"You are completely taken by her," Natasha spoke. Her manner was condescending and accusing, and she had once more forgotten her place.
"We have been through this before, Natasha." Cayden sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"Then why are you trying to shield her from harm? Why didn't you get rid of her? She is worthless at this point. Hawk has no interest in having that whore....."
Cayden jumped to his feet quickly, knocking Natasha down to the ground. Cayden's tall, lean build towered over Natasha.
"Her name is Selena Hawk, and you will call her by her name."
"She is influencing you, Cayden. Why can't you grasp this?" Natasha let out a scream. She was no longer concerned with his ire. If he was going to beat her up and reduce her to a bloody mess, then so be it. Considering everything else she had already been through; this experience would be nothing.
"She is my mate," Cayden said quietly.
Even though the words were a bare whisper, she heard it. She was aware of the significance of it. Everything made perfect sense at this point.
She stumbled and stuttered, "That... that's..."
"I know that this is absurd. You simply cannot fathom the mental anguish and physical torment that I have been enduring." He was sitting on a chair with his head cradled in his hands after collapsing.
Natasha got to her feet and approached him. She hugged him tightly and let him rest his head on her shoulders while she encircled her hands around his body. As she had done for him in the past when he needed consolation.
"Do you love her?" She asked softly.
"My wolf does, I... I don't know if I love her, but I cannot hurt her or resist her. Despite her being Hawk's daughter, I can't hate her."
"It's okay. You don't have to bear the weight of this responsibility by yourself. Regardless of the choice you make, you can count on my support. I promise."
***************
Cayden was completely focused on the screen in front of him. He was experiencing severe pain in his head as he sat at his desk. He had been awake the entire previous night. He took a glance at the message that was sitting in front of him. It was from the three separate alphas who had congratulated him on his victory over Hawk, and it was directed at him. Therefore, his plan was not a complete bust, but he would require other backers to expose the entire organisation and get the council involved. It was necessary to discipline Hawk. If a conflict arises because of this, then so be it.
There was something else that he needed to learn about. Who exactly was this, Selena? Who was her mother?
With her pulse-pounding, Selena went to the Alpha's office and knocked on the door. She was sound asleep when Martha came to wake her up and inform her that Cayden had sent a request for her presence. It was still very early in the morning, and it seemed likely that she had fallen asleep in the car itself.
The voice on the other end of the door said, "Come in."
She pushed the door open and stepped inside the well-known room. He had his eyes closed as he sat at his desk behind the desk.
"You wanted to speak with me, my alpha, right?" As she stated, Cayden slowly opened his eyes and gazed at her from behind his laptop.
"I presume you had a restful night?"
She acknowledged with a nod that he had not called her to exchange pleasantries.
"What was the matter with you? Why didn't you tell me you are Hawk's bastard daughter?" He inquired while perched on the edge of the desk.
"Had I told you that, would you have believed me?" She gave a response in return. "Does it matter?"
He maintained his silence.
"It matters, and it affects every aspect of the situation. If I had been aware that you were an illegitimate child, I would not have treated you in such a manner."
"Do you mean that you have no further use for me now?" The tone of her voice was accusatory as she asked, "Are you going to send me to be raped in your barracks now?"
Cayden let out a sigh as he realized what had happened.
"Since I became an Alpha ten years ago, I have punished no one by getting raped. I apologise for going too far, but I said that to scare you."
Selena looked up at him, disoriented, and realized that he was trying to apologise to her. She had never in her life imagined that she would live to see this day.
"Who is your mother, Selena?" Cayden asked.
"My mother was a beta, and she was the true mate for my father. They could not be together because of the conditions in which they found themselves. My grandfather had arranged his marriage with another Alpha princess, and they had children together. But because my mother loved him so much, she could not resist the mating attraction. Therefore, my father made her his mistress. The end outcome was me. However, she was not the only woman he had an affair with."
She gave him an uneasy glance before he requested her to go on with the conversation.
"My mother was a strong and kind woman. Now I understand the reasons behind her constant crying and gloomy demeanour in the past. Why were there often fights going on between her and my dad? She did not support his cruelty."
Cayden still remembered that woman. She was the only one who was kind to him in that hellhole.
"Where is your mother?" Cayden asked.
Her eyes welled up with tears that she had no desire to shed.
"She is no more. When I was 12 years old, she was put to death."
Cayden frowned. "Why?"
"Treason, she was conspiring against the pack. I can't say for certain that I know if it's true."
Cayden got to his feet and started walking in her direction. He gazed into the serene blue eyes of the woman.
"I'm sorry, but what was your mother's name?"
"Jennifer," Selena replied.
He stopped dead in his tracks, and the muscles on his broad, toned back tightened into a stiff knot.
"Selena, please go back to your room." He ordered.