Scandal! My Ex-Mate Brother Does It Better!

Chapter 3

ELARA

Even though I was still feeling skeptical, the past week had been the happiest I have been in a long time. After Thane stormed out of my apartment a week ago, I heard nothing from him, which is how I preferred him. Kaiden also disowned his family, stating that he wanted nothing to do with them, and it’s thrilling, but I’m still dealing with the biggest change of my life.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, a soft smile touching my lips at the reflection that stared back at me. At the same time, the doorbell rang, signaling someone at the door. Taking one last look at my dress, I made my way towards it and wasn’t at all surprised to see Kaiden standing outside with flowers in his hands. He smiled, extending it towards me.

“It’s beautiful, do you want to come in?” I opened the door wider for him, still not used to the way he looks at me.

He nodded, stepping past me into the new apartment I rented a few days ago. “You look very beautiful.” I flushed at the sincerity in his voice, walking into the kitchen area. I dropped the flower at the counter before coming back to the room.

“So…?” I asked, peeking at him and feeling unsure. “Aren’t we going to leave?” I teased as he advanced towards me.

“In a minute.” He whispered, wrapping his arms around my waist and using them to pull me closer to his body. “I love you Elara, you know that, right? And everything I f*****g do is for you. Do you trust me?” His question immediately made me worried.

“What? Is something wrong?” My mind immediately went to Thane, thinking he had probably carried out his threat.

“No… but I don’t trust my family, Elara, I’m not going to lie to you, which is part of the reason why I want to claim you, so no matter what happens to me, you will always be covered. Everything I have will come to you. This is to ensure your protection even if something happens to me.” Without giving me the chance to ask any more questions, he lowered his head and kissed me.

When we finally broke apart, I was panting heavily from the kiss. “What are you talking about? Nothing is going to happen to you okay?” I fiercely told him, the thought of something happening to him made me physically and mentally sick.

He chuckled, burying his face in my neck and inhaling it. My body hummed with excitement as if familiar with him by now, we fit together so well that when he lifted his head, and then lowered his mouth to my neck after flashing me his fangs, his intention was clear.

I felt my own fangs extracted instantly, and I cried out when he claimed me right there and there, it took several seconds for us both to recover and when he finally did, it became my turn to claim me. For the first time ever, it felt right to be connected to someone…not just anyone but him. I could feel every one of his emotions through our bond, and it overwhelmed me.

“Shall we?” He held out his elbow and I gladly took it, following him out of the apartment. He opened the front passenger door for him and I slid in before he went to settle in the driver’s seat.

“Wait until you see what I have planned.” He winked at me, making me smile.

The rest of the drive to the restaurant happened in silence, but it wasn’t awkward at all as Kaiden would occasionally brush his hand with mine, or wink at me…all this made me feel so giggly. He veered around, pulling into the restaurant parking lot, but for some reason, the car would not cooperate!

I glanced at him in fear, watching us speed past the restaurant into the highway despite him trying to control the car. “Something is wrong.” I heard him whisper to himself as if he didn’t want to alarm me, the idea that someone had tempered with the car didn’t fully settle down within me when suddenly, I was pushed out of the car!

I let out a scream as I rolled away from the road, watching the car speed right into a tree, crashing into it! The car exploded into a wall of fire and I screamed, trying to drag myself from the ground. All I could think about was Kaiden and the fact that he was in the car. By the time I managed to arrive at the scene, people had gathered around, including the police, an ambulance was being called, and I was also prevented from going near the crash.

I was too stunned, too shocked to cry as everything felt like a dream. After Kaiden was driven away in an ambulance, one of the cops offered to take me to the emergency room to have my injury checked. I couldn’t do anything but obey. I was scared, frozen and terrified, but more importantly, I wanted to be near my mate.

After being released from the emergency room, I went to the waiting area hoping for some news about Kaiden and just when I thought that things couldn’t get worse, his family showed up with the police. I slowly stood up, knowing whatever that was going to happen next would likely be in my favour.

“That’s the slut! Arrest her! She’s the one who killed my son!” Screamed Abigail, immediately trying to hit me as if the police hadn’t stopped her.

“Kill?” I echoed, having no idea what to make of her statement. “Kaiden isn’t dead! The ambulance took him… I saw him!” I cried frantically, looking at the ICU and wondering who the hell was in there, but then Abigail grabbed me, dragging me outside the waiting room. “You’re hurting me!” I cried, freeing my hair from her painful grasp.

Age slammed me against the door. “Thane will kill you if he finds out about the abomination you’re carrying in your filthy womb!” She hissed, causing me to wonder how she found out about my pregnancy when I had only just found out. “Name your price, I’ll give you whatever amount you want to disappear out of my son's life! I want you gone or else you can stay here, and I’ll not only have you arrested, imagine giving birth in prison, your child will be taken away from you… is that the risk you are willing to take?” She demanded, squeezing my arms.

Tears streamed down my face. “Please let me see Kaiden, he’s alive. I can feel it! Just let me see him… just once… I need to know he’s okay.” I begged, going down at her feet, crying and begging her.

She kicked me away. “Don’t you get it?” She dragged me up using my hair. “I want you far away from my family! If I ever see your face… trust me, I’ll make sure you riot in jail and if you ever get out, I’ll personally kill you.” With that, she turned to leave.

“You’re a woman, a mother as well… are you really okay with doing this? Don’t you want Kaiden to know about this…?” She grabbed hold of my chin, squeezing so hard I was afraid she might break my jaw.

“Giving you the money to terminate that thing in your womb is more than kind enough, for all we know, Kaiden isn’t even responsible for that thing inside your womb, so you should be thanking me!” She hissed, letting go of me.

I dried my tears, sniffling. “Tell me the truth, one of you tempered our car right? Kaiden suspected he knew something might happen to him. Why would you do this to your own son? Do you hate me so much that you would kill him? I’m begging you, let me say goodbye to him.”

“Kaiden is dead! Don’t you get it? Thane killed him because of you! I’m giving you a head start, Elara. Go very far away and don’t even think about ever showing yourself or whatever the Nightshade family will do to you, is your own fault.” She thrust a check note into my hand and then walked away.

I stared after her, my throat closing up as a claustrophobic feeling enveloped me, making it increasingly difficult for her to breathe. “No! No!! Kaiden… No!!!” I sobbed brokenly into my palm, not wanting to believe he was dead, but then I saw the car go up in flames, he pushed me out… he could just have let me die with him!

“Where the f**k is that slut!” Thane's angry growl pushed me out of my grief and recalled Abigail’s words about if Thane finds me, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me. I already know that, but there’s no way in hell I would believe Kaiden was dead! Deciding to run before Thane finds me, I ran out of the hospital wanting to get the hell away from them as fast as possible.

Before running away, I decided to go to my apartment and grab a few things, but on getting there, I was shocked out of my body when I found my apartment on literal fire! I collapsed on the ground, knowing everything I ever owned and loved was at that moment. I sat there in the distance, watching a fire truck pull into the parking lot as people gathered around, my mind drifting off to Kaiden and placing a protective hand around my stomach. I used the other one to dry my tears.

“You won’t get away with this.” I vowed, whispering into the night.