Caden’s POV
I didn’t wait for things to get worse inside that room.
The mont I saw the way Cane was looking at Carian again, the way his claws were still out and his control was barely holding, I stepped in and grabbed his arm.
"We’re leaving," I said firmly.
He didn’t argue, but I could feel the tension in his body as I pulled him away. I turned to Leslie quickly before stepping out.
"Stay with them," I told her. "Watch Gunnar. Don’t let anything happen."
Leslie nodded imdiately, her face still tense. "Be quick."
I didn’t reply. I dragged Cane out of the room and shut the door behind us before anything else could happen.
The mont we stepped into the hallway, I released him.
He didn’t stand still for even a second.
He started pacing imdiately, back and forth, his hand dragging over his face as he let out a sharp breath. His movents were restless, his steps heavy, like he was trying to burn off everything building inside him.
"Damn it," he muttered, facepalming himself.
I watched him for a mont, then stepped closer.
"Listen," I said, keeping my voice steady, "you’re not the only one worried right now."
He didn’t respond.
"I knew she couldn’t be trusted," I continued. "I knew it, but what was I supposed to do? Stand there and watch Gunnar die?"
He kept pacing.
"I didn’t know Riley was involved," I added, my voice tightening. "I didn’t know she planned it all like this. If I had known-"
"You wouldn’t have let her touch him," he cut in, finally stopping.
I nodded. "Exactly."
Silence followed.
He turned away again and resud pacing, his jaw tight, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
"You don’t understand," he said after a mont, his voice lower now but still tense. "You don’t know what Carian is capable of."
I frowned. "Then explain it to ."
He didn’t. He just kept walking.
"If you knew," he continued, not looking at , "you wouldn’t be this calm about it."
That made scoff lightly. "Calm? You think I’m calm right now?"
He didn’t answer.
"I’m trying to think," I said, my tone sharper now. "One of us has to."
He stopped again, this ti turning fully toward .
There was sothing in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. Not just anger. Sothing heavier.
That was when I decided to ask.
"Is there sothing I should know?" I said slowly, holding his gaze. "Sothing you haven’t told us? Because the way you’re reacting to her... this isn’t normal Cane."
He stiffened. That was all the confirmation I needed.
I stepped closer. "Cane." I called.
He looked away briefly, then back at , his expression hardening.
"There’s nothing I’m hiding," he said plainly.
I stared at him for a second. Then I shook my head.
"No," I said quietly. "That’s not true."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"You’re lying," I added, not raising my voice, just stating it as it was.
He didn’t deny it this ti. He just looked at , silent.
I let out a breath and ran a hand through my hair before speaking again.
"Do you rember when we were younger?" I asked.
His expression didn’t change, but I saw the slight shift in his eyes that told he was listening.
"We made a promise," I continued. "An oath. No secrets between us. No holding things back. We said we’d share everything. Won, weapons, plans... everything."
He didn’t interrupt.
"And now look at us," I said, my voice tightening slightly. "There’s sothing you’re not telling . Sothing big enough to make you react like this."
He held my gaze, still silent.
I gave a small nod. "And the truth is... I’m not completely clean either."
That got his attention. His eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you an?"
I didn’t answer imdiately.
Instead, I crossed my arms and leaned back slightly.
"There’s sothing I haven’t told you either," I said.
His reaction was instant. He stepped forward and grabbed my shoulders, his grip firm. "What are you talking about?"
I didn’t flinch. "I’ll tell you," I said calmly. "But only if you tell yours."
He stared at , searching my face.
"Don’t play gas right now, Caden," he said.
"I’m not," I replied. "I’m serious."
His grip tightened for a second, then he released and stepped back.
He turned away again, running a hand through his hair as he resud pacing.
"I can’t," he said after a mont.
I frowned. "Can’t?"
"It’s not sothing I can say," he replied.
"Why not?"
He stopped again, his back still facing . "Because I promised," he said quietly.
"Promised who?" I asked imdiately.
He didn’t answer that. "I gave my word," he continued. "That I’d take it to my grave."
I felt my chest tighten slightly at that.
Cane didn’t make promises lightly. If he said sothing like that, then whatever he was hiding wasn’t small.
It wasn’t sothing simple. It was serious. Very serious.
I stepped closer again. "So this is about Carian."
He turned his head slightly. "Yes."
That was all he said. But it was enough.
I exhaled slowly, my mind running through everything again.
His reaction to her.
The way he spoke about her like he knew exactly what she would do.
This wasn’t just dislike. This was history. Deep history.
"No," I said, shaking my head. "You don’t get to stop there."
He didn’t respond.
"You just admitted it’s about her," I continued. "Then tell what it is."
"I can’t," he repeated.
I stepped closer, my patience thinning. "You expect to stand here, deal with all of this, and just trust that you’ve got it under control when you won’t even tell what I’m dealing with?"
His jaw tightened again.
"You don’t need to know Caden," he said.
I let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it.
"I don’t need to know?" I repeated. "Cane, she just trapped Gunnar with a spell, tied his life to hers, and sohow dragged Riley into it too, and you’re telling I don’t need to know?"
He didn’t answer. I stepped right in front of him now, forcing him to look at .
"You’re not the only one this affects," I said firmly. "That’s my brother too."
His eyes t mine again.
"And whatever you’re hiding about her," I added, "it clearly matters. So stop acting like it doesn’t."
He held my gaze for a long mont then he looked away again.
Silence stretched between us. I could hear his breathing, heavier than usual.
I could see the way his hands clenched slightly, like he was fighting with himself.
That told everything.
He wanted to say it. But sothing was stopping him.
"Cane," I called again, quieter this ti.
He didn’t respond.
"I’m not asking for nothing," I continued. "I told you already, I’ve got sothing I haven’t said either."
That made him look at again. "What are you hiding exactly?" he asked.
I shook my head. "You first."
He exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated. "This isn’t a trade," he said.
"It is now," I replied.
Another mont of silence.
Then he spoke again. "I can’t tell you," he said, his voice firm now, like he had made his decision.
I felt my chest tighten slightly. "Not even now?" I asked.
He shook his head once. "Not even now."
I stared at him. For a few seconds, neither of us moved.
Then I took a step back, my expression hardening.
"Fine," I said quietly. "But don’t expect to keep holding back either," I added.
His eyes narrowed slightly. "What does that an?"
I held his gaze.
"It ans you’re not the only one carrying sothing heavy," I said. "And if this keeps going the way it is, you might not like what cos out."
He didn’t respond to that.
I exhaled slowly and looked away for a second, trying to steady myself.
Then I looked back at him. "Last chance," I said. "Is it about Carian?"
He didn’t hesitate this ti. "Yes," he said.
I nodded once.
"Then say it," I pushed.
He shook his head again. "No."
My jaw tightened. "Cane-"
"I said no," he cut in, his voice firm.
I stared at him for a second longer.
Then I spoke, my voice low but clear. "After everything going on right now... after how bad this is... you still won’t tell what it is? Did you have sothing with her before Gunnar?"
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