Chapter 131 Kaden's POV
For a blissful moment, I thought it was Elara. That she was here. That everything had been resolved.
"Elara," I whispered, my voice rough with sleep.
But the scent was wrong. Not the honey and vanilla I associated with my mate. This was heavy perfume. Artificial.
I opened my eyes and looked down.
Selena.
She was in my bed, her arm draped across my waist, her body pressed against mine.
Every muscle in my body went rigid.
"What the hell are you doing in my bed?"
She stirred, opening her eyes slowly. "Kaden? You're awake. I was so worried about you-"
I grabbed her arm and shoved it off me too hard. I heard the snap of bone breaking.
Selena screamed, clutching her arm. "You broke it! You broke my arm!"
"Get out. Now."
"I was just trying to comfort you! You were in pain, calling out for Elara, and I thought-"
"You thought you would climb into my bed uninvited? Touch me without permission?" I was out of bed now, fury overwhelming the weakness in my limbs. "Get. Out."
She scrambled away, still cradling her broken arm, tears streaming down her face. "I just wanted to help-"
"You wanted to take advantage. Like you always do. Now leave before I do worse than break your arm."
She fled, her sobs echoing down the hallway.
I stood there shaking with rage. How had she gotten in? Who had let her into my private quarters?
A knock at the door. Ethan entered, took one look at my expression, and said, "What happened?"
"Selena was in my bed. Touching me. I broke her arm getting her off me."
"I will handle it to make sure she doesn't come near your quarters again."
"How did she even get in? The door should have been locked-"
"I will investigate but right now, you need to calm down. Your heart rate is probably through the roof again."
He was right. I could feel my pulse pounding. Feel the weakness returning.
I sat on the bed heavily. "Any updates? About the investigation? About clearing Elara's name?"
"We're working on it. Interviewing kitchen staff. Testing the remaining ingredients from that night. Looking for anything that might prove someone else had access to the food."
"And?"
"Nothing yet. But we're still looking."
I pressed my hands to my face. "I need to see her, Ethan. I need to see Elara make sure she's okay and tell her I'm fighting for her."
"I know you do but you can't travel to Dark Moon Pack in your condition. You can barely stand without assistance."
"Then bring her here-"
"She can't come here; the execution order means she'd be arrested the moment she crossed the border."
Ethan sat beside me. "I know this is killing you. But you need to trust that she's safe. That Damian and Xavier are taking care of her. That Kara is with her."
"I want to trust that. But I can't stop thinking about the dream I had. The nightmare where she and Adrian died and I couldn't save them."
"It was just a dream, a hallucination from the poison."
"Or it was a warning, a prophecy like the note she found saying I would die by her hands."
I looked at him. "What if we're both doomed? What if no matter what we do, we can't save each other?"
"Then we fight anyway because that's what you do for the people you love."
Ethan put his hand on my shoulder. "Rest today. Take your medication. Let your body heal. Tomorrow, we will figure out the next move."
"Promise me you will make sure she's safe. That you'll check on her. That you'll tell her I'm coming for her."
"I promise I will reach out to Damian to get an update. Make sure she knows you're fighting for her."
After Ethan left, I forced myself to eat the food the nurses brought. Forced myself to take the medications Damian had prescribed. Forced myself to rest even though every instinct screamed at me to act.
Hours passed. I dozed fitfully, waking at every sound, hoping it was news about Elara.
Finally, as evening approached, I heard Ethan's footsteps in the hallway. I heard him talking to the guards posted outside my door.
Then silence as he left the medical wing. I waited ten minutes. Then twenty making sure he was truly gone.
Then I got out of bed.
My legs were weak but they held. I dressed carefully in plain clothes, jeans, a dark shirt, and a jacket with a hood. Nothing that would identify me as an Alpha.
Found my car keys in the drawer where they'd stored my personal belongings.
I walked to the window and looked out. The medical wing was on the ground floor. The window was large enough to climb through.
I opened it slowly, quietly checked that no one was watching.
Then I climbed out into the night.
My car was parked in Alpha's personal garage. I made it there without being seen, my hood up, my head down.
Starting the engine the sound seemed impossibly loud in the quiet night but no one came running. No one tried to stop me.
I drove toward the main gates, expecting guards to halt me. Expecting someone to recognize me despite the disguise.
But the guards were dealing with something else, a delivery truck that had arrived. They waved me through without a second glance.
And just like that, I was outside Blue Moon Pack territory.
Heading toward Dark Moon Pack heading toward Elara. I knew this was reckless. I knew I was still too weak for this kind of journey. Knew Ethan would be furious when he discovered I was gone.
But I didn't care.
I needed to see my mate and needed to hold her. I needed to tell her face-to-face that I was fighting for her. That I would never stop fighting for her.
Even if it killed me.
Even if the journey destroyed what little strength I had left I would reach her.
Or die trying.