Chapter 11

KAIDEN'S POV

Something about her doesn't sit right with me.

It's past midnight, and the castle is totally dark. Everywhere is so silent that you can hear a pin drop. Everyone's supposed to be asleep—except the guards posted at the gates, and me.

I'm restless. I'm on edge. Pacing the halls like a wolf hunting something it can't name.

But I'm not hunting. I'm watching.

Her.

Layla.

I don't trust her.

I've tried to write it off as paranoia, as over-caution. But every instinct in me—the Alpha in my blood, the wolf beneath my skin—screams that she's wrong.

Wrong for this place. Wrong for her rank.

She's an Omega. Omegas are supposed to be submissive. Fragile. Easy to control.

But Layla? She doesn't bend. She doesn't bow. And gods help me, she doesn't break. No matter how cold I speak, how harsh my brothers treat her, she never cowers. She never lowers those golden hazel eyes. And I can't decide if I want to snap her in half or throw her against the nearest wall and taste that fire from her lips.

Tonight, I catch her.

She doesn't see me. Not yet. She's quick and quiet as she goes down the west wing hallway.

My eyes narrow.

What is she doing here by this time?

She reaches the corner, steps into the corridor that leads toward the northern stairwell, and that's when I move. I step from the shadows.

Her body jerks to a halt.

She knows.

I don't have to say her name. She turns slowly. Her breath is quiet. Too quiet.

Like she's waiting.

And then she sees me.

"Where were you?" I ask.

Her eyes flick to the side. It's barely a twitch but I catch it.

"The library," she says. Lies.

I step forward. My boots echo over the stone. One step. Two. She backs up until the cold wall stops her. Her spine straightens as if she'd rather break it than let me think she's weak.

Don't test me.

I should say it out loud, but I don't need to.

She sees it in my eyes.

But she holds her ground. Her chin lifts stubbornly.

"Curfew applies to everyone," I murmur. "Even little Omegas who think they're clever."

Her lips part, but she doesn't speak. I can see the words forming behind her teeth. She wants to argue, to fight. I almost want her to. I want her to bare her teeth and prove what I already suspect.

She's no ordinary Omega.

My wolf paces inside me, restless. He senses something I don't. Or maybe I do—and I'm too stubborn to name it.

My hand lifts before I can stop it.

What the hell am I doing?

I brush my fingers lightly against her throat. Her skin is warm. Soft. Too soft for someone who scrubs floor everyday. Her pulse thuds steady beneath my touch. No fear.

She's not afraid of me.

Why isn't she afraid?

Her eyes never leave mine. That golden hazel is too bright in the dark, almost glowing.

I can feel myself losing control.

I should walk away.

I don't.

I take another step. My body is flush against hers now, pressing her against the stone.

"You lie well," I growl. "Too well."

"Maybe you're just not as clever as you think, Alpha," she whispers.

The word Alpha on her tongue shouldn't sound like that. Like a dare. Like seduction.

A low growl rumbles in my chest. Her breath hitches, and I catch the barest flicker of something in her eyes—not fear. Desire.

My lips hover over hers. Close enough that I can taste the warmth of her breath.

She doesn't move. Neither do I. Time halts.

And then the dam breaks. I can't take it anymore.

I crash my mouth against hers.

I feel several emotions inside me. Desire. Fury. Hunger. Confusion. The bond between us spreads through me like lightning. My wolf comes alive in a way it never has before.

She responds instantly. Her fingers tangle in my shirt, dragging me closer as if she's wanted this just as much as I have. Her lips are soft but fierce, matching my intensity. The kiss ignites something inside me I didn't know could burn.

I lift her, wrapping one arm around her waist, pinning her to the wall as my other hand buries into her thick dark hair. Her legs wrap around me without hesitation, and a groan rips from my throat.

She tastes like fire. Like secrets.

The mate bond is screaming through my veins now. It shouldn't be this strong. Not with her. Not with an Omega.

But it is.

And my wolf—my infuriating wolf—finally speaks.

She's more than she seems.

My cock twitches with need. I want nothing more than to fuck her right here right now. I press my hard on further against her core, making her moan.

Gods, that noise.

The sound of her moan can make me come undone right now. I drop her back on the floor and turn her so her face is to the wall. I lean down and suck on her neck as I play with her breasts.

"Kaiden" she gasps.

Her nipples are already hard for me. Good girl. I find her sensitive spot and nibble on it. I suck on it gently, biting it every now and then. She arches into me and throws her head back further, giving me more access to her. I press my hard on closer to her ass.

I play with her nipples, fiddling with them with my fingers. I pull them tightly. She jerks and moans even louder.

"That's it" I whisper "That's a good girl"

I can feel her wolf purring. How? Because my wolf reaches out to her. The connection between our wolves makes the whole thing intense. I pull her nipples tighter. She writhes against me in pleasure. I can practically feel my cock straining against my jeans.

I can't help it. I reach down and raise her skirt up and what do I find? She's basically dripping.

"Fuck" I whisper.

I insert a finger inside. Layla almost comes undone. Her body trembles as she moans even louder but I haven't even started yet. I thrust a finger inside, pumping it in and out at a fast pace. It doesn't take me long to find her g spot. I push my finger deep inside and make the 'come here' motion. I notice the way her eyes roll to the back of her head.

"Oh" she gasps." Kaiden. please"

"You wanna cum?"

"Yes please. Please"

"No. that's your punishment"

I pull back slightly, just enough to breathe, to see her face. She turns to face me. Her lips are swollen from our kiss. Her eyes… their filled with lust. She's breathing heavily. She looks so perfect in that moment.

And gods help me, she looks familiar.

Not from this life.

From something else.

A memory I've never lived. A feeling I've never earned.

I look at her "Who are you?"

She doesn't answer.

She only looks at me with those intense hazel eyes. It takes every bit of self control inside me not to take her to my room and fuck her senseless.

My heart pounds in my ears. My breath is ragged.

And my wolf whispers again.

She was ours… once.

What the hell does that mean?

Without saying anything else, I walk away.