Rebecca’s POV
Kane didn’t move.
His tired eyes remained fixed on the tiny silver key between my fingers as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. Then his gaze slowly moved from the key to the choker around my neck.
"How?" he breathed, his voice barely a rasp. "When?"
I scoffed, tossing my head back with a sharp, bitter edge. "Well, you didn’t care to ask. While you were busy disappearing Goddess knows where, I was actually working on our plan. I have gotten the key."
"Rebecca—"
"What?" I held the small silver piece higher, letting the faint metallic shine catch the dim light of the room. The choker around my neck seemed to hum against my skin, as if acknowledging its imminent undoing. "I got it. That’s what matters."
Kane stepped closer, his attention returning to the tiny piece of metal. "You’re sure that’s the key?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"The pin was exactly where we suspected," I whispered. "I got into Kaden’s private suite, waited until he left me alone, took the opening pin from his key rack and used it on Helen’s locket. This was inside."
Kane stared at me in stunned silence, his mouth parting slightly. He still didn’t believe I was actually able to pull it off, but the proof was right in front of him.
"The key to this fucking thing has been sitting inside that locket the entire time," I touched the cold choker around my neck, feeling that low vibration beneath my skin. "This is the key. Now you have to help me leave. I have already told Kaden that I’m breaking up with you at a restaurant, so he won’t suspect us leaving."
"Fuck." Kane dragged a hand down his face, trying to pull himself out of his shock. "Rebecca, calm down."
"I am calm."
"You’re practically shaking."
I looked down at my hands. He was right. I hadn’t even noticed, but my fingers were trembling slightly around the silver metal.
I curled my fingers into fists. "I’ve been wearing this thing for too fucking long, Kane. I finally have the key. I’m allowed to shake."
"I know."
"I want out. Tonight."
Kane’s brows pulled together.
"As soon as possible," I corrected, knowing rushing could destroy everything we’d worked for. "The dinner gives us a clean exit. Nobody will question why I’m leaving the mansion with you. Once we’re far enough away, outside the territory, I remove the choker and leave."
Kane blinked, processing my words. "You told my brother you’re dumping me?"
"Yes."
"And he believed you?"
"He more than believed me. He’s probably counting down the seconds until it happens."
Kane gave a quiet snort, something close to brief amusement crossing his exhausted face.
"This isn’t funny."
"It is a little funny."
I glared at him, and his expression quickly became serious again.
"So where do I go?" I demanded, taking a small step closer to him. "I have nowhere."
Saying it aloud made the cold reality hit even harder. I couldn’t return home. I couldn’t remain anywhere Kaden would think to search. And once he discovered Ruby was actually Rebecca, I had no idea what he would do—especially when he discovered I was carrying his child.
"Sit," Kane said softly.
"Kane..."
"Sit down, Rebecca."
I reluctantly lowered myself onto the edge of the bed. Kane pulled a chair closer and sat opposite me, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees.
"Where do you want to go?"
"I have no idea," I sighed. "But I need to go somewhere Kaden’s influence won’t find me."
Kane rubbed a heavy hand over his jaw, his eyes dark with deep calculation. "Kaden is the Alpha King, Rebecca. His influence isn’t limited to this territory. He has alliances, contacts, and people loyal to him everywhere... but he has considerably less influence in Africa."
"Africa it is," I said instantly, without a single second of hesitation.
"Rebecca, Africa is an entire continent."
"I know that."
"You can’t just say Africa and pack a bag."
"Then you pick somewhere," I said. "Somewhere quiet. Somewhere Kaden wouldn’t immediately think I’d go. And I need somewhere safe for the baby."
His gaze dropped briefly to my stomach before meeting my eyes again. "I’ll look at the safest options. I have to make some calls."
"When?"
"Now."
"Don’t take forever."
He gave me an irritated look. "Planning your disappearance from the Alpha King isn’t exactly the same as ordering dinner, Rebecca."
"I know. I’m just nervous."
Kane nodded, taking a steadying breath. "I’ll make sure there is no trail leading to you." He turned toward the heavy wooden door to leave, but I spoke before his hand could touch the handle.
