ELENA’S POV:
His grip on was unrelenting as he hauled upstairs like I weighed nothing. No matter how much I kicked, scread, or bit, Kane didn’t falter. His hands were covered in bite marks, claw scratches deep enough to bleed, but he carried on as if none of it fazed him. His face was hard, his jaw tight, and his scent—goddess, his scent—still reeked of her, making my rage bubble over.
The worst part wasn’t even the sll. It was that distant, feral glint in his eyes. He wasn’t just Kane right now. It’s his wolf, Zena, my wolf, confided bitterly. He’s taken over.
Whoever he was he carried like I was a sack of potatoes, his grip as unyielding as iron, even though his arms were covered in scratches and bite marks. The bastard still reeked faintly of her. Ashley. And that scent only fueled my anger further. I didn’t care if his wolf was in control right now or if it was so kind of excuse. If his wolf could take control now to stop , why hadn’t it stopped him from being around Ashley in the first place?
But even as Zena gave that insight, I could feel her pain. She was hurting just as much as I was, if not more, but unlike her, I refused to bow to it. I wasn’t like Zena; I wouldn’t let my anger simr quietly. No. I was going to burn it all down—him, his wolf, and every pathetic excuse he thought he could use to explain himself.
If his wolf was so damn possessive, I thought bitterly, why didn’t he take over earlier? Why didn’t he stop Kane before he cheated on ? To hell with both of them.
By the ti we reached his bedroom, I was exhausted from struggling but no less furious. He dumped unceremoniously on the massive bed, and I imdiately scrambled to the edge, ready to leap off. Before I could, he stalked to the door, locked it with a solid click, and pocketed the key.
"I’m going to shower," he said stiffly, his voice lower, rougher—more wolf than man. His red eyes glinted as he added, "And for the record, I didn’t fuck Ashley."
A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. "Oh, so noble of you," I sneered, curling my lip. "What do you want? A dal for almost cheating?"
I snorted, crossing my arms as my chest heaved from the exertion of fighting him. "Oh, well that makes everything better, doesn’t it?" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. But I couldn’t ignore the shift in him. His eyes—they were glowing a deep, angry red, a clear sign that his wolf was still very much in control.
He stared at , his wolf simring just below the surface, before growling, "Don’t. Move." And with that, he disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of running water following seconds later.
I stared at the locked door for a mont, biting my lip. Zena whimpered softly in the back of my mind, torn between wanting to stay and confront him and wanting to leave this nightmare behind. I chose for both of us. There was no way in hell I was sticking around to hear whatever half-baked excuse he thought he could throw at .
The second the bathroom door closed, I sprang into action. There was no way I was staying here, not locked up like so kind of prisoner. I ran to the door first, shaking the handle furiously. Of course, it was deadlocked. "Stupid alpha and his stupid keys," I muttered under my breath.
Plan B it was: The window.
Marching over to it, I pulled the heavy curtains aside and cranked it open. Cool air rushed in, making my skin prickle, but I didn’t care. What I did care about was the realization that Kane’s bedroom was on the third fucking floor of his ridiculously oversized mansion. The ground below looked impossibly far, but I wasn’t about to let a little height stop . I’d climbed higher things before, and right now, I was too angry to care about the risks.
It’s just a climb, I told myself. You’ve done worse.
Gripping the windowsill, I swung myself out and started climbing down. The stone wall was rough, and my hands found solid holds as I carefully lowered myself, foot by foot.
Behind , I heard the shower water stop.
"Elena!" Kane’s voice roared from above, loud and furious. I froze instinctively before glancing up. There he was, standing in the open window, his red eyes blazing down at . He wasn’t dressed—not fully, at least. A white towel was wrapped loosely around his waist, his chest glistening with water droplets. He looked more wolf than man, his expression primal and furious.
"Get back up here!" he barked, his voice low and commanding.
I glared up at him, my defiance renewed by the sight of him. "Go to hell," I spat, continuing my slow descent.
"Elena, stop this!" he growled, the sound reverberating down the wall. "I swear to the goddess—"
But I wasn’t listening anymore. He could threaten all he wanted. I had one goal in mind, and that was to get the hell out of here. I wasn’t going to stick around and let him make a fool of again. I’d find soone—anyone—to prove that I wasn’t so pathetic little mate who’d just sit and take it.
I heard him curse above , but I ignored him. My focus was on the ground, my fingers and toes carefully finding their places as I climbed lower and lower. I could feel his rage from above, but I didn’t care. He could stay mad. He deserved it.
And then, it happened.
One second, my foot was steady, and the next, it slipped. My heart lurched into my throat as my hands scrambled for purchase, but it was too late. My grip failed, and gravity took over.
I didn’t even have ti to shift before I started falling. The wind rushed past , and I barely had a mont to register what was happening before I was caught mid-air.
Strong arms wrapped around like a vice, holding tight as the montum of my fall sent us both crashing to the ground. The impact was jarring but softened by the fact that Kane had twisted us mid-leap, taking the brunt of the fall himself.
I blinked in stunned silence, my heart pounding as I realized what had happened. Kane had jumped out after —leapt from the third floor like it was nothing and caught in mid-air.
For a brief second, I almost admired him. Almost.
But then I rembered why I’d been climbing down in the first place, and the montary awe evaporated.
I shoved at his chest, struggling to get out of his hold, but his arms tightened around . He wasn’t letting go.
"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" he growled, his voice a mix of anger and exasperation. His towel had barely survived the jump, hanging precariously low on his hips as his chest heaved from the effort of catching . "What were you thinking?"
"What was I thinking?" I shot back, still squirming in his arms. "What were you thinking, cheating on and then locking in your stupid room?"
"I told you, I didn’t cheat!" he snapped, his red eyes narrowing.
"You reek of her!" I scread, my voice breaking. "You reek of Ashley, and you expect to believe nothing happened? Are you really that delusional?"
His jaw clenched, and for a mont, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he stood there, holding like I might vanish if he let go, his breathing heavy and his expression torn between anger and desperation.
"You’re mine, Elena," he finally said, his voice low and guttural. "No one else touches you. No one else ever touches you."
"And yet you touched her," I whispered bitterly, the tears I’d been holding back finally spilling over. "What does that make , Kane? Just so backup plan? So obligation you think you have to keep around while you ss around with soone else?"
His grip on tightened, his red eyes darkening further. "It’s not like that," he growled, his voice trembling with sothing I couldn’t place. "It’s never been like that."
"Then what is it?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Because from where I’m standing, it sure as hell doesn’t look like I’m your priority."
He didn’t respond. Instead, he simply held there, his arms unyielding as I cried into his chest, my anger giving way to exhaustion.
I hated him. I hated him for what he’d done, for the pain he’d caused. But more than anything, I hated myself for still wanting him—still feeling the bond that tied us together no matter how much I tried to fight it.
And as much as I hated it, I knew one thing for certain: Kane wasn’t going to let go. Not now. Not ever.
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