Kaden’s POV:I lift my head, my voice barely controlled. “Care to explain why my name isn’t on any of these?”Eloise doesn’t answer right away. She watches me carefully, as if preparing for a storm.Then, with a smirk that doesn’t reach her eyes, she says, “Because you were never supposed to know about them.”The ground beneath me might as well have shattered.For the first time in my life, I have no words.And Eloise?She takes a step back.Then another.Then she turns on her heel and walks away, leaving me standing there, gripping the proof of my stolen years.I scoff, shoving the birth certificates into my back pocket before taking another step toward her. My patience is already stretched thin, and the smug way she tilts her head, completely unaffected by my presence, is only making it worse."You think this is a joke?" I grit out, my voice a low growl.Eloise simply arches a brow. "No, I think it's a waste of time standing around when we have work to do." She turns to Abbie, compl
Eloise’s POV: The tension in the air is suffocating. Even after training ends, I can feel Kaden’s eyes burning into me from across the field. Watching. Stalking. Waiting. For what? Abbie smirks beside me as we gather our things. “You really put them in their place.” I roll my eyes, grabbing my water bottle and taking a long sip. “They needed to learn a lesson.” She snorts. “Oh, they did. But I don’t think the warriors are the only ones who got schooled today.” I follow her gaze, already knowing what or who I’m about to see. Kaden stands a few feet away, arms crossed, his massive frame tense. His sharp, dark eyes pin me in place, like he’s daring me to look away first. I don’t. That would be submission. Weakness. And I am not weak. Not anymore. Abbie leans in, lowering her voice. “He looks like he wants to throw you over his shoulder and lock you away somewhere.” I don’t dignify that with a response, but my wolf, Adeline, purrs in amusement. Kaden finally moves, his
Eloise’s POV: The next morning, my hands grip the steering wheel tighter than necessary as I pull into the training grounds, my knuckles turning white. I can still feel Kaden’s presence lingering on my skin, like a touch I can’t scrub away. Abbie had been babbling away about something Colton said but I did not give a damn as I was distracted with his voice flitting through my head every now and again. Damn him. Damn the way his words coil around my throat, the way his voice slithers into my mind long after he’s gone. I don’t belong to him. I never will. Abbie shifts beside me, stretching her arms over her head. “You look like you’re about to murder someone.” I exhale sharply, forcing my hands to relax. “Not someone. Just one particular asshole.” She snorts, “You mean the very large, very territorial, very obsessed asshole who followed us here?” My stomach drops. “What?” She jerks her chin toward the rearview mirror. I glance up just in time to see a familiar black pick-up
Eloise’s POV: I roll out the tension in my shoulders as I stalk across the training grounds, ignoring the way every pair of eyes follows my every move. The air is thick with disbelief and shock that a woman just put one of their top warriors on his ass without breaking a sweat. Good. Maybe now they’ll take me seriously. I can still feel Kaden watching me. His presence is like a second skin, pressing in, invading my space even from across the field. It should bother me. It does. But not for the reason I wish it did. “Back on your feet,” I bark at Aiden, who’s still rubbing his ribs. “You’re my sparring partner now.” His lips part slightly, like he wanted to argue. But one glance at my expression and he thinks better of it. Smart choice. He shifts into a fighting stance, “No holding back, right?” I smirk, “Not even a little.” A split second later, he lunges at me with striking speed. He’s fast—I’ll give him that. But I’m faster. I sidestep his strike with ease, ducking un
Kaden’s POV: That night, I find myself outside her room. Again. I don’t knock. I don’t need to. Because the second she opens the door, she stops short. Her eyes narrowing, pulse spiking. She knew I’d come. And she’s waiting. For what, I don’t know. But I’m damn well going to find out. Eloise’s POV: I should slam the door in his face. I should. But I don’t. Because the way Kaden stands there, arms braced against the doorframe like he owns the whole damn world, makes something sharp and dangerous coil in my stomach. My grip tightens on the door handle, “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” His golden eyes gleam under the dim hallway light. “Not when it comes to you.” My heart does something stupid. I ignore it. Instead, I cross my arms, making sure he sees the irritation on my face. “Do you need something, or are you just here to breathe in my direction like some stalker?” Kaden smirks. Lazy and lethal. “Depends. Will you let me in?” I scoff, “Not in this l
Eloise’s POV:Kaden’s little visit last night kept me awake, tossing and turning for hours as his voice filled my head.“Face it, Eloise. You are mine. No matter where you run, no matter who you go to, you will always belong to me.” He growled in a deep and husky voice that would make any woman swoon by his feet. Not me, though.“See that mark on your neck?’ his eyes lower, and I instinctively clutched my robe pulling it closer to cover my neck.I look away, but the intensity of his gaze still managed to spread fire through my neck.I hear him chuckle. His voice coming out in a possessive growl.“The reason why it never faded…” he inches closer, and I gulp, “was because you still acknowledge the bond.”Then, sparks rush through my skin when he slowly, seductively slide his calloused hand down my arm, grazing my nipple through the silk fabric of my nightwear. I held my breath. I refuse to react to his provocations because of some invisible string tying us together.He slows down, traci
