“Would you marry me?” There’s a solidness to Caden’s voice. A certainty to his stance and gaze as I stare at him in shock.
“What?"
“It’s the only thing that could make us stronger. The one thing that could bring us to our peak.”
“Caden. That's a big step.”
“It is” A beat of silence passes between us as he stares down at me sharply in the dark.
“And what happens if I say no? Do you plan on forcing me to marry you if I refuse? Like Damon? Like my father?” He meets my gaze head on.
“What do you think?”
“I think I really don’t know.” He frowns pensively at my response.
“I hoped by now you’d know me better than that.” He gently takes my hand in his. I feel the callouses, the years of hard work on them, but I also feel the warmth, the safety.
“Arabella, I would never force you into something like that. Never.” His conviction almost unsteading me. Almost. And most importantly, why is my heart racing? We’re doing this for the pack. It’s not that he’s proposing because he loves me. Right?
“That said. Would marrying me really be that terrible?” He says it teasingly, but there’s an uncertainty behind his words, vulnerability.
Unable to stop myself, I reach up, tracing my fingers along his perfectly sculpted face. The feeling lingers in the air that whatever I say to Caden here and now, he’ll take it to heart.
“Arabella?”
“Caden, I could see myself marrying you.” He stares at me in muted shock.
“You would?”
“Yes. You’re kind, a good leader, a good friend. You’re just good, Caden.” His eyes glint with affection, his mouth parts in awe. “Is that hard to believe?”
“No. It’s not that.” His smile is infectious, and I can’t help but return it. “It just feels good to be true that’s all.”
“Caden, It can’t feel that good. I come with a lot of baggage you know.”
“So do I. Maybe that means we’re perfect for each other.”
“Maybe.”
“Arabella…” My heart races at his words, at his smouldering gaze, at the bond thrumming between us.
“You’d be my wife? My mate in body and soul? You’d be mine forever?” Breathless, I nod.
“Yes.”
“Then…” He steps forward, cupping my chin and leaning my face up to meet his expression. “Would you like me to show you what you could look forward to?” He kisses me, his lips meeting mine as his hands move to my waist. My pulse pounds in my ears, my breath quickens as he sweeps me off my feet.
Moaning into his mouth, I snake my arms around his neck, pulling him close until we are chest to chest. He smirks into the kiss, pulling me impossibly close, drawing me into his warmth, his intoxicating scent.
“Arabella..” His teeth score my lower lip, drawing it in as his tongue moves out to drag along the edge. I feel his tongue swirl against mine, merging with mine to give way to something incredible. I can feel promises of things to come, a future with Caden by my side and somehow, despite the fact that I feel like it should, none of it scares me. Maybe I’m meant for this life after all.
“Whatever you decide, it’s all going to work out. You’ll see.” Caden pulls back, still wearing that sinful grin. He reaches for me, tilting my chin up to face him. “Just being around you makes me stronger.”
“Seems like your plan is really coming together, then.” He shakes his head.
“I needed you to make us strong enough to defend ourselves against Raphael but…” His expression softens, his eyes reflecting the light of the moon above. “But the rest of this was never planned. I never thought we would…that we would be--” Before he can finish his thought, a familiar voice slices through the night.
“Caden! We need you back at the camp. Now.” Arden calls out in urgency.
“What is it?”
“It’s Kit. When he got injured during Damon’s attack, James treated him and…” Arden shakes, her face shadowed in grief. “Whatever he did, Kit’s not getting better. He’s getting worse.”
“Oh, God. We need to move. Now.” Caden nods.
“If what you’re saying is true, there’s no time to lose.” We immediately rush back to the safe house where Caden’s pack has set up camp. We find Kit, clutching his wounds on a bed, surrounded by other pack members. Caden and I rush to his side.
“What’s everyone looking all grim for?” Kit tries to flash his tell-tale confident smile, but he winces from the pain, barely able to get his words out. “I’ll tell you one thing…worse doctor’s visit I’ve ever had.”
