79; Do not call her a thing

79; Do not call her a thing
SOMEWHERE IN AN UNKNOWN PLACE

Kaden sat beside the bed as he watched her sleep like a baby. Even in distress, she still looked flawless. Her skin was like glass, glowing under the sun rays. If he knew she would look this gorgeous, he wouldn’t have rejected her. He would have paid for her surgery and had her all to himself; then he wouldn’t have gone through what he is going through with Elena.

He stretched his hand forward, wanting to touch her, to feel her skin, but stopped. Somehow, she looked too pure to be tainted by him.

His heart skipped a couple of beats when her lips moved. Those cherry lips, they still looked as perfect as ever. Elena's lips didn’t even stand a chance against hers. What was wrong with him? Was he blind to have rejected her?

“Save me… Alaris…“ The words drawled out of her mouth, and his heart squeezed in his chest. Even in her sleep, she calls out to him.

Well, he has her now, and there is no saving her.
He stretched out his hand and smoothed her hair backward. They felt like silk under his hand, and that was when he realised he never touched her hair for the two years she was under his captivity.

“She is ours now.” His wolf said possessively, and before Kaden could reply, he was distracted by the beeping sound of his phone.
He pulled away his hand and reached into his pant pocket for his phone. He stared at the screen and saw the name “Elenaaa”. His thumb slid over the red button, and the ringing stopped.

The phone started ringing, and this time around he was forced to leave the room he had been in for hours.

“Elena?” He said into the phone, his voice sounding like a whisper as if he was still in the room with Athena.

Elena was relieved when she heard Kaden’s voice, but why was he whispering?

“Kaden, are you alright?” She asked in concern. He was the one who was supposed to be checking up on her, but no, she was the one who always called to check on him as if he was a child, a baby to be cleaned after.

Kaden took another step forward away from the door of the room where Athena was sleeping.

“I’m fine, Elena. Why did you call?” He asked, sounding impatient.

Elena closed her eyes and gulped. It was as if he was irritated by her. It was as if he didn’t want to talk to her, and it’s killing her; it’s ripping her apart.

“You have been gone for five days, Kaden. Your cell was unreachable, and I’ve been worried.” She said in the calmest, formal voice she could muster, but her voice still shook despite her efforts.

“I’ve told you never to call me except when it is important. I am busy, Elena… You just had a dead baby… Get off the phone and rest.” Kaden gritted his teeth, pacing back and forth with his eyes glued to the door, as if Athena were going to vanish.

Elena’s eyes stung, and her hand holding the phone trembled. She pressed her lips together, suppressing the cry that was building up. How could he say such sensitive words to her?

“Is this because of her? You are away because you are trying to get her back? I know you already know where she is hiding. How could you ignore me for that ugly cursed omega?” She yelled, her tears breaking loose.

“I gave you my all, Kaden, and yet you disrespect me publicly? For that thing?”

Kaden exhaled, his fist curling and uncurling as if suppressing his anger.

“Do not refer to her as a thing,” he gritted. “She is much more than that.”

His words cut through Elena’s heart like a hundred blades.

“Take a rest, Elena… you need it. If you need anything, call Anthony. That is why he is there with you.” With that said, he hung up and walked as quick as possible back to Athena’s room.

Elena’s grip on her phone loosened, and it slid through her palm to the floor. Her scream filled the air.

“How long before she is awake?” Kaden asked the lady that had just walked in.

“We didn’t give her too much of it, did we?” He asked, worry etched on his face, and the lady shook her head at him.

“The effect should wear off soon. She must have been exhausted and is getting rid of that exhaustion by utilising the effect of the drug.” The lady answered, and Kaden sighed. He couldn’t wait for her to wake up so he could see her eyes.

“She looks familiar,” the lady said, standing beside Kaden.

“She looks just like the dragon queen who was crowned last night. Her face… she was so beautiful in that…”

“Enough.” Kaden cuts her off, not wanting to hear more of it.

He saw it too. She was ethereal in that dress and fur.

“You are interrupting her dreams.” He added, and the lady turned to look at him with wide eyes. How is he sure she is dreaming?

He was his alpha, so she nodded and shut up even when she had a lot to say.

“She’s awake,” Kaden muttered, his heart racing in his chest.

Athena's head rolled to the side, and as her eyes adjusted to the lights, she saw familiar and non-familiar faces. Her eyes opened fully, and her heart slowly sank to her stomach. She wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating. It was true. What happened last night was real as hell. She has been captured by Kaden.

“Welcome back, Athena. Want anything, water?” He offered an awkward smile plastered on his face, and Athena just stared at him blankly, eyes laced with hatred.

“When did you start caring?” She asked, her voice firm, and that took him aback. She was too calm for someone who was abducted by the man she hated most.

“Yes. Water.” She said, her voice more like a demand, and sat up. She noticed she was wearing a different dress and shot a glare at Kaden, who quickly explained.

“Your floral dress was stained with blood, so Alice here helped change you into clean clothes. I hope you like it.”

Athena looked at the pale dress and wrinkled her face. “It’s ugly.”

“Here is your water.” He handed a glass of water over to her, which she took and gulped the contents down in one go.

“Where are we?” She asked, throwing her legs down from the bed before approaching the window. She parted the curtains and looked outside.

What she saw almost made her lips part.

“We are on Sea. Heading to Switzerland?” She said it more like a statement than a question.

“How is your Luna, Elena?” She asked, her eyes still fixed outside as she tried to figure out their location, but unfortunately, she never left home, never took geography classes and never went on trips, so, in a nutshell, she had no idea of this place.

“Elena is okay. She is taking care of the pack while I’m away.” He replied.

“Strange,” Athena muttered and turned to face him.

“What’s strange?” He asked sceptically, as if he was afraid he would piss her off.

“You never talked to me. You didn’t even want to hear me talk, but now…” She paused and clicked her tongue. “You reply to every comment I make with ten words.”

“Leave us alone, Alice.” He told the lady who left reluctantly with her eyes fixed on Athena as if she was starstruck.

“Are you trying to humiliate me in front of my subject?” Kaden asked, concealing his anger with a chuckle. A perfect pretence.

“Was I?” She raised her brow at him, and he gulped.

“Now is not the time to argue with her.” He said to himself and went down on his knees, crawling towards her, and her eyes widened in shock.