Chapter 181: The Meeting
Kaden’s POV
I woke up slowly as the morning light started to peek through the large windows of the suite. The very first thing I felt was the soft, warm weight of Rebecca resting perfectly in my arms. Her back was pressed tightly against my chest, and my arm was wrapped securely around her waist, holding her close.
I let out a quiet sigh, leaning down slightly to inhale the scent at the crook of her neck. Fuck. She smelled so incredibly good. Even after everything that had happened last night, her scent of sweet wildflowers and honey was completely intoxicating. It took every single ounce of my willpower not to tighten my grip and pull her even closer.
Very carefully, so I wouldn’t wake her, I slid my arm out from under her waist and climbed out of the massive bed. The morning air was cool against my skin, but I didn’t immediately go to change. Instead, I walked around to the other side of the mattress and stood there, just looking down at her sleeping face.
As I watched the steady rise and fall of her chest, a strange, unfamiliar warmth spread through my heart. Last night, I had completely lost control of my feelings. When Zach had touched her, when he had tried to put his filthy hands on her, something inside me had snapped. The mere thought of another man holding her, or tasting the sweetness I had just claimed, made my inner wolf roar with a lethal frenzy. I had accepted that damn wager knowing I would never allow Zach to walk away with her.
I let out a heavy breath and rubbed my face. I couldn’t let these feelings make me weak.
Turning away, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I let the water wash over me, trying to clear the heavy fog from my mind. When I stepped back out into the bedroom, Rebecca was still fast asleep, curled up deeply beneath the heavy duvet.
I walked over to the closet and quickly dressed in a simple pair of white trousers and a sharp black shirt, rolling the sleeves up to my forearms. I had a busy morning ahead of me. I had an official meeting with the High Council at 7:00 AM to discuss the pack borders. After that, there was a friendly sports game hosted by the Crystal Pack, and then we would finally be leaving this place to head back home.
Before leaving the room, I walked back over to the edge of the bed. I leaned down and placed a very soft, lingering kiss on Rebecca’s forehead.
"I pray I get the courage to tell you all I want to say," I whispered against her skin, my voice thick with an emotion I rarely ever allowed myself to feel.
I straightened up, forced my cold Alpha King mask back onto my face, and walked out of the suite.
The moment the heavy doors shut behind me, I found two of my most trusted warriors positioned rigidly in the hallway. They immediately bowed their heads out of respect. "Good morning, Alpha King Kaden."
"Good morning," I replied, my voice deep and commanding. "Rebecca is inside sleeping. She is not to leave this room under any circumstances, and absolutely no one is allowed inside. If anyone so much as approaches this door, eliminate them. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Alpha King," they responded in unison, their expressions turning serious.
I gave them a sharp nod, walked down the long carpeted hallway, and took the private elevator straight down to the first floor.
When the elevator doors slid open, I marched directly toward the grand conference hall. The heavy double doors were opened for me, and I walked into the room to find more than twenty powerful Alphas and council members already seated around the massive mahogany table.
As I walked toward the empty head chair, a sharp, annoying voice cut through the murmuring crowd.
"You were incredibly lucky last night, Alpha King Kaden," Alpha Zach scoffed from across the table. He was leaning back in his chair, a greasy, mocking smile stretching across his face as he looked at me. "I was so close to winning. I could have gotten my hands on your pretty little slave last night. Damn, she would have looked so good screaming my name in my bed. A body like that shouldn’t be wasted on someone who doesn’t know how to share."
A few of the Alphas nearby let out uncomfortable chuckles, while others froze, sensing the immediate shift in the room.
I didn’t say a single word. My expression didn’t even change. I calmly walked over to my seat, but my eyes were locked onto Zach.
In the center of the table, there were several large silver trays filled with fresh fruits for the breakfast meeting. Right next to one of the trays sat a sharp, heavy paring knife used for slicing the fruit.
With a movement so blindingly fast that no human or regular werewolf eye could track it, I snatched the knife from the table and threw it.
Thwack!
The sharp blade sliced cleanly through the air and embedded itself deeply into the heavy wood of the table—right through the center of Zach’s left wrist.
"FUCK!" Zach screamed at the top of his lungs, his body violently jerking back in absolute agony. He clutched his arm as dark red blood began to gush rapidly from the wound, staining the white tablecloth. "Fuck! My hand!"
The entire conference hall went completely, deathly silent. Every single Alpha in the room instantly stood up or froze in shock, their hearts hammering against their ribs. None of them dared to move or draw a weapon. The power of my dominant aura exploded into the room, suffocating everyone present, reminding them exactly why I wore the crown.
I leaned forward, resting my palms flat against the edge of the table, my green eyes flashing with a terrifying, predatory gold as I stared at Zach’s sweating, pale face.
"I didn’t take your head off last night for what you did because she was standing right there," I said, my voice dangerously low, dropping into a harsh, gravelly rumble that vibrated through the entire room. "I didn’t want her to see the mess. But don’t you ever test my patience again, Zach. And that includes every single one of you sitting at this table."
I reached out, my fingers completely steady as I calmly picked up a small cherry from the fruit tray. I popped it into my mouth, chewing slowly while the silence in the room remained thick and heavy. No one breathed. No one spoke. They all just watched the blood drip onto the floor, their faces terrified.
I swallowed the cherry and leaned back in my chair.
"Now," I said calmly, while Zach’s blood continued dripping onto the floor. "Shall we begin the meeting?"