Elena POV:
Just how many won did this alpha sleep with? Seriously, must I et his floozy of the week everywhere I turn? Wasn’t Ashley enough of a nightmare to deal with? Now, I have to contend with Lizzy. Lizzy! I swear, the nas alone sound like they belong to so cheesy romance novel extras.
For the record, though, the whole "Lizzy situation" wasn’t entirely —it was my wolf. As soon as she heard that shaless woman purring "Master, master..." at Kane, my wolf went into overdrive. The mont Lizzy started begging him for another chance, it was like a switch flipped inside , and my wolf stepped forward, practically drowning the air with her alpha aura. I wasn’t even sure where all that dominance ca from, but she clearly wasn’t going to let this one slide.
Honestly, it was satisfying seeing Lizzy quiver under my glare, her wolf whimpering and cowering in submission. But beneath that satisfaction was a roaring inferno of anger, not just at Lizzy, but at Kane. What kind of man lets won from his past, his harem, run around throwing themselves at him, especially in front of his mate? If he’s supposed to be this all-powerful alpha, why the hell can’t he keep it in his pants?
I was so angry I could barely think straight.
I turned to Lizzy, my voice cold as ice, but sharp enough to cut through steel. "I think it’s very shaless of you to be asking my mate that." I spat the word ’mate’ like it was venom, and I could see the way Lizzy flinched at my tone. Her wolf had no choice but to bare her neck in submission, mumbling apologies about how she "didn’t know he had a mate."
Didn’t know? Didn’t know? Well, she sure as hell knew now.
I wanted to rip into Kane right then and there, but I held myself back. Barely. I had to keep my cool because if I didn’t, I might say—or do—sothing I’d regret. But oh, the storm inside was brewing. My wolf was pacing, growling, ready to lunge at the very man she was bound to love.
The ride back to Kane’s place or so I thought was suffocating.
I expected him to drive straight ho. Really, I thought the day of shopping, awkward lingerie store monts, and the whole Lizzy drama was enough for one day. But no, of course not. Kane had other plans. Instead of pulling into the driveway, he slowed the car and parked in front of so ridiculously fancy restaurant.
"The fuck are you doing?" I asked, my irritation bubbling to the surface as I turned to face him for the first ti since we left the boutique.
He gave one of those smug, maddening half-smiles, the kind that said he thought he was doing so great favor. "What? I thought we could go for dinner," he said casually, as though we hadn’t just been through a series of emotionally exhausting encounters.
"Well, you thought wrong," I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest. "Take ho. I am not going in there." I pointed at the restaurant, which looked like the kind of place where people dressed up in designer clothes and drank wine they couldn’t pronounce.
Kane’s smirk faltered, but only slightly. "Why not?" he asked, clearly not understanding why I was so resistant.
I gestured at myself—at the oversized hoodie and socks I was still wearing. "In this? Your hoodie and socks?" I raised an eyebrow, daring him to argue with . "Yeah, no. I’d rather starve, thanks."
He stared at for a long mont, and I could see the gears turning in his head. Finally, he sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Okay," he said, as though he were agreeing to a compromise. "What do you want? I’ll go grab so takeout for you instead."
I blinked at him, caught off guard by the sudden shift. "Takeout?"
"Yes, takeout," he repeated, his voice laced with amusent. "I’m not taking you ho to sulk on an empty stomach, Elena."
I frowned, not liking the way he was trying to play the caring mate card after everything that had happened. But at the sa ti, my stomach betrayed with a low, audible growl. I hadn’t eaten all day, and the idea of food—even if it ca from Mr. Fancy Pants Alpha over here—was hard to resist.
"Fine," I muttered, looking out the window instead of at him. "But nothing fancy. Just... sothing simple."
"Simple," he repeated with a nod, as though committing the word to mory. "Got it."
With that, Kane got out of the car, leaving alone with my thoughts. I watched as he disappeared into the restaurant, my annoyance still simring just beneath the surface. What was his deal? One minute he was infuriating with his arrogance, and the next he was acting like so perfect gentleman, trying to cater to my every need. It was confusing and frustrating, and I didn’t like the way it was starting to ss with my head.
And then there was Lizzy.
I clenched my fists, the mory of her simpering voice replaying in my mind. Master, master... Who the hell even talks like that? And why did she have to appear today of all days? It was like the universe was trying to test my patience.
The truth was, I was angry at Kane—not just for Lizzy, but for all of it. For the constant reminders of his past, for the way he’d bulldozed his way into my life, and for the way my traitorous body still reacted to him despite everything.
If he thought he could win over with a fancy dinner or a little bit of takeout, he had another thing coming.
When Kane returned a few minutes later, carrying a bag of food that slled absolutely divine, I tried not to let my hunger show. But damn, it was hard when the scent of freshly cooked pasta filled the car.
"I thought I said simple," I muttered, eyeing the bag suspiciously.
"This is simple," he replied with a shrug, handing the bag. "Just pasta and breadsticks. No five-course al or anything."
I narrowed my eyes at him but took the bag anyway. "Whatever," I muttered, digging into the breadsticks before I could think too hard about it.
As we drove back, the tension between us remained, thick and unspoken. Kane didn’t try to start a conversation, and I was too focused on my food to care. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder what his angle was.
Because if there was one thing I’d learned about Kane, it was that he always had an angle.
By the ti we reached ho, I was already full, the al long gone and thoroughly enjoyed despite my best efforts to remain annoyed. The breadsticks were my undoing. I settled into the couch, flipping through random TV stations, the hum of the screen a distraction as the events of the day replayed in my mind. Shopping, Lizzy, the ridiculously fancy dinner-that-wasn’t—a whirlwind of emotions I didn’t want to revisit.
