°It took a lot of people¡¯s lives and my pack will never recover from the losses.¡± ¡°Your mate. How long did you know her for?¡± ¡°A year,¡± he mumbles in a low voice. ¡°She was the daughter of the beta in our neighboring pack. She had just gotten her wolf and I immediately knew who she was to me when I met her.¡± The way he talks about her. Like he still misses her presence even after all these years. My chest squeezes with hurt at the pain in his eyes and jealousy at the look if his eyes. Will he ever see me the same way he sees her or will I always be a second chance to him? The Moon goddess didir cruel thing by making this my fate. How am I topete with someone that¡¯s already dead? We walk back to the pack house in silence with our insides raw. This is the most that I¡¯ve spent talking to Caden and it makes my doubts rise again. Will I really regret rejecting Caden if I do it? At the pack house, we slip back into the quiet house and go our separate ways. I head into the kitchen and go in search of an ice bag in the fridge. I pull one out and press it against my shoulder, sighing at the Chapter 48 M instant relief. How much of this intense training will be able to take? Will I call quit or will Caden have me dead before that happens? Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Alessia¡¯s POV I woke up the next morning feeling more tired than usual. It dawns on me that myte-night activity with Caden is probably the cost of this tiredness. Thankfully the pain in my shoulder is gone and I can move it without feeling like the bone is being ripped out of its socket. Looking over at the wall clock mounted on the wall, I see that I¡¯m treading on the brink ofteness. Jumping out of my bed, 1 fly into the bathroom and quickly wash up the scent of wood, sand, and dirt from my body. 1 step ep out and get dressed into some workout clothes, my body working on autopilot like it has been doing for close to a month now. I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯ve been staying here for more than a month. It¡¯s seems like yesterday that my whole life erupted into mes. Once I¡¯m done dressing. I drag myself out of the room and down the stairs. At the end of thending, I find Julianna standing there will a hand on her hip and her foot tapping the ground impatiently. She res at me as I draw closer to her. I pause when I get to the end of the,staircase because unless I n on walking through her then I¡¯ve nowhere else to go to. ¡°I saw you with Caden early this morning.¡± Her gaze sharpens. ¡°What were you doing with him throughout. the night?¡± And there it is. The reason for this ambushment. Caden. I roll my eyes and lean on the handle of the staircase. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Deny. Deny. Deny. That¡¯s my strategy here. ¡°I didn¡¯te in with Cadentest night.¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m even giving her the time of my day but Julianna is the sort of person to hold onto something like a dog with a bone. The only way to get rid of her is to just deal with her. ¡°Stop lying. I f u c k i n g saw you with him!¡± She¡¯s yelling now and drawing a crowd to us. People are whispering and ncing our way, probably wondering what was up with this crazy bi t c h. I grit my teeth in frustration. I don¡¯t need this attention on me when the previous rumors about me and Caden still haven¡¯t died down yet. This will just create more tension. ¡°You¡¯re mistake, dear.¡± I make sure to infuse enough sweetness in my voice to make her sick. ¡°I went straight to my room after dinner. Maybe you saw Caden with someone else and mistook them for me.¡± I shrug like it was an obvious and easy mistake that could happen to anyone. ¡°It was you I saw.¡± She moves closer to me. ¡°And I know you and him were together in the week that you were both missing.¡± Right in the bull¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t know that person would eventually piece two and two together and figure this out for themselves. I just never thought that any of them would have the balls to say it to 1.99 Chapter 49 my face. I nce around the room to see that both the crowd and whispers have increased. A lot of people are now ncing our way with curious expressions on their faces, wanting to know if Julianna¡¯s words hold any truth. I turn my attention back to Julianna to find the color in her face draining away. My brows furrow together as 1 try to figure out what caused this sudden change but a change in the air around us tells me exactly what I need to know, Julianna, Ca says from behind me in a deadly tone and I silently thank my lucky stars that the tone isn¡¯t directed my way. I press my body to the side to allow Caden to pass through. The air around the three of us electrifies as Caden takes the space in between us acting as the stufling between a sandwich. Julianna shivers on where she stands and I take sick pleasure in seeing her tremble in the presence of Caden. Take that bitc h. I wonder where her tongue went to. Why isn¡¯t she saying anything anymore? By this time, basically everyone living in the pack house is surrounding us but just one re from Caden and they all disperse around the room. Some of them even almost tripping over their foot. It¡¯s aical sight. Then Caden¡¯s gaze goes back to Julianna again and I feel the heat and anger radiating off him. ¡°Julianna, I thought I told you that I didn¡¯t appreciate you harassing my guest neither do I like being the subject of a conversation.¡± He climbs down thest staircase so he¡¯s standing directly in front of Julianna. ¡°So then tell me why you¡¯re stirring up rumors that have no bases and bothering Alessia.¡± My wolf pumps out her chest as he defends us but I quiet her down. He¡¯s only doing this because he doesn¡¯t want the truth about our rtionship to get out into the open. ¡°I-I¡¯m very sorry Alpha Caden, Julianna stuttered, tripping over her words with her gaze on the ground and I almost feel bad for her. Keyword, Almost. ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology. You were warned but chose to go against my order.¡± A pause that has an almost cinematic effect. ¡°For that, you¡¯re going to be punished.¡± Julianna drops to her knees and clenches the front of Caden¡¯s sweatpants, making my wolf bare her teeth in jealousy. Caden shakes her hand off his person. ¡°Two weeks without you stepping out of this pack house and two months of kitchen duty. I whine, feeling a bit sorry for her. She¡¯s a mean bitc h but two weeks of Istion in this house almost seem too harsh. I can¡¯t imagine what it will feel like to be locked in here without shifting into my wolf for two whole weeks. Julianna cries out with tears streaming down her face. ¡°Please, I¡¯m very sorry. I won¡¯t go against your orders again.¡± M ¡°You should have thought of that before you did. Just make sure that there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Alessia¡¯s POV I stand in front of the mirror, pulling my hair out of the bun I had it in all day to get ready for bed. It¡¯s a that drains me. process My eyes catch something sticking out the side of my mirror and my eyebrows furrow together in confusion as I reach for it. I pull out a strange ck object and hold it out in front of me. It looks like¡­a camera? The object falls out of my hand in surprise as realization dawns on me. I was right. Caden did ce a camera in my room which he has been using to spy on me. That¡¯s how he knows about what I do at night. He has been watching me. He wasn¡¯t standing outside my door. He was f u c k i n g looking at me through aputer screen. I pick up the camera and squeeze it tightly in my hand until I hear a c ra c k. With murder in my mind, I walk out of the room and climb the stairs leading to thest floor. I ignore the stares and nces I receive on my way to Caden¡¯s room. I have one location in mind and I¡¯m going to get there and do what I need to. Getting to the front of Caden¡¯s door which I know is his because I may or may not have asked Scarlett for Caden¡¯s room number. A room number which she eagerly provided to me. I don¡¯t bother with knocking and twist the doorknob, finding it opened. I walk in and m the door close behind me. A confused Caden walks out of the bathroom,pletely naked except for the tiny piece of towel wrapped around his waist. I ignore his state of undress and stalk towards him. If he could tantly disregard my need for privacy then he could endure having the same thing done to him. I throw the crushed camera in my hand at his chest. ¡°What the f u c k is this?¡± I ask, watching his face attentively, wanting to see every disy of emotion that appears so I¡¯ll know when to call him out if he speaks any bul ls h i t my way. ¡°Why were you watching me?¡± I force myself to reduce the volume of my voice. I don¡¯t want people to know all about our business. ¡°Alessia,¡± Caden starts, walking towards me with his hands outstretched as though trying to pacify me. ¡°I can exin.¡± I move out of his reach and cross my arms angryly over my chest, waiting for the exnation he¡¯s going to provide to me. Caden sighs and drags his hands down his face before dropping them back to his side. ¡°I installed it when you newly came to the pack and when I didn¡¯t find you trustworthy.¡± He looks at me and I ignore the sorry expression written on his face. ¡°I haven¡¯t looked at it in weeks and I was going to take it down immediately.¡± ¡°Then how did you know about¡­¡± I trail off, fighting a blush from appearing on my cheeks. If there¡¯s Êó 12 12:35 Chapter 30 anyone that should be embarrassed by what they have done it should be Caden and not me. I did nothing wrong. I¡¯m this victim in this situation. Caden actually dares to look guilty as he raises his hand to rub the back of his neck. I came across you in bed, pleasuring yourself, and- and I¡¯ve been watching you ever since¡± He drops his hand to his side. ¡°You have the right to be angry at me and I know what I did was wrong. I won¡¯t be angry if you throw a punch at my face.¡± 1 clench my fingers together, tempted to do what he¡¯s asking for but what will I gain from doing that? fr won¡¯t make me feel better and I fear that the injury to my hand will be worse than the one he¡¯ll get on his face. ¡°I want to reject you,¡± I say before I can help it like a f u c k i n g idiot. The reaction I get from Caden isn¡¯t surprising at all. Caden¡¯s murderous eyes sh to mine and every trace of guilt vanishes in an instant, leaving rage behind. 1 gulp, moving back away from him. Why did I blunt that out? I have been thinking about it but haven¡¯t yet decided if I was going to go through with it or not, so why did I say it out loud? ¡°What did you just say?¡± Caden asks deadly slow, stalking towards me. ¡°You want to what?¡± ¡°1-1 didn¡¯t mean it. I just said it because I was angry and hurt. It doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± I lie through my teeth and then my back hits the closed door. ¡°You have been thinking about it, haven¡¯t you?¡± Caden stops moving, crowding me between the door and his hard body. ¡°I just wondered about it. I wasn¡¯t actually nning to do it.¡± My chest rises and falls rapidly. I¡¯m running out of breath and all I¡¯m doing is standing before Caden. This experience made me realize how foolish I¡¯ve been. How did I think I could possibly reject Caden if he¡¯s against it? ¡°Listen very closely.¡± Caden¡¯s head¡¯drops down to my level and his voice drops several tones. ¡°I¡¯m your mate and you can¡¯t reject me. Not without my permission.¡± I nod, feeling his hot breath on my face, and close my eyes to avoid his deadly gaze. ¡°Ok,¡± I whisper, wondering how the whole situation turned in a whole new direction. Wasn¡¯t I the one yelling at Caden a moment ago, so how did I be the one to be pressed against the wall? ¡°I should punish you for even having those thoughts.¡± Caden head drops further down, his lips level with mine. My breath hitches as my lips part in anticipation. It¡¯s been so long since I felt those lips on mine. Too f uc ki n g long. I sigh with relief when I feel Caden¡¯s soft lips on mine. NBB N Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 M Alessia¡¯s POV Caden¡¯s lips move over mine, tasting every corner of my mouth. I moan into the kiss, wrapping my arm around Caden¡¯s neck and pulling him closer to me like a harlot in need of a paycheck. Caden¡¯s fingers slide up into my hair, applying pressure to hold my head still. Then he owns my taking possession and holding me still until he gets his full. my lips, My fingers dig into his shoulders to hold myself up from crumbling onto the ground. Thank Go d for the door behind my back and his strong arm holding me up around my waist. Caden pulls away and presses his head against mine. ¡°What was that you were saying about rejecting me?¡± Caden asks, his lips moving over mine. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it, I beg, searching for his lips again. I will admit to anything if it means that he will ce his lips on mine again. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I thought.¡± I breathe a sigh of relief as Caden ces his lips back on mine again. He starts moving backward and I don¡¯t even take notice of it until I find my back on his bed with Caden¡¯s body crowding mine into the bed.. He tears his lips away from mine and I whine, trying to bring it back to mine. ¡°I said you were going to get punished.¡± It¡¯s like ice had been poured down my body as his words and my eyes opened to meet his. Punish me? He was really serious about that? Is he going to give me the same punishment he gave to Julianna? He smirks and his lips lower to my ears. