AMELIA’S P.O.V

I wasn’t sure how Kaden managed to get into the house and the kitchen before I noticed his presence. When I heard his voice, I froze. I wasn’t sure why considering the fact that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I knew that but some part of me urged me to keep it a secret.


Ian had been gone for two weeks already and he was the only person excluding Serena who kept me company. I didn’t want Kaden to send him out again not just for my selfish reasons but also because he didn’t deserve to be tossed to and fro because of me. It wasn’t his fault that he was my trainer and it wasn’t his fault that we were friends.

“I’ll call you back,” I said to Ian before quickly hanging up and turning to Kaden. “When did you get here?”

“Don’t turn the question on me, Amelia,” he looked a little annoyed. “Who were you talking to on the phone and why did you quickly hang up? Was it a guy? Is it someone I know?”


“I think you’re being ridiculous,” I said in an attempt to wave him off but he wasn’t having it. I tried to walk past him but he grabbed my upper arm and kept me in place.

“Was that Blake? Are you communicating with him now? Is he in the pack?”


“Are you for real?” I exclaimed incredulously. “You really have the nerve to come in here and ask me this bullshit when we haven’t even had a decent conversation in two weeks. You are unbelievable Kaden. I cannot believe that you would do this to me. I don’t even want to look at you right now so I would suggest that you just walked away.”

He opened his mouth to speak but I was done with him and the entire conversation. I walked out of the kitchen making sure not to touch him as I passed. He reached out for me but I brushed his hold off and stormed up the stairs into our room. I heard him following behind me and calling out to me but I ignored him. It wasn’t until I tried to lock the door to the room that he blocked it with his foot.

“Can you stop?” he pushed the door open and I turned away from him. “I was just asking questions. I don’t know why you’re being very defensive.”

“You have no right to be asking me those questions. You have no right to be speaking to me like that or to treat me like that. If anything, I should be the one bombarding you with interviews and questions. Is our home now a hotel that you can pick and choose when to come in and leave?”

“You’re overreacting,” he said in a patronizing tone and he reached out to me but I stepped out of his reach. “Alright, I’m sorry, is that what you want to hear? I came home because I wanted to see you. I didn’t expect this kind of response from you. I expected a warm welcome and hospitability. I came for you.”

“You can’t play that card anymore. You didn’t come here for me. If it was because of me, you would be here every day. If I mattered to you at all, then you wouldn’t spend all your damn time at the hospital so don’t play that card. I don’t want your apology. I want you to stop treating me like an option. It is almost like I have made myself too available for you and you know that you can walk in and out as you please but I would still be here.”

I didn’t realize when I started crying. The tears were streaming down my face with each word and I could see my words landing like a physical blow on Kaden. I wasn’t sure if I was overreacting or not but I was tired of being placed second by my own mate to a stranger. I didn’t know the girl, he didn’t either and yet he somehow managed to place her as more important than me.

“That’s not what this is, Amelia, please, you know I hate seeing you cry,” he stepped closer and I tried to step back from him but this time, he wrapped his hands around my wrist and pulled me closer to him. “I’m sorry that I yelled at you, I’m sorry that I accused you and I am sorry that I made you feel like this. I just want to know what happened.”

“I know that. Is knowing worth more than us?” I snapped back as I stepped away from him. He didn’t respond and I knew that after this was over, he was going to simply apologize and go back to what he had been doing so I crossed my arms over my chest. “I need you to make a choice.”

“What are you saying?”

“You can either choose us or you choose her and I walk out of her. I refuse to sit here and watch you use me as a placeholder. I can’t do this anymore, Kaden. I love you, I truly do but I can’t, not anymore. You’re driving me insane.”

“Amelia, this is my past that we are talking about. I deserve to know what happened.”

“I know that, but I deserve someone who treats me like a priority and not an ornament that they can leave and come back to when they feel like it.”