“Kit…” Caden starts but Kit interrupts him.
“I know. You don’t have to say it.” He gives us a weak smile. “I can tell, I’m done for. Nothing you survive could hurt this bad. Just…trying to keep spirits light, you know? Right now this pack doesn’t have the morale for another funeral.”
“Kit, you can fight this. I know you can.” He lets out a pained cough.
“I may not look it, but I’ve done my fair share of fighting under Caden. I know when a battle’s a lost cause, and this is one fight I know I’m not going to win.” Caden takes Kit’s hand in his.
“That’s what you’ve always done, isn’t it? Put aside your own pain to try to lighten the mood for others. I know you’ve never thought much of yourself Kit, but you’ve always been the heart of this pack.”
“Caden…” Kit begins only for Caden to cut through.
“I don’t know how we’re going to keep things going without you.”
“You’ll find a way. If anyone can, it’s you.” Kit winces, clutching his wound. “I really believed Arden and I were going to make it, you know. Always thought I’d be a good dad.” Caden bows his head and the rest of the pack inches forward, grief plain on their faces.
“Kit…” Arden is trying not to breakdown in front of him.
“This can’t be real. It just can’t.” I can even feel Koda’s sorrow.
Kit turns to me.
“Arabella…” As he stares at me, tears sting my eyes. The rest of the pack’s eyes are on me, but I can only stare at Kit.
“Promise me…promise me you’ll take Raphael down.”He reaches for me, his hand trembling. “I’ve given you a hard time, and I know I have. Maybe it’s selfish of me but…” He winces at his wounds and my throat closes. I know he’s on his deathbed. “Caden chose you. We chose you. Promise you’ll protect them, Arabella. Promise me you’ll take Raphael down.”
I reach out, taking Kit’s hand gingerly in my own and making a promise. To him, to Caden, to the entire pack and to myself.
“I swear I’ll protect them and I promise you. I’ll take Raphael down.”
“You do?”
“I do.” I squeeze his hand and he smiles softly. “We’ll bring an end to Raphael, Damon, James and all of them. We’ll keep Arden safe. We’ll keep the whole pack safe.” Kit nods, turning to glance at Arden, one of the many faces in the crowd around. He lowers his voice, just enough so she can hear.
“I don’t think she needs anyone to look after her on the battlefield. But losing people…she’s never been good at that.”
“None of us are. And it’s time it came to an end.” Caden says.
“You can rest easy, Kit.” Kit winces once more, then he smiles up at me.
“Caden chose a worthy mate for this pack.” He closes his eyes, using the last of his strength to let out one final sentence. “Arabella, I’m…proud…to call you…our second Alpha.” And just like that, Kit is gone.
I turn back to the rest of the pack, grief and rage tearing through me It’s a sentiment echoed in the expressions of the rest of the pack, each one of the hurting, each one of them ready for blood.
“Everyone. We’re going to make them pay.”
“Damn right we are.” Beau seconds me.
“Kit is dead. I’m through just waiting around until we’re attacked again.” Arden says with an extreme dose of rage and anger. I would too if the person I loved died.
“Arabella is right.” Caden takes my hand then, whispering under his breath. “There all looking to you, Arabella.”
“Me? But I’m not their leader. I’m not an Alpha.”
“Are you sure?”
“Caden, you’re their leader. I’m nothing compared to you.”
“I am their leader. But you’ve earned their respect. You’re my mate. My second. My partner.”
“Our second Alpha!” Koda exclaims pushing through the crowd, his round eyes full of hope as he stares up at me. “It’s like what Kit said. You’re our second Alpha, Arabella. You’re our leader too. Right, everyone?”
The pack is stock-still and silent, staring at me with unreadable expressions. I wilt at their silence, an unexpected ball of disappointment dropping into my stomach. But then…
“Right. You’re a leader. Our leader.” Beau steps forward. Everett joins him. Then Juno steps forward, her smile assured and confident.