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure you get a great deal of pleasure from it.¡± I¡¯m not breathing anymore as I watch Caden¡¯s head lower down my body. His fingers pull on the edge of my shirt and my body automatically responds to his silentmand. My hands rise above my head for him to help slide the shirt off my body, leaving me naked down to my waist. Caden gazes down at me with an appreciative look in his eyes. 1 I beam with pride. I live for that expression on his face and it gives me great joy to know that I¡¯m the one who ced it there. His head lowers again and he draws a hard nipple into his mouth, sucking and biting on it until it¡¯s hard enough to cut through rock. My eyes shut close and my fingers slide into Caden¡¯s still-wet hair as my back arches, offering my breasts to him. He lets go of the nipple in his mouth with a pop sound and goes in for the other one. I writhe under him as my hand slide down his hardback. I get to the knot holding his towel up, untie it, and pull it away from his body to the bed. Caden goes down lower on my body, his lips dropping kisses along the way until he gets to the waistband. of my shorts where he pauses, He slides a finger down the side of it and drags it down along with my panties. The two fabrics go onto the floor a secondter, leaving me completely naked and open to his gaze. Caden takes hold of my legs ces it on his shoulder and drags me closer to him. I gasp as he blows cold air on my pu s s y and then close my eyes when his tongue slides out and runs across my sex. Oh my f u c k i n g G o d. My hip jerks up of its own validation, seeking for more of Caden¡¯s tongue. ¡°Who owns this?¡± His finger slides through my sex, collecting wetness. My eyes fly open at his words. Caden pauses and raises his head from between my legs to gaze up at me. ¡°I asked you a question,¡± he says and that finger slides into me down to the knuckle. My mouth flies open in a gasp as tears well up in my eyes. ¡°Caden, please.¡± I don¡¯t know exactly what I¡¯m begging for but I know I might just die if I don¡¯t get whatever it is. He coc k s the finger inside me, hitting somece deep inside of me that makes me see stars behind my eyelids. ¡°Who owns this pus s y?¡± Caden asks, pulling away and depriving me of his touch. Iery out, trying to bring his face back to my sex. ¡°Please,¡± I beg, the tension inside of me curling up tight. I feel like I¡¯m about tobust. ¡°I¡¯ll give you what you want as soon as you tell me who ns this. Caden drags his tongue up my slit and sucks my c l i t into his mouth before pulling away again. ¡°Answer me.¡± He blows a hot breath on my cli t and I moan out, digging my fingers deeper into his hair. ¡°You do.¡± My hip jerks up. ¡°Only you,¡± I add, feverish with blind lust. And you will never make another mention of rejecting me.¡± Two fingers slide into me, stretching me wide. ¡°Yes,¡± I rush out. ¡°I¡¯ll never make another mention of rejecting you.¡± At this point, I¡¯m ready to ept and, say whatever he needs me to.. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± Caden ces a kiss inside my thigh and I moan as that kiss trails down lower to where I so badly need him. The finger inside of my Sex leaves and starts trailing down lower to my other hole. I stiffen as he presses his finger against it but doesn¡¯t push it in. It was wonderful thest time he did it and I can definitely get M B Chapter 51 & URN 1435 behind it again but it doesn¡¯t take away the weirdness from having his finger against somewhere so private. Caden¡¯s tongue sliding into my pus s y pushes those thoughts out of my head. Am riding Caden¡¯s tongue and finger as I cross over the edge to the point of no return. This is one punishment that I very much enjoy. Is it bad that I¡¯m already looking forward to the next one and I hope ites soon? Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Caden¡¯s POV I watch Alessia fall apart beautifully under me. Her eyes are shut close, her lips are parted in a breathless moan and her hip is moving frantically under me. Absolutely beautiful. My co c k is digging into theforter, begging for a chance to be included in the action. 1 climb back up Alessia¡¯s body, trailing kisses up her hot body as I go, before taking her lips in an even hotter kiss. I can never get tired of these lips. It¡¯s simply impossible. Letting go my breath. When I open of Alessia¡¯s lips, I close my eyes and press my forehead to hers to catch them up, it¡¯s to find Alessia gazing up at me with a smile on her beautiful lips. ¡°If that¡¯s the punishment that you were referring to then I¡¯m afraid to tell you this but I think I¡¯m going to need another session.¡± Her arms go around my neck as she presses me into her body. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve learned my lesson just yet.¡± I chuckle, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before moving away and out of her reach. ¡°That was just the first part of it.¡± I slide out of bed and move over to my wardrobe. I pull the doors open and search around for what I¡¯m looking for. My hand close around the silky material and a smile forms on my face as I pull it out of its hideout. Alessia has had her fun for the night, it¡¯s my turn now. I I walk back to her, keeping the item hidden behind my back and out of her watchful gaze. ¡°Turn around,¡± 1 whisper to her. Alessia¡¯s eyes narrow but she follows my order. She hops down from the bed and turns around, her back facing me. ¡°Bring your hands to your back,¡± I order, and again, like a good girl she follows through. I finally bring out the silky tie from my back and wind it once, twice, and thrice around Alessia¡¯s hands, ending it with a softly tied knot. Her breath rushes out of her in a gasp but that¡¯s all the reaction that I get from her. She could easily rip her way out of this bondage with her werewolf strength but it¡¯s knowing that she won¡¯t that adds a whole new element to it. Knowing that she willingly chooses to obey me and follow mymand. With her hands tied behind her back, I hold her shoulder and use it to turn her around to face me. Alessia¡¯s eyes are nearly ck now, her arousal thick in the air. It seems she likes getting tied up. I wonder what other bedroom tricks she enjoys as well. Pushing down on her shoulder, I wordlessly direct her down to her knee and she sinks down to the floor without a second thought. Sliding my fingers through her silky hair, I use it as a control on her. Tightening my hand on her hair, I grip her chin and force her mouth open for me. Her pink lips part wide open and I smile as I take my coc k in my fist, pumping it twice and causing precum to pool at the head of it. Alessia¡¯s tongue slides out of her mouth as her tongue swipes across the head of my coc k, collecting the precum there. I groan and pull harshly on her hair, making her whine. ¡°Did I tell you that at you could have a taste?¡± I ask darkly, watching the way Alessia¡¯s eyes ze over in lust. My beautiful mate. Shock takes over my body as that thought registers in my head. Where on earth did thate from? Alessia¡¯s whispered apology brings me back to reality and back to the present where I have a beautiful goodness on her knees for me and begging for a taste of my co c k. Deciding to have pity on her, I direct my coc k in between her parted lips, groaning at the wet heat of her mouth. Her lips immediately close around my co c k as she runs her tongue across the under of it, pulling on the loose skin there. My legs nearly give out from under me as she swallows my coc k down her throat until I feel the back of her throat. Even with her hands tied behind her back, she¡¯s doing an exceptional job of working with what she has. Gripping her hair tighter to restrict her movement, I take control of the situation like I initially intended to. I f u c k Alessia¡¯s mouth like it¡¯s my personal ything and Alessia pulls through it, breathing through her nose when I have my co c k buried down to the root. She pants heavily as I pull out, leaving just the tip in her mouth. Her cheeks are flush from her or g a s m and her lips are swollen both from our kissing and my brutal f c k i ng of her mouth. She looks so f u c k i n g breathtaking. MINE! The thought flies through my head before I can help it. Ignoring it like I did before, I focus my attention back on Alessia who¡¯s gazing up at me with dark eyes. ¡°Do you want to taste my cu m?¡± I ask, sliding my hand from her hair and down to her jaw, caressing it. She nods widely, her eyes shining. ¡°You¡¯ve been a very good girl and I think you deserve a reward.¡± With those words, I push into Alessia¡¯s mouth to the hilt and stay still as my c o c k pulses inside her mouth, shooting ropes of c u m down her throat. Some of her trail down the side of her mouth and down to her breasts, creating such a beautiful picture that I wish I could photograph and keep close to me. Alessia swallows around my co c k, eagerly taking everyst drop of my c u m like it¡¯s her favorite meal. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 H 2 EN 12:36 Alessia¡¯s POV I¡¯m waken up by bright lights streaming in through the blinds. I squint my eyes open, wondering why I left the blinds open. I always make sure to close them every night before going to bed. Did I forget to do thatst night? I sit upright on the bed and that is when I notice that the king-sized bed with grey duvet isn¡¯t the o queen- sized bed that I¡¯m used to. That¡¯s when everything starts rushing in. Along with the memory comes the realization that I¡¯m the only one present in the room. Caden isn¡¯t anywhere around the premises of his room. Did he leave me alone in his bed? Anger follows the crushing embarrassment that builds in my the two of them sink deeper into my stomach. chest and If he was going to abandon me the next morning then what was all those talks about me being his and his alone? I fall back onto the bed, blinking away the tears trying to fall from my eyes. Caden doesn¡¯t deserve those tears. I wipe my eyes with the back of my palm and stand up from the bed to search for my clothes. Finding them neatly folded on a chair somehow seems more embarrassing than finding them in a heap on the floor. It looks like I¡¯m seeing the evidence of my s lu t i n e s s through Caden¡¯s eyes. I quickly pull them on and move for the door, cranking it open with just enough space to peep out into the hallway to see if anyone is passing through. Finding the hallway empty, I quickly walk out of Caden¡¯s room and rush down the stairs to mine. Doing the walk of shame drains a lot out of me and I couldn¡¯t have been more grateful by the time I see the door to my room. I quickly open the door and slide in before anyone can see me. I get to my room undetected but the fact that everyone already seems to be at the pack house probably yed a role in that. That angeres back hotter this time. I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t f u c ki n g wake me up. Did he think he was doing me a favor by letting me sleep in his bed like a baby while he went to the training grounds? I don¡¯t care if my anger is unwarranted. All I know is that I¡¯m going to make Caden pay for this when next 1y my eyes on him. Stripping out of my yesterday¡¯s outfit, I jump into the shower and washst night¡¯s event away from my body and down the drain. Once I¡¯m cleaned up, I jump right out and hurriedly change into some workout clothes then I rush out of the pack house in the direction of the training grounds. On walking in, I see that everyone is already immersed in their workout routine and no one pays attention. to my entry. That may be due to the fact that Julianna isn¡¯t anywhere to be seen. Thank the Moon goddess for small miracles. I couldn¡¯t have dealt with another confrontation. 81% 12:36 Chapter 33 Caden is sparing with Alex in one corner and Raphael is acting as some sort of referee. Throwing a re at him, 1 head over to a free space and do my warm-ups. Then I move over to a punching bag and start my own workout routine consisting of fifty punches. Afterward. I head over to the barbells and do my normal rounds. Panting, I look around the training ground not knowing what else to do. Now is the time that I would usually start my sparing session with Caden but there¡¯s absolutely no way that I¡¯m going to go to him and ask for his help. Not when I¡¯m still seething mad at him. A tapnds on my shoulder. ¡°Need some help there?¡± I flip around to find Jake standing beside me with a smile on his face which I return. Ever since the bonfire, Jake and I have stop spending so much time with each other. It didn¡¯t seem like it would be fair to keep being all over him when I knew how he felt for me. And I know I can¡¯t reciprocate the same feelings for him. ¡°Yes¡± I sigh. ¡°I need a sparring partner.¡± I look over at Caden who¡¯s upied with some group o ¡°Do you want to spar with me?¡± He asks, shrugging like it¡¯s no big deal. of boys. I¡¯ve never sparred with anyone other than Caden and Raphael that one time when Caden was too busy being petty. It would be nice to have another opponent and maybe learn some new techniques. ¡°Ok.¡± I nod, epting his offer. Jake smiles brightly like I¡¯m the one doing him a favor and not the other way around. We move over to a space in the middle of the room, wide enough so that we don¡¯t cause causalities in the process of our fighting. open space We circle each other, looking for an opening in the other¡¯s defense. I find one in the form of an open between his shoulder and neck. A ce that he was foolishly keeping open. I take the opportunity, to throw a punch with the target in mind. Out of nowhere, he steps to the side and closes a hand around my fist which he twists to my back. I gasped as pain shot up my arm, nearly bringing me to my knees. The pain intensifies as he puts more pressure on his grip, enough to make me let out a little cry. 3 ¡°Did you really think that it was going to be that easy to fool me?