Rays of Revenge

Episode four

THE PROPOSAL

“What?!” Lucas was stunned to his wits.

Kade sighed dejectedly, retracing his steps back to his seat. His jittery hands grabbed the whiskey bottle and he chugged it down. He was an emotional mess and he needed to drown off a bit of those emotions.

“How is that possible?” Lucas asked more quietly, hands pinned on the table, staring down at Kade. “How is that child yours?”

“I don't know. I don't understand anything right now.” Kade shook his head. His confusion and perplexity were latched onto his face. “I just know that when I saw her, the world stopped spinning for seconds. I felt this maddening adrenaline rush. And went into some sick rage when the men grabbed her. I-I…”

Kade couldn't admit it. What he did to his men was a sin against the rogue laws. They were a brotherhood. Killing each other meant death for the culprit. He was merely breathing because he was the leader and because no one found out what he did.

Not that they'd be capable of killing him but it would plant a bit of discord between them and ruin their peaceful coexistence. He didn't want that. So he'd vowed never to come clean about what he did. But right now, he was on the verge of confessing it all to his Beta.

Lucas stared wide-eyed at him. Then his eyes squinted and then popped. He leaned up with a gasp, running his hands through his hair.

“No f*****g way. You killed them?!”

“Pipe the f**k down!” Kade shushed, taking a glance at the door; thankful that no one was standing there. “But yeah, I did. And I feel really sick about it. You got no idea.”

“That's messy, man. Do you know what's gonna happen when the others find out?”

“Precisely why no one is ever gonna find out. Watch yourself.” Kade warned him sternly.

Lucas nodded. “But I don't understand. Maybe she's your mate, all right, but how is the child yours? Isn't this your first time seeing her?”

That part was the unsettling part of this whole situation that had Kade on edge. This was his first time seeing her, or so his memories tell him. But she undeniably looked familiar. So damn familiar but his inability to place a finger on it had him desperately confused.

“I don't know, man.” Kade sighed helplessly, leaning back on the chair. “I just know that I felt a mad pull to the child. Like it was a part of me, you understand?”

“No, I don't understand. It doesn't make any f*****g sense.” Lucas puffed. Now, he was the one who needed the whiskey, but grabbing the bottle, he realized Kade already chugged it all down.

He dropped it and refocused on the conversation. “So exactly why are you keeping her?”

“I need to find the truth from her. I need to know why I feel connected to her child and what Pack she came from.”

“All right. Makes sense.” Lucas nodded. “but don't forget, man. You need to be wary of her. A girl who already influenced you into killing your loyal subjects would cause us more ruin if she stayed here any longer. Get your answers and get rid of her.”

Kade shot him a sharp look. He was right. She shouldn't stay. He should get rid of her. He planned on it, but why the f**k did hearing it from Lucas sting a bit? Like he was being asked to plunge a dagger into his own heart.

*

Evelyn tossed and tossed, as vivid dreams of when Damon rejected her haunted her mind. She yelled out, sitting up sharply and panting from the dream.

It lasted for seconds before she realized that she wasn't aware of where she was. The room was strange; lavishly furnished but very strange.

“Where am I?” She whispered in half panic.

“In my quarters,” a deep, reverberating voice replied, startling the f**k out of her.

Evelyn swallowed her gasp as she noticed the man in the room. He was farther away, leaning against the wall, and boring daggers into her with his gaze.

She stared at him a bit longer before those intense brown eyes jogged her memories. Those eyes she'd seen in the shadows right before she lost consciousness. Those eyes she'd begged for help.

Again, she took in his features. His burly physique was scary as well as breathtaking. But what was more scary was the irritation on his face and the rugged scar that ran down his jawline, making him every bit a demi-monster.

But then there was something else about him. Her wolf was quietly whispering out to him. It was still weak from Damon's rejection but right now, it felt oddly alive.

Was it…was it because of the man? What was he to her? Definitely not a second chance mate, right? The moon goddess wouldn't be so mean to get her mated to such a horrifying looking man.

“Who-who are you?” She stuttered, gripping the sheets in fear.

