Cayden's gaze darted across Selena's face as he returned to their room before slipping an arm around her waist and scooping her up in his arms.
"I can walk, Cayden," she murmured calmly, unsurprised when he disregarded her and proceeded to the bedroom. She wanted to scream at him for treating her like she was delicate, but she wasn't sure about his emotional state, so she let him have his way. He appeared to need to look after her.
He led her upstairs, right into the bathroom. "Take it off, Selena," he whispered quietly, gently laying her on the floor before turning to start the bath.
The sight of her covered in ash, and blood was killing him. He turned to see that she had promptly cooperated, and he swallowed hard against the wrath that was rapidly swelling inside him. Her body had bruises all over it. It reminded him of the night he first saw her, only this time the bruises were so faded, as if they had been there for days rather than hours.
He gently reached out and traced each mark with his fingers, his touch barely touching her flesh. He numbered them and remembered every detail of his failure.
"Cayden," she whispered, sensing his grief through their bond, which he seemed to have ceased blocking now that they were back home. "Don't torture yourself. It's not your fault."
Cayden held her close, brushing his lips against her hair. He had promised his wolf that no one would ever hurt her again. He then released her, poured her favourite bubbly stuff that she loved so much, and then picked her up and lowered her into the tub. "Relax," he whispered. "When you're finished, get into bed. I'll be back soon."
"Where are you going?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
"I'll shower in one of the other bathrooms," he said with a slight grimace, looking down at his bloody clothes. They weren't too bad considering the amount of killing he had done tonight, but he felt defiled just having Hawk's blood on him. He picked up the shirt from the floor and left the bathroom.
Tossing the fragments of the garment into the nearest bin, he could find. Then he showered quickly, throwing away his own clothes too. Selena was still in the bath when he returned to their bedroom. He dressed quickly and headed downstairs.
Selena closed her eyes and rested in the bath. She could feel the turmoil racing through her, and her heart broke for him. He was struggling so hard to deal with all the conflicting emotions running through him. She could feel his love for her pulsing through everything, but the feelings of self-loathing, remorse, guilt, and fury were so strong that she didn't know how he was coping with them all.
She knew her own emotions must feel just as erratic to him, too, and she probably wasn't helping him much. She had to come to terms with being kidnapped, knowing that she was pregnant, and then fearing for the safety of her child. She never thought things would lead to this. She didn't plan on falling for Cayden. All she wanted was to help him and go away from his life. But now she was entangled in a web of emotions that seemed impossible to untangle.
Under the water, she bit back a sob and put her hands on her stomach. "I'm so sorry," she said in a sad voice. "Little one, it wasn't that I didn't want you. Don't ever think I didn't want you."
Cayden said quietly, "Don't, Selena," as he stood in the bathroom doorway. "Don't blame yourself."
"But I didn't know the baby was strong enough to live, Cayden," she sobbed.
"Any child of ours is strong enough to deal with anything," he whispered. He walked up to her and sat down on the ledge of the bathtub. Cayden's eyes traced the contours of Selena's face, his gaze lingering on the curve of her lips. "Selena," he began, his voice a tender whisper, "there's something we need to talk about."
Selena met his gaze, her eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. "I know," she replied softly. "We can't keep avoiding it."
He took a deep breath, the weight of his words heavy on his chest. "Why did you mark me, Selena? Back then, I never understood why."
Selena's fingers brushed against the pendant that hung around her neck, a nervous habit that betrayed her emotions. "I had to do it, Cayden. You were dying, and marking you was the only way to save your life."
Cayden's brow furrowed, his expression a mix of confusion and realisation. "But was that the only reason? My memories of that night are hazy. I am sorry. I didn't want to mark you without your consent, but my wolf took over."
Selena's gaze wavered, her voice barely more than a whisper. "It's ok. I don't mind. I was so focused on my promise of helping and protecting you that I didn't realise... I didn't realise that I was falling for you."
Cayden's eyes widened in surprise, and his heart raced. "Falling for me?"
Selena nodded, her gaze steady as it met his. "Yes. But I was too stubborn and too afraid to admit it to myself. I let my anger and resentment cloud my feelings."
Cayden moved closer, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. "And what about now, Selena? How do you feel now?"
A vulnerable smile graced Selena's lips, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I love you, Cayden. All the anger and resentment I felt vanished when you saved my mother. You risked your life for her and for me. It made me realise I couldn't hold on to my anger any longer."
Cayden's thumb brushed away a tear that escaped down Selena's cheek. "You do not know how much those words mean to me."
Selena's hand covered his, holding it against her cheek. "Cayden, I was so lost for so long. But you showed me I could have a future—a future with you."
Cayden's voice was a tender murmur, and his gaze locked onto hers. "I love you, Selena. And I can't explain how ashamed I am for what I did to you. I am sorry."
"Don't be," Selena whispered, her voice filled with forgiveness. "It doesn't matter anymore."
Cayden's fingers brushed a strand of hair behind Selena's ear, his touch gentle and full of affection. "I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you," Cayden vowed, his eyes brimming with sincerity. Selena smiled; her heart was filled with hope for their future together.
As their lips met in a gentle kiss, it was as if the universe itself rejoiced in their union.
"The water is getting cold. Would you like to get out?" Cayden whispered, breaking the intimate moment. Selena nodded, reluctantly pulling away from him.
He stood up, to her surprise, and scooped her from the tub. The water dripped off her onto the white tiles.
Carrying her effortlessly, Cayden placed Selena gently on a plush towel and wrapped it around her shivering body.
"I can walk, Cayden." Selena said, exasperated, as he picked her up to carry her into the bedroom.
Cayden chuckled softly, his eyes filled with adoration. "I know you can, but let me take care of you for a little while longer," he whispered, planting a tender kiss on her forehead. Selena couldn't help but melt into his arms, feeling safe and loved in his embrace.
"Are you planning to carry me around for the rest of my pregnancy?" She laughed.
Perhaps that sounds like a good idea." Cayden replied with a mischievous grin, playfully teasing her. "But don't worry, I'll give you plenty of opportunities to show off your walking skills, too." Selena playfully swatted his arm.
He gently placed her on the bed. And walked away to pull on a shirt. A tee and track pants were kept neatly folded on the bed. But it was the smell of food that caught Selena's attention. An omega had placed a food tray laden with delicacies on the dining table in their suite. After pulling on her clothes, Selena followed the scent and returned to the food tray in their living room.
"Wow! Milli's mum made pasta again," Selena exclaimed. She eagerly grabbed a plate and served herself a generous portion of the pasta. As she took her first bite, she couldn't help but savour the rich flavours that danced on her taste buds.
Sorry, I couldn't wait." She grinned at Cayden as he joined her at their table.
Cayden chuckled and shook his head. "No worries; I can never resist Beth's pasta either," he said, taking a seat next to Selena. They both indulged in the delicious meal, enjoying each other's company and the delectable flavours.