¡± Jake whispers in my ear. I open my mouth to answer his smart a s s with a sarcastic response but I¡¯m cut off by a loud thundering voice. ¡°Get your hands off my f u c k i n g mate!¡± Caden yells, stalking over to us with murder in his eyes. Wait. Did he just refer to me as his mate? Does he realizes what he just f u k i n g did? NBBN M .. 12:36 Every body in the training grounds has their gaze on my mate as he rushes over to my side. And everyone has different degree of shock on their faces. We¡¯re so f u c k e d. Chapter 83 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54. Alsa¡¯s POV Caden grips my arm, ripping me out ofke¡¯s hold and pulling me into his cheat I stand still, my head finding it difficult is wrap around what just happened. I also hoping that might have dreamt about it but the number of wat hul gazes trained on me lets me know that is he came ¡°Alpha, I didn¡¯t know she was your mate would have never dared toy a hand on her if we I d Jake¡¯s head is bowed so I can¡¯t see the expression on his face but is he being serious now? Did be just say that he doesn¡¯t know Caden is my mate? My brows furrow together in confule linee hi eves hift to meet mine. I figure it out This was his n. He asked to spar with me, knowing that it would make Caden lose his con And like the predictable a s s h o l e that Caden is, he fell for it. H o o k, line, and sinker. I close my eyes, holding in a groan as Caden drags me away from the training ground. Jake has created such a mess. He might have meant well but the repercussions of this are gome The rumors were already too much to handle. I can¡¯t imagine how things are going to go now tat ponde have found out that we¡¯re fated mate. It¡¯s going to be a huge cluster and I¡¯m not looking forward t avigating through it. I jerk my hand out of his tight grip once we get into the woods and away from onlookers. ¡°Why did you do that?!¡± I yell because I can and because I f u c k i n g deserve to yell out loud. When Caden had first told me that we were going to be hiding our rtionship, I admit that my feeling were a bit bruised. But after staying in the pack house for more than a month and figuring out how, The dynamic works, I¡¯m more than grateful to Caden for wanting to keep us a secret. Now every and out in the open. Caden blinks at me and then his face tightens in anger. ¡°This isn¡¯t my fault. I wasn¡¯t the one waymatra another male arms in the presence of my mate.¡± I roll my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose as my head starts a full throb. I thought we couldn¡¯t get headaches. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault either I start. ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t see me acreaming out to everyone that, we 35- when you have your arms wrapped around f u c k i n g Julianna Her name tastes like acid on a we grimace at the offending memories ¡°Julianna?¡± His brows draw together. ¡°What about her?¡± get I huff and cross my armover my chest ¡°Like you didn¡¯t notice that she was doing everything to g?i h?i hands on you.¡± MBGM MBB MDM Chapter 54 We¡¯re getting off track here but I don¡¯t know how to reel the conversation back in. Thankfully, Caden de He shakes his head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now. We have an issue at hand here.¡± A pause. ¡°Why did you have to spar with him? I¡¯m always your sparring partner. You should havee to ask me.¡± My reason for not doing that now seems stupi d in light of our imploded world. I bite the inside of my check. ¡°You left me alone,¡± I whisper, refusing to meet his gaze. ¡°I left you alone?¡± Her forehead clenches in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± I sigh heavily, knowing that I¡¯m going to have to spell it out for him. ¡°I woke up alone in your weren¡¯t there. You left me alone in your room.¡± bed. You Caden brows lift in surprise, nearly entering into his hairline. ¡°I left you only because I thought you needed more sleep. I didn¡¯t want you to train when you were feeling fatigued.¡± Well, you can¡¯t me me if that wasn¡¯t the first conclusion I came to. I thought that you were running away from me, I¡¯m kickingzily at an innocent rock wedged in the ground. ¡°That is your default response and I told you the same thing was happening again.¡± Caden sighs and his shoulders fall, the fight visibly draining out of him.. ¡°I wasn¡¯t running away.¡± Another sigh. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± I ask, drawing closer to him as though pulled by some maic force. He shrugs. ¡°We¡¯ll ignore them. Like we¡¯ve always done. They¡¯re bound to find out things to entertain their selves with when we don¡¯t give them the time of the day.¡± Somehow, we both know that it won¡¯t be the case here. People will never let it go until we address it. But then again, Address may just add more fuel to the fire. We¡¯re at a cul-de-sac with nowhere to go except to stand still. Caden walks over to me and ces a hand on my shoulder, squeezing softer. ¡°It isn¡¯t going to be all that bad.¡± Won¡¯t it? I nod though, putting on a false sense of bravado, Besides, the only thing that people are going to do is talk and I¡¯d like to think that I¡¯m past the point of letting hateful words get to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the training grounds,¡± Caden suggests and I open my mouth to reject the offer but think twice. Won¡¯t running away make it worse? The best thing to do is to face this issue hard on and pray that we aren¡¯t eaten up whole.. ¡°Ok.¡± I nod. ¡°Let¡¯s go back there.¡± When we get there the atmosphere is stiff with tension and there is a lull in all the conversations going on around us. Everyone is looking at us but thankfully no one makes any move to approach us. I wonder how Chapter 54 long that willst Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 George¡¯s POV ¡°You f u c k i n g did what?!¡± I thunder, looking down at the i m b c l e s kneeling on the floor in front of me, begging for me to spare their lives. A generosity that they don¡¯t deserve. ¡°Answer me!¡± I yell, my voice echoing through the woods that we¡¯re standing in. A location that I¡¯d picked out for its discretion and privacy. ¡°She fell into a trap in Alpha¡¯s Caden territory and we thought she was as good as dead knowing his reputation. So, we left her,¡± the idiot on the left side speaks up. Zach I think was his name. I close my eyes as a feeling of dread goes over me. Why did I order such ipetent fools to do such an important job? ¡°So what happened then?¡± I ask, opening my eyes. ¡°If you thought of such an awesome n then how did. you end up on your knees and begging for my mercy?¡± ¡°We recently heard from a friend of ours in the pack that she¡¯s Alpha Caden¡¯s second chance mate. She¡¯s alive and living with him in the pack house,¡± he pushes out, sweat trailing down the side of his head even with the cool breeze around us. No! This is going to ruin my ns. She isn¡¯t supposed to be alive by now. She¡¯s supposed to be in the ground, right beside her s l u t of a mother. ¡°Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen.¡± I stalk closer to them and they visibly shiver. ¡°You two are going to go back and camp right outside that pack, waiting for her. And as soon as she makes the mistake of stepping outside, I want you to pass a knife through her heart.¡± I reach into my pocket and pull out a white handkerchief that¡¯s covering a very precious and deadly item. I pass it over to them. ¡°This is a deced with the venom.¡± I don¡¯t need to say more than that to get them to understand how crucial the situation has be. ¡°One slice into her heart should do the trick¡± The idiot on the right gingerly picks it out of my hand and ces it into his back pocket. into ¡°Do not fail me this time,¡± I pointedly say. ¡°If that de doesn¡¯t go into her heart then it¡¯s going to go yours.¡± I make sure to hold their gaze to convey to them that I¡¯m being f uc ki n g serious here. One more screw-up from them and it¡¯s over. ¡°We won¡¯t, Alpha George,¡± he says, his head bowed down to the ground in a show of respect. A smile makes its way to my lips at the name. It¡¯s very possible that he may be using that title to get on my MBB MD M Chapter 55 good side. If that is so, then it¡¯s working seamlessly. MII 81% 12:39 That title is going to be mine soon so what¡¯s the harm in trying it out a little bit to get the feel of it? All I just need to do is kill the girl and then kill her father. Thetter is already been put into the n. The former is what these idiots keep screwing up. ¡°Leave now,¡± I bite out and like a family of co c k r o ac h e s, they stumble to their feet and fly out of my sight. Breathing out deeply, I shift, ripping apart the clothes currently on my body, and start making the long run back to the pack house. I had slid away under the pretense of going to check on the boulders. Slipping out of the pack house is getting harder now that tension is up in the air. The possible death of the current Alpha of a pack can cause that. I shift back into my human form and go behind the house in search of the clothes I keep there for situations like this. I dress up and attempt to slip back into the house but I¡¯m stopped short by thest person I want to be seen with. ¡°Beta George, I urgently need to speak with you,¡± he rushes out, walking over to my side. I quickly scout out the area for any unwanted listeners. ¡°What is it?¡± I grit out through clenched teeth. Is my day destined to be filled with ipetent fools? ¡°He¡¯s dying.¡± he says, his eyes wide with fear. ¡°That¡¯s the n,¡± I respond dryly, trying to figure out what the issue is here. His eyes widen even further. ¡°You never told me that you were nning to kill the Alpha. If I had known, I would have never-¡± ¡°Do you want to see your daughter again or not?¡± I question, cutting into his whole self-righteous bulls h i t. I don¡¯t have time for this c r a p. Not after the bad day I just had. First, those two idiots who couldn¡¯t complete a simple job, and now this healer who seems to have suddenly grown a conscience overnight. His eyes water at my question. ¡°I want to see her.¡± His gaze falls to the ground. ¡°Then you will do as I ordered.¡± I slide past him, pushing on his shoulder as I go. ¡°Increase the dosage, I order without turning around to look at the frightened expression that I know will be on his face. 3 Opening the front door, I move into the house and immediately head for the stairs. Going straight for his room. He¡¯s sitting at the edge of his bed and looking outside the window, his body bony, the sickness eating at him from the inside. His head moves to my direction at the sound of the door opening and he smiles warmly. I take that as an invitation toe in. I close the door behind me and move closer to him. ¡°How was the routine checkup of the boulder? Is anything amiss?¡± The eyeshadow underneath his eyes has Chapter 55 gotten darker. ¡°Everything is in ce, Alpha,¡± I answer. He smiles weakly. ¡°It¡¯s good to know that you¡¯ve everything under control. He gazes out the window. ¡°Even when I¡¯m long gone.¡± His back is turned to me so he doesn¡¯t see the smile that settles on my lips. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Alessia¡¯s POV I race beside Caden in the woods, the wind passing through our wolves¡¯ furs as we let ourselves the moonlight. It¡¯s perfect. §Õ§à under At practice today, I managed to make Caden stumble on his feet. Yes, I freaking made him stumble. It may not seem like much, but to me, it¡¯s a big win and I suspect that is why Caden had suggested we go for ate-night run together. Recently, he has been letting me go out on more runs but those happen in the afternoon after practice and those mostly turned into another training session. The ones where he would knock on my door and ask me to apany him on a night run were the special ones. They were the ones where we would shift back and sit on a rock together, sharing a little bit more of ourselves with the other. They were like the one we¡¯re currently having right now. I pant on top of the rock, exhausted from the long run. Zuri is very happy, the happiest that she¡¯s been for a while now. I refuse to analyze why that is. Caden is settled beside me but unlike me, he doesn¡¯t have his tongue out of his mouth while he pushes air into his lungs. The only thing giving away his exertion is the rapid falling and rising of his chest. Unable to stop myself, my gaze falls to that chest, tracing the slopes and curves with my eyes. My thighs. clench as my eyes slide down to the manhood lying against his thighs, unerect but still thick and long. Trailing my eyes back up his body, my eyes sh with his dark ones. He has been watching me watch him. My cheeks tint pink as I turn my gaze to the side, praying that he ignores the tightness of my nipples. I suddenly want to grab my clothes from the tree trunk they resting on and put them on, but doing that will somehow be worse. Caden clearing his throat pulls my attention back to him. He¡¯s stopped looking at me and is now staring. out into the night sky. ¡°Do you ever think about what life you would have if you had lived with your Alpha father?