“No one was in your presence except for me at the time you gave it,” Jed stated in astonishment. “No one saw your face and although your tone was harsh, it wasn’t because of Abella but what Dave told you. Unfortunately, the pack didn’t see your reaction so they will assume that your harsh words were directed at Abella.”
Jed paled as he realized what he said, and whispered, “Abella.”
Caden walked back to the desk leaning against it as Jed talked a pained look crossing his face and said, “I know. I can feel her anguish at my words and it’s tearing me apart along with my wolf who probably won’t speak to me for a little while, but it is necessary until I can learn what is going on. As of right now, other than you, Abella’s name around me is off limits.”
Jed nodded his head before he asked, “So how are you going to keep Abella here?”
At Caden’s questioning look, Jed sighed as he had forgotten that Caden hadn’t read the book yet and he grimaced slightly before he said, “According to the past situations, when the mates arrived as yours did, the witches decided to leave the area all together.”
“Witches?” Caden asked raising an eyebrow but when Jed hesitated he shook his head. “Not important at the moment, but I think I have an idea on how to keep Abella here longer.”
Caden smiled before he began to outline the plan that was forming in his head.
“It could work, but giving her back the money she used to pay her hospital bill, is that wise,” Jed asked wondering if he should mention again to Caden about the book before he sighed soundlessly as Caden’s wolf said, leave it to me.
Jed focused on Caden as he smiled and reached for the phone. “Don’t give her the money until she talks with Ms. Helms about finishing school,” Caden revealed before he started speaking on the phone.
Jed sat back in his seat a smile lingering in eyes as he watched Caden realizing what he was doing. Abella didn’t have enough money to move and she would want to get her diploma first even if she did so she would find a way to take the classes needed for her diploma. At the same time, she would continue working for extra money and Jed shook his head a light laugh coming from him at how thorough Caden was being.
“I know what I want, Jed,” Caden said catching the laugh as he hung up the phone. “But I need to tie up some loose ends first before I reveal my true decision.”
Jed nodded his head as a frown flickered across Caden’s face as he asked, “Abella’s house belongs to her, right?”
Jed nodded his head grasping at what Caden was thinking. “She could if she wanted to sell it and leave getting her diploma somewhere else.”
Caden sat there for a few minutes before he began to smile. “Maybe we should find a reason for her to not think about the idea, or if she does, to put it on hold for now,” Caden told him.
Jed gave him a confused look before Caden asked, “Has Briac rejected Jenna yet?” already knowing the answer to the question.
Jed shook his head as he said wryly, “You know that he hasn’t.”
“So this is what we will do,” Caden said with a wicked smile as he leaned forward in his seat telling Jed his next plan as he sat there stunned before he began to smile.
“You are forcing Briac’s hand,” Jed cautioned him after Caden stopped talking.
Caden nodded his head as he settled back in his seat. “I know who Briac will choose, but for some reason he is hesitating. I understand he is nervous and I don’t think he truly wants to hurt Jenna even though she didn’t show him the same respect. He also worried about how the pack will react when he rejects Jenna and accepts Natalee as his mate.”
“Jenna has given him the impression that the pack relies on her and that they will back her up when she needs it,” Jed said slowly thinking about the discoveries he observed during his time with the pack. He believed that Caden’s words were correct knowing that Briac was trying to diminish the hurt that Jenna would feel when he rejects her although in his opinion, Briac didn’t have to worry about her feelings as Jenna never considered his from the beginning.
“Do you think you can do a little buzzing for me in a certain she-wolf’s ear?” Caden asked with a smile.
Jed couldn’t help the evil grin that crossed his face as he closed his eyes for a few minutes making contact and giving a little suggestion.
“It’s done,” Jed said opening his eyes before he stood up. “I will go down first and you should follow in about,” he glanced down at his wristwatch, “ten minutes.”
Caden nodded his head as Jed turned heading out of the office when Caden spoke again. “Jed, I want to know everything about Dave.”
Jed didn’t turn around as he nodded his head and continued out of the office his eyes narrowed in thought although he knew it looked differently when he encountered Jessa.
“What’s going on, Uncle Jed?”
Back in the office, Caden whispered “hold on Abella” as his eyes alighted on the computer sitting on his desk before his eyes burned with a new idea.
He got up suddenly going to the bookshelf as he remembered seeing the laptop that he had Jessa buy for Abella and when he find it, he smiled with satisfaction taking it back over to the desk as he sat it down and booted it up.
As soon as it was on, he went to work creating its own personal screen saver knowing that the only person who would use the laptop would be Abella if Jessa had anything to say about it, and within minutes, he had down what he wanted and closing it down.
He had just finished and replacing it when he heard Jed say now.
Caden glanced at the laptop one last time before he turned and left the office making his face a blank mask as he went down to get involved in the situation that he orchestrated.
“What is the problem down here?” He asked as he started down the stairs noting Briac’s stance between Natalee and Jenna. Jenna had glanced up at him with a smile, but Natalee’s eyes stayed focused on Briac and Caden, his face showing no emotion, sighed mentally as he put his plan in to motion.
