Caden (The Wolves Den Book 4)

by Serena Simpson

“Running means; you're not strong?”

  “Yeah if you run away from your problems you're viewed as weak.”

  “What if running is the only way to stay alive?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Maybe you should think about it. If you're running to protect your life, I think that means you're strong.”

  *~*~*~*

  “What’s this?”

  “A picnic.” He laid out a thick blanket on the floor, and there was a picnic basket filled with different foods.

  “Did you cook this while I was taking a nap?”

  “I did.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me, I would have stayed awake and helped you.”

  “Have a seat. You still need to sleep Sage and take your medicine you’re getting better, but you’re not well yet.”

  I will be because you're taking good care of me. Instead of saying it out loud she sat and watched as he took out fried chicken and potato salad. There was a fruit salad to go along with it.

  “This looks and smells good. How did you become a cook?”

  “Long story.”

  “You don’t have to tell me.”

  “Remember you asked. I was created to be a warrior, a killer, you decide what I am.”

  “So, you are military?”

  “I was, some things you never forget. In war, everyone has a job to do. No job is less gruesome or tiring than another job, but some take more out of you than others. My unit, this unit was always a first line unit. We saw the enemy and fought the enemy before anyone else was involved. If they got by us, then another unit came in for clean up, but they'd better not get by us.”

  “Xander and I were always a team. We knew what the other one would do without taking the few seconds necessary for mental communication. Saving those seconds made us better than any other team. We became the two who walked on the front line before anyone else.

  “There were other teams like us, but they consisted of five or six. Where it was just the two of us. There was always the pressure, the knowledge if one of us screwed up, we were both dead. Every day I fought knowing my brother’s life was in my hands.”

  “I can’t imagine that type of pressure.”

  He shot her a smile but his eyes were glazed over, and the expression of horror on his face was enough to undo her.

  “Our last time on the battlefield, we got separated.” His hand clenched, and his teeth looked like they were elongating.

  She shook her head knowing she was seeing things. Her hand reached out to hold his.

  “There were two groups of the enemy. I was surrounded by one, and he was surrounded by the other. We needed to time our attack to keep them from detonating their fire bombs. I waited toying with them until I was sure that Xander was ready to attack. At first, it went off without a hitch. I took them all down; that's when I heard the explosion.

  “Then Xander was gone. I couldn’t communicate with him; I couldn’t feel him. A vital part of me felt dead.”

  He stood and started pacing the room. “I think I was in a daze. I couldn’t think; my feet walked looking for Xander. Declyn found me that way. That’s why he’s Alpha if he hadn't found me; I would have died that day. He told me that I wasn’t far from where Xander went down and together we would find him. It’s hard to have hope when you can’t feel your twin.

  “There was a hole with debris in it. Declyn and I dug and gradually the others in the unit found us, they helped until we found Xander.”

  “He was alive.” She breathed the words knowing his twin was here in the compound.

  “Barely. When he was finally able to talk, he told me there was a third group we were unaware of. It was their fire bomb that took him down and the dead bodies of those that he killed saved his life. I should have breathed a sigh of relief, but I didn’t. I knew we could die, or I could, and the other would be left alone, but the reality of it.”

  She got to her knees and crawled over to where he was. then she wrapped her arms around him. They stayed there holding each other for the longest time.

  “The reality of it is enough to stake your soul to the ground and never make you want to get up.” In that moment, she understood him.

  Chapter Five

  “Caden?” She called his name as the emptiness of the house swept over her.

  For six days, he had taken care of her made sure she took her medicine and cooked for her. She went to sleep every night with the feel of his good night hug helping her to rest and woke every morning to his bright smiles. They spent time talking and laughing getting to know each other. It felt like she was in a bubble that would never bust. Now she was alone and didn’t like it.

  Shaking off the feeling of betrayal Sage walked to the kitchen. Her medicine was laid out waiting for her. Dutifully she picked up the pills and took them. Then she sat closed her eyes and listened to her chest the way he taught her to do. Her breathing was better now, and she didn’t need a treatment. If she were honest, she was feeling more like her old self. Did that mean he was going to leave?

  A shower was what she needed. She pulled out the one pair of jeans she had in her bag along with a cami and a sweater. She needed a job, then she could buy some clothes. Once in the bathroom, she decided a soak would be better. She found some bubble bath and a radio. The radio was playing a soft song as she got into the tub and immersed herself in the bubbles.

  When the water began to cool she washed and got out. She wrapped a towel around her as she hummed a song before drying off and dressing. If only she could live here forever. The moment she left the bathroom she knew she wasn’t alone. Her hand covered her mouth as she saw a tall figure emerge from the second bedroom.

  “I won’t hurt you.” His voice was loud. He stood still and lifted his hands so that she could see they were empty.

  Either he was alerting an accomplish, or he was talking loud so she would know he had nothing to hide.

  “Who are you?”

  “Ven.”

