Cade's POV
The sound of breaking glass could be heard all through my bedroom as I threw my whiskey tumbler against the wall. The liquid dripped down like tears I refused to cry.
I growled, running my hands through my hair for the hundredth time today.
I'd been walking back and forth in my room for hours now, trying to figure out what was happening to me. Every Alpha in my family had the same rule - one night, no more. It kept things simple and Safe.
But Ember wasn't simple. She was like fire burning in my chest. growing stronger every minute I stayed away from her.
My wolf clawed at my insides, demanding I go to her. He'd been restless all day, whining like a lost wolf. This had never happened before. Ever.
"Get it together, Cade," I told myself. "You're getting married in six days."
The words felt like poison in my mouth.
A knock at my door made me freeze.
"Son?" My father's voice was stern. "We need to talk."
I opened the door to find Alpha Marcus standing there with an unpleasant face. Behind him stood Victoria, looking perfect as always in her designer clothes.
"Victoria has some concerns," Dad said, pushing past me into the room.
My face dropped. Victoria's cold blue eyes studied me like I was hiding something from her.
"Hello, darling," she said pleasantly, but her tone was cold. "We need to discuss your little... Visit last night."
"I don't know what you mean," I lied.
Victoria laughed. "Really? Because half the pack is talking about how you spent the night with that tree farm girl. The omega with no family."
My father's eyes burned with anger. "Is this true?"
I wanted to deny it, but lying to an Alpha was dangerous. "It was nothing. Just one night."
"One night that everyone knows about," Victoria snapped. "Do you know how this makes me look? How it makes our families look?"
"The wedding is in six days," Dad said quietly, which somehow felt worse than than yelling. "You will not embarrass this family or our allies."
"I understand," I said.
But Victoria wasn't done. "I went to see her today. Made sure she knows her place."
Something dark and angry exploded in my chest. "You what?"
"I told her to stay away from my future husband."
"She's not your problem,"I growled.
Victoria's eyes went cold. "Everything that threatens my marriage is my problem."
"Enough," Dad commanded. "Cade, you will stay away from that girl. Do I make myself clear?"
I nodded, but my wolf was growling inside me.
After they left, I tried to focus on pack business. I reviewed reports, answered emails, did everything to Keep me from thinking about Ember.
But It didn't work.
When night came, I somehow ended up outside her cabin without Knowing how I got there. My feet had carried me there on their own.
I raised my fist to knock, then froze.
What was I doing? I was breaking every rule I'd ever made. Every promise to my pack.
But then I remembered how she felt in my arms. How she looked at me like I was more than just an Alpha title. Like I was worth something.
I knocked.
She opened the door. Her hair was unkept and her eyes were red. She had been crying.
"You came back," she whispered.
"I tried not to," I admitted. "I spent all day trying to forget about you."
"Did it work?"
I stepped closer. "What do you think?"
She moved aside to let me in. The cabin was small but warm. It smelled like her. sweet and perfect.
"Victoria told me she visited you again," I said.
Ember's face went pale. "She did."
"What did she say this time?"
"That I should stay away from you. That I'm nobody."
Rage filled my chest immediately. "You're not a nobody."
"Aren't I?" She looked at me with those big green eyes. "I work at a tree farm. I live in a tiny cabin. I have no family, no money, no power."
"You have me..."
The words slipped out before I could stop them. We both froze for a moment.
"Do I?" she asked softly. "Because you're marrying her in six days."
I moved closer until I could touch her face. Her skin was so soft.
"I don't want to marry her,"
"But you will."
I closed my eyes. "I have to. The pack needs this marriage. It will make us stronger."
"And what about what you need?"
"What I need doesn't matter."
She stepped back, and I missed her instantly.
"It should matter," she said. "You should matter."
No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Alphas were trained to put duty first. Always.
"Come here," I whispered.
She shook her head. "This is crazy. We're both going to get hurt."
"Maybe. But I can't stay away."
I pulled her into my arms, and she leaned on me. For a moment, everything felt right.
"What are we doing, Cade?" she asked against my chest.
"I don't know," I admitted. "But I know I can't stop."
We stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other. Part of me wanted to leave, to protect her.
But a bigger part wanted to stay here forever.
"I've never felt like this before," I told her.
"Like what?"
"Like someone sees me. The real me, not just the Alpha."
She pulled back to look at me. "I do see you."
"Even the broken parts?"
"Especially those."
I kissed her then, pouring all my confusion and want into it. She kissed me back like I was the only thing keeping her alive .
When we broke apart, she was breathing hard.
"Stay with me tonight," she whispered.
"I shouldn't."
"But you will?"
I nodded. I was weak when it came to her.
We talked until late, sharing stories about our childhoods. She told me about her parents' accident, and I told her about the pressure of being an Alpha's son.
"Do you ever wish you were someone else?" she asked.
"Every day," I said. "Do you?"
"I used to. But not tonight."
"Why not tonight?"
"Because tonight, I feel special."
My heart clenched. She was special. More special than she knew.
We fell asleep tangled together, and for the first time in years, I didn't have nightmares about duty and expectations.
I woke up to loud banging on the door.
Ember shot up beside me, eyes wide with fear.
"Cade Blackwood!" a voice shouted. "Open this door right now!"
My blood turned to ice. It was Victoria's father, Alpha Sterling. And he sounded furious.
"Get dressed," I whispered to Ember. "Fast."
The banging got louder. "I know you're in there! Both of you!"
Ember's hands shook as she wore her clothes. "What's happening?"
Before I could answer, the door bursted open. Alpha Sterling stood there with three of his warriors, his face dark with rage.
"Well, well," he said coldly. "Looks like the rumors are true."
Behind him stepped Victoria, her face twisted with victory and something darker.
"Hello, darling," she said to me. "Surprise. I came back early for our engagement party."
My heart stopped. The engagement party is left with three more days.
"Daddy wanted to make sure his future son-in-law was behaving himself," Victoria continued. "Good thing we checked."
Alpha Sterling's eyes were deadly as he looked between me and Ember.
"You have ten seconds to explain why you're destroying two pack alliances," he growled.
I stepped in front of Ember.
"This isn't what it looks like," I lied.
"Really?" Victoria laughed. "Because it looks like you're cheating on me with pack's trash."
"Don't call her that," I growled.
Victoria's smile grew wider. "Oh, You actually care about her."
She turned to her father. "Daddy, I think we need to move the wedding up. Tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow?" My voice cracked.
"Unless you'd prefer we tell the council about your little affair?" Alpha Sterling asked.
Behind me, I heard Ember's sharp intake of breath.
"You have until sunset tomorrow to decide," Victoria said. "Marry me, or lose everything. Your pack, your future."
She looked directly at Ember. "And she'll be banished from pack lands forever."
The world seemed to spin around me. This was it. The moment I'd been trying to avoid.
Choose duty or choose her.
"What's it going to be, Cade?" Victoria asked sweetly.
I looked back at Ember. Her green eyes were full with tears and something else. Like she was already saying goodbye.
"I..." I started, but no words came out.
Victoria's laugh echoed in the silence.
"That's what I thought," she said. "See you at the altar tomorrow, darling."