He walked closer to her; every step he took sent fear spiraling down her spine. Thankfully, he stopped inches away from her.

“You tell me first. Who the hell are you?” That deep voice had so much venom that Evelyn shuddered hard. “And don't you dare lie to me.”

She wouldn't dare, Evelyn thought, nodding vigorously. “I'm…I'm…Evelyn…”

“Not your damn name,” Kade snapped. But yeah, he'd been a bit curious about that. “What Pack are you from?”

“Crescent moon.”

Kade paled. Just like he thought. She was from his past. Did she really play a role in his past tragedy? How deeply connected to his past was she? He was itchy to find out.

“You're a reject. Who was your mate and why were you rejected?” Jealousy mixed with an unexplainable anger lingered in his questions. The thought that she'd been with another man was strangely tugging at his heartstrings.

But why? She was nothing to him. He shouldn't be affected by that.

“Alp-Alpha Damon.” Evelyn stuttered out, lowering her eyes to hide her tears.

Kade was plunged into a deeper rage at the mention of that name. Damon. His arch-enemy and the guy who ruined his life and took everything from him.

She was his mate?

Oh, hell no. He'd never share a woman with Damon. Not even if the moon goddess willed it.

“Why did he reject you?” Kade pinned for his answers. After he gets them, he'll get rid of her.

“He…he…fell in love with someone else…”

A typical asshole, Kade cussed under his breath.

“How long have you two been together?”

“Two years.”

“Who's the father of your child?”

“Damon.”

Kade scoffed at her blatant lies. It couldn't be Damon. That child was almost sharing a heartbeat with him. She definitely was hiding something.

“Do you know me?” Kade dropped the most pressing question. He was tired of going around the circles. “Look closely, have you ever seen me before?” He added swiftly.

Evelyn stared harder at him, searching for any bit of recognition. He had striking eyes, she'd definitely recall if she'd seen him before. But she hasn't.

“No…” she shook her head.

“Quit lying to me!” Kade bellowed, lunging towards her and throttling her down to the bed.

She struggled, weakly patting his grip. “I'm…I'm…I'm not lying….please…”

He was angry. Blood-curdling angry. Every inch of him wanted to f*****g kill her. But his wolf was yelling at him to let her go.

He stubbornly tightened his grip, watching her struggle pathetically for her life. But then a tear rolled down her eyes, leaving him instantly perplexed.

He jerked away from her, getting off the bed and going to slam his fist into the wall. Her whimpers yanked at his heart, filling it up with guilt. Damn her!

“Please let me stay here,” he heard her plead weakly. “I don't have anywhere else to go. I'll do anything. I'll do maid duties if you want, but please let me stay here and take care of my son.”

Kade was panting in anger, still having his back turned to her. It was hard looking at her, knowing those tears were still in her eyes.

“You…you didn't kill my son, did you?” She stuttered out.

“f**k, no!” Kade hissed. He'd never kill his own blood. “He's being attended to by the doctor. I know he's sick.”

“Really?” The excitement in her voice appealed to him a bit. Calmed his rage to a notch. Finally, he turned to look at her.

“Really. Your son stays here until he's healed. But you're not staying. Not as a maid and definitely not as a speck of dust. You're leaving.”

“Please!” Evelyn cried out desperately. “Please, don't separate me from my son. He's all I have. Please, please, I'm begging you.”

Seeing those tears again churned his heart. He was almost tempted to reach out and dry her eyes. But he held back, biting down the urge.

She seemed really desperate, and then a sudden thought hit him, making him realize she could just be what he needed to resolve his traumatic past.

She might swear not to know him but there had to be a reason why he had a connection to that child. And she was connected to Damon, making her the easiest link to get his revenge on Damon.

Letting go of her wasn't exactly wise, now that he'd given it a second thought. He should latch onto her until he strangles out all the truth in her. Every bit of truth she's hiding from him. And then she'd be the key to his revenge.

“You'd do anything to stay, wouldn't you?” he began, stalking her slowly.

She nodded.

“Anything at all?”

She nodded again.

“Then…would you be willing to marry me?” He dropped coldly, seizing her stunned gaze.