“If anyone is worthy of that title, Arabella, it’s you.”
“Yes.” Roman steps forward.
“Our second Alpha.” Arden steps forward, her grief stricken eyes firm and glistening for me and soon, I hear the rest of the pack echo her words.
“Our second Alpha.”
“It’s what Kit wanted.”
“Our second Alpha.” Caden says squeezing my hand in his, warm, reassuring, steady. His shine with pride as he stares down at me, and my heart lifts at his word.
“I won’t let you down.” I assure as the pack quiets down, waiting for me to tell them what to do.
“What next, Arabella?” I look at Caden, then at the pack. They’re all beaten down, mournful, in need of hope.
I face the crowd head on, taking a deep breath before addressing them
“There’s a way we can win this. A way we can put a stop to all of this bloodshed without losing anymore of our own.” A hush falls over the crowd, all of them expectantly awaiting my next few words. “We’ll never win in a straight war. You all know that. But that doesn’t mean we can’t beat them. Raphael rules through fear. Not cooperation. His pack is with him because they’re afraid.” I can see them all chewing over my words, waiting for the reveal I’ve built to.
“If we take out Raphael, we don’t need to worry about the rest of his pack. Caden can step in and take over.”
“But…but how can we beat Raphael?” Beau took the stage and asked.
“Caden and I are going to sneak in and take him out. Together. A full force they’d see coming a mile away, but just the two of us should be able to creep past their guards. We’ll take him down. Take over. And you’ll be safe from here on out!” I thrust a strong fist into the air and the pack roars with revived hope and approval. Caden nods slowly calculating everything I’ve said before airing his view.
“It’s a risky plan, but if we can take out Raphael…these years of fighting, all the deaths…it could all come to an end.” Caden takes my hand and leads me briskly away from the pack and into a small side room. I know better now that he’ll ask me not to go.
“Listen, before you try to talk me out of this, or say you should go alone instead--”
“I’m not going to do that.” He interrupts me.
“Y—you’re not?”
“No.” He places his forehead against mine, a look like a storm in his eyes. “We’re going to do this together. And in order to do it, we need to be disguised.” That’s when I notice the old clothing strewn around the room, draped over musty furniture.
“What are we disguising ourselves as?”
“Servants. The lowest class of wolves in Raphael’s pack.” Caden picks up a few pieces of clothing, batting away the dust and cobwebs before pulling them on. “In these, he won’t give us a second look. Wolves this low are invisible to someone like him.”
I follow his lead as I pull down on the tattered skirt and fix the scarf at my throat and Caden nod in approval.
“Almost perfect.”
“Almost perfect?”
“You are Raphael’s daughter, after all. We can’t risk him recognizing you.” Caden steps in close, threading a lock of my hair through his fingers. The closeness, the breath that passes between us, reminds me of the closeness we shared just hours ago when Caden and I had sex. “We should change your hair, Arabella.”
“My hair? What’s wrong with my hair?”
“It won’t be permanent. Just a disguise to help mask you from your father.” I nod in response and walk towards a grimy window, where I can just make out my reflection.
He’s right. I can’t look like myself. I’ll have to change my hair to a bob cut. I’ve always admired how it brings out people’s faces. Maybe I’d look good in it too. I do what I need to to work my hair into the the style and color I so see fit. It’s a little weird that everything I need for this transformation just happens to be laying around in this abandoned house.
Shaking my head internally and focusing at matter at hand, I turn back to Caden who immediately traces the length of my short, black hair.
“I barely recognize you.”
“That’s the idea.”
“You did great. Just one final touch.” Caden fishes a small bottle from a pack of supplies which looks like a perfume bottle. “Pheromone perfume. To mask your scent.”
“Smart.” A soft smile reaches Caden’s lips. I close my eyes and he sprays. A trickle of light mist falls over my body, and in an instant my vision blurs. My familiar, almost unnoticeable scent falls away, and in its place is a sickly sweet odor. “Yuck.”
