Kaden waited near the hospital reception, one shoulder resting against the wall as he checked his wristwatch for what felt like the hundredth time. Eloise had been upstairs for far too long. He clicked his tongue irritably and shoved his hands into his pockets. He didn’t know why he was so irritated by her stalling, or if it was something else.
His thoughts immediately wandered somewhere he had been trying desperately to avoid.
Yuki, the rejection, her collapse, that strange, hollow sensation that had torn through his chest the moment she went limp. Weeks had passed, yet the memory remained stubbornly vivid. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her falling. Training hadn’t helped. Neither had exhausting himself until his muscles screamed for rest. If anything, he had become more irritable.
Kaden glanced at his watch again. "Where the hell is she?" he muttered, his voice low and impatient.
A polite voice suddenly caught his attention. "Excuse me."
Kaden’s head turned slightly. A man stood at the reception desk, speaking to the receptionist. "I’m here to see a friend in the private ward," the stranger explained politely.
Kaden didn’t know why, but his gut twisted at the sentence.
Kaden went still. His jaw tightened as his gaze shifted towards the man. Xavier stood at the reception desk, apparently unaware that Kaden was watching him. A familiar irritation stirred in Kaden’s chest. Then, as though sensing the weight of someone’s stare, Xavier paused. He slowly turned around. Their eyes met. For several seconds, neither brother moved.
Kaden held Xavier’s gaze for several seconds before finally looking away. His jaw remained tense, and his fingers curled inside his pockets as an unpleasant irritation stirred beneath his skin.
’What is he doing here?’ his wolf sneered, its voice carrying the same irritation crawling through Kaden’s veins.
Kaden didn’t answer. He already had enough problems without dealing with Xavier. Unfortunately, things had never been that simple between them. A few seconds later, Xavier stepped away from the reception desk and approached. That familiar smile was already tugging at his lips, the kind that somehow managed to make Kaden want to punch him and laugh at the same time.
"Kaden," Xavier greeted casually, stopping a few feet away. His eyes swept over him before he nodded towards the private ward. "What brings you here?" he asked.
"Kieran," Kaden simply said.
Xavier’s brows lifted slightly. He had heard the rumours of Kieran’s accident, and it turned out they were true. "How is he?" Xavier inquired out of curiosity.
"Alive," Kaden said plainly. His annoyance was obvious, but Xavier’s judgement always failed when it came to Kaden’s moods.
"That’s reassuring," Xavier replied dryly, a faint chuckle escaping him. "I was beginning to think you came here to stare at the hospital walls."
Kaden’s eyes narrowed. Xavier’s smile only widened. "So," he continued, slipping his hands into his pockets, "why do you look so unhappy to see me?"
Kaden’s lips twitched despite himself. "What makes you think I’m unhappy to see you?"
"I’ve known you long enough." Xavier tilted his head, studying him with an amused glint in his eyes. "You have that look."
"What look?" Kaden blurted, and Xavier replied immediately. "The one that says you’d rather be anywhere else," he deadpanned.
Kaden folded his arms across his chest. "If you already know, why are you still bothering me?" he sneered at Xavier, whose smile remained.
"Because I wouldn’t be Xavier if I left you alone." Xavier didn’t even blink. The corner of Kaden’s mouth twitched.
’He’s getting more annoying,’ his wolf complained bitterly. ’This insufferable brat. Why haven’t we clawed his face yet?’
Kaden almost snorted. ’Because he has a good punchable face and can take a beating.’
His wolf went quiet for a moment before grunting, ’You have very strange standards for friendship.’
Kaden ignored it. He looked back at Xavier, who was still wearing that irritatingly pleased expression. "Don’t get cocky just because you have a punchable face," Kaden warned in a low voice.
Xavier’s grin widened. "Being able to take General Kaden Ravencourt’s punch without crying is something worth being smug about," he chimed.
Kaden’s lips twitched. He hated that the bastard had a point. Their exchanges had always been like this. Xavier could push every one of Kaden’s buttons and somehow walk away laughing. He had possessed an uncanny talent for turning Kaden’s temper into entertainment.
Kaden finally glanced towards the reception desk before looking back at him. "Are you here to see Kieran?" he asked.
"No," Xavier answered so quickly that Kaden’s brows drew together. "Yuki."
The name landed between them. Kaden’s expression changed. The faint amusement disappeared from Xavier’s face as he watched Kaden carefully.
"I heard she woke up," Xavier explained, his voice quieter now. "I wanted to see her."
"Yuki," Kaden repeated, almost under his breath. He didn’t like the sound of her name from Xavier’s lips.
Xavier noticed the subtle change in his expression. "Yes," he said calmly. "Yuki." He paused. "Is there a problem?" he asked when Kaden remained silent.
Kaden clicked his tongue and looked away. "You’re really becoming close with Aevia’s sister."
There was something beneath his words. Something that sounded suspiciously like betrayal. Xavier’s expression hardened slightly.
"She’s Yuki," he corrected, his tone suddenly more serious. "Not Aevia."
Kaden’s eyes snapped back towards him. Xavier held his gaze. "You rejected her already," Xavier continued, his voice calm. "So I don’t see why I should stop pursuing her."
For a second, Kaden simply stared at him. Then a short laugh escaped his lips. It wasn’t particularly amused. "You’re really choosing her over our friendship?"
Xavier’s eyebrows rose. "It’s rare for you to admit out loud that we’re friends."
Kaden scoffed.
"But then again," Xavier continued with a teasing smile, "if you actually had to choose between me and Eloise, you’d probably pick her."
Kaden’s expression darkened. Xavier shrugged casually.
"I don’t see anything wrong with choosing Yuki. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and apparently available." His smile became more knowing. "Especially now that she’s being considered for an arranged marriage."
The words struck Kaden harder than they should have. His breath caught. For one brief second, the noise of the hospital seemed to disappear. The conversations at the reception desk, the distant footsteps, the soft beeping of medical equipment, all of it faded beneath the sudden pounding in his ears.
’Arranged marriage?’
His wolf’s voice came low and stunned. Kaden’s fingers slowly tightened. Xavier watched him carefully.
"I have to take the opportunity while I can," he added lightly. "So, honestly, thanks for rejecting her."
Kaden said nothing. He couldn’t. The thought of another man standing beside Yuki suddenly twisted something deep inside his chest. His jaw clenched as images he had no right to imagine flashed through his mind. Yuki smiling at another man. Yuki wearing another man’s mark. Yuki walking down an aisle towards someone who wasn’t him. His stomach turned.
’Why does that bother us?’ his wolf asked quietly.
Kaden didn’t answer. He didn’t have one. Before he could force himself to speak, a cheerful voice interrupted them.
"Kaden!"
He turned. Eloise was approaching from the corridor, a bright smile spread across her face. She walked straight towards him and slipped her hand into his arm as though the gesture belonged there. She glanced at Xavier with pleasant surprise.
"Are you here to see someone, Xavier?" she asked sweetly.
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