AMELIA’S P.O.V

When I woke up the next morning, Kaden wasn’t in bed and I hated the way disappointment swelled in my chest. Despite not wanting to, a part of me had believed his words last night and hoped that he would be next to me when I woke up. I tried to hide my frown as I made my way into the bathroom to freshen up for training. It was still very early, it wasn’t even five yet and he was already gone, so much for him wanting to make a change and be more present.


I couldn’t help but snort as I changed into training wear. I was braiding my hair down in a fishtail when the door to the room opened and Kaden walked in. My mouth fell open and shock took over my features. His hair was damp and there was slight perspiration on his skin as if he were coming back from a run. He saw me on the vanity and registered the shock on my face with a sad smile.

“Where are you going?” he nodded in the direction of my outfit and I shrugged.

I couldn’t have answered even if I wanted to. I was still reeling from the knowledge that he was here and hadn’t returned back to her. I hated myself for how happy I was for just being here. It was the bare minimum and yet I found myself feeling like he had moved mountains. It was pathetic but that was how much I loved him.


“I have training,” I said simply and understanding filled his eyes.

“I train by myself at home. I could train you if you want. It would save you the stress of going out every morning. It would also be a good way for us to spend time together, don’t you think?”


I sighed as I finished up my braid. I couldn’t even look at him as I spoke. “I can’t. I can’t uproot my entire schedule just for you and then have you leave again. This is working for me and I don’t see a reason why I should change it.”

“Come on, Amelia, I am trying here, don’t you think I deserve some slack?” he asked but I stayed silent. “Will you at least look at me while we talk? You won’t meet my eye, it feels like you don’t even want me here.”

I finally looked up and he flinched when he took in the emotions in my eyes. “I won’t look at you because I don’t want to cave. I won’t change my schedule because I cannot handle you leaving again. You talk about deserving slack but what about me? What about what I deserve? I deserve a mate that I can trust and I am not worried about leaving. I don’t have that.”

“Of course you do,” his voice softened and he reached out for me. I wanted to pull away but I couldn’t bring myself to move. He ran his hands up and down my arms before moving to cup the back of my head. “You have me, you always have and you always will. I’m sorry for pushing, I should never have tried to impose. I’m sorry for that. Would it be okay if I dropped you off instead?”

I wanted to refuse because a petty part of me wanted him to feel everything I felt in the past few weeks. I wanted him to feel the neglect and the anger but I had never been one to hold grudges. I had never been the kind of person to repay evil with evil. Perhaps it made me weak, or perhaps it made me a better person than them. I wasn’t sure but I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to hold my stance against Kaden for long. Sooner or later I was going to break and he was going to realize that I wasn’t as pissed off at him as I made it out to seem. I was worried about what would happen next.

Would he stop his apology? Would he go back to her? The thought terrified me and there was no way to verify it save for admitting my fears which I wasn’t going to do. I had done well enough on my own and I was going to ensure I kept going.

“Sure,” I said in response to his offer, “but I’m leaving right now.”

He didn’t protest or try to get me to stay back. He just followed behind me, almost lingering as if he wanted to savor the moments. I wanted to do the same but I couldn’t. I forced my feet to move until I was sitting in the car. His lips pursed when I shut my door before he could and I could tell that he had a lot to say about it but he managed to keep it to himself. He was trying so hard but I refused to be a pawn to be used anymore. I was his mate and it was about time that he started acting like it.

We arrived very early as usual and no one but Ian was on the training field. Kaden looked around utterly confused and when I tried to get out of the car, he stopped me. “Is it a private lesson?”

“No, I just enjoy being early. It gives me something to look forward to instead of being alone,” I saw the impact of my words hit him like a physical blow. I knew it was a low blow to call him out like that but it was the truth. It was my loneliness that pushed me into training. He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off. “I don’t want to fight with you, Kaden.”

“I don’t want to fight either, I just don’t feel comfortable with you being out this early. You could get seriously hurt. Anything can happen at this time and I understand that the rogues have been dormant for a while but they could always attack again.”

“Look, you weren’t worried before so don’t act worried now.”

“Come on, Amelia,” he sounded exasperated. “One second you say that you don’t want to fight and the next you’re pulling something like this. It isn’t fair and you know it. I’m trying to be a good mate, I am trying to worry about you but you are making this harder than it should be.”

Ian noticed us and started waving. I saw Kaden’s frown deepen. He wasn’t done with the conversation by any chance but I was.

“I have to go,” I whispered as I got out of the car and this time, he didn’t stop me. “You don’t have to wait up for me.”

“I’ll be here to pick you up.”

I didn’t respond, mainly because I didn’t want to jinx it. I felt his eyes on me the entire way as I walked over to Ian. If Ian noticed the tension in the air, he didn’t say anything.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come out,” he joked with a small smile. “Is everything okay? You don’t look very good. You can take the day off if you-”

“I’m fine,” I cut him off. “Can we just get right into it? I’ve had a long night.”

“Of course, whatever you want.”

BLAKE’S P.O.V

I never knew just how much work went into being Alpha and just how badly Gregory had been slacking on his duties. The pack was running at a severe loss and on the brink of bankruptcy because he thought it was more important to spend most of his money on women and drinks. I didn’t know whether to be amazed that he managed to keep it a secret for so long or to be disgusted by him.

I made sure to keep him pumped on the drugs to ensure that he never got strong enough to fight back and within the first two days of my unofficial rule, I had fired every guard that I knew was loyal to him. No one understood the reasons behind my choices but they didn’t ask. That was the respect that came with being an Alpha. All my life, I had been looked down on but now, I was their leader-.

As I sat on the Alpha’s throne watching Gregory and Brittany in front of me like peasants, I couldn’t stop the curve of my lips upwards. Power was a drug and it was one I couldn’t get enough of. It was insane just how much could change with power and now I understood why Gregory always acted like he was on a level of his own- it was because he was.

“What do you want?” Gregory spat after a minute of complete silence. “You already have what you wanted. You already have the throne. If you want to kill us then do it now. There is no need for you to prolong the suffering. You can play it off as an oversight or an accident.”

I thought about it and while the idea of having both of them dead appealed to me, I had better plans for them.

“I will get to that but for now, I need something from you,” I kept my eyes on Gregory and to his credit, he didn’t even flinch. “I know you have eyes on Amelia. I need you to give me the contact of your spy. I don’t want them knowing they are conversing with someone else. I want to speak to them as if they were speaking to you.”

Gregory scoffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Amelia is unreachable. Kaden has her on a very tight leash.”

“When has that ever stopped you?”

Our conversation was interrupted when the door opened and Sam walked in. She had been scarce ever since I overthrew Gregory and I knew it was because she needed a minute to enjoy her newfound freedom. She walked past her former lover without as much as looking at him and made her way over to me. She leaned over to whisper in my ear and made a show of dragging her nails down my chest.

“Jamal wants to talk,” she said in a sultry tone. “Should I send him in?”

“I’ll come to him when I’m done here. I’ll only be a while.”

She nodded before licking the shell of my ear and walking out. I watched Gregory’s eyes follow her. He was definitely attached to her which was why he kept her around. It couldn’t have been easy watching that.

“You’ve taken everything, what more do you want?”

“I want the spy, now,” he sighed before taking out a phone from his pocket and tossing it on the table. “It is programmed with a voice changer. He cannot track it or figure out your identity.”

“Good, now we are getting somewhere,” I picked up the small disposable. “Now, what is his name?” This time he hesitated. “I will not ask again, Gregory.”

“His name is Aiden.”