Chapter 162: His Request
Chapter 162: His Request
Rebecca’s POV
The heavy wooden door swung inward, and I stepped across the threshold.
Even though it was the middle of the afternoon, the bedroom was completely dark. The windows were shut tight, and the heavy velvet curtains were drawn closed, blocking out every single ray of sunlight. The lights were turned off, making it hard for my eyes to adjust to the sudden gloom.
"Alpha Kaden?" I called out softly, my voice trembling in the quiet room.
Before I could even take another step, a strong, muscular hand wrapped firmly around my waist. In one swift, powerful motion, I was yanked backward. My back crashed against a solid, broad chest, and a sharp gasp escaped my lips.
Instantly, I knew it was him. I didn’t need to see his face. The possessive grip of his arm, the intoxicating scent of mint and rain that surrounded him—it was all unmistakably Kaden.
"Alpha Kaden..." I whispered, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"Why are you here?" his voice rasped in my ear. It sounded rough, deep, and heavily strained. "Were you worried about me?"
"I... I just wanted to see if..." I stammered, my mind racing as the heat of his body radiated against mine.
"If you are worried, I want you to know something," he interrupted, his breath hot against my neck. His voice dropped to a low, dark whisper that made my blood run cold. "I am not healing, Rebecca. I am dying."
Panic exploded in my chest. A wave of pure terror washed over me, and I instantly began to struggle against his hold. "No... no! I should go tell Alpha Kane! We need to get the healer back here right now—"
"No," Kaden growled softly, tightening his grip on my waist so I couldn’t move an inch. "You are the perfect antidote."
Before I could process his words, Kaden spun me around in the darkness. His lips crashed onto mine.
I couldn’t clearly see his face in the shadows, but the sheer intensity of the kiss took my breath away. It was desperate, fierce, and full of raw emotion. It felt like a drowning man finding air. A quiet gasp left my throat, and Kaden used the moment to deepen the kiss, his tongue tangling with mine.
My head spun. He easily lifted me up off the floor as if I weighed nothing at all. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist to keep from falling, my hands gripping his broad shoulders. A low, deep moan escaped his throat, vibrating against my lips.
The heat between us was overwhelming, but suddenly, reality rushed back into my mind. He was hurt. He was supposed to be resting, and this was going too far.
I pulled my face back, breathing heavily. "Please... stop," I whispered, my voice shaking.
Kaden let out an annoyed groan, sounding deeply frustrated, but he didn’t force me. He slowly let me slide down his body until my feet touched the cold floor again.
As soon as my legs were steady, Kaden reached over and flicked a switch on the wall. The bright overhead lights clicked on, instantly filling the room.
I blinked against the sudden brightness and looked at him. Kaden walked past me and sat down heavily on the edge of his bed. His face was no longer deathly pale. The dark veins from the poison were completely gone, and his eyes were clear and sharp. He didn’t look like a man who was dying at all.
I realized then that Alpha Kane had been right. Kaden was an Alpha King; his wolf was incredibly strong, and he was already completely fine. He had just lied to me to get me close.
I crossed my arms, staring at him. "You look okay," I said, my worry instantly turning into annoyance. "I’m leaving."
"I am hungry," Kaden said flatly, ignoring my anger. He ran a hand through his dark hair. "I didn’t have breakfast."
I sighed, trying to stay polite. "I will go inform the cook to bring you something."
"No," Kaden snapped, his dark eyes locking onto mine with a stubborn gaze. "I want you to cook for me."
I raised a doubtful eyebrow, looking down at him. "Are you not afraid I will poison you?"
A faint, unexpected smirk tugged at the corner of Kaden’s lips. The harsh, terrifying Alpha King I was used to seemed to melt away, replaced by someone entirely different.
"If you wanted me dead, Rebecca, you wouldn’t have come here," he said, his voice dropping into a low, smooth purr. "Besides, if you poison me, who is going to protect you?"
My heart did a little flip. I looked away, trying to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks. "I can protect myself," I mumbled, though we both knew that wasn’t true.
"Go to the kitchen," Kaden said softly, a genuine, sweet smile completely transforming his handsome face. "Cook whatever you want. I’ll be waiting right here."
I stared at him for a moment, completely stunned by how gentle he was being. With a small, hesitant nod, I turned and walked out of his room, closing the door behind me.
As I walked down the stairs, my mind was a total mess. The lingering warmth of his touch made it impossible to think straight. But the moment I reached the bottom floor, reality crashed back in.
Alpha Kane was standing in the living room, deep in conversation with one of the palace guards. When his eyes landed on me, he frowned, looking surprised to see me walking around instead of resting in my room.
I stopped a few feet away, clearing my throat nervously. "Alpha Kane... Alpha Kaden wants me to cook for him."
Kane’s body instantly stiffened. His jaw clenched, and a flash of pure anger crossed his features. "Don’t tell me you went up to see him," he said, his voice dropping into a dark, sharp tone.
My heart raced, and I lowered my gaze. "I’m sorry... he just said he was hungry, and—"
Before I could even finish my sentence, Kane let out a harsh breath. "Do whatever you want," he snapped coldly. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away. He seemed incredibly angry, his heavy footsteps echoing loudly down the hall. I stared after him, confused and a little shaken by his sudden outburst.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I walked into the large palace kitchen. A few maids were busy wiping down the counters and prepping ingredients. They all stopped and looked at me as I entered.
"Alpha Kaden wants me to cook for him," I told them softly.
The maids looked surprised, but they quickly nodded and stepped back, giving me full access to the counters and stoves.
Once they moved away, I stood there looking around the massive kitchen, and panic started to set in. I didn’t even know what to make. My mind was completely blank. Kaden was an Alpha King; he was used to extravagant, perfect meals prepared by professional chefs. What could I possibly make that he would actually like?
After a few minutes of staring at the fully stocked pantry, I decided to just make something simple. I pulled out fresh eggs, thick strips of bacon, and some bread.
As I cracked the eggs into a bowl and started whisking them, one of the older cooks, who looked to be in her fifties, walked over and gently smiled at me. "Don’t worry, miss. The Alpha is simple when it comes to breakfast. Just make it from the heart."
Her kind words made the nervous flutter in my stomach calm down. I poured the eggs into a hot pan, cooking them until they were light and fluffy, while the savory scent of sizzling bacon filled the air. I toasted the bread until it was a perfect golden brown, then carefully arranged everything on a silver tray.
An hour after leaving his room, I carried the tray back up to the fifth floor. When I kicked his door open with my foot, I found Kaden sitting at a small table near the window. He had finally opened the heavy velvet curtains, letting the bright afternoon sun pour into the room.
"Here," I said, setting the tray down in front of him.
Kaden looked down at the simple food, then up at me, his dark eyes softening in a way I had never seen before. He picked up a piece of golden toast, but instead of eating it, he held it out toward my mouth.
"What are you doing?" I asked, blinking in surprise.
"Eat, Rebecca," Kaden said, his voice incredibly soft as his gaze locked onto mine. "Take a bite."
I scoffed. "So you think I poisoned it?" I spat, sounding offended.
He shook his head. "No... I just want to feed you."
My eyes widened. "I..."
"Take a bite," he interrupted gently, nudging the toast against my lower lip.
An overwhelming, sweet feeling swelled in my chest. I slowly leaned in and took a small bite from his hand. A satisfied, breathtaking smile washed over Kaden’s face, and only then did he take a bite for himself.