Chapter 49

Alessia’s POV I woke up the next morning feeling more tired than usual. It dawns on me that my late-night activity with Caden is probably the cost of this tiredness. Thankfully the pain in my shoulder is gone and I can move it without feeling like the bone is being ripped out of its socket.

Looking over at the wall clock mounted on the wall, I see that I’m treading on the brink of lateness. Jumping out of my bed, 1 fly into the bathroom and quickly wash up the scent of wood, sand, and dirt from my body.

1 step ep out and get dressed into some workout clothes, my body working on autopilot like it has been doing for close to a month now. I can’t believe that I’ve been staying here for more than a month. It’s seems like yesterday that my whole life erupted into flames.

Once I’m done dressing. I drag myself out of the room and down the stairs. At the end of the landing, I find Julianna standing there will a hand on her hip and her foot tapping the ground impatiently. She glares at me as I draw closer to her.

I pause when I get to the end of the,staircase because unless I plan on walking through her then I’ve nowhere else to go to.

“I saw you with Caden early this morning.” Her gaze sharpens. “What were you doing with him throughout. the night?”

And there it is. The reason for this ambushment. Caden.

I roll

my eyes and lean on the handle of the staircase. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Deny.

Deny. Deny. That’s my strategy here. “I didn’t come in with Caden late last night.”

I don’t know why I’m even giving her the time of my day but Julianna is the sort of person to hold onto something like a dog with a bone. The only way to get rid of her is to just deal with her.

“Stop lying. I f u c k i n g saw you with him!” She’s yelling now and drawing a crowd to us.

People are whispering and glancing our way, probably wondering what was up with this crazy bi t c h.

I grit my teeth in frustration. I don’t need this attention on me when the previous rumors about me and Caden still haven’t died down yet. This will just create more tension.

“You’re mistake, dear.” I make sure to infuse enough sweetness in my voice to make her sick. “I went straight to my room after dinner. Maybe you saw Caden with someone else and mistook them for me.” I shrug like it was an obvious and easy mistake that could happen to anyone.

“It was you I saw.” She moves closer to me. “And I know you and him were together in the week that you were both missing.”

Right in the bull’s eyes. It’s not like I didn’t know that person would eventually piece two and two together and figure this out for themselves. I just never thought that any of them would have the balls to say it to

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Chapter 49

my face.

I glance around the room to see that both the crowd and whispers have increased. A lot of people are now glancing our way with curious expressions on their faces, wanting to know if Julianna’s words hold any

truth.

I turn my attention back to Julianna to find the color in her face draining away. My brows furrow together as 1 try to figure out what caused this sudden change but a change in the air around us tells me exactly what I need to know,

Julianna, Ca

says from behind me in a deadly tone and I silently thank my lucky stars that the tone isn’t directed my way.

I press my body to the side to allow Caden to pass through. The air around the three of us electrifies as Caden takes the space in between us acting as the stufling between a sandwich.

Julianna shivers on where she stands and I take sick pleasure in seeing her tremble in the presence of Caden. Take that bitc h. I wonder where her tongue went to. Why isn’t she saying anything anymore?

By this time, basically everyone living in the pack house is surrounding us but just one glare from Caden and they all disperse around the room. Some of them even almost tripping over their foot. It’s a comical sight.

Then Caden’s gaze goes back to Julianna again and I feel the heat and anger radiating off him.

“Julianna, I thought I told you that I didn’t appreciate you harassing my guest neither do I like being the subject of a conversation.” He climbs down the last staircase so he’s standing directly in front of Julianna. “So then tell me why you’re stirring up rumors that have no bases and bothering Alessia.”

My wolf pumps out her chest as he defends us but I quiet her down. He’s only doing this because he doesn’t want the truth about our relationship to get out into the open.

“I-I’m very sorry Alpha Caden, Julianna stuttered, tripping over her words with her gaze on the ground and I almost feel bad for her. Keyword, Almost.

“I don’t need your apology. You were warned but chose to go against my order.” A pause that has an almost cinematic effect. “For that, you’re going to be punished.”

Julianna drops to her knees and clenches the front of Caden’s sweatpants, making my wolf bare her teeth in jealousy.

Caden shakes her hand off his person. “Two weeks without you stepping out of this pack house and two months of kitchen duty.

I whine, feeling a bit sorry for her. She’s a mean bitc h but two weeks of Isolation in this house almost seem too harsh. I can’t imagine what it will feel like to be locked in here without shifting into my wolf for two whole weeks.

Julianna cries out with tears streaming down her face. “Please, I’m very sorry. I won’t go against your orders again.”

M “You should have thought of that before you did. Just make sure that there won’t be a next time.”