Ten minutes later, Caden was back in his office when Jed appeared in the middle of the room.
“That went better than planned,” he said walking over to the desk watching as Caden flinched.
“Yeah, I just hope it works the way we want it too,” Cade muttered realizing how much he was relying on fate.
Jed laughed before he said, “Oh, I think it will.”
Caden glanced up at him before he said, “I have already asked someone to take her where she needs to go.”
Jed shook his head as he said, “I don’t think she will need it as she has already called Abella to come pick her up.”
Jed watched the slight smile cross Caden’s face before he nodded and continued working.
“When are you going to be leaving?” Jed asked as Caden frowned over some information on the paper in front of him.
“In a few days,” Caden answered as he started signing some papers. “I am leaving Timothy and Gregory in charge of the pack with Briac leading the fighter wolves until my return. As for Leana, any bills that she inquires while I’m gone, I want you take care of them because I want to know how much she spends and what she buys.”
Jed had just nodded his head when a knock sounded on the door and Caden got up from his desk.
“I need to go down and talk with the person I arranged for Natalee,” Caden said as the knock sounded again and Jed with a smile disappeared from the room as Caden headed out.
Caden, after talking with him, stayed downstairs talking to Gregory and Timothy about his plans as he waited for Abella to show up so he could at least catch her scent when she arrived.
He was listening to Timothy when she arrived as he caught her scent a second before his wolf told him, she is here.
He stilled for a second before he refocused his attention on Timothy and Gregory as he caught their narrowed looks and the anger coming from their mates as they came back in the house after Abella and Natalee left.
He knew they were upset with him and
as their Alpha it should piss him off, but he knew more than anyone how important Abella’s friendship was to those two she-wolves and hoped that he would soon be able to correct what has been done.
He made an excuse to finish the talk with Gregory and Timothy before he turned catching Jed’s narrowed look and his jaw firmed as he nodded his head slightly before heading upstairs.
Late that evening, after the pack meeting where he revealed his plans of going on a ‘vacation’ he walked up to his office with a sad smile on his face as he recalled Asilynn and Jessa’s response to him wanting to talk with them.
You meant it, his wolf said suddenly as Caden locked the door behind him after entering the attic office.
Meant what? Caden asked as he made himself comfortable on the couch.
When they asked you what Dave told you, his wolf said yawning, you told them nothing, which you meant because he didn’t tell you anything that would change your mind.
Caden smiled not saying another word as he let sleep claim him although it was restless and he was up early the next morning working when a knock sounded on the door.
Knowing who it was he said, “Come in” listening to Briac’s footsteps before he said without looking up, “I’ve been waiting for you, Briac.”
After his talk with Briac, he continued working in the office getting as much done as possible before he left because he wasn’t going to return until he learned what he needed to know. As he worked, he kept his mind open to everything going on in the pack hearing the whispered rumors about Abella and learning some eye-opening truths about Leana that had him chuckling as Briac went around the pack learning his own truths about Jenna.
He found it interesting that the pack didn’t trust Leana anymore than they trusted Jenna but he didn’t say a word about it as he continued working.
He went downstairs for something to drink when he encountered Briac and Timothy in the hallway and he listened as they stuck up for Abella his eyes burning with intensity although no one saw him as they went their separate ways, and with a nod of his head, he returned to the office.
Caden kept up his deception until it was almost time for him to leave when Jed’s boss arrived unsuspectingly and he was stunned to meet him. After he left the party that evening, Caden was more than ready to get going as his wolf snarled inside him but he made sure to get the pack members helping in keeping an eye on Leana although he knew that they may have thought he was worried about her when he was gone. Jessa wasn’t talking to him unless it was pack related and there was nothing that he could do about it at the moment although it made him sad because he knew she loved him.
After getting away from the party Leana and Jenna threw for him, in his shifted form he made his way through the woods where he met Jed not too far from Abella’s house.
“I was surprised at his visit,” Caden commented as he got dressed in the clothes Jed had for him.
“So was Dave,” Jed remarked as they got in the car and started away from the pack passing by Abella’s house on the way.
Caden’s eyes lingered on it as they passed by and he said absently a sad look in his black eyes, “And you call me cunning, Jed.”
Jed glanced over at him noticing the distant look in his eyes before the blank look crossed his face and Caden faced forward asking, “So what did you learn about Dave?”
Jed mentally sighed as he began to tell him what little learned about Dave for the moment and as Caden listened his wolf howled inside him wait for us, Abella.
Present day
Abella looked at him as Jed finished explaining although he didn’t tell her everything for the rest was left to Caden to tell her. He watched as tears filled Abella’s eyes and he flinched as she launched herself at Caden.
“You bastard,” she said starting to cry as she hit Caden as hard as she could. “Do you know how hurt and heartbroken I was? Did you even care?”
Caden didn’t stop her from hitting him feeling anger and hurt wash over her as she continued punching him and he winced at the feeling whirling through her.
