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It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed that Kayden was beautiful, with her waist-length silvery-blonde hair and large almond-shaped eyes. Her face was unique—striking—and I wondered if her skin was as soft and smooth as it looked.
“Kayden!” I found myself calling out, lifting my hand to catch her attention. Her head snapped up, her gaze locking on mine, and I felt that same unsettling sensation I’d had at lunch today. It wasn’t easy to explain. It was more a feeling than a thought, an awareness of her that seemed to cut right through me.
I waved her over, taking a deep breath to shake it off. Checking my watch, I saw we had about twenty minutes before the fire pit date was scheduled to begin.
Last night, Father and I had discussed her pack at length. Maybe I could find an opportunity to gain a little insight tonight.
“Hey,” I said as she stopped a few feet away.
“Hey.” She stared at me, not even offering a smile, though the pure hatred I’d seen yesterday morning was absent.
I cleared my throat, unaccustomed to being met with such disinterest. Strangely, it was refreshing. “You’re out early.”
Kayden shrugged. “Faye scheduled way too much time for hair and makeup.” Her lips curved in a wry smile. “My stylist is frustrated with my lack of interest in her abilities.”
“I think you look wonderful,” I said without thinking, though it was the truth. Kayden was dressed in casual jeans and a white off-the-shoulder sweater. It was perfect for the type of date scheduled, though I wouldn’t be surprised if some other girls still came out dressed to the nines. I, for one, preferred dressing casually. All the formalities got a little suffocating sometimes.
Her stylist had done minimal, natural-toned makeup, and her hair was halfway pulled back, those tiny braids from earlier still there, winding through her waves.
Kayden raised her eyebrows. “Thanks.” She looked me over, raking her eyes from head to toe, then back again, and that awareness heightened. “You look okay too.”
“Okay?” I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing.
She smirked. “What? Big bad alpha isn’t used to women not fawning over him?” She stepped forward, and I caught a whiff of her scent—lavender and sage.
I shook my head. “You’re something else.” When she didn’t reply, I changed the subject. “How have things been so far? Are you adjusting to the Contention?”
“Honestly?” Kayden sighed and sat on the edge of the fountain. “I’m a bit overwhelmed.”
I took a chance and sat beside her. “I’m sure. It’s a lot to take in.” Curiosity about her life had me asking, “What were things like for you before you came here? Back on your pack lands.”
She shrugged. “It was a pretty simple life. It was just my siblings and me, and we were close. I worked most days and kept up with the house. Not much excitement, but Nico made sure we stayed in shape and trained with him every day.” She swallowed and looked down at her hands. “He always had my back.”
“Nico was your brother.”
She nodded and squared her shoulders, her face carefully blank when she looked back up at me. Perhaps her brother wasn’t the best topic of conversation.
“Where did you work?”
“At a restaurant, waiting tables.”
“And your sister?”
Suddenly, the mask she’d had in place slipped, revealing a deep sadness. And anger. “I just don’t understand it.”
“What do you mean?” The urge to comfort her was strong, but I kept my hands to myself.
Kayden let out a heavy sigh. “Why you wouldn’t even let me say goodbye. It’s bad enough that you took my brother from me. Now I might never see my sister again. She probably had no idea where I’d gone, why I just disappeared. She’s all alone, at the mercy of Branson’s whims.”
There was a hint of fear in her voice, and it made me wonder just how much of a threat Branson might be to Kayden’s only remaining family. But we were walking a thin line here with this conversation, one I knew could easily tip into dangerous territory. I didn’t want Kayden melting down, nor did I want her turning her anger on me again, so I maneuvered the conversation ever so slightly.
“Branson has only been alpha for a year,” I said, “but he’s managed to do a lot of damage in that time.”
“Tell me about it,” Kayden growled.
“You don’t like him?”
“Are you serious? Ever since he came into power, things have been chaos at home. I know Branson put Nico up to challenging you.”
