Chapter 117 Kaden's POV
I crossed the room and kissed her deeply. Thoroughly pouring every ounce of emotion I had into it. When we broke apart, we were both breathing hard.
"I love you too," I said. "More than I've ever loved anyone more than I thought I was capable of loving."
"I know I can feel it through the bond."
We held each other for a long moment then reality intruded and I had to leave for my office. The day was long and filled with the usual crises.
Reports of Erebus scouts near the western border. A dispute between two pack members that required mediation supply issues that needed resolving the endless administrative work of running a pack.
My phone rang constantly, mostly Elara.
"How are you?" she'd ask.
"Fine busy. How's the check-up going?"
"Good everything looks normal, the baby's healthy."
An hour later: "Just checking in Is everything okay?"
"Yes, I'm still busy. Is something wrong?"
"No, I just wanted to hear your voice."
It happened five more times throughout the day. Quick calls checking on me making sure I was safe.
She was definitely worried about something. But every time I asked, she deflected.
By the time evening came, I was exhausted and frustrated. Whatever Elara was hiding, she wasn't ready to tell me. And I couldn't force it out of her.
I worked late into the night, trying to catch up on everything I'd fallen behind on. By the time I finally headed back to the pack house, it was past midnight.
The hallways were dark and quiet and everyone had gone to bed hours ago.
I went straight to my quarters, stripping off my clothes as I walked to the bathroom. A hot shower sounded like heaven.
The water was scalding. Perfect. I stood under it for a long time, letting the heat work out the knots in my shoulders.
When I finally got out, I wrapped a towel around my waist and walked back into the bedroom.
And stopped dead.
Selena was on my bed completely naked. Positioned in a way that was clearly meant to be seductive.
"Hello, Kaden," She purred. "I've been waiting for you."
"What the hell are you doing in my room?"
"I wanted to talk privately and I thought... Well, we used to be so good together. Maybe we could rekindle what we had."
"Get out. Now."
"Don't be like that. I know you miss me, miss what we had, miss the way I made you feel."
"The only thing I feel right now is rage. You broke into my private quarters. You are naked in my bed this is completely inappropriate-"
The door opened.
Elara walked in, clearly looking for me.
She froze, her eyes went from me standing there in just a towel, to Selena naked on the bed.
The color drained from her face.
"Elara-" I started.
"I can explain," Selena said quickly.
"Kaden invited me here and said he wanted to talk about giving us another chance. But when I arrived, he got aggressive. Started taking off his clothes-"
"That's a lie!" I moved toward Elara. "I came back late and went straight to the shower. When I came out, she was already here. I didn't invite her. I didn't want her here. I was just about to throw her out-"
Elara's hand went to her stomach. She looked like she might be sick.
"Elara, please you have to believe me. This is exactly what it looks like Selena breaking in and trying to manipulate the situation."
"He's lying," Selena said, wrapping the sheet around herself. "Why would I break in? Why would I risk everything unless he had asked me to come?"
"Because you're desperate and delusional and you can't accept that I don't want you!"
I turned back to Elara. "Please look at me, you know me. You know I would never do this."
Elara was shaking and her breathing was coming in short gasps. The baby was probably kicking from her stress.
"I need..." She backed toward the door. "I need air. I can't breathe."
"Elara, wait-"
But she was gone running down the hallway despite her advanced pregnancy despite the risk.
I turned on Selena with pure fury. "Get out. Get out now before I do something I will regret."
"But Kaden-"
"NOW!"
She grabbed her clothes and ran.
I threw on pants and a shirt, not bothering with anything else, and went after Elara. I found her in the gardens, bent over a bench, gasping for air.
"Elara-"
"Don't." She held up a hand. "Just... don't not right now."
"You have to let me explain-"
"I know what I saw. I know what it looked like. And I know..."
She straightened up, tears streaming down her face. "I know you're telling the truth. I know Selena set this up. I know you didn't invite her there."
Relief crashed over me. "Then why are you crying?"
"Because I'm tired, Kaden. I'm so tired of this. Of Selena. Of the constant manipulation and schemes and attempts to destroy what we have."
She pressed her hands to her face. "I can't do this anymore, can't keep fighting her off, can't keep defending our relationship against someone who refuses to accept it's over."
"Then we will exile her permanently. I don't care what the elders say-"
"It won't matter, she will just find another way to get to us. Another scheme. Another manipulation."
Elara looked at me with exhausted eyes. "She's never going to stop, is she? Never going to accept that you chose me."
"No. Probably not."
"Then what do we do?"
I pulled her into my arms carefully, mindful of her pregnant belly. "We survived her together. We refuse to let her win. We keep choosing each other no matter what she throws at us."
"And if she escalates? If she does something worse than breaking into your room naked?"
"Then we deal with it together like we deal with everything else."
Elara was quiet for a long moment then. "There's something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you this morning."
"What?"
She pulled back and looked at me seriously. "I found a note. Last night. On my nightstand. It said... it said you're going to die. By my hands."
Everything stopped.
"What?"
"Someone left me an anonymous note. It said 'Kaden will die by your hands.' That's why I've been calling you all day. Why have I been watching you so carefully? I'm terrified it's some kind of prophecy or threat or-"
"It's a manipulation of someone trying to make you afraid. Trying to drive a wedge between us by making you think you're dangerous to me."
"But what if it's not? What if it's real? What if there's some spell or compulsion that's going to make me-"
"Stop. You're not going to hurt me. I trust you completely."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I know you. I know your heart. I know you'd die before you'd let anything happen to me."
I cupped her face in my hands. "Whoever left that note wants you scared. I want you to doubt yourself. I want you to push me away to protect me, don't let them win."
She leaned into my touch. "I'm scared."
"I know so am I but we face it together. All of it. Selena, Erebus, mysterious notes, everything."
"Together," she repeated.
"Together."
We stood there in the garden as the first light of dawn began to break, exhausted , scared but together.
And that would have to be enough
.