Between us

Kaiden's POV

I impatiently stood at the window of my chambers, and watched the dense forest that bordered the Alpha pack house.


My mind was racing with lots and lots of thoughts, most of them were centered on Lilian. She had been acting strange lately, she was being distant, as if she was keeping something away from me.



I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on than she was letting on, and it was freaking driving me mad.



I needed to look for ways to confront her and get the answers from her.



I heard the sound of the front doors as they creaked open, followed by the soft footsteps that could only belong to her.



She was back. My werewolf senses were heightened whenever she was near, and I knew she had returned. It was about time I confronted her.



I pushed away from the window and strode towards the door with purpose. My mind was set—I needed answers. The truth. No more games, no more avoiding the inevitable.



As I descended the grand staircase of the alpha pack house, I caught sight of her just as she entered the lobby, right before the dining hall.


She looked a bit flustered, as if something—or someone—had unsettled her. My curiosity deepened, and so did the need to know where she had been.


Where have you been Lilian and what have you been doing?


"Lilian," I called out, my voice came out sharper than I had intended but that wasn't exactly a botherance to me as I reached the bottom of the stairs. She turned around, her blue depths met mine with that same defiance from yesterday, you know, the one that both infuriated and intrigued me.



"Kaiden," she replied coolly, and I watched as she arched an eyebrow as if she knew exactly why I was approaching her.



"Where have you been?" I asked, I was trying my hardest to keep my tone even, but there was an edge to it that I couldn't hide, not anymore.



She crossed her arms over her chest, and I saw hints of what resembled a mocking smile that played on her plum lips.



"Why didn’t you just send your men to stalk me if you’re so curious about my whereabouts?" She asked and now that I thought of it, she was right. I should have.


"It seems to be your preferred method of getting answers.” she added.



Her words hit their mark, and I felt a flash of irritation at her words. She always knew how to push my buttons, how to provoke a reaction from me. I simply did not know what this was all about. But I was not going to back down now.




"Don't fucking play games with me, Lilian," I warned her, and I took an instinctive step closer. "I’m asking you where you were." I demanded again.



"And I am asking, why do you care?” she shot back at me. I could clearly hear the sarcasm in her voice. "Last time I checked, I didn’t need your permission to leave the pack house." She said with her face held up.



Her defiance only did more to fuel my anger, and I closed the distance between us in just two strides, I now loomed,- no, I towered over her.




"I care because I am your mate and your Alpha, and it is my responsibility to know where my pack members are, especially you, my mate." I didn't fail to emphasize the word mate more than necessary.




“Especially me?” she repeated, her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.




“You know exactly what it means, Lilian." I angrily snapped, my patience was now thin. “You have been hiding something from me, Lilian, and I won’t stand for it any longer.” I said.




She laughed out loud, a somewhat bitter sound that was laced with hints of anger.



“Hiding something?" She asked. "You mean like how you’ve been ignoring and avoiding me, making it look like I'm the bad person in all of this. I wonder how you noticed that I was hiding something when you have been the one ignoring me?” she asked.




Oh this is what it was all about?
“You think this is about avoiding you?” I asked, incredulous. “This is about keeping you safe, about making sure you’re not putting yourself—or the pack—in danger.” I deadpanned.



“Oh, please,” she said, and rolled her eyes. “Spare me the noble Alpha act.



You’re just angry because you can’t stand not knowing what I’m up to.” she said and looked away.



“Damn right I’m angry,” I growled at her, my voice was low and dangerous. “I’m angry because you keep pushing me away, and I’m tired of it.” I said. I couldn't even tell where the words came from. She scoffed out loud and rolled her eyes again.




"Hear you talk about pushing someone away." She muttered.



"What exactly is your problem Lilian?" I asked her. I was sick of the games she was playing.



“Maybe I push you away because you keep trying to cage me in,” she shot back, her eyes blazed fiercely with defiance.


“You can’t have it both ways, Kaiden. You can’t keep me on a leash and expect me to trust you.” she said. I was silent after that.



The air between us was thick with the unspoken words and unresolved feelings that had been simmering and floating in the air for so long. I could feel the heat radiating off her, the frustration, the anger—but there was something else, too. Something deeper, more intense.



I watched the way her chest rose and fell in rhythm. I knew she was mad but she looked incredibly hot at that moment. Who knew an angry and fiesty Lilian would turn me on.



Fuck but that wasn't what I was supposed to be thinking at the moment.



“You think I want to control you?” I asked, my voice had dropped to a rough and harsh whisper, something dark and primal was not mixed with it.