ELENA’S POV
I marched out of his suffocating presence, retreating to the room where his scent clung to everything, and buried myself under the covers. The nerve of him, thinking he could press against the wall, making lose my senses like that. Then he had the audacity to act smug about it!
But fine. If Kane wanted to "get my own clothes," I would oblige—and I’d do it my way. When he said we’d go shopping, the wheels in my head turned. Good. I’d make sure to empty every store in the city. If he wanted to control , he’d learn just how costly that control could be. Let him pay for my new wardrobe, every single over-the-top outfit.
And maybe... maybe I’d get a little payback for my father, too. For all the years of humiliation and the constant reminder that I was nothing more than a tool to be traded. Kane could suffer the consequences of being my mate.
Once he left the room, I decided I wouldn’t sit around and sulk. Hunger gnawed at my stomach, so I ventured through the massive house, exploring until I found the kitchen. After a little scavenging, I managed to whip up an olet—simple but satisfying. I wasn’t sure if this was breakfast or lunch, but my grumbling stomach didn’t care.
Just as I was finishing up, the air shifted, and the faint yet unmistakable scent of Kane filled the room. I turned to see him standing in the doorway, looking—oddly enough—nervous. It was strange to see the ever-dominant Alpha looking like he was trying to gather himself. He shifted on his feet, his usual confidence subdued, like he had sothing to hide.
"I’m going to shower," he announced, his voice tight. "Then we can go."
He turned away, as if eager to escape, and that’s when it hit —faint but undeniably there. A scent. Sothing out of place. Sothing that didn’t belong.
"What’s that?" I asked sharply, narrowing my eyes at him.
He froze mid-step, his shoulders stiffening before he slowly turned back around, his face a perfect mask of innocence. "What’s what?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
But there it was again—that scent. It wasn’t just any scent; it was distinctly feminine, clinging to him like a shadow. And as I stepped closer, anger boiling in my chest, I recognized it. My stomach twisted as the realization struck like a lightning bolt.
"Why do you sll like another woman’s arousal?" My voice was low, almost deadly, but the rage simring underneath was threatening to explode. His face flickered with surprise, and that was all the confirmation I needed.
"And why does that scent sll so much like Ashley’s?" I demanded, my voice rising, each word cutting like a blade. I could see the guilt flash in his eyes before he quickly masked it, but it was too late. I’d seen enough.
"Elena, let explain," he started, stepping toward with his hands raised in surrender, but I wasn’t having it.
"Explain what?" I snapped, my voice cracking with the weight of my fury and disbelief. "That you went and fucked Ashley after I specifically told you not to touch with the hands that touched her? Is that what you want to explain?"
He opened his mouth, but no words ca out. He looked as though he was scrambling for an excuse, but there was nothing he could say to undo this betrayal.
And then, the bastard had the audacity to reach for , his hand outstretched as if to comfort . Comfort ? Like hell he would.
"Don’t touch !" I shouted, stepping back. My voice was shaking, but the anger coursing through was pure fire. "Don’t you dare touch !"
A laugh bubbled out of , hysterical and bitter, as tears stung the corners of my eyes. I didn’t know whether to cry or scream or punch him in his stupid, lying face. My heart felt like it was being torn apart, shredded by the mate bond that was supposed to an sothing.
"To think," I said, my voice dripping with venom, "that I was saving myself for my mate. A mate who’s nothing more than a fucking cheat."
"Elena—" he started again, his tone pleading, but I wasn’t listening anymore. The words were spilling out of , unfiltered and raw, and I didn’t care if they cut him as deeply as I felt cut.
"You know what? If you can go off and get your little fix from Ashley, then I can find soone too!" I shouted, my voice rising with every word. "I’m going to find another guy to fuck the hell out of . Let’s see how you like that!"
I turned on my heel, my only thought being to get as far away from him as possible. The front door wasn’t far—I could see it, my escape within reach. But before I could get there, a growl rumbled through the room, deep and primal, freezing in my tracks. He was behind his hand caught my arm.
"Oh no, you don’t," Kane snarled, his voice dripping with possessiveness. "You’re mine."
I whipped around, fury blazing in my chest. "I said don’t fucking touch !" I scread, my hand flying up before I even realized what I was doing. The slap echoed through the room, sharp and satisfying, but it only seed to ignite sothing in him.
Before I could react, his arms were around , lifting as if I weighed nothing. My fists pounded against his chest, my nails clawing at his arms as I thrashed and scread. But he didn’t let go.
"Put down!" I shouted, my voice hoarse with rage. "I said put down, you bastard!"
I didn’t go quietly. I bit down on his arm, my teeth sinking in deep enough to draw blood, and my claws raked against his skin. I didn’t care if I hurt him. In fact, I wanted to hurt him, to make him feel a fraction of the pain he’d caused .
"Damn it, Elena!" he growled, his voice strained as he held tighter. "You can fight all you want, but it’s not going to change anything. You’re mine, and I’m not letting you go."
I hated him. I hated his arrogance, his possessiveness, his stupid, cheating hands. But most of all, I hated the bond that made my heart ache even now, the part of that wanted to believe his lies, to forgive him when he didn’t deserve it.
"You don’t own ," I spat, my voice shaking with the force of my fury. "You might be my mate, but I will never be yours."
His jaw clenched, his eyes darkening with sothing dangerous, but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t let him win. Not this ti.
This was war. And I was ready to burn it all down.
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