“Sorry. We both have to smell like hard working, underwashed wolves.” I’m about to respond when Koda runs up to us, flanked by Beau and Everett.
“Whoa…Alpha Caden? Arabella? I almost didn’t recognize you. Are you really leaving?” Caden bends down to Koda’s level, ruffling his hair.
“We won’t be gone long, little man. We’ll be back before you know it.”
“But…but you’re going to fight Raphael, right? What if you can’t beat him?” Koda reasons.
“We’re strong enough to take him.” I assure him although not really sure myself.
“Really?”
“Yes. We can take him.” Caden says. Beau leans down, picking Koda up with a parental hug.
“It’s going to be okay. Caden can beat anyone.” He assures his son.
“With my true mate by my side? Without a doubt.”
“Yeah. Without a doubt.”
Caden and I finish our preparations and bid our goodbyes before finally heading out as the sun rises. It’s a long trek through the mountains, but Caden and I move fast and by the next morning, we’ve arrived at the outskirts of Raphael’s camp.
“Looks like they’ve got a guard positioned out front.” Sure enough, a large, serious wolf patrols the exterior. “If we get past him, we should be able to blend in with the other servants and Raphael.”
“Then we should find a way to sneak past the guard.”
“Sure, there might be a less guarded section of the camp.” It takes a bit scouting, but finally we’re able to find the perfection section.
“Looks like this spot goes unguarded when that wolf rounds the corner.” We patiently wait, primed until the perfect moment when the guard rounds the corner on his patrol shift. We then bolt into the camp, slipping neatly in a shaded corner.
“Perfect! Now let’s get a move on before the guard comes back.”
As we make our way through Raphael’s encampment, I sneak a victorious smile with Caden and he returns it.
The squalor in the camp melts away as we make our way into the grand entry hall of Raphael’s mansion. He’s got all of this, and he doesn’t share any of it with his pack and he calls himself a leader? I am disgusted to be his blood.
“Raphael should be just through--”
“What are you too doing here?” I spin on my heel to find James descending the stairs heading straight for us. “I’ll ask again. What are you doing in here? Surely Raphael has something for his servants to do.”
He doesn’t recognize us. Wow, it seems like the disguises are working wonders.
“You see, sir…we’re polishing the floor.”
“Really? Looks to me like you’re just standing on it.”
“We’ll get it done the way it needs to get done.”
“Quite the mouth on you, isn’t there?” James reaches down, grabbing my chin in his hand and tilting my face up to look at him in the eye. Without thinking, Caden lashes out lightning fast, grabbing James by the wrist.
“Don’t touch her.” His possessive side overwhelms him and that’s how James recognizes us.
“That grip…those eyes…you’re…” Before he could finish, Caden grabs the doctor, pulling him backwards into a dining room with a violent jerk. I follow close, slamming the door behind me as we face James dead on.”So you two managed to sneak past Raphael’s guard and disguised your scents. Clever. Of course it won’t save you when I turn you in.”
Caden moves his hand to the doctor’s neck, tightening his grip as he bares his teeth.
“Try and that’ll be the last thing you ever do.” Even though Caden’s iron chokehold, the doctor still has the audacity to smile.
“You’re going to kill me, Caden? After everything we’ve been through?” His eyes land on me. “I saved your life, Arabella. Don’t you remember?”
“You had your own agenda. Or maybe Raphael ordered you to do that too.” I spit out.
“Raphael wanted you dead, right up to the point he realized the power that could be gained from marrying you to Damon.”
“He’s right. If Raphael wanted you safe, he wouldn’t have tried to assassinate you while you still trusted him. This guy has to have another reason for spiriting you away.” Caden says.
“Not to mention the fact that you wiped my memories. Why the hell did you do that, James?” James snickers making Caden slam him to the ground with a resounding thwack.
“I’d talk if I were you. And no more lies.” Caden threatens.
