Chapter 24
the
There was no point in even climbing beneath the blankets of his bed. Instead, Karlen laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling with his feet on th fena, villabenied, though he had taken off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.
Starit tiern in his room. She’il been in his shower. He could smell her, and she wasn’t even there anymore. How was it that someone he’d just met creidd Juve unch a profound effect on him! It didn’t make any sense, and he hated feeling like he couldn’t control his emotions or his thoughts. But every time betred to focus on something else, thoughts of that girl came to mind.
That girl. It was easier to think of her that way as if he didn’t even know her name. The truth was, he only knew her first name: Did she even have a last name? She must, but he didn’t know what it was.
Her first name was beautiful. It reminded hem of that famenas river in France, a place he’d always wanted to visit but never had because it was so difficult to leave his pack. Maybe someday, he’il get married, go on a honeymoon, and see the Seine for himself.
Maybe he’d see it with Sienna
Kaden laughed at himself and readjusted on the bed. He was bring stupid. He’d made up his mind a long time ago that he wasn’t going to accept a Tina, not anytime soon, anyway. His grandmother was doing a fabulous job, and he didn’t want to be distracted by all of that. After all, if he got married, he would be expected to go on a honeymoon and all of that sort of stuff he didn’t have time for. She’d want to have kids, something he might want down the line, but not sonn.
Thinking of his grandmother, he remembered how angry he’d made her earlier at dinner when he’d sent that hateful mind–link message about Sienna that wasn’t even true. Why he said that he didn’t know, but he’d need to apologize to his grandmother for being rude. He hadn’t had a chance with the party going on. Everyone wanted to speak to him or her or both of them. By the time he finally escaped, all he’d managed to tell her was that he was going to bed.
And now, here he was, not sleeping, thinking about having hurt his grandma’s feelings when all she was trying to do was be nice. That and that girl with the big blue eyes
A message from Sylvia broke his concentration, but he didn’t answer it. Who knew what ridiculousness she wanted? He wasn’t about to find out. He knew she was jealous and hadn’t been invited to the dinner, but it was only for Betas and Alphas and their families. Besides, the thought of having Jenna and Sylva in the same room at the same time was enough to make him sick to his stomach. He didn’t know how he was going to make it through that damn ball with them both wanting to dance with him.
And the only girl he’d want to dance with was Sienna, and she wouldn’t even be there. Unless his grandmother somehow managed to invite her. Knowing Hannah, she would find a way unless Kaden specifically asked her not to. She’d think she was helping when she was really just making
things worse, a lot worse.
A soft knock on his door drew his attention back from his thoughts. He knew that knock. Getting up off of the bed, he walked over to the door to ser his grandmother standing there, looking forlorn.
Kaden rubbed his forehead and stepped back so the could come in. With their ability to see in the dark, there was no reason for him to turn on the lights. Hi. Grandma”
“Kaden, I just couldn’t go to sleep without talking to you.” She was wearing her pink bathrobe over her nightgown. It was clear from her hair that she’d been trying to sleep but not having a lot of luck with it.
“I know, Grandma. I’m sorry I was so rude earlier. I was just frustrated.” That wasn’t going to be enough of an explanation for her, but he hoped it would tide her over until the next morning so that she could go to bed.
It didn’t. “Kaden, don’t forget, I’ve known you your entire life. You can try to be a big, tough guy to everyone else, but I’m your grandnuu. You can’t ponsibly thank that the way Kent and his family treat that poor girl is okay”
“Of course I don’t think it’s okay, Grandma Kaden said, folding his arms across his chest as he paced the carpet by the door. “But he’s an Alpha He’s entitled to run his park loowever he wants to. Who am I to tell him not to do something he’s been doing for years just because he’s in my
You are a decent person who won’t put up with anyone being abused under your roof,” she said, the anger coming through again. “That litle girl is sweet! She doesn’t deserve to be treated that way. Even if she was a terrible person, that sort of abuse is ridiculous,”
Karden couldn’t disagree with her, but he still wasn’t sure what to do about it. “What do you want me to do. Grandma?”
“Stand up for her Back in up when I say that this sort of behavior won’t be tolerated in our home! Befriend the girl while she’s here? see if there’s something you can do to convince Kent to let hier stay here?”
fi was clear slar’d thought about all of those possibilities. None of them worked well for Kaden though. As much as he wished he could convince Kent to stop treating Sienna thar way his family treated her, the option of having her stay there was simply not a consideration. As it was, he was having problems ignoring that darnn pull, and he’d only known her for a day.
Still, telling his grandmother that want something he could do at the moment. “I’ll talk to him,” he promised.
1/2
Chapter 24
“She was giving him that look that let him kn
“Yes, Grandma. I promise.” He hugged her, and Grandma Hannah patted him on the back before kissing his cheek.
“All night. Let’s get some sleep. I love you, Kaden”
“I love you, too, Grandma” She headed out the door, and he slumped against it, wondering what in the world he was going to do. Like most things he had to deal with as Alpha, there were no easy answers. He’d just have to figure it out.
to
Kaden decided to try and get some sleep. He took his clothes off, stripping down to his boxers, and climbed beneath the blankets, trying not to notice that the room still unnelled like that girl.
He closed his eyes and reached for sleep, but it wouldn’t come. For hours, he laid there tossing and turning and thinking about what he should do, and what he shouldn’t do.
About the time the sun was creeping up outside, Kaden decided he’d had enough. He got up and put on some joggers and a T–shirt, intending to go out to the forest, shift, and let his woll run free for a while. Normally, he’d see if Alec wanted to go with him. Today, he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. If he couldn’t come up with any solutions to these problems, maybe his wolf could. Letting his wolf run was usually the best way to clear his mind and start thinking straight again. If ever he needed to get his head on straight, now was the time.
Speaking out of the house without waking anyone at that time of day was easy since most people were up late at the party. He decided to go out the back door. It was a chilly autumn day. The air was crisp, clean, and inviting
Kaden headed over to the forest line, stripped down, set his clothes by a tree, and leaped into the air, shifting midstride. His wolf took it from there, taking off into the trees, running as fast as he could go, leaping across streams, dodging around trees, and sailing over boulders. Less than ten minutes into his sprint, he already felt the weight of the world lifting from his shoulders. All of the worries he’d been carrying around for the last few days flew away, and Kaden left them in his wake.
After a couple of hours of running, Kaden knew it was t staying in the woods in his wolf form all day
it was time to go back home and get his day started, even if he would’ve been more comfortable
He made it back to
to the place where he’d left his clothes and shifted, heading back to the house.
It was then that he noticed he wasn’t as alone as he thought he was
Sienna. She was standing on the edge of the forest, her eyes wide, not moving. He wondered how long she’d been standing there. The fact that they were shifters gave them all a level of immodesty that most humans didn’t have, but the look on her face made him wonder.
Did she just see him naked!
