Chapter 306: What Does She Like?

Kaden’s POV

​"Great. I just ruined everything."

​I sighed heavily as I watched Rebecca disappear through the doorway, her footsteps fading down the corridor. Every part of me wanted to go after her. My wolf, Titan, was already pacing in circles inside my head, his spirit pushing me to follow our mate, but I held back.

​I stood there like an idiot, staring blankly at the empty doorway.

​I had only been here for one fucking day. One day. And somehow, I had already managed to piss Rebecca off completely. Again.

​Sighing heavily, I slowly lowered myself back into my chair and dragged both hands over my face. "Fuck."

​Across the table, Maria was still sitting quietly, sipping her coffee. I could feel her eyes on me, but I didn’t look at her right away.

​"I was only trying to help," I muttered into my palms.

​"I know."

​I finally pulled my hands down and looked up. Maria set her cup down without a sound. There was no anger on her face, but there was a quiet, piercing wisdom there that made me feel like an arrogant boy who had just made an absolute fool of himself.

​"You meant well," she said gently, holding up a hand. "But you went about it the wrong way."

​My jaw tightened. "I wasn’t trying to control her."

​"I know that. But does Rebecca know that?"

​I didn’t answer.

​Maria leaned back slightly, her expression equal parts sympathetic and stern. "You arranged a healer, a specialist, a nutritionist, supplements, and a full schedule for her without asking her what she wanted first."

​"I said the specialist would only examine her if she agreed."

​"That isn’t the point, Alpha Kaden."

​I frowned, the tension in my chest tightening.

​Maria sighed softly before standing up and adjusting her sweater. "My daughter has spent a long time having people make decisions for her. From everything you told me last night, you were one of those people."

​The words hit harder than I expected, cutting right through my defensive wall. I looked away, staring down at the floor.

​"You want to show her that you’re different now," Maria continued. "Then you need to start treating her differently. Ask her what she wants instead of deciding what is best for her."

​Titan went completely quiet inside my mind. Because she was right.

​Fuck.

​Maria pushed her chair back under the table. "You have a lot to learn, Alpha King."

​Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out of the dining hall, leaving me alone with the remaining scent of Rebecca’s lingering frustration. I stayed there for a few more seconds, staring at her unfinished breakfast, before standing up and leaving the room.

​I headed straight back up the grand staircase to the guest room I had been given, shutting the door behind me and dropping heavily into a leather armchair.

​Titan immediately began pacing again, whining in distress. Mate.

​"No shit."

​Go to her.

​"Maria told me to give her space," I growled internally, resting my elbows on my knees and running a hand through my hair.

​We are Alpha King.

​I scoffed darkly. "And Rebecca doesn’t give a fuck."

​Titan growled back, but he didn’t argue. He hated the distance between us just as much as I did.

​How had I managed to turn a conversation about her health into a complete disaster? I had spent half the night lying awake, meticulously planning how to make her life easier, how to protect her and our baby, only to come off like a controlling bastard.

​Sorry wasn’t enough. I already knew that. I could apologize every day for the rest of my life and it still wouldn’t erase a single thing I had done to her. I couldn’t change the past. I couldn’t take back everything I did... I couldn’t go back and believe her when she had begged me to. But I could change what I did from now on. The problem was, I didn’t have a fucking clue where to start.

​Buy her flowers, Titan suggested suddenly. Females like flowers. It shows we are sorry.

​I blinked, shaking my head. "That won’t help. Rebecca isn’t a flower person."

​Maybe she is.

​"She isn’t." At least, I didn’t think she was. Then again, there were probably a thousand things about Rebecca I still didn’t know.

​Then buy her expensive gifts, Titan countered, his tone rising with impatience. Jewelry. Dresses. A case. Show her we can provide.

​"No." I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache building behind my eyes.

​My answer came immediately. That definitely wouldn’t work. If there was one thing I had learned about Rebecca over the past few months, it was that money didn’t impress her. Gold, titles, expensive gifts—none of it mattered to her. Hell, I could place a diamond necklace worth millions in front of her right now and she would throw it straight at my fucking head.

​And I would deserve it.

​Then what does mate like?

​I fell silent. That was the real problem. Rebecca wanted things I couldn’t simply buy her. Freedom. Trust. Peace. And I was the exact man who had taken all three away from her.

​I dragged my hands down my face, letting out another long, heavy sigh. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

​Titan didn’t answer this time. Even he had run out of ideas.

​I stayed there for a while, staring blankly at the wall and trying to think of anything I could do that wouldn’t make things ten times worse.

​Before Titan could offer another useless suggestion, the faint sound of tires crunching on gravel echoed from the driveway outside. At first, I ignored it. Stone Pack was busy, and people came and went all the time. But then a second engine followed. And a third.

​My brows pulled together. I stood up and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling glass window overlooking the front of the pack house.

​Three sleek black luxury vehicles had pulled up in front of the main entrance, and Stone Pack guards were already moving to form a protective perimeter. The rear door of the lead sedan opened, and a man stepped out into the morning light.

​I narrowed my eyes, scanning his broad shoulders, blond hair, and the calm, commanding posture that didn’t need to demand attention because everyone instantly recognized who he was.

​No fucking way.

​I stepped closer to the glass, my jaw tight. I knew that face. Every supernatural ruler did.

​Lord Callum. The Lord of the Dragons.

​"What the hell is he doing here?" I muttered to myself.