KADEN’S P.O.V

It took a minute for his words to settle. At first, I thought that I had misheard but when I realized that he wasn’t smiling, I knew that he was serious.


“What do you mean by the entire pack knows? How do they know?”

“What did you expect when you had people combing the woods looking for her? You were also gone without warning and she hasn’t shown up at school or the pack office. Some guards let it slip that she was missing. Some think she ran away from you.”

I rolled my eyes and started to walk away when he continued.


“You don’t have to be so combative you know, I am just here to help.”

“I don’t need your help,” I made to slam the door but he stuck his foot out to stop me. “Leave, Aiden, I neither need nor want you here.”


“Amelia was my friend, you know,” he rolled his eyes. “I don’t care if you want me here or not. I am here to help you. I want her back just as much as you do.”

I narrowed my eyes at my cousin. He was many things but helpful was not one of them. Aiden only did things if they benefitted him in the long run and I couldn’t tell how helping to find Amelia would benefit him in the long run. He didn’t like me much and while he was a self righteous bastard, I couldn’t see him trying to sabotage my hunt for Amelia. It wouldn’t serve him in any way.

“Fine,” I relented pulling the door open and taking the Tupperware dish from his hands. “Thank you for the meal but I truly do not need your help. I can handle finding Amelia on my own.”

“You can’t- look at you. You look like you haven’t taken a bath and you look five seconds away from a mental breakdown. Let me help you. I heard that you have some guards to investigate and question. I can help with that.”

I thought about it for a moment but I was more concerned with how he found out. I knew if I asked, he wasn’t going to give me a straight answer and while I would have appreciated someone else’s help, I didn’t trust Aiden enough to take his offer.

“If I need your help, I’ll let you know,” I said finally and this time when I shut the door, he didn’t stop me.

Mum was watching me from her spot on the couch with a raised brow. She always hated how much Aiden and I fought and even though she hadn’t spoken yet, I knew the next thing she was going to say was going to be about me refusing his help. I put the Tupperware on the center table before turning to her.

“I don’t want him involved in this,” I warned her. “You are my mother and I love you but I will not risk Amelia’s life or safety. If you tell Aiden anything and it harms Amelia in any way, I will never forgive you.”

“Aiden would never harm Amelia.”

“The only person I trust with Amelia is myself. Do not tell Aiden anything, I will not repeat it,” I turned away from her. “Caleb! We have somewhere to be.”

Caleb didn’t hesitate before rushing out from the dining room. I knew he must have overheard the conversation but he didn’t comment on it. He just grabbed his jacket and followed me out into the car.

“Where are we going?” he asked once he was situated comfortably in the passenger seat. “Do you have a new lead?”

“I have guards to question. I have let them stew for long enough,” I mumbled as I started the car. “You, on the other hand, have something else to do.”

“Tell me.”

“I need you to find out who told the pack that Amelia was missing. I need you to find out who told Aiden about the guards I have to question and I need you to shut them up.”

His expression was wary. “Define shut them up.”

“Throw them in a cell and find out why they spread the story. I remember explicitly telling them that it should stay a secret.”

“I’ll get you the name as soon as possible,” he promised. He fell silent after that and for a full minute, there were no words spoken between us. It was just the hum of the engine as the car sped down the road. “Why didn’t you let Aiden help?”

“Would you have let him help?” I asked and his answering grimace was enough for me. “I think in some messed up part of his mind, he does think that Amelia is his friend.”

“But-” Caleb probed.

“But I cannot trust that is push came to shove then he would actually save her. Aiden would sell anyone out if it got him what he wanted and I don’t want someone like that on my team. I never know where his loyalties lie.”

“So he isn’t going to help.”

I snorted. “I didn’t say that. Aiden is very calculating and now, more than ever, he would want to prove to me that he does have Amelia’s best interests at heart. I won’t be surprised if right now he is holding his own investigations. I need your most trusted spy to keep an eye on him. He cannot know that we are onto him. Let him do what he wants and let him find what he can but I want eyes on him at every second.”

“Consider it done,” Caleb pulled out his phone and started typing away furiously. “Is there anyone else you want me to watch?”

“No, not yet at least. My mother is smart enough not to go to Aiden. Just focus on finding the tattle tale and I will do the rest,” I pulled the car into a park in front of the office. “Get me all the guards. I want them assembled in the council room. It is going to be a long day.”