Eloise’s POV:I furrow my brows just as he stops in front of me.Crossing my arms against my chest, I prepare myself for another glare-off with him when he does the next thing I did not see coming.He grabs my arm, dragging me to goddess-knows-where. At first, I recoil but his grip was firm and there was no escaping his hand wrapped around my wrist like handcuffs.“What are you doing? Let me go!” I growl, furious he would do this in front of my trainees. They all looked on at what was happening and glanced at one another, not having any clue as to why this giant, handsome dork is pulling my arm in the middle of training.My cheeks redden in anger and embarrassment, and I yank my arm away when he growls, turning to face me.“What in goddess’ name do you think you’re doing?” I hiss, demanding to know what the hell has gotten into his head to whisk me away at such an inappropriate time.‘You mean to say he should only when it’s appropriate, then?’ Adeline teased, clearly enjoying his att
Eloise’s POV:“Eloise.” He calls out.I groan, turning and walking past him just as he comes forward to see me.“I’m busy.” I murmur, using him as a distraction to get away from Kaden.“I’ll wait.” I hear him say, but I pay him no attention.Instead, I walk to my trainees who were waiting for me outside.The amount of testosterone and battle of dominance in the pack training grounds was immense. Yet it was nothing compared to where I was sandwiched between the wall and his hardcore body.And those rock-hard, thick muscles bulging through his—Focus! I mentally slap myself. This is no time to be eye-fucking anybody. I have to focus if I wanted to go home before he could even blink.I force my gaze forward, refusing to acknowledge the way my pulse is still racing. If I let myself spiral for even a second, I’d be stuck there, replaying the moment where he was too damn close, where I almost forgot why I should hate him.I step into the center of the training grounds, my trainees already l
Eloise’s POV:“Let’s go.” I look at his hand, then take it, allowing him to lift me to my feet before we walk out the door, side by side. My heart felt light and warm with his hand wrapped tightly around mine.“Where are we going?” I ask him, and a smile curls on his lip.“Don’t you want to see your friend?”My eyes lit up at the mention of Abbie. I have been worried about her, and the conditions she is in when Kaden opens a door just to my right.Kaden gestures me to enter so I did, and the moment I reach a few steps my eyes caught sight of Abbie.“Abbie!” My breath caught in my throat as I practically make a beeline straight towards her on the bed. To my surprise when I walked in, she’d been squinting at the huge TV, in her hand a remote and had been switching the channels with a deep frown on her face.“Oof,” she blew out a breath as our chests collided. “Eloise, you’re squishing me,” she grunts, and I immediately let go of her before looking her up and down, checking for any kind
153Eloise’s POV:Kaden promised to let me see Abbie, on one condition. I have to meet with my father and get him to let me see Mum.“How do I know you won’t hurt her?” I ask, searching his eyes. I want to know.Kaden pins me with his dark gaze, and slowly he lifts my chin to meet his orbs. They had turned pitch-black which means his wolf has surfaced.“He won’t.” a deeper, huskier voice rasps, making me gasp. It was his wolf speaking.Dark, dangerous eyes peers into me, leaving a burning sensation down my spine. A familiar feeling.“What’s your name?” I ask, looking at his wolf. I have barely seen him in action, and my wolf’s growing curiosity at what he looked like was killing her inside.“Rictus,” he says his name was, as he looks at me like he wants to devour me whole.‘Gladly. Hell, I’ll even offer myself up to him,’ Adeline snorts, and I roll my eyes at her comment. Horny-ass wolf.“I promise you, my human may appear all tough and stubborn, but he’s kind and wants to protect you
Kaden’s POV:I wipe the tears from her eyes. The hurt flashing across them tells me I may not be the only one who feels regret. We both made mistakes. But now, all I want is to gain her full trust. I want to show her I can be her mate, to support her, protect her, and love her all the days of my life. I want to give my life to her and our pups if that means keeping them safe.“I will protect you, protect our pups.” I say with determination and promise, “That is,” I lean down and move closer until our foreheads press together, “If you let me?”Eloise slowly lifts her head, staring up at me and searching for even the slightest hesitation in my eyes. But I could feel her own fade away as she bit her lip, and damn, did I want to crash mine against hers.“Okay,” she finally says.One word. Soft. Fragile. But it shatters me inside out like a damn grenade.I exhale shakily, pressing my forehead harder against hers, memorizing this moment because I know it’s everything. It’s Eloise, my Eloise