¡± I pause for a moment, thinking over his words. Words that I¡¯ve pondered over several times. Words that have made me harbor a tinge of¡­ disagreement with my mother I knew why she did what she did- especially since I recently got a first-hand experience about what my life could have been like- but I still wonder. ¡°I¡¯ve had thoughts of it, I admit. ¡°But I also know that my mother did what she thought was best for me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mind that you might have been an Alpha of your pack by now and a great warrior?¡± An Alpha of my pack? I balk at that thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have made a very good Alpha.¡± I see how Caden deals with ruling a pack each and every day. I don¡¯t want that to be me. I don¡¯t know what to do and will probably make a mess of everything. NOON 80% 12:41 Chapter 57 A feather touch on my cheeks has me turning my head in Caden¡¯s direction. He¡¯s watching me intently and the touch on my face is bes firm as he grazes my cheek with his thumb. ¡°I¡¯m sure it would have been a part of you.¡± he says goes over my head as I hyper-focus on that hand on my cheek. He notices my stiff posture and pulls away, making me hide a wince of displeasure. I want that hand back on my cheek. I want that hand lower down on my body. I sigh, pulling away as well and forcing myself not to beg him to put his hand back on me. I meant that you would have made a good Alpha if that¡¯s really the path you were made to take,¡± he rephrased, giving me a tight smile that reflected all the tension coiled in his tight muscles. I¡¯m moving before I can stop myself, reaching up for his shoulders and pressing my fingers into his flesh. ¡°You¡¯re very tense.¡± If I was hoping to make it better, the only do I seeded in doing was making it worse because Caden stiffens. His shoulder coils up tighter to the extent that I fear that they may just snap. I take my fingers off his shoulders, cursing myself for not keeping my hand to myself. ¡°Sorry,¡± I whisper, coiling my hands into fists on myp. Hands close over mine on myp, prying them apart and raising them back up to his shoulder. ¡°Someone threw a fist at me during practice. Dam n near took my shoulder off.¡± I smile, digging my fingers into his shoulder as I try to smoothen out the tension in them. Standing up to get a better position, I go behind Caden, kneeling on the ground and ignoring the way the sand digs into my knees. My hands move freely, and the permission given to me goes right to my head. I be bolder, reaching for his other shoulder, kneading the flesh there and dragging a groan out of Caden that goes right through. me. ¡°That feels nice,¡± Caden says, his head falling, giving me more ess to his shoulder. I smile, working harder and smiling harder as the tension in his shoulder falls away. Pride bubbles up inside of me at this achievement. Caden straightens up, reaching for my hand on his left shoulder. I¡¯m the one who stiffens now as he drags. that hand down his body, past his pec and hard stomach, down to something even harder. ¡°How about you help me to relieve this tension?¡± His voice is husky and thick with desire, sending a shiver down my spine. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Caden¡¯s POV We pull away from each other, panting on the hard ground after another round of giving each other mind-blowing o r g as m s. I can¡¯t help it. Keeping my hands off Alessia has proved to be one of the hardest things I¡¯ve tried to do. Her body is so cid and hot for my touches and kisses. Every time I tell myself that I¡¯m going to put an end to this, I find myself alwaysing back to her. There¡¯s an uncharacteristic quietnessing from Alessia¡¯s side and I turn my head to find her staring up at the sky nkly. My brows furrow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask, leaning on my side so I can face her. She mimics my motion, leaning on her side and drawing a circle idly into the ground. ¡°What are we doing?¡± She lifts her gaze to mine when she asks the question that makes me shut down on the inside. What are we doing? How do I answer that? I can¡¯t act like I have no idea what she¡¯s talking about because I¡¯ve asked myself that same question several times. Each time, I¡¯m no closer to getting an answer because how do I voice into words how I feel?! Alessia is my fated mate, someone the moon goddess paired with me but also someone that I want nothing to do with. At the same time, I find myself falling deeper into this trance with her. Then there are times that I find myself wondering, what if? So, how exactly do I answer that question? ¡°Are we just fooling around¡­or are we like¡­lover?¡± She arches a brow in question, finally leaving the circle she drawing on the ground to face me. I guess my answer is more interesting to her than her half-finished. circle. Lover? A word that holds so much meaning and yet not so much responsibility. I could be that to her if that is what she wants. ¡°Do you want to be my lover?¡± I ask, watching as her checks tint into an adorable pink color. She¡¯s so cute and I¡¯m so scared that I¡¯m going to hurt her and kill the light I can see shining in her eyes. on ¡°I asked you, not the other way around. She yfully res at me. ¡°Answer me,¡± she insists, sitting up the ground and drawing my gaze to her beautiful breasts that I just spend an awful lot of time on. Yet still want to caress again. This right here is what I¡¯m talking about. It¡¯s like she¡¯s takenplete control over my body. I just had an o r g a s m less than five minutes again yet a glimpse of her body has me salivating for her again. Will I ever get tired of seeing that wless body? I fear that the answer is, no. I draw my gaze up her body to find her blushing again. It¡¯s funny that I¡¯ve had my lips and hands all over that body, but a nce from me still has her face turning red. It¡¯s also kind of cute. N GB N Chapter 59 AEDD M 80% 12:41 ¡°Yes, I think of us as lovers,¡± I admit, sitting up too and reaching for her hands. At this moment, I¡¯ll agree to anything if it makes that beautiful smile on her face to remain. How long will this definition pacify her? How long until she starts looking for more meaning to what we are? I should end this right now, I should put a stop to this and prevent her and myself from getting hurt. I should reject her and put an end to all this madness. I don¡¯t do any of that though. Instead, I interlock her fingers with mine andzily run my thumb on the back of her hand. ¡°We should start heading back to the pack house,¡± I say, happy to see that smile still intact on her face even after our conversation. It gives me a sense of pride to know that I¡¯m basically the reason why it¡¯s there. How long will I be able to make it stay there? I don¡¯t want to also be the reason why it¡¯s gone but I fear that is something that I won¡¯t be able to stop. We stand up, pull on our clothes, and start making the journey back to the pack house. Not a very long one since the clearing isn¡¯t that far from the house. I pause just as the house gets into our line of view and pull Alessia back into my arms. I kiss her, softly and deeply, memorizing the taste of her lips because I don¡¯t know when next I¡¯ll have the chance to get another taste. When I pull away, Alessia¡¯s eyes are closed and her lips are pink and swollen. Groaning, I fight the urge to take another kiss from her. We walk into the pack house and head to our individual rooms with a soft spoken goodbye to each other. grasses When I get to my room, I go into the bathroom and grab a quick shower to wash away the dirt and stuck to my body from our run. Then I sink into my bed, covering myself with the duvet as my mind wanders off to the ces it usually goes to at this time of the day. ces like what my life will be like if I ept Alessia. Like always, I push those thoughts and questions to the back of my head, unwilling to let myself event think of such things. Thinking will lead to me wanting to try it out. That can¡¯t be a possibility so I do what I do best. I shut down all thoughts of it and force my brain to shut up too. Then I close my eyes and doze off, thinking of how fun things are going to be now that Alessia is my lover. So many possibilities and so many ces to try out those possibilities. MBB M Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 80% 12.4| Alessia¡¯s POV It¡¯s another full moon and the rumors are still brimming. People still stop me in the pack house to ask me how it happened and olddies still congratte me on my pregnancy. Thatst one just creeps me out. Not to mention the b i t c h y looks and sidements that have skyrocketed to rming heights. The fact that I¡¯m the one taking the force of everything just makes me crankier. No one has dared to stop Caden to question him. How could they? I¡¯m seated in what I¡¯m now calling my safe spot and watching the circle as twodies put on a very enticing fight. From the corner of my eyes, I see Jake approaching and I roll my eyes. I¡¯ve forgiven him for the stunt he pulled but he doesn¡¯t know that just yet. Besides, I hardly think that I should be the only one suffering from this dilemma. He deserves to suffer alongside me. He lowers himself to my log of wood and stretches out a hand holding a beer towards me. ¡°I brought you a beer,¡± he says tentatively, still scared that I might just bite off his head. I¡¯ve to admit that the bribes are also another reason why I¡¯m still ying this game. Justst week, he brought me some freshly baked goods. There¡¯s no way in hell that I¡¯m letting go of this lottery ticket anytime soon. I¡¯m going to keep using it until the numbers wear off. And I don¡¯t think those numbers are going to being off that paper anytime soon¡­ Taking the beer out of his hand, I give him a soft thanks in return, not wanting to blow my cover yet. Jake sighs, sounding defeated as he sinks down on the log. I almost feel bad for the way he¡¯s beating himself up. Keyword, Almost. ¡°Alessia, I¡¯m so-¡± His words get cut off as a sudden quietness lulls over the ce. Unless, everyone¡¯s conversation just had a coincidental break at the same time, then there¡¯s only one other exnation for this sudden silence. Caden. As though summoned by my thoughts, Caden mounts the tform leading into the circle, standing in front of his pack members as their Alpha. Goosebumps break out across my skin as a chill wind passes by me from the eery situation and the command he¡¯s currently disying. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve everyone¡¯s attention, there are a few things I need to make clear.¡± Caden¡¯s voice effortlessly booms over the whole venue, carrying his words to even where I¡¯m seated. Everyone¡¯s attention is fixed on him and it¡¯s fun to watch as they hold on to every word that leaves his lips. o ¡°It hase to my attention that words have gotten out about Alessia being my mate.¡± He omits the part where he was the one who blurted it out to the entire pack. No one dared to make any move to correct his words. ¡°I¡¯m aware that a lot of you have been curious to know if those words hold any truth.¡± A pause. ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that it¡¯s the truth. Alessia is my fated mate.¡± Murmurs and chatters break out and everyone¡¯s gaze turns to my direction. I avoid meeting anyone¡¯s gaze, keeping all my attention locked on Caden and his speech. Why didn¡¯t he let me know that he was going to be doing this? ¡°It has alsoe to my notice that some of you have taken it upon yourself to question Alessia for these answers.¡± As he starts speaking again, the crowd hushed, and now, I can definitely feel the stares digging into the side of my head. You can hear a pin drop in this silence. ¡°Alessia is my mate and therefore, I expect everyone to try her with the same amount of respect that would be given to me.¡± At those words, people start talking again. Even I can¡¯t stop myself from reacting as my mouth drops open in shock. ¡°D a m n,¡± Jake mutters from behind me. I have to agree with him and maybe add a few choice words of my Own. F u ck i n g d a m n it all. What in the hell is f u c k i n g happening to Caden and why is he trying to f u c k i n g help me? ¡°I will not appreciate getting another whiff of harassment or questioning that directed towards her.¡± A pause where everyone waits with bated breath. ¡°If any of you should have any more questions, you can directly reach out to me and I¡¯ll make sure to have your curiosity satisfied.¡± The tone he said it in and the look he passes around the room, makes everyone aware of what exactly he meant by those words. I look around the ce at everyone¡¯s faces and each of them holds the same expression. Fright. They aren¡¯t going to be meeting with him to ask more questions and they aren¡¯t going to be harassing me any longer. Something simr to gratitude makes its way to my chest and buries itself there. Why did Caden feel the need to go to this length for me? He could have just as easily let me suffer by myself. ¡°So, are you still mad at me?