  Ven what? Ven who? She waited for him to say something else, but evidently, he thought his name was sufficient.

  “Are you the one that Fire told me about?”

  “That’s my Godmom.”

  “Wow. I didn’t realize. What are you doing here?”

  “I wanted to get an arrono from my old room.”

  “A what?”

  “An arrono.” He took a small box out of his pocket and showed it to her.

  “What is that?”

  “It’s like a speaker or even a phone but better.” He moved to the coffee table and placed it there before he took out his phone. Music started playing through it. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, a band appeared playing the music.

  “You can program it to show the music video.” The scenery changed to a video, she was sure it went with the song it played out in front of her. “Or you can have it use a made-up band to do other videos or interactive videos.”

  Creatures she had never seen before took the bands place. The instruments changed, then one walked up to her and fell backward when he hit her hip. Ven laughed and watched the creature try to go through her again.

  “Are you hungry?”

  The hope in his eyes floored her.

  “Ven, your eyes are beautiful. I’ve never seen a blue that shade before.”

  “Thanks, they come from my biological mother. My father has green eyes and my real mother; Deja has brown eyes.

  “She doesn’t mind if you call her Deja?”

  “No, she says I can call her Deja or mom it’s up to me. I prefer mom though. I went a long time without a mother.”

  “I know how you feel.”

  “Are you hungry?”

  “I am.” She couldn’t help but smile. There was something about him that was good to his very core.

  “We have a panini maker at home. If you come with me, I’ll make you a sandwich, and we can drink soda.”

  “Leave the apartment?” She didn’t want fear to slip into her voice, but thi
s was where she was safe. Out there, she glanced toward the window, was a world she didn’t know. Where was Caden?

  “Did Caden send you?”

  “He asked me to keep an eye on you.”

  That bit of news took her from thinking Ven was safe to knowing he was safe.

  Ven reached into his back pocket and brought out a piece of paper that he unfolded and gave to her.

  “I think I was supposed to keep this a secret so you wouldn’t be scared, but I would want to know.”

  There was a picture of her with ‘have you seen this woman’ on the top. The number on the bottom was one of Jim’s throw away cell phones. He was looking for her. She waited for fear to come or even the desire to run but both stayed at bay. The reckoning was coming, and she knew it, but this time she would face it.

  “So, where is this panini maker and soda?”

  “Caden said you were strong and pretty too.”

  “That was nice of him to say.”

  “I don’t think he said it to be nice. Your hair is like fire, and your eyes are as green as his, besides you have a banging body to be so old.”

  He led her to the door, and she couldn’t even protest. Half of her mind was rejoicing that some kid called her body banging while the other half was protesting that she wasn’t old.

  We should have a kid like him one day.

  Alien say what? Be quiet!

  There was too much going on for her to think about children, but now all she could see was a child with green eyes and Caden's dark hair or maybe her red hair.

  “See, the walk wasn’t long.”

  The house wasn’t that far from the apartment, she could see it out the window.

  “Won’t your mom be mad you brought a stranger home?”

  “No, wait till you meet my mom you’ll love her.”

  “Ven is this place real?”

  She was in the kitchen looking around. It was large, but it felt comfortable and lived in. The kind of kitchen she always dreamed of.

  “What do you mean? Sit down, I’ll get the ingredients out.”

  “I mean am I dreaming this. Am I somewhere dying and I’m just coming up with a place that makes me happy before I breathe my last breath?”

  “I don’t think so. I’m real, all the people here are real. We’ve been here for over four hundred years. Not mom though she just got here maybe a year ago.”

  “Four hundred years. I am dying.”

  “Don’t be silly if you were dying, I’d have Cait come save you.”

  “This is my mom Deja. Mom this is Sage; Caden asked me to look in on her.”

  “You brought her home for a sandwich.”

  “Yeah, do you want one?”

  “Of course.” She took the chair across from Sage.

  They sat smiling while Ven made sandwiches and gave them drinks.

  “Where’s yours?” Sage asked him.

  “I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll be back soon.” He looked at his mother, she just nodded her head.

  She sat there and ate her sandwich while she waited for Deja to tell her what was on her mind.

  “I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better.”

  “I am thanks.”

  “What do you think about our compound?”

  “I haven’t seen it. This is the first time I’ve been out of the apartment. I have no plans to hurt Caden just so you know.”

  Deja got up and cleared off the table. “I’m the beta around here. In the world we come from that, and five dollars might get you a cup of coffee.”

  “Yum designer coffee.”

  “These males are special to me. They all have my heart. When I first came, I was in trouble and didn’t realize it. They stormed the house I was being kept in like it was a military operation and rescued me.”

  “I can see Caden doing something like that. Are you going to tell me?”

  “No, that’s up to him.”

  “It’s only been six days. Most of the time I was sick, lying on the couch, lying in his arms and all we did was talk.”

  “It’s a good way to get to know someone.

  “I agree.”

