KADEN’S P.O.V

My entire side was throbbing with pain and I found that I couldn’t move my left arm so easily. I tried but it felt like it was being weighed down by a million tons. The smell alone led me to know that I was in a hospital and I wasn’t so out of it that I didn’t remember what happened that led me here. I was attacked by rogues.


I managed to pull my eyes open only to find Caleb by my bedside. He wasn’t looking at me, his attention was fixed on some papers beside me but it was obvious that he hadn’t slept. I cleared my throat and his eyes lifted. There was shock in them, but that shock quickly gave way to annoyance.

“I told you that it was a fucking stupid idea,” he snapped. “What were you thinking? You could have gotten killed.”

“I didn’t get hurt in Blake’s pack. This had nothing to do with my plan. Besides, I found something that can help me find Amelia.”


That only seemed to piss him off even more. “Finding her will be useless if you are dead!” he screamed. “For fucks sake, Kaden, I am your Beta but I am your friend and you need to take a fucking breath.”

I raised a brow. “Excuse you.”


“It almost seems like you have a death wish and you are just trying to kill yourself. We all want her back but this is absolute bullshit. You can’t even see that you were set up.”

“What are you talking about?”

“There was someone else in the woods,” his voice dropped. “The person was watching or just waiting- I don’t know. I tried to chase after them but they got into a car and you were hurt, I couldn’t leave you. That area isn’t wildly travelled by rogues in this season. Someone set you up.”

I knew what he was implying but Blake had no idea that I was in his pack. If he did, I would have known about it by now so it obviously wasn’t him. In the same breath, I knew that Brittany didn’t betray me. I was a good judge of character and while I didn’t think she was a good person or overtly trustworthy, I knew it wasn’t her.

“Brittany wouldn’t, she is a lot of things but she didn’t do that. She wants her power and she can’t get it without me.”

“Whoever it was, you have to be careful. Someone is out to get you and I can only keep you safe so much.”

I sighed. “Thank you.”

Regardless of everything, he was my friend and he stood by me through it all even when he didn’t need to. He gave me a curt nod, it wasn’t much but then again, our friendship didn’t always need much words.

I looked away from him and down at my left arm that was in so much pain. It was in a sling and bandaged so tightly that I couldn’t tell what was wrong with it. I remembered being hit by an arrow but surely an arrow couldn’t have caused this much trouble.

“It was dipped in silver and wolf’s bane,” Caleb explained as if he heard my thoughts. “There were insane amounts of it in your system. I thought you would die- we all did. Your mother nearly lost her mind and I had to send her home a few times.”

My brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean a few times? I’ve only been out for a day, right?”

He said nothing, his silence and the expression on his face screamed of guilt. I sat up slowly, ignoring the ache of protests in my bones from lack of use and my injuries. I kept my attention fixed on Caleb but he wouldn’t budge, he wouldn’t speak at all.

“How long have I been out?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he began but I held up a hand to stop him.

“I will decide what matters and what doesn’t. Tell me the truth, now, Caleb!” He opened his mouth to speak but no words would come out. “For fucks sake, tell me!”

“Three days!” he screamed. “You were out for three days and in those three days, I have been acting Alpha. I know you are going to act like it was a hundred and fifty years but it was not- it was just three days.”

I scoffed. “Just? Do you know what could have happened to Amelia in three days?”

“If Blake wanted to kill her, he would have done so by now. He needs her alive so you can be rest assured that she is safe. You aren’t the only one that lost three days, we all did, so pull yourself together.”

I couldn’t speak. I didn’t even know what to say if I could. I had lost three whole days. The flower I got from Brittany would probably be dead now, I was back to square one, I was back to nothing. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration.

“There is more,” Caleb mumbled and I nearly screamed. What more could be worse than this?

“Spit it out.”

“Your hand was too hurt, you were shot twice and the silver had gone too deep into your bloodstream. You have to use the cast for at least two more weeks. The doctor said it was non-negotiable.”

“I am not wearing a cast.”

“If you don’t, you could lose your arm, Kaden. That cast isn’t just to help your bones heal straight, I know you are pissed and I know this isn’t what you signed up for but you don’t really have a choice here. We can still search for Amelia, what did you find when you went to Brittany?”

“A fucking flower, I am sure it is lost now,” I mumbled dejectedly. “It was a fucking waste.”

Caleb stood to his feet in annoyance. “I will not babysit a whining and moaning child. While you are here with a hurt arm, you are home and Amelia is goddess knows where. When you are ready to stop acting like a bitch, find me.”

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.