Before Kaidon, my life had been hanging by a thread. My brother had fallen into bad company, tangled with rogues. I tried to pull him out, but the rogues demanded payment we couldn’t afford. Everything was spiraling out of control.
Then Kaidon came into my life, offering something I couldn’t refuse. He promised to take me in, to make me his mate. His proposal was a lifeline when I was drowning, and I grabbed hold of it.
After joining the Blackwood Pack, Kaidon made sure I never faced disrespect. The pack looked down on me because of my past, but Kaidon’s protection kept them at bay. He gave me everything I asked for, made me feel special. I started to believe he might care for me, that maybe, just maybe, he could love me.
But there was always something missing. A room in the packhouse that was off-limits, one I was never allowed to enter. I was curious, but Kaidon never let me near it. I didn’t push, even though the mystery gnawed at me.
Then one night, after a rogue attack left me hurt, I lost my temper. I threatened to tell Kaidon what had happened. Ronan overheard and scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Do you think he actually loves you?"
His words hit me like a punch. I couldn’t shake the doubt they planted in my heart. That night, I couldn’t take it anymore. I opened the door to the forbidden room, bracing myself for whatever I might find.
Inside, my world shattered. The room was like a shrine, a dreamlike space filled with pictures of Elara. Her face, smiling and radiant, covered every wall. She was everywhere—her laughter, her life frozen in time. The woman I could never compete with.
Kaidon stood behind me, his voice cold and unfeeling.
"Look closely," he said, the words slicing through me. "This is the woman I love. You're just here because you look like her. Don’t ever think you could replace her."
From that day forward, I kept my distance. I couldn’t be the fool who thought he loved me, not anymore. He noticed my withdrawal, but he never spoke of it. He didn’t need to explain anything to someone he never truly cared for.
A year passed, and in that time, I lost everything that meant anything to me. My brother disappeared, my ties to my old life crumbled, and I was left with nothing but emptiness. I wanted to leave, but Kaidon wouldn’t allow it. He said I had to wait until Elara returned. Then, and only then, could I go.