THE CONFRONTATION
952 Words
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*CHAPTER 4: THE CONFRONTATION*
The music stopped the moment we walked in.
500 people. Crystal chandeliers. The smell of money and wolves.
And me in red.
Kade’s hand was on my back. Possessive. Warm.
“Smile,” he murmured. “Like you own the room.”
I tried. My hands were shaking.
Because across the room, standing by the champagne tower, was him.
Alpha Damian.
He was wearing black. The blonde from our pack was on his arm, but his eyes weren’t on her.
They were on me.
The moment he saw me, his glass froze halfway to his mouth.
His jaw ticked.
Kade felt me stiffen. He leaned down, breath hot against my ear.
“That’s him?”
I nodded. I couldn’t speak.
“Good,” Kade said. “Let him watch.”
He pulled me deeper into the ballroom. People whispered.
`That’s Kade Blackwood.`
`Who’s the girl in red?`
`She looks like—`
“Like who?” I whispered.
“His dead mate,” Kade answered honestly. “Don’t care. You’re here now.”
The host announced us. “Alpha Kade Blackwood and Miss Kira.”
Cameras flashed.
And that’s when Damian moved.
He crossed the floor in 10 seconds. Dropped the blonde’s hand.
His eyes were gold. Angry. Hurt.
He stopped 2 feet from us.
“Kira,” he said. My name sounded broken.
“Don’t,” Kade said before I could answer. “She’s not yours to speak to.”
Damian ignored him. His eyes were only on me.
“What are you doing here? With him?”
I lifted my chin. “The same thing you’re doing here. Attending.”
Damian flinched. “Baby, please. We can talk. Outside.”
Baby.
He never called me that at the rejection.
Kade’s hand tightened on my waist. “She’s not your baby. She’s mine.”
“Yours?” Damian laughed, but it was ugly. “She’s a wolf-less orphan, Kade. You picked her to get back at me?”
The ballroom went silent.
Something hot burned in my chest. Shame. Anger.
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not standing right here,” I said. My voice shook but it was loud.
Damian’s expression softened. “Kira. I was wrong. The pack, my father— they pressured me. I didn’t mean it. Come home. I’ll make it right.”
Home.
The pack that laughed at me.
Before I could answer, Kade stepped in front of me.
“She has a home. It’s with me.” His voice was low. Dangerous. “You had your chance, Damian. You rejected her under the moon. In front of everyone. You don’t get to take it back.”
“She’s MY fated mate,” Damian growled. His wolf was right under the surface. “The bond—”
“The bond is broken,” Kade cut in. “Because of you.”
Damian looked past him to me. Begging.
“Kira, please. Just talk to me. 5 minutes.”
I opened my mouth.
Kade beat me to it.
“No.”
And then he did the thing that broke the internet.
He turned me to face him. Cupped my face with both hands.
And kissed me.
Right there. In front of 500 people. In front of Damian.
It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet.
It was claiming. It was fire. It was “she’s mine.”
For a second I froze.
And then I kissed him back.
Because I was tired of being second choice.
Because I was tired of being rejected.
When we pulled apart, my lips were numb. The room was dead silent.
Damian looked like I’d stabbed him.
The blonde beside him had her hand over her mouth.
Kade didn’t look at anyone else. Only me.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
I nodded.
“Good.” He turned to the crowd. “As you were.”
He took my hand and walked out.
No one stopped us.
In the car, the air was thick.
Kade was staring out the window, jaw clenched.
“Why did you do that?” I asked.
“Do what?”
“Kiss me. Like that.”
“Because he needed to see it.” Kade finally looked at me. “And because you let me.”
My cheeks burned. “I didn’t—”
“You did.” His eyes were dark. “You kissed me back, Kira. Why?”
I didn’t have an answer.
Because I was angry.
Because for 5 minutes I felt wanted.
Because his mouth was warm and Damian’s words were still cold.
“I don’t know,” I whispered.
Kade cursed under his breath and punched the seat.
“Go to your room when we get home. Don’t come out.”
The rest of the ride was silent.
Back at the penthouse, I went straight to my room.
But I couldn’t sleep.
At 2am, there was a knock.
“Kira.” Kade’s voice.
I opened the door. He was in sweatpants and a black shirt. Hair messy.
He looked younger. Less Alpha. More man.
“You kissed me back,” he said. No greeting.
“I know.”
“Don’t do it again unless you mean it.”
“I don’t even know what I mean.”
Kade stared at me for a long time. Then he stepped closer.
“Figure it out,” he said quietly. “Because I’m not good at sharing. Not anymore.”
He walked away before I could answer.
I closed the door and slid to the floor.
Damian wanted me back.
Kade wanted me to choose.
And me?
I just didn’t want to feel rejected again.
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*END OF CHAPTER 4*
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