Kaden’s POV
My own stubbornness, my own refusal to let her body go, was the only thing that stopped her from escaping. If I had buried her that night... if I had forced myself to let go like everyone expected to... I would have lost her forever without ever knowing she was still alive.
I let out a dark, terrifying laugh that made everyone in the room freeze. "You almost had ," I whispered, stepping right into Stephanie’s face. "You almost fooled the Alpha King."
My laugh died instantly, replaced by a deadly snarl. "But you failed. She is right here. And tomorrow, she wakes up."
I turned away from the shaking maid, my eyes locking onto Kane, who was standing near the door. He still looked relieved, and fuck it—I hated it. Seeing him relax while my mind was burning with fury made my blood boil.
I snapped my gaze back down to the maid, leaning over her until she could feel the heat of my breath.
"The healer said those pills are nearly impossible to find. How did a pathetic little rat like you get them? Speak!"
"My... my mother," Stephanie choked out, trembling under my glare. "She was a dicine mixer. She made a few before she died... I had them hidden away."
I scoffed in pure anger, my hand shooting out to grab her jaw. I squeezed her face tight, forcing her to look into my dark eyes.
"So you had the guts to use it on my property? On my breeder? Do you have any idea what you have done? Do you know that she might fucking be pregnant with my pup right now?!"
The maid’s eyes went wide with shock. She froze, completely speechless.
Honestly, I didn’t even know what was wrong with . Why did I keep assuming she was pregnant? Why was I so eager for it to be true? Because of what Rebecca did—by killing my Helen—I shouldn’t even want to have a child with her. I should hate the very thought of it. But here I was, completely obsessed with the idea, and I wasn’t even disgusted by it.
"Kaden, what the hell are you saying?" Kane asked, stepping forward.
I turned my head to look at him, and I could see the clear panic and surprise in his eyes. He looked completely caught off guard.
And for one horrible second, I saw it.
The jealousy.
It flashed across Kane’s face so quickly most people would’ve missed it, but I didn’t. I knew my brother too well. The thought of Rebecca carrying my child had affected him far more than it should have.
My entire body instantly went rigid.
A violent possessiveness exploded inside my chest, hot and ugly enough to make my wolf snarl. Suddenly, every mont between Kane and Rebecca ca rushing back into my head—the way he defended her, the way his eyes softened around her, the way he kept looking at her like she was sothing fragile that needed protecting.
Fuck.
The realization hit so hard it nearly made sick.
Was my own brother starting to want what belonged to ?
"Why are you so surprised?" I snapped at him, my voice loud and defensive. "She is my breeder. I’ve had her countless tis. Why wouldn’t she be carrying my pup?"
The words left my mouth, and a sudden wave of annoyance hit . I didn’t know why, but I sounded like a jealous kid marking his territory in front of his brother. Fuck. I was the Alpha King, yet I was shouting about my sex life in the middle of my living room just to prove a point to Kane.
But I couldn’t stop the possessive madness running through my veins.
I let go of the maid’s jaw, pushing her away so hard she hit the floor again. I didn’t care how I sounded anymore. All that mattered was that Rebecca was alive and still mine.
"Guards! Lock them up!" I barked, waving my hand toward Stephanie and the masked helper. "Throw them in the deepest cells. If anyone speaks to them without my permission, I’ll have your heads."
The guards didn’t hesitate. They moved in fast, grabbing the maid and the man by their arms, and dragged them away. Stephanie didn’t even fight back; she knew fighting back wouldn’t change a thing.
I turned my sharp eyes back to the healer, who was still standing nervously near the carpet.
"Is there a way to wake her up right now?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest. "I want her back. Give her sothing to break the spell."
The healer shook her head quickly, looking down at the floor. "No, Alpha King. There is no cure or potion that can break it. The dicine is too strong. The pills will just have to wear off on their own. She will not open her eyes for the next twenty-four hours."
Twenty-four hours. A whole day of waiting.
I grunted in annoyance, the sound loud in the quiet living room. I didn’t want to wait, but I didn’t have a choice.
I bent down and lifted Rebecca’s icy body back into my arms. I wasn’t going to take her back to that small, empty servant’s room. No way. She wasn’t going out of my sight again. Instead, I turned and started walking toward the stairs, heading straight to my personal chambers.
As I walked out of the living room, I could feel Kane’s eyes heavy on . He was standing by the door, watching my every move with a dark, complicated look. I completely ignored him. I didn’t owe my brother any explanations.
I kicked open the heavy oak doors to my bedroom and walked inside, closing the world out behind . I carried her over to the long couch near the window and gently laid her down. Her body was still stiff and freezing, a constant reminder of how close she had co to slipping through my fingers.
I walked over to my large bed, grabbed a thick, fresh blanket, and shook it out over her, covering her all the way to her chin.
Once she was safe under the covers, I just stood there.
The room was completely quiet, save for the sound of my own heavy breathing. I folded my arms, my mind finally slowing down as I just stared at her quiet face. She looked so peaceful, completely unaware of the absolute chaos she had caused tonight.
You’d think I’d be disgusted looking at the woman who took everything from . But as I watched her chest remain perfectly still, waiting for that spiritual heartbeat to return to the real world, only one thought filled my head.
Twenty-four hours, Rebecca. And then you are entirely mine again.
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