Chapter 182: His Apology
Rebecca’s POV
When I finally opened my eyes, the bright morning sun was already high in the sky, streaming through the large glass windows and filling the penthouse suite with warmth. I blinked against the light and slowly turned around in the massive bed.
The space beside me was completely empty.
I reached out, my palm brushing against the smooth sheets where Kaden had been sleeping. The mattress was already cold. A sudden wave of pure relief washed over my chest. I was grateful he wasn’t here. I didn’t think I had the strength to look him in the eye or handle his intense, confusing gaze so early in the morning.
I dragged my aching body out of the bed, every muscle protesting from the intensity of last night. Dragging my feet into the bathroom, I turned on the shower and let the hot water wash over me for a long time. I wanted to scrub his scent off my skin, but it felt like no matter how hard I tried, the memory of his touch was branded deep inside me.
After bathing, I didn’t want to touch that tight, ruined red silk dress on the floor. Instead, I found a simple, comfortable tracksuit that Stephanie had packed for me. I slid into the soft fabric and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the beautiful, sprawling territory of the Crystal Pack.
As I stood there, looking at the peaceful view, my mind suddenly went completely blank. A heavy, suffocating weight settled onto my chest. My life felt like it was completely paused, stuck in a dark loop that I couldn’t escape from.
Before I could even stop them, hot tears gathered in my eyes and began to roll down my cheeks.
I didn’t even know why I was crying. I just couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Maybe it was because of how completely miserable my life had turned out, going from a free woman to a slave in a heavy silver collar. Maybe it was the terrifying fact that I might actually be fated as the second-chance mate to a ruthless king who had caused me so much pain.
Or maybe, worst of all, it was the shameful reality that despite everything he had done to me, my body still craved his heat. I actually liked his touch, and that realization made me feel completely disgusted with myself.
The sudden, sharp click of the suite door opening cut through the quiet room.
My heart skipped a beat. Realizing that Kaden was walking back in, I quickly raised my hands and wiped my eyes, trying to brush away the tears before he could see them. I turned around slowly, my back pressing against the glass window.
Kaden stepped into the room, his powerful shoulders thrown back. He looked completely calm, but the moment his green eyes landed on me, he stopped dead in his tracks. His gaze narrowed, scanning my face instantly.
"You were crying," Kaden said. It wasn’t a question. His voice was deep and flat, but there was a sudden tightness in his jaw.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t bring myself to say a single word to him. Looking away from his intense stare, I walked with quiet steps across the room, away from the window, and just sat down on the edge of the large bed.
Kaden watched me move, his heavy footsteps echoing softly on the carpet as he walked over to the bed. Instead of towering over me like he usually did, he surprised me by squatting down directly in front of me, bringing himself down to my level. His piercing green eyes searched my face, looking softer than I had ever seen them before.
"What’s wrong, Rebecca?" he asked quietly.
I let out a bitter, watery breath, my voice cracking under the weight of my misery. "Everything is wrong."
Unable to look at him for another second, I quickly snapped my head to the side, looking away. I expected him to get angry, to growl, or to command me to look at him. But he didn’t. Instead, Kaden let out a long, heavy sigh.
"I’m sorry about last night," he murmured. "The words I said to you... and everything else."
My eyes widened, and my head snapped back to look at him in absolute shock. My jaw practically dropped. Alpha King Kaden was apologizing to me? The ruthless monster who never showed weakness was actually saying sorry for what he did and how he had treated me. I couldn’t even find my voice to reply.
Before the silence could stretch too long, a soft, sudden knock came from the suite door.
Kaden stood up, walked over, and pulled the heavy door open. He spoke to a guard in a low murmur before closing it and turning back around.
When he walked back toward the bed, my eyebrows shot up in complete disbelief. Held tightly in his large, muscular arms was a massive stuffed teddy bear—the literal size of a human being. It looked incredibly soft, entirely out of place in the hands of a deadly werewolf king.
"This is my apology gift," Kaden said, stretching his arms out to hand the giant plush toy to me.
I just stared at it, my forehead tightening into a deep frown. What on earth is wrong with this man? One minute he is betting me away in a high-stakes card game, the next he is taking me like a beast, and now he is standing in a luxury penthouse offering me a giant toy like a lovesick teenager. It was completely bizarre.
I sat rigidly on the mattress, refusing to reach out or take it from him. Seeing my stubborn resistance, Kaden didn’t force it. He calmly laid the massive stuffed bear down on the bed beside me. Then, he squatted back down in front of my knees, his green eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my stomach flutter.
"Your birthday is next month," he said softly.
I furrowed my brows, a chill running down my spine. How did he even know when my birthday was? I had never told him, and my birthdays were never celebrated.
Before I could ask, Kaden continued, his voice dropping into a low, serious tone. "I have something very important to tell you on your birthday, Rebecca. Something really important."
My mind completely scrambled. I was so confused, my chest tightening with a mix of fear and curiosity. What could he possibly have to tell me? What was so important that he had to tell me on my birthday?
Kaden stood up, cutting off my spiraling thoughts as he adjusted the cuffs of his black shirt. "There is a horse racing match downstairs on the pack grounds before we leave. Do you want to come with me? If you don’t, you can stay back in the room and rest."
I swallowed hard, looking from the massive stuffed animal on the bed back to Kaden’s face. If I stayed here alone, I would just drown in my own dark thoughts and tears. I needed a distraction, any distraction, to keep my mind off the mate bond and the growing, ridiculous feeling inside me.
"I’ll come," I whispered.