Kane POV
I drove like a madman, my foot heavy on the accelerator as I pushed the car well past the speed limit. My mind was racing faster than the engine. That sly bastard, Dean. If he had done anything to hurt Elena—if he had so much as touched her—I’d make him regret every mont of his miserable existence.
The house ca into view, and I slamd the brakes, not even bothering to park properly. I was out of the car and inside within seconds, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Elena," I called, my voice echoing through the house as I sprinted up the stairs.
I found her in the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed, her head bowed, looking anything but okay. My wolf stirred uneasily, sensing her distress.
"Elena, are you okay?" I asked, my voice a mix of urgency and worry.
I knelt in front of her, scanning her face and body for any signs of harm. My hands hovered over her, unsure where to touch, not wanting to overwhelm her but desperate to know she was unhard.
Her eyes t mine, and sothing flickered in their depths—guilt? Pain? I couldn’t place it, but it tightened a knot in my chest.
"Did he—" I stopped myself, my jaw clenching as my voice dipped into a growl. "Did Dean do sothing to you?"
I swore I’d kill him if he had. Nothing could stop .
She shook her head, but her lips parted as if to say sothing, then closed again. My brows furrowed as I gently cupped her face, trying to coax the truth from her. "Elena, talk to . Whatever happened, just tell . I’ll fix it. I swear."
Her hesitation scared more than any answer she could give. What had Dean done? And why did it feel like sothing was broken between us?
"He... he... Kane, I’m sorry, I... I kissed him... he pretended to be you before we..." Elena’s voice cracked, and she broke down into sobs, her entire body trembling as if the weight of the confession was too much for her to bear.
I froze. My mind went blank for a mont before the words sank in.
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Dean. That stupid bastard.
My fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms, and a low growl rumbled in my chest. I could feel my wolf pushing for control, ready to tear him apart limb by limb. He’d deceived her. Pretended to be . He’d crossed a line—no, he’d obliterated it.
But as furious as I was, I knew this wasn’t Elena’s fault. She was crying her heart out, her tears soaking the front of my shirt as I pulled her into my arms. She was shaking, and her pain hit harder than any rogue attack or battle ever could.
"Elena," I said softly, trying to keep the rage from my voice. "Elena, look at ."
She shook her head against my chest, her cries muffled.
"It’s not your fault," I said firmly, lifting her face so her tear-filled eyes t mine. "You couldn’t have known. He’s in every way but the one that matters. You were deceived. This isn’t on you, it’s on him."
"But I should have known," she sobbed. "I should’ve realized it wasn’t you. I feel so... stupid."
"You’re not stupid," I said, wiping her tears with my thumb. "You couldn’t have known. He slls like , looks like , even talks like . How could you possibly tell us apart?"
I leaned my forehead against hers, trying to ground her, to calm her. Inside, I was a hurricane of fury. Dean had taken sothing precious—her trust in —and twisted it for his sick gas.
"I’m going to deal with him," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "He won’t get away with this. I swear to you, Elena. No one will ever hurt you like this again—not even him."
Elena sniffled, looking up at with wide, watery eyes. "You’re not mad at ?"
"Mad at you? No," I said, my tone softening. "I’m mad at him. Furious at him. But you? Never."
I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, letting her know that she wasn’t alone in this.
Dean might have thought he could play his gas and walk away unscathed, but he had no idea who he was dealing with. He wanted to stir chaos? Fine. I’d make sure it ended with him in ashes.
"Did he... did he..." The words stuck in my throat, the question refusing to fully form, but Elena understood. She looked up at with wide, tear-filled eyes and quickly shook her head.
"I found out he wasn’t you before... before it could spiral into anything like that," she said softly, her voice laced with sha and pain.
Relief washed over , but it was fleeting. For a brief, unbearable mont, I’d feared that Dean had taken things too far—farther than even my worst expectations. While I was grateful Elena had figured it out before it escalated, the fact that he’d tried at all was enough to make my blood boil.
