His Little Runt

Chapter 12

Alairia

I'm getting married tomorrow. No matter how many times I repeat the words in my head, they still come back with a sharp sting. A reminder that the supposed happiest day of my life will be the most miserable instead.

"Well, don't you look glum," a male voice says from the doorway.

I look up to see Aiden standing inside my makeshift prison, and I don't even have the energy to glare.

"Come to practice your vows?" I mumble.

He pulls the door of his father's home back up behind him, walking toward me and stopping just short of touching my toes.

"Nope," he says, grinning slightly. "I've come to break us free of marriage."

I perk up, but only slightly. "What do you mean?"

He crosses his arms. "Listen, well I'm sure you're a great person and all, you have a mate. I don't know much about wolves, but I do know that a mate bond is special. I don't want to be the one to sever that."

My brows furrow even as my heart softens. "When did you turn into not a jerk?"

He smirks, all his arrogance back. "I still am, but I have a girl here, and I know what it feels like to love someone. I wouldn't wanna be parted from her, and I'd wager you feel the same about Caden."

I stand slowly, stretching as my muscles protest the long hours sitting on the ground. "What about your father? Don't you want to please him? You were practically bowing at his feet earlier."

He swallows, and I see nerves twist his features before he's back to stoic. "My father won't give me what he said. He already promised it to someone else. Second in command was never mine. He just uses rewards, but never actually hands them out."

So that's what the earlier look was for. He knew that his father was just saying things.

"Won't he be mad?" I ask, hugging my middle in an attempt to ward off the night chill creeping in from outside.

Aiden waves me off. "Of course he will, which is why we're still gonna follow through on his plan, but this time it's on my terms."

"You can't take Caden's pack," I say, suddenly feeling defensive. "Human's aren't supposed to live on this side. Nothing you do is going to change that."

He holds up a finger. "Correction, humans have yet to live on this side. We've been here living just fine."

"So stay here," I bite back, but immediately regret it.

I'm not normally so blunt and rude, but I've been caught in the middle of a situation that is beyond me, and it's terrifying.

"We can't stay here," he says in anger. "Do you see our living arrangements? The supplies that dwindles every day? It's a shithole. Nobody can withstand in conditions like these."

A headache begins to form as I stare at him. He's stubborn, and his father is even more so. Nothing I say will change that. I can only try to negotiate. I'm pretty good at making deals. I work in a bakery, after all.

I clear my throat, mustering confidence I don't have in order for this to work. "What if we supplied you with whatever you need?"

He chuckles. "I'm not stupid enough to believe you would actually keep that plan in motion."

With nothing coming back in return, I doubt Caden would supply them with anything, so he's right.

Desperation claws at my insides, scraping me raw until everything hurts. I just wanna go home. I wanna jump into Caden's arms and never let him go. I wanna promise never to shut him out again. I wanna know what it's like to try something I'm scared of. I wanna know what it's like to try with him.