“I…I…” Before I can blink, James pull out a knife from his back pocket and points it at Caden’s neck.
“Caden!” James on the other hand grins as he backs Caden off of him.
“You see, everyone knew that whoever mated the Alpha’s daughter would gain considerable power. If I separated her from the pack, removed her memories, eventually I could take her for myself.”
“You sick fuck.” Caden spits in anger. He forgets the knife in his rage and lunges for James as they grapple on the ground. Caden comes out on top, but James’s knife is knife is pointed at his chest, just an inch away from stabbing through.
Coming to think of it. This man stole so much from me. He wanted to mate me himself for my power and now, he’s trying to take Caden away, too? No. I won’t let that happen. I’ll kill him if I have to. With a flash of my wolf eyes, I gain vengeful strength and shove James off of Caden.
Winded, James struggles to get up but he can’t. I knock his knife away and press on his chest with my heel.
“Please…” He begs for his life which is quite pathetic really. I mean did he have mercy when he lit the estate in fire? Did he even consider sparing the lives of his own kind? Why the hell would I show him mercy when he never did for my family? For my pack.
“Please? You took away everything I had, wiped all my memories, and for what? So you could treat me like your little puppet? And that wasn’t enough was it? You had to sell us all out to Raphael, too.” I press my boot in harder over his chest until he writhes beneath me.
“My good friend just died because of you!” I move my foot to his neck.
“This is for Kit.” And with a final jerk, I snap his neck. His body goes limp. Caden and I stare at it for a long moment. God, this wasn’t at all what we planned to do.
“You did the right thing. A monster like that…the only thing you could do is put him down.”
“Thank you. It felt…right.” Suddenly, I hear footsteps approaching and the two of us move quickly to hide James’s body but there is no time to leave the room before the flies open. Caden and I bow our heads like submissive servants just as Raphael and Damon walk inside.
“Would you like to explain what it was you were thinking?” For a moment I thought Raphael was referring to us but when Damon responds, I silently let out a puff of air I didn’t know I was holding in.
“When?”
“When you attacked Caden’s so called pack without my permission.”
“Come on, I was just having some fun.”Slowly, Caden and I try to back out of the room, but Raphael’s eyes sear into mine in an instant.
“And where the hell do you think you’re going?” He stares at me dead on, gesturing to the space between him and Damon. “Come here.” He commands.
“Yes, sir.” Assuming that he doesn’t recognize me, I follow his order. If I try to fight him, our whole plan will be blown so it’s best to do whatever he tells me to do.
“That’s a good girl.” Raphael gives me a devilish smile. I can feel his Alpha power wrapping around me like a fist, forcing me to walk where he wishes. Once I’m between Raphael and Damon, Raphael holds out a rough hand, gripping me firmly by the cheeks. “Do you know why I keep servants, Damon? Servants like this one?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Caden tense up and I hold my breath hoping he’d keep his cool.
“To do the…chores?”
“And to remind everyone that this is the farthest they can fall. To keep them in line. There is a difference between bending wolves to your will, and utterly destroying them.” Raphael shoves me down on my knees to illustrate his point and I keep my eyes downcast.
“What’s your point?” Raphael slaps Damon hard across the face. Caden and I flinch at the interaction.
“My point is we only kill enough of Caden’s pack to break my daughter’s spirit. And pull her in. Stop toying with Arabella. Just bend her to your will. Like I’ve done with this girl here.” Damon cradles the wound on his face but gives Raphael a bitter nod.
“Understood.”
“Good.” He gives me and Caden a lazy wave of his hand releasing us. I stand, keeping my head down. “Now what are you waiting for?”
“What do you mean?”
I take a few steps towards the door when suddenly Raphael begins to laugh.
“Bend Arabella to your will. She’s standing right there.” My heart plummets as I turn slowly to find Raphael’s deadly gaze locked on mine. “You didn’t really think it would be that easy to slip past me, did you, Arabella?”