151Eloise’s POV:The sight of him being vulnerable, losing control beside me makes my heart clench. As I watch his lower lip tremble, I couldn’t help but feel guilty. It felt like stealing a part of his life. One I can never give back.A lump forms in my throat. I swallow, instantly feeling the dryness of it in my tongue as I drown in my own guilt.“They’re beautiful,” he says finally, his voice hoarse. “F*cking beautiful,” he chuckles, wiping the tears off his face as if to get a grip.I nod, “They are,”Kaden takes his eyes off the screen for a minute and looks at me. I bite the inside of my cheeks, holding his gaze. There is an intensity in it that made knots in my stomach. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.Until he rips his gaze away and I let out a breath.“Are there more?” he asks, in a gut-wrenchingly polite way. His eyes move between our triplets back and forth.I press my lips in a line, and we both focus on the screen before I show him other pictures of them growing up
Eloise’s POV:We make our way back to the grounds. I’m relieved Kaden at least saw through the wolf for who he is. A man, and for years, he’d been lost after losing his mate and unborn pup. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how he felt that day, when the rogues clamped their teeth around her belly and ripped it out of her. Even now, outside that memory, I can see it. All the blood, and his hands covered in Maya’s blood and his unborn pup’s, makes my heart break.I couldn’t imagine my life without my pups. They are everything, and I would give my last breath for them in a blink.Still, the anguish and excruciating pain he felt was devastating. He lost everything, and I couldn’t help but feel, in some way, how it must have felt for Kaden.I glance at Kaden walking by my side. He had been awful silent for a while ever since Walter shifted. I noted the shock on his face, but his lips had been sealed shut.Logan left to run some errands, but before he left he winked at me and smiled, earnin
Kaden’s POV:Eloise’s body is flush against mine. I could feel Logan’s piercing gaze glare holes into the back of my head, but he’s the last thing I should worry about right now. I’ve just witnessed my mate search through a rogue’s memory, which is near to impossible, unheard of. I can tell by the way her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Also by the way the wolf whimpered and his eyes flicker like his life had flashed before him. And also because Rictus told me.But how could this be? Even Rictus have no idea. But something else stirs inside me, unsettled.Eloise sobs into my chest. Her body shaking uncontrollably.I lift her chin with my finger, whispering sweet nothings into her ear before she lifts her eyes, locking onto mine.“Tell me,” I rasp, “What did you see?”Her bottom lip quivers before she finally speaks, and proceeds to tell me everything. Apparently, this wolf right here is beta to some unknown pack. And her pregnant mate was attacked by rogues who had the unquenchab
Eloise's POV:Kaden slits his eyes and looks at me, "Eloise," "No." I glue my feet to the ground, letting him know I am not going anywhere until he listens.Why does he want me to leave so bad?"You have to listen,"Kaden moves his gaze between me and Logan who tosses a knowing smirk my way.Kaden sighs, "Fine." He grunts.Logan gives me a nod, and I turn back to the wolf, Walter.I extend my hand, slipping it between the bars which inevitably elicits a growl from Kaden. I shoot him a glare and he does not move, but his eyes are glued to my hand, preparing for the worst.Before I can place my hand on the wolf's fur, he leaned forward, pushing his forehead onto my hand instead. The moment my fingertips brushed his fur, my eyes roll to the back of my head as I am transported to a place where my feet is rooted to the grass. I felt my soul leave my body as visions began to flash before my eyes in nanoseconds, but I feel as if I am right there.I blink, opening my eyes slowly. When I look
Eloise’s POV:The cells is probably the filthiest place in the pack house. While everything above these old cages are filled with luxurious pieces from floor to the damn ceiling, everything down here gathers dust and filth. What’s more, I feel like the prisoners here were plucked and tossed into the pit of the abyss, never to be seen or heard from again. And it reeks of blood and feces that can never be seen clearly as not a single ray of sunlight touches these dark cells.Is this what the rumors were all about when they labeled Kaden as the notorious, merciless alpha ever known?I can’t believe this. I can’t believe him.I step towards the cell Logan has brought me to see, and I duck my head to see the same wolf who took my side unexpectedly that day I was attacked in the forest.“Hello,” I speak out, trying to reach him. He was still in wolf form, curled up facing the far wall.“Can I talk to you just for a second?” As my eyes focus on his form, I furrow my brows when I see blood co
146Eloise’s POV:Shaking my head, I hold back angry tears before they rise to the surface. The hallway is wrapped in suffocating silence, which also means he did not follow after me.Good. If he really wants my trust, he would let me wallow in my regret for ever coming back here in the first place. I swallow the lump in my throat, and walk faster before turning around the corner.The next moment, I slam into a hard chest that has me stumbling backwards, and I lose balance. I brace myself for the fall as I feel my body leaning back. I squeeze my eyes shut knowing this has got to hurt but surprise fills me when a hand wraps around my waist and my back hits something hard. And that is not the cold, tiled floor of this ridiculous mansion of a pack house.“Look who finally woke up,” a deep chuckle resounded in my ear, and I blink my eyes open.“Logan,” He flashes me his handsome smile and places me gently back on my feet.“You scared the shit out of me,” I chuckle, unable to hide the ne