¡± I don¡¯t need to look over at Jake to know that he has a smug look on his face. A look that gets him a re from me. It doesn¡¯t do anything, rather it encourages him and he inches closer to me, still grinning widely. ¡°I think I even deserve a little thanks here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push it,¡± I say, throwing onest re his way before turning my attention back to Caden as he steps. down from the tform. Chapter 60 His gaze meets mine and drifts over to Jake on my side, thankfully he doesn¡¯t stalk here all broody and angry. Instead, he res at Jake before heading in another direction away from u Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Alessia¡¯s POV 181% 11:35 Today is Lucy¡¯s birthday and she¡¯s clocking the big eight. She has been sk i p pi n g all over the house since morning as her decorations were being set up. She is excited and determined to let the whole pack know of it. She chatters it out to everyone who is willing to hear it. By the time the decorations are done, she looks exhausted and ready to fall onto her face. Must have been all the screaming she did. With all of us siting at the dining table with candles and balloons around the room, we sing her a birthday song. She¡¯s grinning and giggling, her eyes shining as they go around the room, taking in everyone that¡¯s here for her. Her energy pipes back up when it¡¯s time for her to blow out the candles on her cake. A cake that ister shared around the table. Since today is his sister¡¯s birthday, Caden gave me the day off. He also told me to enjoy it because this is going to be one of the few times that I¡¯ll be allowed toze about. Taking his advice, I walk into the main room and scout out for any activities that I can join. Ever since Caden¡¯s speech, no one has approached me again and I¡¯ve finally ended my days of hiding in my room. I find Jake seated on a couch with a game control in his hand, biting his lips as he anxiously tries to kill his opponent. The screen shows that the game is over and he slumps into his seat, pouting with his bottom lip jolting out. I chuckle and his head whips in my direction. Dam n werewolves and their incredible hearing senses. He yfully res at me and makes ae here motion with his hand. I point into the kitchen as a way of saying I need to get something from there first. He nods, turning back to the game that was just reset. Fifty bucks say he¡¯s going to lose this round again. Laughing under my breath, I head into the kitchen, stalling in my steps as I see Caden and Lucy seated at the countertop. 3 ¡°What do you want to do for your birthday?¡± Caden asks Lucy whose entice attention is focused on the cake on her te. ¡°I¡¯m free today. I can spend the whole day with you doing whatever you want.¡± That gets her attention away from hier cake and she turns to him, moving her face into my line of view. I hold in augh at the icing smeared all over her face. ¡°Really?¡± She asks with wide eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to spend the whole day with me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caden reaches for the icing stuck to her cheek with s smile that goes straight to my head. CJ J MM MB B B B BBM Chapter 61 81% 11:35 That¡¯s when I realized that I¡¯d been staring at them for longer than society deems appropriate. Shaking myself, I continue moving into the kitchen and force myself to walk past them to the cupboard. Shoving down the embarrassment trying to make its way up, I grab a stool and climb onto it to reach for the cupboard. I just pray that the other two upants in the room are too focused on their conversation to notice me making a fool of myself. ¡°So what do you want to do?¡± Caden echoes his earlier question. ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± A pause when she hums out loud. ¡°I want to go shopping for princess dresses,¡± she squeals. I grab my Doritos that¡¯s buried deep inside the cupboard for some reason and close it, ready to attempt toe down from the stool. ¡°I also want Alessia toe with us.¡± That¡¯s what does it. I¡¯m falling before I can help it and I close my eyes, waiting for the impact with the hard ground and wondering why I keep finding myself in these situations. The pain doesn¡¯te. Peeling open one eye first, I find two blue orbs looking at me in amusement. I quickly peel the other eye open and jump out of Caden¡¯s hold, trying to hide the pink in my cheeks. I seeded in making today the most embarrassing day of my life. you ¡°Are you alright?¡± Caden asks, still maintaining the amusement in his eyes. ¡°You gave us both a scare.¡± I look behind him to find Lucy staring at us with her brows furrowed. I give her a soft smile to ease her worries before turning back to Caden who still has that dam n amusement sparkling in his eyes. ¡°Thank you,¡± I mutter, looking down to the ground. ¡°You can thank me by apanying Lucy on her shopping spree.¡± My head whips up at his words. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should join you guys. I don¡¯t want to intrude.¡± I scan my mind for any brilliant excuse I can use. It wouldn¡¯t be wise to be in a closed space with Caden. Especially knowing what always happens next. Lucy will be right beside us the whole time so for my sanity and peace. of mind, I¡¯m choosing to keep my distance¡­ ¡°You won¡¯t be intruding. She requested for your presence.¡± He looks back at Lucy who has her focus back. on her te of cake. ¡°She likes you,¡± he whispers. ¡°It¡¯s her birthday and I want her to be happy so¡­please. join us.¡± I barely stop my mouth from dropping open. Caden just pleaded with me? The surprise must be clearly written on my face because Caden rolls his eyes and clears his throat. ¡°Are youing with us or not.¡± He crosses his arms over his chest, drawing my gaze down to his bulky muscles. I would love to run my tongue down those arms. Another clearing of his throat pulls my gaze back up to his face. He¡¯s smirking at me, clearing aware gh dd MMMB B B BBB M Chapter 61 where my thoughts went to. Then he arches a brow. ¡°So, what do you say?¡± I guess I¡¯m apanying my mate¡¯s sister on her shopping spree. Yay! Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Alessia¡¯s POV Caden parks the car outside the shopping mall and Lucy bursts out of her seat and onto the pavement. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± Caden chuckles as he gets down from the car and locks it, going around the car to take hold of Lucy¡¯s hand. A very wise choice because it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if she decides that she¡¯s tired of waiting for us and bolts for the doors. ¡°Slow down, Lucy. You¡¯re going to get yourself hurt. His words are stern but he smiles down at her as he says them. There it is again. That jolt that goes through me whenever he graces us with that smile. Along with those jolts is a fluttering feeling in my stomach that I can¡¯t get rid of no matter how hard I try to. ¡°Sorry.¡± She pouts but then it¡¯s gone in a second as that big smile makes its way back onto her face. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± She grabs hold of my wrist with her free hand, startling me. Pulling on both Caden¡¯s and my wrist, she directs us into the building. I¡¯m stuck on what sort of picture we paint to anyone who takes a look at us. Will they assume that we¡¯re a family taking our daughter on a day out? A perfect cute little family. My stomach does that dam n fluttering thing again at that thought. Am I having a dam n heart attack? Can werewolves even have a heart attack? Aren¡¯t we supposed to be immune to any health issues? The only other possible option for having it is unthinkable so heart attack it is. ¡°Where do they keep the kids¡¯ clothes?¡± I ask, my wrist still enclosed in Lucy¡¯s tiny fingers. It warms my heart to know that she wants to spend her special day with me. I can¡¯t for the life of me figure out why, but I¡¯m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. ¡°It¡¯s on the top floor,¡± Caden answers directing us towards the stairs. When we get to the top, an attendant leads us to a row of clothes. ¡°What are you looking to get today?¡± ¡°Princess dresses. I want a Cindere and a frozen dress.¡± She lets go of our hands and walks over to one of the racks of clothes, brushing the tip of her fingers over the dresses. ¡°And I want it in yellow.¡± My brows furrow at her words. Yellow? Is Cindere or frozen dress yellow? ¡°It¡¯s her favorite color,¡± Caden supplies, probably seeing the confusion on my face. I nod, looking at Lucy as she picks out a beautiful dress that isn¡¯t exactly a princess dress but is equally as beautiful. ¡°Do you want to try it on, dear?¡± The attendant asks as Lucy pulls out the dress from the rack and holds it in front of her. Chapter 62 ¡°Yes.¡± She nods. Then looks over at me. ¡°Can you help me put it on?¡± Her wide eyes looked at me hopefully and would it be humane to refuse her? ¡°Of course,¡± I say, taking hold of the hand not holding onto the dress. I take her into an empty changing room and help her out of the dress she¡¯s currently in and into the new one, I smile as she twirls in front of the mirror in her new dress. ¡°You look so beautiful. Like a princess.¡± She gives onest twirl, her checks turning pink. ¡°Let¡¯s go show your brother,¡± I say, opening the door for her to pass through.. She shyly walks out of the room, her head downcast. Caden face breaks out into a smile as she approaches him. He stands up from where he¡¯s sitting and walks over to her, crunching to get to her height. ¡°My princess is looking so beautiful,¡± he says, cupping her face. You look just like Mom.¡± Her head lifts and I don¡¯t have to see her face to know that those eyes hold tears. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Exactly like her,¡± he solidifies. I blink. Is that a tear I can see glittering in Caden¡¯s eyes? It¡¯s gone by the time I blink again and I wonder if I imagined it. ¡°Do you want to get it?¡± He asks, wiping her cheeks with his thumb. She nods frantically. ¡°Go get out of it and then you can try on another one.¡± He pats her on the head, standing up to his full height again. She turns around and walks back to me, her face still wet. Then she reaches for my hand, holding onto it with her fingers. I wordlessly follow her into the changing room again. It urs to me that we should have probably picked. out another outfit beforeing in here. Oh well, I guess we¡¯ll just have to dress up, go out and find. another dress then undress again. No biggie. ¡°Are you going to marry my brother?¡± My head whips up from where I¡¯m squatting to pick up the discarded dress. I know kids say the weirdest. things but this is one that I didn¡¯t seeing. How do I go about this? She¡¯s talking again before I can piece together a sentence for her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to marry him if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s just that ever since she left, he looked very sad but then you came and he now looks happy again.¡± She looked at me with sad eyes. ¡°He really missed her.¡± There it is again. That sinking feeling at the mention of her. I push the feeling away and try to focus on her other words. She said Caden seemed happier since I showed up. Is that really the truth or is she reading it ¨C J & M MM BBG BBB M Chapter 62 all wrong? ¡°You brother and I¡­ Hopeful eyes hold mine and I sigh. ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡± She nods like she understands and in a way, I think she actually might. We get two more outfits before Lucy¡¯s constant yawning puts an end to the trip. We load the bags into the trunk and start making the distance back hom- to the pack house. 81% 11:35 When we get there, Lucy is spread out on the back seat, fast asleep. I take the bags and Caden takes her. Walking behind him, I observe as he carries her to the front door with her head cuddled on his shoulder. They paint a very lovely picture and my g o d d a m n heart starts malfunctioning again. I think I¡¯m definitely. having a heart attack. ] Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Caden¡¯s POV I¡¯m seated at my desk in the office when the knockes. ¡°Come in,¡± I say, sitting up straight and pushing the file in front of me away in favor of another one. The door opens, revealing Raphael and¡­myte mate¡¯s family. I bolt out of my seat and round my desk. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, speaking directly to my mate¡¯s father, Beta Isiah. I¡¯m not trying to be pessimistic but what other reason will he have foring here if it isn¡¯t a terrible one? The grave look on his face wasn¡¯t helping bring out my positive side. The fact that his other daughter, Veronica is with him just helps solidify that this visit isn¡¯t a friendly one. Something has happened. Possibly something very bad¡­ ¡°Alpha, I saw them at the boulders and they requested to speak with you. Said the matter is crucial.¡± My heart sinks to my stomach at Raphael¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you for escorting them here. I appreciate that,¡± Imend, walking closer to the trio. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± Raphael nods and exits the room. My attention goes back to my guest. ¡°What happened?¡± I echo, anxious to know what may have urred. Hopefully, it¡¯s something that can be fixed. Though, I highly doubt that.. That face wasn¡¯t the look of someone who has a problem that can be fixed. ¡°Let¡¯s have a seat first.¡± I need to be sitting when I receive this news. I go back to my previous seat and set my a s into it, watching as they do the same. Isiah is the first to start talking and as soon as he starts, I wish he would stop talking. ¡°Last week, a rouge stumbled into our pack. Just as we were about to deal with him, he said he knew something. Something about the rogue attack.¡± It starts before I can stop it. That tiny ball of hope makes its way up to my chest, settling neatly into my frozen heart. Then the questions arise. Could this be it? Could we finally find the person behind all those deaths and years of sadness? ¡°What did he say?¡± My voice is even and level, hiding away any internal emotion. On the outside, it may seem like I¡¯m calm and collected but inside? I¡¯m screaming and begging for us to finally get a lead. I¡¯m praying that this is the big break that we have been looking for. ¡°Does he actually know something or was he just looking for a way to bail himself.