AMELIA’S P.O.V

After training, I waited for Kaden to pick me up but he never did. I didn’t carry my phone out because I never expected that I would run into this problem. I waited for thirty minutes after training, everyone had left and it was just Ian and I when I resigned myself to the fact that he wasn’t coming. I hated how disappointed I was because it meant that I had hope in the first place.


“Would you like me to call someone for you?” Ian asked as he made his way over to me but I shook my head. “Would you like a ride instead?”

“Yes please,” I hated that he had to offer but I was grateful that he did. He helped me into the side of the car and drove towards Kaden’s home in silence. It was shame that didn’t allow me to speak and I assumed that Ian was just staying silent for my sake.

The radio was on and music played softly in the air filling the tense silence. I noticed that Ian was driving a lot slower than usual but made no move to point it out. I was happy with the sluggish pace because it meant I could delay the inevitable. It meant for a second, I could forget the fact that Kaden didn’t come for me like he promised. I knew it was bad to run from my problems but it was the only thing I was good at.


“I’m sorry that you got stood up,” he whispered after some time and I just shrugged.

“It wasn’t your fault. You shouldn’t be apologizing for it.”


“If there is anything I can do to help then please don’t hesitate to tell me. I know I might be overstepping but you don’t look very happy right now and I think that is a damn shame.”

I offered up the best smile I could muster which ended up looking sadder than it should have. “I’ll be fine and if I need anything, I promise that I will let you know. I just want to get home for now.”

“Of course, remember, I’m just a call away and I’m doing nothing today so it doesn’t matter the time.”

I didn’t even realize we had gotten to the house until he stopped the car. Kaden’s car was in front of the house which shocked me because it was one thing for him to forget because he was at the hospital and it was another for him to be home and not pick me up. I could see the same awareness flash on Ian’s face but I quickly got out of the car. I didn’t want his pity and I wasn’t sure I could handle it without breaking down in tears.

“Thank you for the ride,” I couldn’t look at him as I walked towards the house. I shut the door and waited until I heard his car drive away before I released my breath. I turned around only to find Kaden there with his hands crossed over his chest.

“Who was that? Was that your trainer? Why did he drop you off?” he asked but I ignored him and walked past. “Come on, Amelia, you can’t just have a strange man drop you off without expecting me to ask questions.”

“You should be happy that he offered to bring me home instead of leaving me on the curb waiting for you,” I shot back and shame settled over his features as he realized that this was his fault. “What were you even doing? What was so important that you forgot? If you didn’t offer to pick me up in the first place, this wouldn’t hurt as much as it does.”

“I got a call from the office about some work. I spent so much time at the hospital that I had neglected some office work. I had to attend an online meeting very early and I must have lost track of time. I am so sorry.”

“You know what makes this whole thing even funnier?” I asked. “It is the fact that when you saw me, you weren’t even concerned about the fact that I was home, you were just jealous that another man dropped me off.”

“I know, I’m sorry, I can’t handle how jealous I get when it comes to you. You make me feel, Amelia and what I feel for you is beyond words. Seeing you with another man ignites something primal in me,” he reached out for me but I took a step back.

“I think I would prefer if you didn’t touch me right now. I need some time to come to terms with what happened this morning,” he opened his mouth to speak but his phone rang. He hung up but it rang again and he swore. “You should pick up, it seems like you’re needed somewhere else.”

“This is the only place I need to be.”

I shook my head. “If you stay here, we will end up fighting and I don’t want to ruin things more than they already have. I think it would be best if you just left.”

“Amelia, please, is there no chance for us anymore? Is this how things will be from now? I want my mate, I want the woman I love, I don’t want us to live like roommates when we are meant to be so much more.”

“You did this, not us and I will not be responsible for fixing your mistake,” I said simply without looking at him. I knew if I faced him, I would cry and he didn’t deserve my tears, not right now.

Kaden looked like he wanted to say more but at the last minute, he changed his mind and picked up his phone, He pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be back, I promise I will be back before dinner and we will talk about this.”

I didn’t say a word as he walked out of the house but we both knew that I didn’t believe him anymore. As soon as he was gone, the first stray tear leaked out of my eyes. I was officially alone. Despite having a mate, the one person who was supposed to love me more than anything, I was alone. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything or even go out. I just wanted to be left alone with my thoughts. I managed to drag myself up the stairs until I got into the bathroom. I poured more bubble bath and bath bombs than necessary in the tub but I loved the smell and I wanted something to make me feel a tad bit better.

I had just lowered myself into the tub when the door slammed open. I screamed and wrapped my arms around my chest only to see Kaden standing there breathing heavily. I stared at him in shock while he undid the buttons on his shirt.

“I never should have left,” he whispered more to himself than to me. “I was a fool to think I could walk away from you while you were like this. Amelia, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I would be an idiot to let you slip out of my fingers like that.”

“What are you talking about?” I was in compete disbelief. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing or hearing. He was in front of me and saying those words but it felt like I was imagining them.

He stripped off his shirt and made his way to the edge of the bathtub where he sat and stroked my hair out of my face. I still had my hands wrapped around my upper body despite the fact that I was completely submerged in water. He gave me a small smile and reached out for the loofah that I had abandoned.

“Let me help you,” his voice was soft. “I know I don’t deserve to but let me make this right. Let us have an entire day to ourselves, just me and you and nothing else.”

“You have work,” I tried to explain but he simply shrugged as if it were not important. “You have to go to the hospital.”

“Just the thought of losing you was enough for me to realize that you mean more to me than Nadine or even my work. I would rather lose my entire pack than lose you and I am sorry that it took things going this far for me to realize that. You are a blessing in my life, Amelia and I should never have treated you like anything less. I am grateful to even be in the same room with you, if you give me even scraps of your time I will take them with a heart filled with gratitude because that is how much I love you.”

“You don’t mean that,” I whispered but he cupped my cheeks and looked me dead in the eye.

“I mean every single world. I live and exist solely for you. I was an idiot, I was a fool and I allowed things that did not matter get in the way of us. I allowed other people dictate us and I pushed you to the sidelines. I should never have done that.”

My tongue was tied and my throat was dry. I didn’t know what to say to that. It was the most vulnerable and honest I had heard him be in a while and despite the small nagging part of me that asked me not to believe him, I could feel my wolf in my chest. She knew he was being honest. She could feel the sincerity rolling off him in waves and if she trusted him then that meant that I did too.

Before I could convince myself not to, I reached up and kissed him. He let out a groan before kissing me back softly. His hands tangled into my hair as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. The water sloshed around us and he didn’t care that he was getting his cloths wet. All that mattered in that moment was the feel of his mouth against me.

He pulled away before I could get enough and rested his forehead against mine. “We have to stop before we take things too far.”

“I don’t care,” I whispered against his lips. “I want you.”

“Fuck, I want you too, but I want to do this right,” he pulled away from me much to my disappointment and ran his hands through his hair. “I want you to know that I am in this for the long haul. It is you and me, baby, that is how it should have always been.”

He pressed a lingering kiss to my temple before standing to his feet and making his way over to the door. I watched him the entire time not really knowing what to do.

“I’ll be waiting outside, I’m not going anywhere.”