“I’m sorry,” he said in a rough voice catching her clenched fists and pulling her tight against his chest. “I know I was hurting you and I still can feel the pain and heartache going through you, bit I needed answers before I did what I wanted.”
Abella laid against him her crying dying down to sobs as her breathing came in short gasps and Caden sensed she was forcing herself to calm down.
“Did you?” She mumbled in his chest.
“Did I what?” He asked quietly as Cato and Jed stared at them.
“Find out what you needed to know,” Abella said sniffing as she leaned back to look up in his face.
Caden smiled his eyes bright as they drifted down to her stomach before they lifted back up to hers seeing the shock and astonishment at his telling action.
“Oh, I was able to find out plenty of things,” he told her leaning forward to kiss her gently. “All of them important and useful, but the one I loved finding out the most is that we are going to be parents.”
“Are you…?” Abella began a hitch in her voice her eyes revealing her anxiety.
Caden chuckled as he said in a soft voice,” You can face rogue werewolves, dangerous hunters, and a deranged witch,” words that had Abella looking over at Jed before turning her gaze back to Caden, “but my opinion about our pup scares you.”
Abella glared at him the disoriented look long faded from her eyes from the moment Caden walked in the room and Caden laughed again.
“I hope this alleviates your worries,” Caden murmured as he kissed her soundly and passionately before pulling back. “I love you, Abella.”
The dazed look in her eyes from his kiss changed as they began to sparkle with happiness but she asked one more time, “Are you sure, Caden?”
Caden signed deeply looking at her in disappointment as she opened her mouth and he took advantage of it by taking her lips in a demanding and passionate kiss that left no doubt in her mind who he wanted.
Cato nodded his head to Jed who quietly led him out of the room closing the door behind them as Dr. Olsen met them on the stairs.
“What is going on?” He demanded as Cato and Jed laughed lightly before Jed patted him on the shoulder.
“Sorry for stealing your car, Mac,” Jed told him as they continued down the stairs. “I will help you get Jenna in the clinic so you can start the autopsy.”
“You found her,” Cato asked his voice full of compassion at what he was hearing.
“Yes,” Dr. Olsen said on a sigh. ‘Now we need to know what killed her.”
“Cato,” Jed began but he only waved his hand as he made his way over to a chair.
“Do what you have to do to learn why a she-wolf of this pack lost her life,” Cato said a hard note in his voice because the one thing he disliked most was losing a werewolf for no reason at all. “I will wait for the results like Jed and Caden before the rest of the pack learns what happened to her.”
Dr. Olsen nodded his head as he and Jed walked out to get Jenna and Cato’s white eyes narrowed as he murmured, “I don’t condone killing werewolves for selfish reasons especially by another werewolf.”
Chapter 56
Caden pulled away from Abella running a hand down her hair before he asked, “Now do you believe me?”
Abella tried glaring at him but the passionate look in her eyes caused Caden to laugh instead which ended up with Abella elbowing him.
“Ouch,” he said rubbing his stomach giving her a hurt look.
“Please,” Abella said rubbing her face with her hands. “We both know that didn’t hurt you.”
“Don’t be so sure, sweetheart, because your hits are definitely not weak,” Caden told her honestly.
Abella stared at him before she sighed, “Why did you do it, Caden?”
At his look before he opened his mouth to repeat what he told her a few minutes ago, she waved her hand. “I know what you told me, but what I mean is why didn’t you come
to me and tell me what you had planned? I would’ve helped you with whatever you needed.”
Caden shook his head as he put a hand on her cheek as the other settled around her waist. “I wasn’t going to let Leana and Jenna abuse you, and at the same time that council member also had words with you didn’t he?”
Abella shrugged her shoulders as she told him, “I could’ve handled it.”
“I have no doubt that you could’ve,” Caden told her, “but I wasn’t going to let you be hurt any more than you already have.”
“So you decided to hurt me instead,” Abella muttered.
Caden flinched at her words as he said urgently, “I hoped and still do that you can forgive me that deception.”
Abella stared up at him seeing the worry and apprehension in his eyes, and she sighed. ‘I wish I could be mad at you and say that I can’t forgive you but we both know that it isn’t possible,” Abella told him a soft smile on her face.
He leaned forward to kiss her again when Abella put her hand up in front of his lips pushing him back and he looked at her in surprise.
“You need to suffer a little for what you put me through,” she said scooting back on the bed.
Caden’s eyes widened in shock as he said, “Abella, I suffered along with you.”
“Maybe,” Abella said giving him a stern look, “but at the same time, you knew that you would be seeing me again whereas I thought I would be seeing you with Leana attached to your side.”
Caden grimaced as he stared at her before he sighed and lay across the bed. “This is cruel,” he groaned. “I haven’t been able to touch you or talk to you in three weeks.”
“I don’t think a couple of more days of not being able to touch me is going to destroy you,” Abella told him with a smirk on her face.
Caden groaned although he knew that he deserved what she would do to him as long as she didn’t tell him that she never wanted to see him again.
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