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be the first time that it has happened and sadly, I don¡¯t think it will be thest. ¡°He gave us some clues. He gave us a title and some new leads.¡± He leans forward in his seat, his arms resting on my desk as he lowers his voice. ¡°He said it was orders from a beta of one of our neighboring packs. That¡¯s all the clue he gave us.¡± A beta of a neighboring pack. It¡¯s more clues than we have ever gotten or ever hoped to get. We have just ? ? Chapter 63 MMMBBBBBBM six surrounding packs so finding out who this John Doe is isn¡¯t going to be all that difficult unless¡­ 811 11:45 ¡°How are you sure that he isn¡¯t stringing us and taking us along for a wide goose chase?¡± I¡¯m trying to be optimistic here but that doubt keeps creeping out from the back of my head, telling me that it¡¯s never this easy. That something is amiss and that I¡¯m getting my hopes up just for everything to end in another dead end. ¡°I made sure that he got his facts set straight and didn¡¯t change his story. Tortured and starved him for days and he still didn¡¯t change or give us any leads to his story. He settles down in his seat. Im sure he¡¯s telling the truth.¡± It makes sense. It has to be someone in power doing these attacks. Someone who has enough influence to get people to do his bidding. My pulse fasten, adrenaline pumping through my veins. Then we have to find out who that b a s t a r d is. I¡¯m going to call on all the pack around us and arrange for meetings.¡± His shoulders tense and his brows tighten. ¡°You don¡¯t expect us to just waltz in and use all the betas of treason until one confesses.¡± Heughs humorously. ¡°It will be a suicide mission.¡± That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to observe them. I¡¯m going to bring up topics about the rogue attacks and listen to each pulse, breath, and heartbeat they take. My voice turns deadly low. ¡°Anything out of the ordinary and they¡¯re going to have my ws wrapped around their neck.¡± He smiles, a satisfied look on his face at my words. I know he shares the same sentiment. That¡¯s when I finally look over at Veronica. She¡¯s watching us with weary eyes. ¡°You guys shouldn¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡± Her father looks over at her, his face softening. The same look that I¡¯ve seen him give to my mate several times. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your sister,¡± he says, cing a hand on her shoulder and giving her a soft squeeze. ¡°You will have to stay here for some time. You can¡¯t be making the distance from your pack to mine every day.¡± He deserves to be fight beside me when I find out who this person is. He deserves to watch as I drain the life out of them. ¡°I can¡¯t leave Veronica all by herself at the pack house.¡± He looks at his only daughter with worry in his eyes. ¡°Ever since- I cut him off. ¡°Of course, she can stay here too. We have several avable rooms and it will be my pleasure to house both of you for as long as this mission will take.¡± He smiles, his hand dropping from Veronica¡¯s shoulder. Then that smile wipes away like it was never there.. ¡°The rouge also told me something else before he¡­¡± He didn¡¯t need toplete his sentence for me to know what came next. He killed the b a s t a r d after getting the information he needed, but that isn¡¯t what matters now. ¡°What did he say?¡± I ask anxiously. ¡°Each pack has a spy. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Alessia¡¯s POV Two new faces greeted me at the dining table the next day when we were all having breakfast. Try as I may, I couldn¡¯t shake off the tension in the air. Everyone was stiff and call me delusional, but I 1 think it may have been caused by the presence of these new guests. Who they? No one is saying anything so there¡¯s no way of knowing. That¡¯s why I find a way to corner Jake behind the pack house and try to dig my ws into the poor chum. ¡°Who are they?¡± I whisper, keeping my voice low to prevent anyone from cavesdropping. Nearly everyone should be at the training ground but you can never be too careful. ¡°Tell me!¡± I bite out when he remain silent. He sighs, looking tentatively around us before turning his focus back to me. ¡°They¡¯re thete Luna¡¯s family; her father and sister,¡± he whispers back, still looking around us every once in a while. ¡°They haven¡¯t been here in ages.¡± ¡°So why are they here now?¡± I¡¯m not even aware I voiced out my thoughts until Jake answers. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He shrugs, his face a perfect description of the expression- how am I supposed to know that? I roll my eyes, leaning on the wall beside me. This could be a very serious issue. Why are they here and how can¡¯t possibly get my hands on this information? ¡°Just leave it alone, Alessia,¡± Jake says, giving me a warning look with his eyes narrow. I widen my eyes innocently. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do anything.¡± I make sure to add a bit of hurt in my voice. Like, how could he ever think I¡¯ll meddle in other people¡¯s business? He looks at me like he doesn¡¯t quite believe my words but other than that suspicious look, he drops the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s just head over to the training grounds. Caden will have my head if he finds out that I¡¯m the reason you¡¯rete.¡± He shivers. ¡°I definitely do not want another episode of thest time he got his hands on me.¡± I roll my eyes. Again. The men I associate with are going to make me lose an eyeball one of these days. ¡°Just ignore him. He won¡¯t try to do something of that sort again. At least, not in front of the crowd that will be there.¡± A silver of doubt arises from my words. I¡¯m a hundred percent sure that Caden doesn¡¯t give a dam n about the people watching him. He does whatever is on his mind and I¡¯m very sure that if he wants another chance to get his fist in Jake¡¯s face then he¡¯s going to definitely be doing that. Jake must be having the same thoughts as me because he doesn¡¯t make anyments on what I just said. ¡°Let¡¯s just get out of here.¡± We power walk to the training grounds and walk in at separate times, with me lingering around the woods. and walking in a solid ten minutes after Jake. dd MMMBGBB BBM Chapter 64 81% 11:36 After getting my long dose of scolding from Caden, I start my workout. Caden takes it harder on me today. but after an excruciating three hours, he allows me to call it a day. By the time I get back to the pack house, the only energy I have left in me is used to drag myself into the house. I basically crawl the rest of the distance into the kitchen and towards the fridge. Ripping the door of the fridge open, I grab the very first thing my fingers touch which thankfully happens to be a bottle of water. I down the cool liquid, sighing in pleasure when the first drop hit my throat. To anyone around, I¡¯ll probably look like I just spent thest few days locked up in a desert. Another thing to be thankful about is that there¡¯s no one around to witness this. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± The wordse from behind me and I whip around, startled by the fact that I didn¡¯t hear anyone approaching. Did they tiptoe over here? Standing in front of me is thest person I would expect. Ok, so maybe not thest, but also definitely not the first. Maybe the first or sixth person I would expect but not the- Why am I rambling to myself here? Probably because my mate¡¯ste Luna¡¯s sister is standing in front of me. Wheeze, that¡¯s super long title. ¡°Hey,¡± I greet, waving my hand awkwardly in the air and quickly dropping it back by my side when she gives me a weird look. ¡°And there¡¯s nothing wrong with me,¡± I answer the first question that started this whole weird interaction. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing some rumors about you.¡± Her eyes narrow. ¡°Though, for some reason everyone goes silent when I try to ask them about it.¡± Oh, no. Not this again. I thought I was done with this cycle of questions. She folds her arms across her and c o c k s her hip to the side. ¡°So, I decided to find out for myself from the main source.¡± She arches an eyebrow in question. ¡°Who are you and what¡¯s your rtionship with Cade?¡± I should have never core in here for some water. I will dly take a parched throat over¡­ this. Whatever this is. ¡°I¡¯m his mate.¡± There¡¯s no use beating about the bush. She¡¯s going to find out about it one way or another given how determined she¡¯seems. I¡¯m even surprised that Caden didn¡¯t already tell them about me. She doesn¡¯t bother masking her disbelief; her eyes widen in shock and her mouth barely keeps from dropping open. It¡¯s almostical. The re she gives me afterward is anything butical though. She looks like she¡¯s trying to set me on fire from within and I shrink under her hateful gaze. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± Just an octave higher and she will be screeching. I know it¡¯s not exactly a question but I shrug in reply. That just growls¡­ f u c ki n g growls at me. seems to agitate her further and she ? ? N N N B BBBBB M Chapter 61 #12 11:36 I back into the open fridge as she inches closer to me, lowering her head so that it¡¯s level with mine. ¡°Start the f u c k away from Caden. He¡¯s mine.¡± What the hell?! Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Caden¡¯s POV The first pack house we pay a visit to is the Red Wood Pack. First, I call on them a day before to inform them of our expected visit. They may have been skeptical but there¡¯s no way that they will dare to reject me. When we get there, we¡¯re escorted by the beta of the pack. I examine the beta as we walk the short distance to the pack house, searching for anything that may seem out of the ordinary. I find none. I¡¯m not giving up hope just yet though. I¡¯m going to wait to see how he reacts when I bring up the topic of the rogue attacks. That will be the determining factor. When we get to the pack house, we are led towards the Alpha¡¯s office and after a e in¡¯ from the Alpha, we enter into the room. Alpha Frank, a man in histe forties is seated on a great ck wooden chair with an opened window behind him, streaming the rising sunset onto him and making him appear dark and dangerous. We walk in and sit on the chairsid out in front of his desk. Including his beta, Richard. The most important piece in this chess. ¡°So, what do I hold this pleasure?¡± Frank asks, cutting straight to the chase, a man of little patience. I didn¡¯t expect anything less from him so I follow his lead. ¡°We are here to talk about the increase in the rogue attacks in our packs,¡± I say, my gaze flickering over to Richard and then back to his Alpha. Richard still has a perfect posture. His heart rate, breathing and pulse all check out from what I can hear. His brows furrow and then arch. ¡°Our packs?¡± Then he smirks smugly. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you but I believe that I¡¯ve got everything under control in my pack. I certainly do not need to be having this meeting with you.¡± I stop myself from gritting my teeth, instead taking sce in digging my ws into the arms of his chair and effectively ruining his beautiful furniture. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say everything is under control. Not after the patrol team I just saw guiding your boulders.¡± I hide a smile as his wipes off. If he wants to y dumb then I¡¯ll give him just that. ¡°Since you don¡¯t seem interested in our information, I guess we¡¯ll just leave.¡± I stand up, ignoring the arched brow that Isiah sends my way. I know this isn¡¯t the n but I so want to wipe off that smug look off the b a s t r d¡¯ s ugly face. I¡¯m doubting myself when my fingers close around the door kn o b without a call back from Frank. Just as I¡¯m cursing myself for being sure an idiot, he speaks- ¡°Wait,¡± he mutters in such a low voice that I probably wouldn¡¯t have heard if not for 1 my enhanced hearing. I¡¯m not an idiot. I ept what I get and turn around back to my previous seat. When I sit, Isiah is throwing res to my side, another thing which I just ignore. I know I¡¯m being hot-headed but I just can¡¯t stand this pompous pri c k and I¡¯ll do anything to take that conceited smile off hai face. 1/2 -? ? MNMB B B B BBM Chapter 65 ¡°You called me back? 1 ask innocently. ¡°Why?¡± G ¡°You said you have some information. A pause. ¡°What is it?¡± 81% 11:36 ×Ô I give up the charade, tired of our games. ¡°I have a lead on who could be behind these attacks.¡± Another nce at Richard gives me nothing. There¡¯s no way he could be this good at hiding his emotions. He must have a tell and even if he does, I haven¡¯t found anything pointing to it. ¡°What lead?¡± He finally sit up in his seat. ¡°I thought it was just random attacks. There¡¯s someone behind all of it?¡± His gaze darkens and I¡¯m a hundred percent sure that he¡¯s remembering the pain and torture that his pack went through at the hands of those b a s t a r d s. ¡°Aren¡¯t they just a group of rogues who terrorize the packs in the area? Is there anything more to it?¡± I nod. ¡°A lot more.¡± 1 focus more on Richard than I do on Frank as I say my next words. ¡°Rumors have it that it¡¯s someone very influential. Still nothing from Richard¡¯s end. My hope of him being the mastermind detes. He would have definitely given off something by now. ¡°Someone influential like who?¡± Richard asks, pivoting sideways in his chair so that he¡¯s partially facing me. ¡°Wait. Are you trying to use one of us?