It was already 11 p.m., and my body started to betray with drowsiness. My head bobbed slightly as my eyelids grew heavier. Before I could fully drift off, Kane erged from the kitchen, his presence imdiately waking up.
"Let’s go to bed," he said, his tone casual, as though it was the most natural suggestion in the world.
I snorted, crossing my arms and giving him an incredulous look. "Why on earth would I do that?"
"Because it’s late, and you’re clearly exhausted," he replied, as if I hadn’t just challenged him.
"Oh, don’t get it twisted, Mr. Alpha," I snapped, sitting up straighter. "I’m not sharing a bed with you. I need my own room, preferably one with a lock. You know, to keep *you* out."
His eyes darkened, a flicker of sothing possessive and stubborn flashing across his face. "That’s not happening," he said firmly, his voice dropping to a growl.
"Excuse ?"
"You heard , Elena," he said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "I’m not leaving you alone for a single minute."
I rolled my eyes. "And why the hell not?"
His lips quirked into a smirk, that maddeningly arrogant expression that made want to punch him. "Because you said it yourself—you’d bail the mont you got so clothes."
I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. Why the hell did I say that earlier?
"Relax, Kane. I’m not going to jump out of the nearest window in the middle of the night. I just don’t want to sleep next to you."
"Too bad," he replied, his smirk widening. "Because whether you like it or not, you’re staying in my room. I’ll even chain you to the bed if that’s what it takes to keep you there."
My eyes widened, and I could feel my temper flaring. "You wouldn’t dare."
"Oh, wouldn’t I?" he said, a playful yet dangerous glint in his eyes.
I stupidly rose to the challenge, narrowing my eyes at him. "I’d like to see you try. There’s no way in hell I’ll ever willingly sleep next to you."
That was the wrong thing to say.
In one swift motion, Kane closed the distance between us, scooping up like I weighed nothing. "What the hell, Kane? Put down!" I yelled, squirming in his arms.
"Not happening," he said, his tone laced with amusent.
He carried up the stairs like so caveman, despite my kicking and attempts to break free. "You’re insane, you know that?" I huffed as he pushed open the door to his room with his shoulder.
"Insane for you, maybe," he said, the smirk never leaving his face.
Once inside, he locked the door behind him, then moved to the windows, securing them as well. I glared at him, seething. "What, are you building a prison now?"
"No need," he replied, walking to a drawer and pulling sothing out.
what he pulled out, my jaw nearly hit the floor.
Soft, black, leather handcuffs.
My eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell are those for?!"
Kane turned toward , casually dangling them in one hand, his smirk deepening as if he was enjoying my reaction far too much. "You dared , didn’t you?"
"There is no way in hell you bought those for !" I shot back, my voice rising with a mixture of anger and sheer embarrassnt.
"Of course not," he said smoothly, tossing them onto the bed. "But it’s a good thing I have them now, isn’t it? Seems like the perfect solution for soone as stubborn as you."
I glared at him, stepping back as he approached, my arms crossed protectively over my chest. "You’ve lost your mind, Kane. I’m not letting you cuff to anything."
His grin turned predatory, his sharp canines flashing as he stalked closer. "You really think you’re in any position to stop , Elena?"
"Don’t you dare!" I growled, my wolf stirring within , ready to fight.
But Kane was faster. Before I could make a move, he lunged, catching my wrist in one of his large hands. "Let go, you overgrown athead!" I yelled, trying to twist away.
He ignored , his strength overwhelming as he tugged closer, his expression maddeningly calm. "You’re so feisty," he murmured, his tone low and teasing. "But I think we both know how this ends."
My pulse quickened as he dragged toward the bed. "I swear to the Moon Goddess, Kane, I will kill you if you try anything!"
"Relax, Elena," he said, pulling down onto the bed with him. "This isn’t what you think."
I struggled against his hold as he cuffed one of my wrists to his own, securing the soft leather band snugly. "Are you serious right now?" I hissed, glaring daggers at him.
"Dead serious," he replied, lying back against the pillows and tugging down beside him. "If this is the only way to keep you from running off, so be it."
I yanked against the restraint, frustration boiling over. "You’re insane! Let go!"
"Nope," he said simply, his tone annoyingly calm. "Get comfortable, sweetheart. We’re not going anywhere until morning."
I glared at him, my chest heaving as I tried to calm my racing heart. "What the hell do you think this is going to accomplish, Kane? You can’t just cuff to you and expect to magically stop hating you!"
"Hate all you want," he said, his voice softening slightly. "But I’m not letting you go, Elena. You’re mine, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."
His words hit like a punch to the gut, and for a mont, I was too stunned to respond. He wasn’t just teasing or trying to rile up—there was a raw, possessive sincerity in his voice that made my wolf stir.
I shook my head, trying to ignore the warmth blooming in my chest. "You’re impossible," I muttered, turning my face away from him.
"And you’re adorable when you’re angry," he said, his voice laced with amusent.
I scoffed, refusing to look at him. "Don’t get used to this, Kane. The second I get out of these cuffs, you’re dead."
He chuckled, his hand resting lightly on mine where it was cuffed to his arm. "I look forward to it, mate."
I growled under my breath, fuming silently as I settled against the bed, my body still tense. Kane didn’t seem to care, his warmth radiating through the cuffs as he closed his eyes, completely at ease.
As much as I hated to admit it, the exhaustion from the day was catching up to , and despite my anger, my eyelids grew heavy. The steady rhythm of Kane’s breathing was oddly soothing, and before I knew it, I was drifting off, still cursing him in my mind but unable to fight the pull of sleep.
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