"It was not a date," Cayden stated abruptly.
"Right. Is that the reason you came back smelling of sex?" Max arched his eyebrows in confusion.
Cayden did a quick rake over his hair with his palm.
"It's complicated. She is very clear that she hates me and wants to leave."
As Max stared at his companion, he couldn't help but grimace. The ordinarily proud man was uncharacteristically reserved and silent, with a serious scowl etched on his face.
He questioned him in an inquisitive tone, "You and Selena are fighting again?"
Cayden gave him a brief blink of his eye before shaking his head. He said in a hushed tone, "We don't fight. Oh, we try to be courteous to one another and all that, but it's all just a veneer. Even now, she despises me. When we are together, though, there is a strange pull that is difficult to resist, and as a result, we usually end up giving in. It is hard to describe."
"Hmmm, so from what I gather, you guys are enemies with benefits."
Max expressed his viewpoint and then laughed.
"If you have nothing else to say, then you can leave instead of wasting my time," Cayden said, annoyed.
After hearing the venom in Cayden's tone, Max's scowl became even more pronounced. In the past, he thought that Selena's fightback would put some sense in Cayden, but now that the time had come, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He didn't ask a question since it was obvious from the look on his friend's face that his friend was head over heels in love with the woman he was talking about.
Cayden did not respond, but he continued to keep his eyes fixed attentively on the clearing beyond his window.
"Come on Cayden, I want to help you. Just tell me what the problem is?"
"She is my mate!"
Max was so startled that he almost sprang out of his seat. "WHAT! and why didn't you tell me? When did you first find out?"
"Shortly after her collar had been taken off."
After taking a few steps forwards, Max sat back down and stroked his head.
"That long It was something I had always suspected. How she captivated you. I knew that this was not a typical case of infatuation. If you were to give her more time, there's a chance that she would change her mind and quit disliking you."
Cayden sent a pitiful glance in his direction. He moaned, "I can't do this anymore. Help me."
"Help you how?" Max asked, perplexed. "Do you want me to talk to Selena?" He didn't know what his Alpha thought he could do to help.
"I want you to send her away," Cayden replied quietly, his green eyes suspiciously moist as they beseeched him. "I don't want her to be involved in our revenge. She is innocent. And after the way I have treated her, I can't be with her. So send her out of this country. If she stays, my wolf will eventually lose control and claim her. I don't want her tied to an unwanted mate."
Max's golden brown eyes widened in complete shock, and his mouth dropped open. He stared at his friend as the enormity of what he was asking him to do continued to sink into his stunned mind. "Is that the only way?" he asked in a hushed tone. "You take that risk, letting go of your mate?"
Cayden responded to Max in a tone that was low and full of agony by saying, "She's not happy. She is only going through daily life, but her resentment is eating her alive on the inside. I can no longer bear to see her go through that. Take her away somewhere safe and give her as much money as she wants. You must help me."
Max was certain that his Alpha had to have feelings for Selena for him to even consider following through with such a plan.
"Have you discussed this with her? What if she wants to be your mate?" he finally asked. "She likes you, it's obvious. Otherwise, she would not be sleeping with you willingly. Don't tell me it's just because of the mate bond."
Cayden shook his head. "There's nothing to discuss. She wants her freedom and I want the same thing. Just send her away and then she can finally be happy."
Max gave a resolute shake of the head. He responded by saying, "Not going to happen, my friend."
"Not before we have a conversation about it, and she's on board with what you want to do. And don't you dare use your Alpha command on me? I won't budge."
Cayden let out a frustrated growl but could tell that his friend would not be moved by his argument.
"I can't talk to her, and I cannot let her know that her mother's death was my fault. She would be utterly devastated by the news."
Cayden went into detail about the events that led up to Jennifer's passing.
Max's expression turned even more worried as he regarded his friend intently. What he was asking him to do was so risky. His wolf could lose his mind and go rogue if he lost his mate. Cayden was already very fragile mentally because of his past. He needed his mate.
Max appeared to be confused. He sighed wearily as he ran a hand through his hair and offered the suggestion, "You know, you could just tell Selena that you're in love with her and see what happens."
The expression on his friend's face conveyed utter disbelief. "Do you believe she'll have the same reaction as you do, Max? I've wrecked her life for fuck's sake. After everything that I've done to her, how could she possibly feel anything other than hatred for me? No, there is no other way to handle this situation except to release her."
"Then you tell Selena everything. She needs to know. Tell her everything. I won't even attempt to do this until I know for certain that she fully agrees to it. I won't budge on that point."
Because Cayden and Max were so preoccupied with their disagreement, they were unaware that a third person was listening in on their chat.
Who could have predicted that a woman would cause the demise of the great Alpha?