  “Sage, give him a chance. I know part of what you’ve experienced. No one should have to go through that, but everything different isn’t always evil.”

  “Deja?”

  “In the kitchen. He knows exactly where I am, but I’ll let you figure that out on your own.” She got up and greeted her mate with a kiss.

  “Fire, Declyn you just missed sandwiches.”

  “I don’t sense Ven?” Fire stopped and closed her eyes like she could sense who was in the house.

  “He made them and went for a walk.”

  “I’ll have to have him make me one later. Sage, I’m glad to see you out of the apartment.”

  “Ven asked me over for brunch.”

  “He’s my Godson. He loves using the panini maker. I hate to see what happens when his mom teaches him how to make lasagna.”

  “We’ll be having it at least twice a week.”

  Enzo and Declyn groaned. Deja bumped up against Enzo while Fire reached out and took Declyn’s hand.

  “If we’re patient, I think he may become a chef.”

  “I don’t think so camire, he likes action too much for that.” Enzo drew Deja closer.

  “Alright what aren’t the three of you saying?” Deja looked at them before she stared at Sage.

  “If it’s about me, I can take it.”

  Fire nodded before she sat down next to Sage.

  “I got a phone call two days ago from Detective Baker. I swear he thinks we're friends. I had some problems not that long ago that he helped me with. He got a call from a Jim Butler saying that he thought his girlfriend had been kidnapped. He fingered me as a suspect. The detective doesn’t believe him but has to follow up on all leads.

  “There are missing posters with your face plastered all over them. Of course, I told him that I didn’t kidnap you. His response was if I knew where you were it would be in my best interest to tell you to come into the police station so he can verify your health and welfare. What you decide to do is up to you.”

  She stood and went to stare out the window over the sink. She wrapped her arms around herself. The reprieve was over sooner than she thought. She had hoped maybe even prayed for a few more days to get to know Caden. If only she could be back in the apartment answering his questions about Wonder Woman tucked in the blanket with her head resting on his lap.

  She turned around to stare at them. Two couples that looked perfectly happy, and she was ruining their chance to be together in peace. It was unacceptable to her to place the people who took her in when no one else would in jeopardy.

  “I’ll show up, when does he want to see me?”

  “Whenever I set it up for.”

  “Set it up for tomorrow at eleven a.m. please.” She would make sure it was during the day, so her new friends didn’t get hurt.

  “Fire I want to thank you for taking me in and allowing one of your people to care for me.”

  She laughed.

  “As if we could have stopped Caden from caring for you. Besides you’ve never seen Caden and Xander when they make war.” Declyn shivered. “None of us want to be on the receiving end of that.”

  “Caden’s a sweetheart.” She walked out the door to get ready for the death sentence that was facing her.

  Chapter Six

  Sage thought Caden would come back. She spent all day rearranging her one suitcase and bag while she waited for him, but he never showed up. Giving up she allowed her tired body to sink deep into the mattress and fall asleep.

  “Sage, wake up.”

  There was a hand on her shoulder annoying her, turning over she tried to escape it. There was the rustle of clothes and then of the cover as a tall warm body settled itself against hers. That got her attention.

  Her eyes opened wide to see Caden lying beside her on the bed.

  “Caden?” What else could she say
? Her world suddenly didn’t make sense all because his warm semi-naked body was against hers.

  “Hi, Sage.” His big hand reached out and cupped her face.

  Once again, she had that feeling of safety that only came when he was near.

  “I thought you weren’t coming back.” Real smooth at least, she kept her voice from shaking.

  “I never left, not really. Someone was always watching over you.”

  “Do you think I’m weak?” She thought at times she was weak. It always amazed her that she hadn’t quit yet, but her mom always said she was stubborn. She’d keep walking, resisting until she met something that stopped her cold in her tracks. There were times she wished she was the woman who hid under the bed.

  “I know you’re not weak, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be looked after or cared for.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “To track the flyers that were put up about you.”

  “And?”

  “I tracked them back to your old apartment building, the same one Alpha used to live in.”

  She was nodding her head. “We lived on the same floor.”

  “Only two apartments are occupied on your old floor right now. The one you used to live in and the one someone named Ron rents. According to the manager, he receives rent for both apartments but hasn’t seen anyone go in or out of them.”

  She moved closer to Caden. What they were talking about was important but touching him one last time was more important. Her shoulder and thigh brushed against his before she placed her hand on his chest.

  He turned onto his side and pulled her closer. She placed her head on his chest as the heat from his body warmed hers.

  “I have to go to the police station tomorrow. If I don’t, they will come here looking for me. I can’t allow that to happen.”

  “Our compound isn’t that easy to breach although it has been done in the past.”

  “He’ll take me. I’ll resist, but he’s stronger than I am.”

  “Who will take you?”

  “Jim, he’s always been strong, but lately his strength has increased.”

  “Do you think he’s strong enough to stand up to me?”

  “What are you talking about? You won’t be there.”