5

KADE

There’s a saying that when the shepherd sleeps, the wolves feast.

My brother suddenly decided to crown Nyla as his Luna out of the fucking blue. I don’t know what made Xander think he could gain possession of her and expect nothing to happen but throughout the whole coronation, I discreetly followed him.

And when he finally separated from Nyla, I struck.

I didn’t just break into their new matrimonial bedroom through the window, I rendered Nyla unconscious in my arms and ran off into the dark night. Now here she was, in my house, asleep on my bed.

I tried to imagine the situation Xander would be in right now. Finding her gone, would he be frightened? Like his world was crumbling down? Definitely.

If anything, it gave me a sick kind of satisfaction.

I spent my life watching my parents choose Xander over me. Fuck it, the whole pack loved him the most. They thought he was the smartest, strongest, and had the best leadership qualities. I was present but they treated me like I wasn’t even there.

They saw me as a liability, reckless and a threat to the people so I was banished from my own father’s pack for a year. During my time away, I vowed to prove them all wrong. My comeback was meant to show I could also be everything Xander was.

As if the moon goddess approved, I first went to Nyla’s home and found out she'd been in prison for months. I was washed with rage, but at the same time, I was relieved to learn Xander and Nyla’s relationship had fallen apart almost immediately I was expelled.

Although she had gotten pregnant and gave birth to my brother’s child, he stopped loving her. That much was clear from the way he had abandoned her in there while he freely roamed around. She never expected it, couldn’t have guessed I, the one she despised so much would be the one to save her but I did.

But that victory was fleeting. Xander came out of nowhere just as I was about to mark Nyla. He cleverly made her chase after him, and swooped in to claim her by crowning her faster than one could blink. But if he thought I was still the same loser from before, he was wrong.

I bided my time and took Nyla from him on the night of their wedding. The same way I planned to take everything he’s ever owned from him, one after the other, before he even knew it.

I stood to my full length, my hands tucked in my pocket as I quietly strode over to the bed Nyla was lying; still fast asleep and unaware of the reality.

My twin, as powerful as people claimed he was, was too weak to rescue his mate from prison. I did it, and only then did he come running after her, like the weakling he was. Now I wonder, how sweet would it be to mark her and claim her right here and now, before he even knew what hit him? My eyes shone brighter at the thought, and I was leaning close to her face before I knew it.

This was the first time I’d see her face up close, and I almost hesitated at how perfectly carved every part of her face was.

She has always been beautiful. The pack might have punished her all these months but not even their cruelty could diminish her beauty. Strangely, it only made her more captivating in my eyes. And I couldn’t help but wonder what her reaction would be when she woke and saw me.

Would she feel safe with me or would she be frightened? Would she beg with everything in her for me to let her return to Xander? A muscle twitched at the likely chances she’d want to bolt out of here, and I found myself trailing my tongue over her neck.

My teeth sharpened as I got so close to lightly sinking it in her neck, but Nyla twitched and turned her back on me.

I knew she'd opened her eyes when she shuddered and momentarily froze on the bed, and I didn't need a sorceress to tell me she was just realizing her surroundings.

I smirked and took a few steps as she flinched up into a seating position, her hands clutching the bed sheet to her chest like some armor. Slowly, her eyes dragged up to my face and her breath hitched.

“K…Kade?” Her eyes widened in shock, and the way she whispered my name was like a silent plea for me to tell her she was hallucinating, and none of this was real.

I didn't because it was. It so was.

I pulled a nearby chair over to her bedside and settled down on it. “Aren’t you happy to see me again, Nyla?” I asked her, the smirk still tugging at the corner of my lips.

Instead of answering, she held her head in her palms.

“The last thing I remembered was…” She started, sounding almost lost, then she trailed off. “Wait, you kidnapped me, Kade?” Her eyes snapped back to my eyes, waiting for me to confirm her suspicion.

“I took you away. I didn’t kidnap you, Nyla.” I casually told her, doing all I could to restrain my wolf from pushing me towards her.

Nyla seemed startled, still trying to grasp the situation. My wolf felt we needed to comfort her but not now. Not yet.

“You fucking did. If you didn’t, why was I here without my consent?” Nyla’s voice sharply cut through the air like a whip, stopping my train of thoughts.

I leaned forward slightly, my gaze steady on her and unrelenting. “Maybe because I knew you wouldn’t give me the consent.” I said, and I almost cursed myself out when she retorted almost immediately.

“Right. Now let me out of here.” She spat, her eyes darting towards the heavy door.

“Why?” My eyes flicked from the door toward her. I felt my chest tighten in hurt when she simply looked head, refusing to meet my eyes. “Are you planning on going back there? You’re going to him?” I questioned, my tone slightly sharp. Dread curled within me as I waited for her answer.

“As much as you saved me and I am extremely grateful, it doesn't stop me from going back to the pack house.” She didn't make any attempt to conceal her annoyance as she swatted the bed sheet aside and climbed out of bed. I tensed for a brief second as her words rang repeatedly in my head, each one slicing through my heart like a scalpel.

“I expected that but just so you know, I don't plan on letting you.” I stood, about to go after her when I was met with the sight of her twisting the door knob.

My eyes glimmered with subtle happiness at each of her futile attempts to open the door. But it was short lived as Nyla suddenly bent and grabbed the hammer lying at a far corner of the room.

“You think I care if you don't approve?” She spared a look behind her shoulder at me. “If you won't let me, I can find my way out myself.” Then she began to plunge the hammer into the door, filling the room with noise.

That was it. I felt a rush of heat flood through me and my voice rose higher. “You’re so stuck up on Xander and you can't even see it, Nyla!” I issued a low growl beneath my teeth, and stalked toward her, my hand catching hers in a firm grip.

“Whatever I do is none of your business, Kade.” She half yelled, and tried to hurl my hand off but my grip only tightened.

“It is. You’re my…” I wanted to tell her what she meant to me, to pour out how I felt but the words never came. I sighed, tugging her away from the door. “You know what? Forget it. Just get back here.” My voice was shaky, almost breathless as I demanded.

But Nyla didn’t bulge. She kept attempting to shove me away, and I finally lost it.

“You never meant anything to Alexander, Nyla. You've always been just a bet to him!” My eyes flashed red as I growled, and I watched mortification crash over her.