"Your mate was here."
Kane froze. He spun around slowly, his eyes wide with utter disbelief. "What?"
"She was here," I continued smoothly, standing up and folding my arms over my chest. "She said you told her everything, and she asked me to leave you alone."
His face changed immediately. "Crystal was here?"
"So that was her name," I noted. "Yes. Earlier today. She said you told her about our arrangement, about me pretending to be your woman, about the pregnancy... everything. She actually walked into this mansion and demanded that I disappear from your life because our arrangement is getting in the way."
A deep, furious frown carved across Kane’s face, and he cursed softly under his breath. He let out a long breath, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "I’m sorry, Rebecca. She shouldn’t have come here."
"No shit," I replied. "She knows how dangerous this situation is, Kane. If she knows everything, then she knows Kaden can’t find out we’re lying. Yet she walked directly into his pack house to confront me."
"I know."
I studied his face carefully, watching the tension radiating from his broad shoulders. "So she is your mate."
"Yes," Kane admitted quietly. "But I’m pushing for a rejection."
My eyebrows pulled together. "Why?"
"Because Crystal isn’t the type of mate I want," he said plainly.
"Kane... are you doing this because..." I trailed off, searching his guarded expression.
"...because of you?" Kane completed my sentence, shaking his head immediately. "No. It’s not because of you, Rebecca. What Crystal did today is exactly part of the problem. You see what she did? Coming all the way here to tell you to back off, knowing how incredibly risky it is? She could have exposed everything. That just shows one of many reasons why I can’t be with her."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping into a low, serious tone.
"Ever since I found out we were mates, I started looking into her background and investigating everything about her. The woman beside me wouldn’t only be my mate—she would eventually become Luna. My people would depend on her. I can’t ignore someone’s character because my wolf wants her, and the reports I received about Crystal weren’t good."
"Were you sure they were true?"
"No. That’s why I didn’t reject her immediately," Kane explained, his jaw tightening. "I decided to spend time with her recently just to see if those reports were fake. I wanted to know her without relying entirely on reports from other people. That’s the real reason I haven’t been around. I’ve been with her, trying to know her, and from my own personal experience... I realized she isn’t fit to be my pack’s Luna. I can’t be with her. I just can’t."
A sudden wave of pity washed over me as I looked at the exhaustion etched into his face.
"You could have just told me what was going on," I said quietly. "Instead of letting me wonder what the hell you were doing while our entire plan was falling apart."
Kane sighed heavily, looking down at the floor for a brief moment. "Yes. I know. I just wanted to handle it myself to see if things were exaggerated."
"And?"
"They weren’t," he said softly, a painful disappointment beneath his words. "I genuinely tried to get to know her, thinking maybe the bond would make things easier. It didn’t."
"I would have understood," I told him gently.
He gave me a tired smile. "Because apparently I enjoy making everything harder for myself."
A small laugh escaped me despite the tension, but Kane’s slight smile vanished quickly as he took another step toward me. His expression softened into something raw and vulnerable.
"I know you will never want me, Rebecca. It’s pretty obvious, and I don’t ever want to force you into anything or use what’s happening with Kaden to make you choose me. But I made you a promise. I told you I would help you get away, and I meant it."
My eyes burned unexpectedly. "Even now? Knowing that once I leave, you might never see me again?"
Something moved across his face, but he quickly hid it with a firm nod. "Even now."
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision as the weight of everything hit me all at once. One escaped, and I quickly wiped it away. "Thank you, Kane. Whatever happens after this, I won’t forget what you’ve done for me."
Kane gave me a firm, silent nod. "You don’t have to thank me. Now, I have to make some calls for the final preparations, find somewhere safe and very far away."
"And Kane?" I called as he reached the door.
He paused and looked back at me.
"Please hurry."
His expression hardened with determination when he saw the lingering fear on my face. "I’ll get you out, Rebecca. I’ll be back once I’ve made the preparations."
"Thank you," I mouthed, and watched him leave.
Breathe, Rebecca, breathe.
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