Kaden stood in front of me with his mouth open. I had never been this vocal with anyone in my life. I was shocked that I was able to get everything out without folding or giving in to him. A part of me wanted to give in and tell him to forget about everything but I wanted clarity. I wasn’t going to be left alone again. All my life, I was used to people disappointing me and choosing me second; my father did it, Blake did it but I wasn’t going to let my mate do it too.

Kaden opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, no words could come out. His hesitation cracked my heart and I couldn’t stop myself from tearing up even more.

“I understand, you don’t have to say the words,” my voice was soft to prevent it from cracking even more. “I’ll pack my bags and stay with Clara for a while. I won’t tell them what happened, I promise. I’ll just explain that things are a bit complicated now. You can explain it to them whenever you-”

“Stop!” he ordered and I immediately fell silent. Kaden never took that tone with me, it was the one he reserved for his guards and for outsiders. “How can you even convince yourself that there is a choice? How can you even say something like that?”

“You have shown me time and time again that there is,” I told him. “Can you confidently tell me that there is nothing going on right now? Can you confidently tell me that you don’t feel some form of attraction to her? You wouldn’t stay with her if that were true,” he opened his mouth but I cut him off. “Don’t lie to me, Kaden, please. I can take anything but that.”

Kaden sighed in exasperation. “Yes, there is something but I don’t know what it is and I have no plans on pursuing it. I chose you and I will stick to that choice. I will do right by you because I made a promise to you. I love you, not her and if you want me to stay then I will.”

“I want you to stay because you want to and not because of me. Listen, I have a headache right now. I think we need some space. We can talk about this later.”

Kaden looked like he wanted to disagree but I didn’t even give him the chance to speak. I just turned my back on him and crawled into the bed. He stood there in the center of the room watching and willing me to turn around but I didn’t. I held my breath until he finally sighed and walked out of the room.

Just before he shut the door however, I heard him speak. “I love you, Amelia and I am sorry if I didn’t get the chance to show you properly.”

I didn’t leave my room until well into the evening. I couldn’t fall asleep despite how much I wanted to and by the end of the day I had a pounding headache. I wasn’t sure if it was the hunger or the fatigue but I was exhausted when I dragged myself out. As soon as I opened the door, the scent of lasagna hit me and I followed it down until I saw Kaden standing in the kitchen.

“You didn’t come out for lunch,” he said softly as he noticed me. I had thought he left earlier. I remembered hearing the door open and close. As if reading my expression, he continued. “I went out for a walk. I needed to clear my head so I could think about everything happening.”

“What did you decide?” I asked but instead of answering, he gestured to a plate that he had set out for me. I took the seat and took a bite of the food. “Thank you.”

“If you want some more then you can always help yourself to it. I wanted to make ravioli but I haven’t made it in a while and I was fairly certain that I was going to mess it up but I wanted you to have a home cooked meal that you didn’t make-”

“Kaden,” I cut him off and he went silent. “Take a deep breath, you’re rambling and you don’t do that.”

He exhaled. “I’m sorry, I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to give you space, I don’t know how you did it. I feel like shit and if this is a fraction of what you felt in the past two weeks then I am so fucking sorry.”

I was going to say it was fine but I thought better of it. “Apology accepted.”

“I have to be at the hospital, that cannot change but I know that I was unintentionally staying away from you so I worked out a schedule. I will go to the hospital during my usual work hours and be back home every evening.”

I was silent for a full minute before shrugging, “okay.”

“Is that it?” he asked and I shrugged again. “I was expecting a reaction.”

“You have told me at least three times before that you will stay and you haven’t. I’m sorry but I don’t trust you right now. You might start for the first two days but ultimately, you will go back to her and I don’t want to get my hopes up,” he opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off. “Please let me finish.”

He went silent so I continued.

“Until I see proof that you will not just walk out on me again, I can’t say anything. I’m sorry. Thank you for the dinner but I won’t just take your word for it. You have to prove yourself this time.”