Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Alessia’s POV

Caden is avoiding me. And he isn’t even bothering to hide the fact that he is

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At first, it was restricted to ignoring my every presence but now, he’s pawning me off to Raphael.

“Raphael will be the one spar with you today,” Caden says //

already making a move to leave my sight.

Raphael stands awkwardly to the side, eyeing Caden and me worriedly and looking like he doesn’t want to be in the middle of whatever is happening.

I have nothing against Raphael but he isn’t the person I made a deal with. “Why aren’t you training me yourself. I ask, waiting for a lame excuse.

“I can’t always be training you. I have other pack members I have to attend to as well.” Looking over to Raphael. “Don’t go easy on her,” he says giving Raphael a pointed look and Raphael nods.

Then Caden is walking away and heading over to a young man. I watch as he directs the man and corrects his posture.

Sighing. I turn to face Raphael who smiles sheepishly at me.

“I promise that I tried to make him reconsider but whatever happened between you two must have been really serious. He gives me a sad smile. “I may not be as good as Caden but I’m an awesome trainer. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.”

I smile back at him. It’s not his fault that Caden is being an a s s and it wouldn’t be right to put on a sullen mood.

Brightening up at his words, I walk over to the mat. “Come on then.” I co k a finger at him and take up my position.

Raphael is a good fighter, maybe even as good as Caden. I have difficulty holding up my own and by the end of the training, I’m panting and dripping with sweat.

“That was a good training. You’re getting really good.” Raphael wipes his forehead with the back of his palm.

I beam at the praise. “Thanks,” I mumble, my gaze going back to Caden before I carr help it.

He’s all over Julianna who seems to be having the time of her life and failing on purpose just to have his arms on her. Caden seems not to notice this ploy and looks to be genuinely interested in helping her out.

I roll my eyes, fighting back the tiny sting of hurt in my chest. I find Raphael staring at me sympathetically and I lower my head, ashamed that he noticed me staring at them.

“I’m going to go back to the pack house,” I announce. My clothes were sticking onto my body and I’m

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Chapter 28

irritated with Caden. A cold bath is exactly what I need to relieve this stress.

“Sure. We’re through for the day. It was nice training with you.” He walks away, heading over to a cute girl I mainly see him with. I wonder what’s going on there.

I head on outside, going straight to the pack house where I’m planning to stay for the rest of the day.

Ever since Jake has been assigned to an assignment outside of the pack- somehow, I know Caden has to be behind it I’ve been left to my device.

So now, all I do is train, hide away in my room, eat, and then repeat the process again. I added a little extra routine earlier this week and it includes cursing Caden into the hell of eternal d a m n a t i o n.

Today isn’t going to be any different.

“Alessia,” a voice calls out. A voice belonging to Caden, the current bane of my existence.

I halt, contemplating if it would be wise to face him when my emotions are still very raw. “What do you need?” I bite out. “Are you done training Julianna? Doesn’t she need you to help her with finding her footing?” I cringe as soon as the words are out of my mouth. I sound like an obsessive jealous girlfriend and I’m so far from it that it’s almost laughable.

“This is what I was afraid of.” His words hang in the air and I turn around to face him.

“What is that?” I ask snarky, not able to keep the hurt out of my voice.

“This, he punctuates, gesturing to my person. “You’re acting as though I promised you something when I didn’t. I haven’t accepted you as my mate yet you act like I hurt you.”

The blood running through my veins boils in an uncontrollable anger. “You kissed me!” I yell out, the frustration from the past few days pouring out of me in waves. “You came into my room and you kissed me!”

He has the dignity to at least look a bit ashamed but then it’s quickly gone just as soon as it came. “I admit that I’m at fault for that and I’ll willing to accept the responsibility for any ideas that it may have given you.” A pause and his eyes were saddened. “It was just a little kiss and nothing more. It would be foolish to make it into something more. Something that it isn’t.”

My eyes sting and I clench my fist until I’m sure that my knuckles could cr a k. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” I grit my teeth and force myself to hold back the tears trying to escape.

“Alessia, I’m sorry if I hurt you. It wasn’t my intention.” He truly looks like he’s genuinely sorry:

Well, f u c k his feelings. His apology means nothing to me. They don’t matter at all. Not when I’m planning

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put an end to this… whatever it’s we have. If I was having second doubts before then this situation has solidified the fact that this isn’t going to work out for us.

I’m going to do it. I’m going to reject Caden and put an end to all this.

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