Chapter 225: Still Protective
Rebecca’s POV
Kane stood in the open doorway, his chest bare and rising heavily, his forehead pulled into a deep frown as his eyes burned into us.
"What the hell is going on here?" Kane asked, taking a hard step into the room.
My heart jumped straight into my throat. Panicking, I jerked my leg away from Kaden, quickly pulling my nightgown down over my thigh.
Kaden stayed still on one knee for a second, his eyes staying on me just a moment longer before he slowly stood up to his full height. He turned to face his brother, showing no panic at all.
"Your woman was almost hurt—that is what is happening here," Kaden spat, his voice dropping into a harsh, possessive growl. "Where were you? Why did you leave her all by herself?"
Kane’s jaw went tight. "I went out for a quick run, Kaden. I haven’t even been gone for twenty minutes."
"Well, in those twenty minutes, she hurt herself!" Kaden snapped back, taking a furious step toward Kane. The power rolling off him filled the room, heavy and suffocating. His eyes were dark, glowing with a deep, protective rage that seemed way too strong for a man just looking after his brother’s female. "She is in a strange place, carrying a child, and you just walk out and leave her alone? If you can’t protect her properly under my roof, I will!"
The words hung in the air like a heavy hammer. I held my breath, clutching the bedsheets tightly in my hands. Kaden looked completely consumed by worry, his chest heaving as he stared his brother down.
Kane put his hands up, taking a slow breath to calm the rising tension between them. "Kaden, calm down," Kane said softly, forcing his voice to stay steady. "I’m right here now. What actually happened?"
Kaden glared at him for a long, tense second, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides.
"Our mother’s ancestral spirit—the golden eagle—appeared in this room to welcome her," Kaden said, his tone still cold and sharp. "It scared her, she fell off the bed, and she cut her leg. Next time you feel like clearing your head, remember to have someone watch over her."
Without another word, Kaden turned his head, his dark green eyes catching mine one last time. The anger in his face softened for a second, leaving behind a raw, intense look that made my soul ache. Then, he strode past Kane and walked out into the hallway, slamming the door shut behind him.
The silence left in the room was heavy and suffocating.
Kane let out a long sigh, running a hand over his face before turning to lock the bedroom door. He walked over to the side of the bed, dropping down to sit on the edge where Kaden had just been kneeling.
"Are you okay?" Kane asked softly, looking down at the fresh bandage on my leg.
"I’m fine," I nodded, keeping my voice quiet. "It’s just a small scratch."
"I’m sorry, Rebecca," Kane whispered, his voice full of genuine regret. "I shouldn’t have left you alone so soon after we arrived. I just... needed a moment."
"Please don’t apologize," I said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "It’s okay. Really."
Kane gave me a tired nod, forcing a small smile. "I’m going to take a quick shower and clean up."
"Okay."
I watched him stand up and walk into the bathroom, hearing the water turn on a moment later.
Once I was alone, I carefully slid under the blankets, pulling the heavy cover all the way up to my chest. I stared up at the high ceiling, but no matter how hard I tried to clear my head, my thoughts kept racing back to Kaden.
My skin still felt like it was on fire where his thumb had touched my leg. The way he had roared at Kane... the deep, desperate worry in his eyes... the raw possessiveness in his voice when he said he would protect me...
It tore my heart into a million pieces.
See how much he cares for you? a quiet voice whispered in the back of my mind. Even with his memories wiped clean, even thinking you belong to his brother... his heart still recognizes you.
A heavy tear slipped down my cheek, hot against my cool skin. He was acting so protective because he thought I was carrying his brother’s baby.
If only he knew... if only he remembered that the child growing inside me was actually his.
I closed my eyes tightly, pressing a trembling hand over my stomach.
Am I really doing the right thing? I asked myself, the fear and pain threatening to crush me. Is keeping this secret really the right thing?
I took a slow, painful breath, feeling the heavy silver suppressor around my neck.
Yes, I told myself firmly, trying to stop the tears. You are doing the right thing. You have to keep up the act, no matter how much it breaks your heart.
Kane came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants, drying his hair with a small towel. He walked over to the couch near the window and sat down, letting out a tired breath.
"We have to share the bed," Kane said, looking over at me. "It would look strange if I slept on the couch."
I nodded softly. "I understand."
"Tomorrow, I’m going to act like I’m showing you around the mansion," Kane continued, his tone turning serious as he leaned forward. "That way, we can test if being in certain rooms makes the choker hum or react. We need to find that key as early as possible."
"Okay," I agreed, touching the metal band around my throat.
Kane stood up, walked over to the bed, and slid under the covers on the far side, keeping a respectful distance between us. He reached over to the nightstand, switching off the bright overhead lights, leaving only the dim glow of the moon filtering through the heavy curtains.
"Goodnight, Rebecca," he said softly.
"Goodnight, Kane," I whispered back, turning onto my side so my back was facing him.
I forced my eyes to close, desperately trying to sleep, but my mind refused to rest. Every time I closed my eyes, Kaden’s face appeared behind my eyelids. The dark green of his eyes, the rough heat of his thumb against my skin, the raw anger in his voice when he defended me... it burned behind my eyelids.
Two full hours passed, and I was still wide awake, staring blindly into the shadows. I felt completely suffocated, the air in the room feeling far too heavy to breathe. Beside me, Kane was fast asleep, exhausted from his long run.
Trying not to make a single sound, I gently slid out of the bed, my bare feet hitting the cold floor. I slipped out into the hallway, needing a breath of fresh air in the garden before my chest caved in entirely.
I walked down the quiet hallway, taking the grand marble staircase down to the living room. Guards were stationed at every corner, standing tall on their night shift. As I passed them, none of them stopped me, but I could feel their eyes on me.
"I’m just going for a walk in the garden," I said softly to the guard near the main entrance.
He gave a polite nod. Of course they all recognized me. To these guards, I wasn’t just a guest—I was Rebecca, the woman who used to walk these halls as Alpha King Kaden’s slave. But Logan had clearly threatened every single guard in the pack to keep their mouths shut and act as if I was just Kane’s nameless woman.
I took a step toward the glass doors leading out to the garden, but suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. A familiar, intense warmth settled over my skin, making my heart skip a beat.
I stopped. I felt a strong presence right behind me.
Slowly, I turned around and looked up toward the top of the grand staircase.
Kaden was standing there at the edge of the landing, looking down at me. He was shirtless, wearing only dark trousers, his broad chest rising and falling slowly as his green eyes locked onto mine.