"Good," I said, my voice low and strained. "But that doesn’t excuse what he did. Not even close."
I clenched my fists, the rage building with every second. First the BDSM contract ss, and now this? It felt like the universe was throwing one challenge after another at us, testing how much we could endure. The thought of Dean wearing my face, using my scent, and trying to manipulate Elena made my wolf claw at the surface, desperate to be unleashed.
This couldn’t keep happening. I needed to deal with Dean—permanently.
"Elena," I said, looking at her with all the seriousness I could muster, "I need you to trust . I’ll fix this. I’ll make sure Dean never hurts you, or anyone else, ever again."
She nodded, though her expression was still clouded with doubt.
"And you?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are you okay? I an, he’s... he’s you, isn’t he? In so twisted way."
Her words struck like a blow. As much as I hated to admit it, Dean and I were connected, no matter how much I tried to separate myself from him. He was the embodint of my darkness, the part of I never wanted anyone—especially Elena—to see.
"I’m fine," I lied. "This isn’t about . It’s about keeping you safe."
But as I looked into her eyes, I knew that wasn’t entirely true. Dean wasn’t just my burden; he was ours now. His presence in our lives threatened everything I cared about, and I couldn’t let that stand.
I would protect her, no matter what it took. Even if it ant confronting the darkest parts of myself.
"He claid that I was his mate too... Kane, tell that’s not true," Elena pleaded, her voice trembling, eyes searching mine desperately.
I froze. The truth hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. She deserved honesty, but how could I give it to her without tearing her apart? Without making her question everything about us?
Before I could fully process my thoughts, Ash—the wolf—took over, surging to the surface with a feral growl that rumbled from deep within .
"You’re mine," he growled, his voice guttural and fierce. "Mine alone. And I don’t share."
Ash’s possessiveness wasn’t new, but this ti it burned hotter than ever, a visceral reaction to Dean’s claim. The wolf hated my vampiric side with every fiber of his being, and for good reason. They weren’t just opposites; they were natural enemies. Oil and water. Fire and ice.
The animosity between them was the very reason my parents had sought to rid of one side. When both the wolf and vampire coexisted in a single body, it wreaked havoc—not just on , but on anyone close to .
Ash’s growl deepened, a clear warning to the mory of Dean’s words. The idea of soone—especially him—claiming Elena was more than just a challenge to my wolf. It was a direct attack on our bond, an insult to everything we were building together.
But beneath Ash’s anger, there was another truth: Dean wasn’t entirely wrong.
"Elena..." I started, my voice strained as I fought to suppress Ash’s dominance. "What he said... it’s complicated."
Her face fell, and guilt hit like a freight train. I reached out, gripping her hands tightly. "Listen to . You’re mine, Elena. My mate, my everything. Whatever connection Dean feels, it’s twisted. He’s not . He’s a shadow—a monster. And I’ll never let him take you."
"But... he’s part of you," she whispered, her voice breaking.
"Yes," I admitted, my jaw clenching. "He’s a part of that I never wanted. A part I’ve spent my entire life trying to keep buried. But he’s not the part that matters. I am. And I will protect you from him, no matter what."
She searched my eyes, her own filled with doubt and pain. I could see the war waging in her mind, the struggle to reconcile the man she loved with the darkness that ca with him.
"I’ll find a way to stop him," I promised, my voice firm. "To end this once and for all."
Ash growled in agreent, his fury simring just beneath the surface. Dean had crossed the line, and the wolf wouldn’t rest until he was dealt with.
Elena nodded slowly, though her expression remained uncertain. "I trust you," she said softly.
Her words were like a balm to my frayed nerves, but they also ca with a heavy weight. I couldn’t let her down—not now, not ever.
Dean might have claid her as his, but he was wrong. Elena wasn’t his. She was mine. And I would do whatever it took to make sure she stayed that way.
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