Elena POV
I did say I wanted the truth.
Now that I had it, I wasn’t sure what to do with it.
The weight of Kane’s words pressed down on , suffocating in their intensity. My mind reeled, trying to process everything he had just laid bare: Dean wasn’t just so rogue doppelgänger—he was a part of Kane. A darker, unrelenting piece of him, stripped of humanity and consud by chaos. The idea that this... thing shared a bond with as my mate made my stomach churn.
How was I supposed to handle this? How was I supposed to feel?
I looked at Kane, sitting there with his head bowed, his hands clasped tightly together like he was holding himself in check. He was waiting—no, bracing—for my response, expecting to reject him, to run as far away from him and the nightmare of his past as I could.
And for a mont, I considered it.
The thought of Dean—of those cruel red eyes and that dark, bone-chilling smirk—being connected to , claiming , was almost too much to bear. And the fact that Kane had kept it all from until now? It felt like a betrayal, one that cut deeper than I wanted to admit.
But then I thought about everything I had seen of Kane, everything I knew about him.
He had been nothing but protective of , even when I was furious with him, even when I pushed him away. His guilt over Dean’s existence was clear in every word he spoke, in every glance he cast my way. He wasn’t just terrified of losing —he was terrified of what Dean might do to .
Still, it didn’t erase the fact that he had kept this from .
"How... how am I supposed to feel about this?" I finally said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to steady it.
Kane looked up at , his golden eyes raw with emotion. "I don’t know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I needed you to know. You deserve to know everything, even if it ans you..." He trailed off, swallowing hard, unable to say the words.
"Even if it ans I leave?" I finished for him.
His jaw clenched, and he gave a single, reluctant nod.
I took a shaky breath, trying to sort through the storm of emotions swirling inside . Anger. Fear. Confusion. And, to my surprise, an odd, stubborn flicker of... understanding.
Kane didn’t choose this. He didn’t choose to be born a hybrid, to have his soul split in two, to carry the burden of Dean’s actions. But he still took responsibility for it. He had spent his entire life trying to keep Dean in check, trying to shield the people he cared about from the monster that wore his face.
I couldn’t forgive him for keeping this from —not yet. But I also couldn’t ignore the fact that, in his own way, he had been trying to protect all along.
"Kane," I said softly, my voice firm despite the chaos in my head. "I don’t know how to deal with this right now. I don’t know if I can just... accept everything and pretend it’s fine. But I also know that running away isn’t going to fix anything."
His head shot up, his eyes wide with a mix of hope and disbelief.
"I’m not saying I forgive you," I added quickly, holding up a hand to stop him from getting the wrong idea. "And I’m not saying I’m okay with... with Dean, or whatever this bond is supposed to an. But I want to figure this out. I need to figure this out."
The tension in his shoulders eased slightly, and he nodded. "Whatever you need," he said, his voice resolute. "I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right. I promise."
I nodded back, though a part of wasn’t sure if this was sothing that could ever truly be "right." But for now, it was enough.
For now, I would try.
And that’s how the night passed—back in the arms of my mate, his warmth wrapping around like a fragile shield against the chaos.
I tried, as hard as I could, to forget the truth that had unraveled before . Tried to push aside the knowledge that there was another version of him out there—a darker, crueler version—who claid my blood was intoxicating. The thought of Dean’s smirk, his predatory gaze lingering on my neck, sent a shiver down my spine despite Kane’s steady presence.
Kane’s hold tightened slightly, as though sensing my unease even in the silence. His breath was warm against my temple, his steady heartbeat a reminder that, at least in this mont, I was safe.
But safety felt like such a fleeting thing now.
I closed my eyes, willing myself to focus on the here and now. On the way Kane’s fingers traced soothing circles against my back. On the way his scent, familiar and grounding, wrapped around like a comforting cocoon. But no matter how much I tried to lose myself in him, the questions lingered.
How had my life spiraled into sothing so... surreal? So dangerous? One mont, I was just a woman trying to find her footing in this world, and the next, I was caught between a protective mate and his deranged other half.
My mind drifted back to Dean’s words, his casual claim that I was as much his as I was Kane’s. The very idea made my stomach twist, and yet I couldn’t deny the unsettling truth in his voice. If he and Kane were two halves of the sa whole, then what did that an for ? For us?