¡± I make sure to stay calm and not give anything away. ¡°I never mentioned anything that would lead you to believe that He detes but that frown is still between his brows. ¡°Then what are you doing here then? It can¡¯t simply be because you want to tell us of this new lead.¡± There¡¯s only one way to dig myself out of this cra p. ¡°We have more information.¡± I take a few seconds to think it over but my idea remains the best that I can think of. ¡°They also told us that there¡¯s a spy in each. pack. You have a spy living with you.¡± Since the traitor isn¡¯ting from this pack then it¡¯s only right for me to let them know that there¡¯s a spy living right under their nose. Frank¡¯s face turns so red that I fear he might just blow up. ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± He hollers and I cringe, thinking about how many people just heard his uproar. ¡°No one in this pack will dare betray me.¡± He says in a thankfully much lower voice. I stand up, tired of this whole conversation and angry that this whole meeting was a burst. ¡°We didn¡¯te here to convince you. Do whatever you want with that little piece of information. Hopefully, his ergo is smaller than the brain in his head and he¡¯ll eventually get his head out of his as s . Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Caden¡¯s POV As soon as we step out of the pack house, Isiah lets me have it. ¡°What was that about?! You nearly blew our cover off. His brows pinch together in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± I mean my words. I didn¡¯t expect myself to have such little control over my emotions. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°It better not.¡± My wolf snaps, fighting to get to the surface and show Isiah how an Alpha is meant to be addressed. I hold him back before he can do any of that. We¡¯re the one at fault here and Isiah has every right to disy his annoyance. He sighs, his shoulders dropping. ¡°What are you going to do about the spy in your pack?¡± He asked, looking over at me, this time not as angry as he previously looked. Thinking of ways to fish out the spy in my pack has been the only thing in my head. Well, expect from when thoughts of Alessia manage to push their way to the front of my head. I still haven¡¯t told Isiah or Veronica about that new development and I¡¯m surprised that they haven¡¯t confronted me yet. They must have definitely taught wind of the rumors circting. ¡°I kept something from you,¡± I start, looking straight ahead when Isiah turns to face me because I don¡¯t think I can say what I have to see when I¡¯m holding his gaze. ¡°I have a mate.¡± My heart squeezed. I feel like I¡¯m betraying all of them even though I have no hand in what the moon goddess chooses. ¡°I heard about it,¡± he simply states and that tone grabs my attention, making me turn my head in his direction. He¡¯s looking straight ahead, with no emotion slipping through his tight armor. ¡°I-¡± my words hang in the air as I contemte what to say. Honestly, there¡¯s nothing to be said. I can¡¯t apologize for getting a second chance mate¡­but there¡¯s something that I can apologize for. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t protect her.¡± He smiles weakly, knowing what my words mean. Only an idiot wouldn¡¯t understand what I¡¯m referring to. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. You did everything possible.¡± His face hardens, a swift change. ¡°It¡¯s those dam n rogues¡¯ fault. I¡¯m going to kill them when I get my hands on them. His fingers curl into fists. ¡°We will get them,¡± I enforce. I don¡¯t want to make a promise that I may not be able to keep but I¡¯m going to keep trying to catch them until I take myst breath. He nods, his face pulled tight with anger. I send a quick prayer to the moon goddess for those ba s t a r d s. They¡¯re going to wish for a quick death when we get our hands on them. 1/8 Chapter 66 ¡°We should shift into our wolves. We¡¯ll get there faster,¡± Isiah says, already closing his eyes. 8 11:36 I close mine just as I hear the sound of bone shifting. Imagining my wolf ck coat, Ind on all fours with my ws digging into the soft soil under our paws We run side by side to the pack house and at the boulders we meet Raphael and Alex, waiting for us with the bag of clothes that I mindlinked them to bring. We shift back into our human form and change into the clothes provided ¡°I want to talk to my Beta and Gam m a,¡± I inform Isiah. ¡°You should go first.¡± He nods, walking in the direction of the pack house with his feet coated in mud. We¡¯re both going to need a nice, long shower to get rid of all this filth. ¡°What do you want to talk about with us?¡± Alex asks, pivoting sideways to face me, giving me his full attention. Ever since themotion of finding out that there¡¯s a mastermind behind the attacks, I haven¡¯t found the time to speak with them. ¡°We have a dire situation,¡± I take a pause, holding their gaze so they understand just how crucial this is. ¡°We have a spy in our pack¡± Their eyes widen simultaneously, each holding different degree of disbelief. Then it changes to anger. ¡°Who is it?¡± Raphael asks, gritting his teeth so hard that I fear they may just cr ac k. ¡°We don¡¯t know who they are or what position they hold in the pack.¡± I hate this situation. ¡°All we know is that they have been feeding informations to a Beta of our neighboring pack.¡± Confused gazes meet mine and I sigh. Going over everything from the top, I fill them in on every piece of information I received from Isiah. By the time I¡¯m done, Alex and Raphael are staring at me with another expression of disbelief etched on their faces. ¡°Those attacks were nned?¡± Raphael is the first to speak up after getting over his initial shock. ¡°Someone is behind them? A Beta?¡± Alex gets out of his shock. ¡°What are we going to do? We have to do something about it.¡± I¡¯m seriously regretting not informing them about this news earlier on. This conversation will be going forward faster if I did that. ¡°We¡¯re already doing something about it. Isiah and I went to the first pack today but we didn¡¯t get anything out of the ordinary from their beta. He seemed pretty normal.¡± Beta Richard is even less suspicious than his Alpha. That pri c k would have been my first suspect if our mastermind was an Alpha. ¡°Wow,¡± Raphael mouths, shaking his head. ¡°A lot of things to process.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you guys sooner,¡± I apologize. ¡°I got caught up in everything.¡± It¡¯s not a good excuse but it¡¯s the only one that I can provide. MMM B G G G G G M §Ó§à §Ò§à§Þ Chapter 66 ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Alex says and Raphael nods in agreement. ¡°We understand.¡± I sigh, thankful I have these two good men by my side to help lead my pack. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Alessia¡¯s POV Æ· 120 This is the first time that I¡¯ve visited Scarlett ever since she had the baby. I visited her a few times since she moved out of the pack house but have decided to give her some space to recuperate after her delivery. Now, I¡¯m back to sniffing around her beautiful home. And what a beautiful house it is. I still marveled at it when I walked in. ¡°Where is the baby girl?¡± I ask, giddy with excitement to see the new addition to their family. It¡¯s been a week since the baby¡¯s arrival and I¡¯ve been itching to get my hand on that baby and shower her with hugs and kisses, but like a good friend, I¡¯ve forced myself to stay away and give them some resting time. No more of that. I¡¯m going to be getting my hugs and kisses right now. Scarlett giggles at my excitement. ¡°She¡¯s asleep in her crib upstairs.¡± I¡¯m moving before she can get another word out but I do hear her footsteps right behind me. Even if I can¡¯t get my hugs and kisses right at the moment, I¡¯m content with just seeing how she looks. I just know that she will be the cutest little baby that I¡¯ve ever since. Not that I¡¯ve seen much but if Alex and Scarlett are her parents then no baby is going to hold a candle to that cutie. I hold my breath as I set my eyes on her. I already knew that she was going to be a diva but dam n, that one f c k i n g beautiful baby. Her eyes fluttered open making me suck in a breath as surprise hit me. She¡¯s heterochromic. Two different colored eyes blink up at me and I find myself smiling as a toothless smile makes its way to her face. ¡°She¡¯s awake,¡± Scarlett says, finally catching up with me. ¡°You can pick her up.¡± Not waiting for her to tell me twice, I pick up the baby out of her crib and cuddle her to my chest. Burying my nose in her hair, I breathe in that scent that every newborn baby seems to possess. Hers is still very prominent and I sigh as it hits me, ignoring the smile on her mother¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± As much as I would love to keep calling her beautiful, it would be nice to know her name. ¡°Beatrice,¡± she says, smiling at the baby in my arms as she reaches over to wipe a little drool on the side of her cheeks. She must have had a very nice sleep from the looks of it. I y with Beatrice for a few minutes and like every baby, she soon starts yapping and crying to be fed. 1 hand her over to her mother and excuse myself to let them have their privacy. Walking into their living room, I head over to the couch facing the television and reach for the remote. Turning it on, I surf for any program that will catch my eye and then settle on some cheesy reality TV show. Just as I¡¯m getting into it, Scarlett makes her way down the stairs and joins me on the couch. ¡°Oh, I was following them during my pregnancy.¡± She sinks onto the couch and we watch the show together until it 14 11:50 Chapter 67 ends. ¡°I pray she doesn¡¯t end up with that pri c k,¡± I say, turning the television off when the episode is over. ¡°I know right? Brad is so much better than him. Hopefully, she realizes that soon before it will be too last.¡± She turns in her seat, sitting on her leg and turning on her side to face me. ¡°So what is it?¡± She inquires, making my brows furrow together. ¡°What is what?¡± I ask, a little confused at the sudden change in our conversation. ¡°What exactly are we talking about here?¡± ¡°Why did youe here?¡± Her eyes widen like she just realized how her words sounded. ¡°Not that I¡¯m saying I don¡¯t appreciate your visits but it¡¯s obvious that there¡¯s something on your mind.¡± She coc k s her head to the side with a knowing look in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s one of the reasons why you¡¯re here apart from wanting to see my baby girl.¡± I sigh, not surprised that she saw through me. ¡°There has been something on my mind, I confess. She arches a brow, silently encouraging me to go on. ¡°So, you know Veronica and Isiah moved into the pack house for the meantime.¡± I pause and she nods so I continue. ¡°Yesterday, Veronica cornered me in the kitchen and she said something that has been on my mind ever since.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± She asks, her brows pinching together. 13 I breathe in, feeling the same confusion that I felt the other day. ¡°She said Caden is hers and that I should stay away from him.¡± Her eyes widen, reflecting the same confusion that I feel. ¡°She really said that?¡± ¡°Yes, she did.¡± I nod wildly, hoping she can make sense of the f u c k e d up situation. ¡°Wasn¡¯t her sister Caden¡¯s previous mate?¡± I ask, trying to wrap my head around everything. She nods silently, still looking dazed. ¡°Did you tell Caden about what happened?¡± I shake my head frantically. ¡°Why on earth will I do that? I¡¯m not stup i d. Besides, Caden probably wouldn¡¯t even believe me.¡± I¡¯ll just manage to make everything worse. ¡°I did get some weird vibe from her but I never thought it would be something like this. She stared at me nkly. ¡°I think you should tell Caden about it or at least let me tell Alex what happened?¡± I¡¯m shaking my head before she¡¯s even done talking. ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t want anyone to find out. They¡¯re just going to think that I made it all up.¡± She opens her mouth but shuts it when she catches the look I give her. I don¡¯t want to involve anyone yet in this. Not until I have some concrete evidence. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Alessia¡¯s POV It¡¯s dinner time and the bitc h won¡¯t quit it. She has managed to superglue herself to Caden while Raphael is on the other side of him. She just keeps talking continuously and endlessly. Someone should please shut that trap hole. It also doesn¡¯t help that I can hear every single thing that¡¯sing out of her mouth. No, bitc h, he doesn¡¯t want to hear about the new painting that you just started working on. Neither does he want to hear about your ns for your next birthday. I mean, June is still five months away, so you don¡¯t definitely need to start thinking of how many balloons can fit in the hall. I grind my teeth, chewing harder on the broli than necessary. ¡°Everything ok?¡± Jake asks, looking at me tentatively as he ces a piece of broli in his mouth and chews on it the way a normal person is meant to. way ¡°Fine,¡± I grunt out in an animalistic way, my wolf trying to force her way out to show Veronica how to stay away from things that aren¡¯t hers. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± He¡¯s actually looking at me with a scared expression on his face. I ignore his question, still shooting diggers at the bit c h clinging onto what¡¯s mine. 13 Wow! Where is all this possessivenessing from? Ok, maybe I need to reel it in a bit here. So what if she is basically stered to Caden? At least, he isn¡¯t giving her the time of his day. He actually looks bored as he ignores her in favor of talking with Raphael. She doesn¡¯t take the hint though. She just gets more persistent. I curl my fingers around my fork when she wraps her hand around his biceps and squeezes. How hasn¡¯t he noticed what a vile creature she is? It¡¯s f u c k i n g obvious and hidden in in sight. I sigh, not surprised that someone as oblivious as Caden couldn¡¯t read the lines. I mean, he still doesn¡¯t know that I- ¡°You¡¯re going to dig a hole into her head if you stare at her for any longer,¡± Jake whispers beside me, his gaze following mine andnding on where Veronica is now shifting her chair closer to Caden¡¯s. As thought it wasn¡¯t already close enough. She should enter him while she¡¯s at it. Maybe that will satisfy her thirsty demonic needs. ¡°Stopping doing that,¡± Jake says again through gritted teeth like it¡¯s going to stop the people beside him from hearing. ¡°People are noticing.¡± I finally break my re away from my newfound enemy to look around the table and find absolutely not one looking at me. That re bes directed at Jake. ¡°Liar,¡± I mouth. dd M M M BB BBBB M Chapter 68 *UIR 81% 113/ Deciding that it won¡¯t be wise to keep openly ring at Veronica, I focus on my meal which is now getting cold. Just another reason to hate her. I¡¯m currently shoving soggy noodles down my throat all because of her. Dinner is excruciatingly long and I¡¯m more than grateful when people start milling out of the room. Including Caden, who walks with Raphael in the direction of the stairs, leaving Veronica sitting alone with a pout on her lips. Hah¡­take that bitc h. I scrape off the remaining of my cold noodle with a big grin on my face. Looking over at my side, I find Jake staring at me with amusement in his eyes which I question with a raised brow. ¡°Just wanted to know why you¡¯re suddenly happy when five minutes ago, you looked like you wanted to gouge your eyes with your ws.¡± ¡°No reason,¡± I say with that sh i t-eating grin still ced on my face. The fact that Veronica stands up and storms away from the dining room just makes my grin wider. ¡°Come with me,¡± Jake says and that¡¯s the only warning I get before my te is ripped away from me. Next, he wraps his fingers around my arm and drags me into the kitchen with him where he dumps the dishes into the sink. Next, I¡¯m getting dragged again but this time outside of the pack house. I open my mouth to give him a piece of my mind and tell him that I don¡¯t appreciate having my food pulled away from me when he ms my back into the wall by the side of the house: Not hard enough for me to yell out but still hard enough for it to sting. ¡°What¡¯s your beef with her?¡± He asks. ¡°With whom?¡± I ask, ying dumb while also trying to reach over and rub my sore back. He draws his brows together, crosses his arms over his chest, and pins me down with a look that he probably thinks is intimidating. The only thing that looks seds in doing is making me roll my eyes. ¡°I just don¡¯t like her,¡± I say, shrugging like it¡¯s an everyday urrence to suddenly decide not to like someone. ¡°Why?¡± He asks, his arms falling from his chest as his brows pinch together in confusion. ¡°I just don¡¯t.¡± My voice is louder than it ought to be but I¡¯m tired of this interrogation session. ¡°Why?¡± He echos his earlier question, this time firmer. I sigh, pressing my back to the wall behind me. ¡°She told me to stay away from Caden. Said something. about him being hers.¡± My voice is really low but I know he hears my words because his eyes widen to saucer. ¡°She said that?¡± He asks, looking incredulous. ¡°She did,¡± I answer, looking around to make sure that no one is eavesdropping. ¡°Are you going to tell Caden?¡± dd M M M BBBBBB M Chapter 68 A 81% 11:37 I¡¯m shaking my head just like I did at Scarlett¡¯s. ¡°He won¡¯t believe me. He will probably just think I¡¯m trying toe between him and his previous mate¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Caden isn¡¯t irrational. He may not believe you at first but it doesn¡¯t mean that he¡¯s just going to completely ignore whatever you say.¡± His eyes shine with an adoration that I rarely ever see directed towards Caden. ¡°He¡¯s a just and fair Alpha. He¡¯ll hear you out.¡± I worry my bottom lips, wondering if there¡¯s any truth to his words. Should I tell Caden about it? Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Alessia¡¯s POV We¡¯re on one of our runs that has now be my reward after a good day of training. If I happen inflict some pain on Caden then an extra hour is added to our running. Today, I managed tond a punch to his jaw and I swear I heard something break. That entails an extra hour of our evening run. Our wolves y around together for what could have been hours or merely minutes. It¡¯s fun to watch a big ck wolf yfully chasing a much smaller wolf and looking like he¡¯s thoroughly enjoying himself. Then wey out on our usual spot in our usual nudity and talking about our usual topics- anything that catches our fancy. Today, I have a new topic that I want to talk about and I ponder how to stylishly bring it into our conversation. eyes Right now, Caden is talking about Lucy and how he raised her from when she was little. As he talks, his literally sparkle and shine with love and adoration. So f u c k n g adorable. I didn¡¯t think that adorable could be a word used to describe a six feet, four inches monster but that¡¯s the only word thates to mind as I look at him. Completely and absolutely adorable. ¡°That¡¯s cute,¡± Iment as he tells a story about a mischievous four-year-old Lucy who tried getting away with the fact that she was the one who snuck into his office and broke his vase. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t find it cute when I grounded her for a week.¡± He sighs, his hands folding behind his head as he uses it as a pillow, making the muscles in his forearms bulge out. I hold in a whimper. I¡¯d love to be using those arms as a pillow. I shake my head to pull myself out of those dirty thoughts and focus on what really matters here. It¡¯s not about how much I¡¯ll love to run my tongue along those veins that are popping out on his arms. I pull my gaze away from his delicious-looking arm and back to his face to find him staring at me who was just ogling him. ¡°Is everything ok?¡± He asks, barely keeping a smirk concealed. It slips out when I level him with a re. I clear my throat. ¡°Who are the new guests?¡± I ask, trying to pull it off like it¡¯s just curiousity. 3 Caden visibly stiffens for a moment and just as I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ve screwed up, he rxes. ¡°Myte mate¡¯s family. Her father and sister.¡± ¡°They came to visit?¡± I ask innocently, leaning forward like I¡¯m genuinely curious. In a way, I¡¯m interested in knowing what they¡¯re doing here but that¡¯s not the main reason for bringing up this conversation. ¡°There¡¯s an issue that her father is helping me figure out.¡± At those words, I perk up, suddenly very interested in where this conversation is heading. ¡°What issue?¡± I add, hoping that Caden doesn¡¯t suddenly decide that I¡¯m being too nosy and cut me off. I need him to 1/3 Chapter 69 MM MB BBB B keep talking. He looks like he¡¯s having a debate with himself but then he sighs and sits up. ¡°We have a lead on the rogue attack that wiped away half of the pack. I find myself following his movement and sitting up too, my head whirling from his words. This is f u c k i n g huge. Definitely a bigger new thanining to him about how I think histe mate¡¯s sister has the hot for him. ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re staying over?¡± I ask quietly, not wanting to spo o k him and have him stop feeding me this information. ¡°Yes. Hopefully, it won¡¯t be long before we find out who the mastermind is. In the meantime, they¡¯re going to be living in the pack house,¡± he exins. I know that my ns have been screwed but that isn¡¯t what is at the forefront of my mind. ¡°What are you going to do if you catch them?¡± A dangerous glint appears in his eyes, sending a shiver down my spine even though it¡¯s warm out here. ¡°I¡¯m going to give them what they deserve,¡± he responds darkly, his eyes turning pitch ck as a snarl tears out of him. I reach over for his hand and settle mine on top of him, just touching him and hoping that it will be enough to draw him back to the present. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you to get them,¡± I say when his eyes get back a bit of the forest green color that I¡¯m used to. Thanks.¡± He doesn¡¯t pull his hand out from under mine and I take it as a win. The issue that I wanted to bit c h about now seems foolish in light of what I¡¯ve just learned. If Veronica and her father staying here will help Caden get closer to finding those b a s t a r s then I¡¯m just Kims to have to put on my big girl pants and suck it up. ¡°Is everything ok?¡± Caden echoes his earlier question, turning his hands around so that our palms are facing. His fingers slide through me and he gives my hand a light squeeze. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve got. something on your mind. What is it?¡± My heart is racing a mile a minute all because of that contact. All my senses are hyper-focused on that. hand on mine. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I answer, sounding breathless even to my ears. Hopefully, he will attribute it to the race that we had. I mean, I could definitely still be experiencing a shortage of breathe even though that race urred like thirty minutes ago. He doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s buying it but he doesn¡¯t press me to tell him what the issue is. He shoots one last doubtful look my way and gives my hand another squeeze, causing my traitorous heart to leap out of my chest. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Alessia¡¯s POV ¡°No, Lucy. You can¡¯t have that yet. It¡¯s still hot,¡± I tell Lucy as she tries to sneakily reach for the te of cookies on the table. Like I didn¡¯t hear her heavy footsteps. She grumbles and stumps her feet, bringing a soft smile to my face. Another day of no training and like always, I choose to spend it with the pack kids. The kids are ying outdoors while I¡¯m seated on the patio andzing on a soft ottoman, and making an impression of watching the kids. A very lousy impression by the way. Currently, a kid named Vince has managed to swallow two bugs and Hensley and Ophelia have each other in a tight jaw lock. Not the mention the fact that Lucy is trying to sneak a cookie into her mouth. Again. Oh well, I can¡¯t possibly save them all. Sometimes, kids just have to learn things the hard way. I smile as Lucy yelps and blows at her open mouth that has a hot cookie in it. Exactly as I said. Kids just have to learn the hard way. I sigh, Ignoring her cries and reaching for the ss of soft drink that¡¯s on a table beside me. I take a sip. sighing as the cool liquid slides down my throat, making my muscles rx. A shadow appears by the corner of my huge grin on her face. ¡°I¡¯ve finally go I lift my head and find Theresa looking down at me with a Oh no. all alone without my Grandson acting as your bodyguard.¡± Recently, Theresa has been showing up more often under the guise of ying with her granddaughter because her time left on Earth isn¡¯t that long. This ising from someone that I once saw lifting a couch all on her own to get a biscuit that slid under it.. We all know why she has beening. Caden especially, and he has always made sure to be present whenever she was around. Except today. I gulp as she settles into the other ottoman beside mine. I reach for my drink again, downing it all at once for some ment a l strength. I¡¯m going to be needing a whole lot of that to get through this conversation. ¡°So, where are you from?¡± She asks, going straight for the kill. A trait that I would normally admire in a person but today, I just wish that she would have the little talks first. I would definitely love to talk about how bright and sunny the weather is. I most especially wouldn¡¯t mind if she decided to talk about what she had for breakfast this morning. Any of those topics will be better than the one that we¡¯re about to have.. ¡°I¡¯m from around here. Just outside the pack boulders,¡± I answer, praying she won¡¯t dig deeper into my answers. But of course, my prayers never get answered. ¡°Any pack that I know of? And what of your parents? When are they going to introduce themselves to me?¡± She asks innocently and I balk. I know she means well but I really wish that she wouldn¡¯t push me on this. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dear?¡± She asks, probably noticing the look on my face and my very obvious mood change. ¡°I-i-¡± 1/3 ad¦Ò MMM BB BBBBM Chapter 70 81% 11:37 Her face falls. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m being nosy. I just want to know more about you¡­.but it¡¯s alright if you would rather be left alone.¡± She makes a move to stand up from her seat and I stop her with a hand on her hand. ¡°My Mother passed away and I don¡¯t really know much about my father. Sadly, they aren¡¯t going to be able to visit any time soon. I try to pass it off as a joke by smiling at her as I shrug my shoulders. She doesn¡¯t buy it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, dear. It must be very hard for you to be all on your own. I remember when I lost my mate. It was the harder thing.¡± She smiles weakly at me and my throat tightens up. ¡°You aren¡¯t alone anymore though.¡± She squeezes the hand on hers. ¡°You have us now and I don¡¯t care if you