Rebecca’s POV
"So..." I studied his closed expression. "Is she your mate?"
Kane said nothing.
That silence was answer enough, but I waited anyway. His jaw tightened as he looked away from me, clearly uncomfortable with the question.
"Kane?"
"I don’t want to talk about my personal matters."
I scoffed. "Great."
If that was how he wanted to play it, fine. I wasn’t going to force him to tell me anything. I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, suddenly too exhausted to keep arguing.
An awkward silence settled between us.
Kane remained standing near the table, his arms folded across his chest. I could feel his eyes on me, but neither of us spoke for several moments.
Finally, I broke the silence.
"I’ll be having an affair with Kaden until I get that key."
His head snapped toward me.
"I just need you to play along," I continued. "Whatever Kaden believes is happening between us, let him believe it. Don’t make this harder for me than it already is. Please."
"Are you fucking insane?"
I sighed. "Kane—"
"No, Rebecca. Have you actually thought about what you’re doing?" He crossed the room toward me. "You think Kaden is just going to let you walk away after this?"
I frowned.
"With or without his memories, he’s fallen for you," Kane continued. "You know that. I know that. His fucking wolf probably knows it better than either of us. And now you’re deliberately making that attachment stronger."
My stomach tightened, but I refused to let his words shake me.
"I know what I’m doing."
"No, you don’t." Kane shook his head. "You’re playing with something you can’t control. You should have let Logan and me handle getting the key."
That irritated me.
"Handle it?" I spat. "No offense, Alpha Kane, and I’m grateful for everything you and Logan have done, but you were wasting time."
His face hardened.
"I don’t have time!" I pointed toward the choker around my neck. "Have you forgotten what the healer said? This thing is suppressing my wolf while I’m pregnant. The longer I wear it, the more dangerous it becomes. Soon, the effects could start showing on my baby."
Kane’s anger faded slightly.
"I can’t sit around for another week hoping you or Logan suddenly finds some magical way into Kaden’s private room. Neither of you has access. I do now."
"Because you’re sleeping with him."
"If that’s what it takes."
His jaw clenched.
I hated how cold the words sounded, especially when what had happened between Kaden and me hadn’t felt cold at all.
That was exactly why I couldn’t think about it.
"Only I can get that key now," I continued more quietly. "So please, Alpha Kane. Do me one favor. Don’t make things harder for me."
He stared at me for a long moment.
I didn’t wait for an answer. I climbed onto the bed, pulled the blanket over myself, and turned my back to him.
Silence.
I could still feel him staring at me.
Then Kane released a frustrated groan.
A few seconds later, the bedroom door opened and slammed shut behind him.
I remained still until his footsteps disappeared down the hallway.
Then I opened my eyes.
A heavy sigh escaped me.
Kane was right about one thing.
This affair with Kaden was dangerous.
Far more dangerous than I’d allowed myself to admit.
Kaden already had feelings for me. And after tonight, things between us had changed completely. I had felt it when he’d held me afterward. I’d heard it in his voice when he said he didn’t think he could let me go.
But the risk was worth it.
It had to be.
Once I got that pin key, everything would happen quickly. I would open Helen’s locket, retrieve the key to the choker, take this damn thing off my neck, and leave.
Simple.
And maybe, years from now, when enough time had passed and I was somewhere safe with my child, I could contact Kaden.
I could tell him the truth.
Tell him Ruby had never existed.
Tell him I was Rebecca.
Tell him why I’d lied.
Whether he forgave me or hated me afterward would be his choice.
But right now, I needed my freedom more than I needed his forgiveness.
The next morning, Stephanie stared at me from across the bedroom, shaking her head.
"That was close."
"Yeah." I rubbed both hands over my face. "Too fucking close."
"You were literally seconds away from getting the pin."
"I know."
"And then Alpha Kane appeared."
I groaned. "He had to choose last night of all nights to suddenly remember I existed."
Stephanie sat beside me. "What did you tell him?"
"Everything."
Her eyes widened. "Everything?"
"About the locket. The pin. Kaden’s room." I hesitated. "And Kaden and me."
Stephanie stared at me.
Before she could start another lecture, a firm knock sounded at the door.
We both went silent.
Another knock followed.
"Miss Ruby?"
I recognized the voice of one of Kaden’s personal guards.
My stomach immediately tightened.
"Yes?"
"Alpha Kaden requests your presence in his study."
Stephanie and I exchanged looks.
"Now?" I asked.
"Yes, Miss."
I swallowed hard.
Why did Kaden want to see me this early?
Had he remembered the locket?
Worse, had he figured out what I’d been doing last night when his guard woke him?
Stephanie stood and lowered her voice. "Be careful."
"I will."
I quickly changed and followed the guard through the palace. My mind ran through a dozen possible explanations as we walked, but the guard gave nothing away.
When we reached Kaden’s study, he opened the door for me.
"Miss Ruby."
I stepped inside.
The door closed behind me.
Kaden was seated behind his huge desk, several files spread open before him. He wore a casual charcoal sweater with the sleeves pushed slightly up his forearms, his dark hair neatly combed back.
And damn him, he looked fucking handsome.
His eyes lifted from the document in front of him the moment I entered.
"Good morning."
"Good morning," I replied carefully.
He studied me for a second.
"You didn’t come down for breakfast."
I blinked. Of all the things I’d expected him to say, that wasn’t one of them.
"I wasn’t hungry."
His brows pulled together.
That was when I noticed the sitting area at the corner of his enormous study. A sofa faced a low center table, and sitting on that table was a full breakfast tray.
Eggs. Toast. Fruit. Tea.
I looked from the food back to him.
"You’re pregnant," Kaden said simply. "Breakfast isn’t optional. Sit."
There was no point arguing. I already knew that tone.
I walked toward the sofa and sat down.
"Eat."
"Yes, Alpha," I muttered.
Something that looked suspiciously like amusement flickered across his face before he lowered his gaze back to his paperwork.
I picked up my fork and started eating.
And that was it.
Kaden returned to reading the file in front of him as though having me sitting in the corner of his study eating breakfast while he worked was the most normal thing in the world.
I chewed slowly, occasionally stealing glances at him.
Last night, I’d told myself what happened between us was nothing more than part of my plan.
But sitting there watching him work while he’d quietly made sure I ate breakfast, I felt that uncomfortable warmth spreading through my chest again.
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