I bit my lip, my gaze shifting to Kane’s face as he slept. He looked peaceful now, his features free of the tornt I knew he carried. But the weight of his truth hung heavy between us, a reminder that the peace was only temporary.
There was no escaping this. No running from the reality of what I had been pulled into.
For now, I clung to Kane, trying to find solace in his presence. But deep down, I knew that this was just the beginning.
The storm wasn’t over—not by a long shot.
The morning sunlight seeped into the room, casting warm golden hues on the walls. I stirred slightly, a faint smile gracing my lips as the scent of sothing savory wafted through the air. My body felt unusually heavy, the kind of relaxed exhaustion that only ca after being wrapped in Kane’s arms all night.
I turned over, my hand reaching out to his side of the bed, only to find it empty and cold. My eyes fluttered open as I blinked against the light. He was gone—or so it seed.
Stretching lazily, I sat up, running a hand through my hair as my mind wandered to the events of the previous day. It was still hard to wrap my head around everything Kane had confessed. The revelation of Dean, the chaos he had caused, and the fragile bond tying us all together—it was overwhelming. But last night, in Kane’s arms, I had found a strange sense of peace.
The scent of food grew stronger, tugging out of my thoughts. A mont later, the door creaked open, and there he was, holding a tray laden with food: pancakes, bacon, and a steaming cup of coffee.
"Morning, love," Kane said, his voice warm and smooth. He stepped into the room with a smile that made my heart flutter. He placed the tray carefully on the bedside table and turned to , his golden eyes sparkling with an affection that made my breath hitch.
"Good morning," I murmured, unable to keep the small smile from my lips.
He reached over, plumped a few pillows behind , and helped sit up. The attention was sweet, and it sent a wave of warmth through . "Thought I’d surprise you with breakfast in bed," he said, gesturing to the tray with a proud smile.
I glanced at the tray, my stomach growling at the delicious aroma. "Well, you’ve definitely surprised ," I admitted, chuckling softly.
As I reached for the coffee, his voice stopped . "Don’t I get a morning kiss as a thank you?" he teased, leaning in with that signature smirk of his.
Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t help but laugh. "Oh, so now you’re demanding rewards?"
"Always," he replied with a wink, his face inching closer.
His lips brushed mine, gentle and soft, a stark contrast to the usual fiery passion that defined our kisses. This was different, slower, as if he were savoring the mont. It made my heart race in a new way, and I lted into him, letting the kiss deepen just slightly before he pulled away.
"There. Now, eat up so we can play," he said with a mischievous grin, his voice laced with hidden innuendo.
I blushed, biting my lip as I looked at him. "Aren’t you going to work?" I asked, though I wasn’t sure I really wanted him to leave.
He shook his head. "Not today. Today is all about you," he said, his tone earnest. "Consider it my way of making up for yesterday."
I smiled at his attempt to smooth things over. Who wouldn’t be happy spending the whole day with their mate?
Kane stood and ruffled my hair gently before heading for the door. "I’ll be back in a mont," he called over his shoulder, leaving alone with the tray of food.
I picked up a fork and knife, cutting into the pancake. The first bite was heavenly, soft and fluffy with just the right hint of sweetness. The bacon was crispy, the coffee perfectly brewed. I couldn’t help but hum in delight.
But then, as I took another bite, sothing clicked.
I froze mid-chew, my fork hovering in the air as my mind raced. Kane wasn’t a good cook. He had admitted it himself on more than one occasion, usually with a sheepish grin as we ordered takeout or laughed over his attempts at simple dishes.
And yet, here I was, eating a breakfast that could have co straight out of a professional kitchen.
My blood ran cold as the realization dawned.
If Kane didn’t make this... who did?
My eyes darted toward the door as my heart began to pound. Sothing wasn’t right. Sothing felt off.
And then it hit .
The way he kissed —gentle, unfamiliar, unlike how Kane usually was. The ease with which he prepared a al he never could have managed before. The faint, nagging feeling I couldn’t quite shake when he looked at earlier.
It wasn’t Kane.
I swallowed hard, dread pooling in my stomach as I stared at the empty doorway, waiting for him to return.
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