Its been days since I’ve seen or talked to either Kaiden or Cade. It was like they’d completely fallen off the face of the earth. But they hadn’t. Both of them had been purposely ignoring me and it was breaking my heart. 

Yes, I know what you're thinking; right now I’m basically acting like a slutty bitch, liking two guys at the same time and not knowing who is the right one. For me that is. 

Liz and I had been chatting over Skype most days and we talked endlessly about what has been happening. Liz thinks I should give Cade a chance. That he's different then he used to be, even though she never knew him before now. She believes that he's trying to be better for me, but I’m not sure that that is a good thing. 

On the other hand Brent wants me to be with Kaiden. He thinks that Cade is a two-faced jerk who is just playing me—pretending to be someone he’s not. 

I’ve tried to contact Kaiden, but he’s not having it. He’s ignored every single text I’ve sent him and could I really blame him? I wouldn't be surprised if he had found out that I’d thrown myself at Cade. I missed him and I felt guilty about what had happened. It’s like my heart is playing tricks on me. One moment it wants Kaiden and the next it wants Cade. It’s really not helping me in the long run. 

Like I do every night since he’s been ignoring me, I ring his cell. I wait for it to go immediately to voice-mail, but it doesn’t. His voice on the other end answers. “Yes?” His voice sounds tired and its so unlike him I almost start crying. 

“I’m so sorry.” I whisper into the phone, my voice breaking. “I’m sorry and I love you and I miss you so, so much. Come back to me, please.” My words meet stone cold silence and I’m not surprised. “Kai, please talk to me.” After what feels like hours, but was probably only minutes he answers. 

“I forgive you.” He tells me and I know I should feel better at hearing those words, but I don’t. That’s the problem, I don't feel better I still feel guilty and I know why. 

“I kissed Cade.” I murmur into the phone. “I know it was wrong and I feel so guilty. I realised my mistake and it stopped. I promise. I wanted to tell you the truth.”

“I know, and I forgive you.” He repeats and I still don't feel better at all, but I told him the truth. It was a mistake, and I did feel guilty. But it didn't mean I didn’t like it. Or that I wanted it to never happen again. Never having Cade’s lips on mine again was like asking me to never drink water for the rest of my prolonged life. 

“How do you know?”

“Brent told me. He was at the bar having drinks with a friend and saw Cade go into the bathroom after you. When you both came out separately with swollen lips he assumed and immediately told me.” He pauses. “I almost had sex with another girl. That’s why I’m not mad. I’d be a hypocrite if I did.”

“You’d be a hypocrite if you got mad? How are our situations the same. All I did was peck a guy on the lips you almost full on went for a home run!” I exclaim, exasperated. “Oh my, God. All this time I was feeling guilty for kissing Cade and you were trying to get it up with another girl.” 

“At least it wasn't my mate. I had no feelings for her which is why I couldn't do it. He’s you're mate, you already have feelings for him. Kissing him would only make them stronger.”

“I’m sorry for kissing him, I am. But I cant talk to you right now. I’ll talk to you later when I’m more settled down.”

I sit on the bed with my phone in between my lap, face in my hands repeating “Dios mio” all over again, even though I’m not Spanish. I honestly couldn't believe it. The fact that he had almost cheated on me was the only thing running through my mind for hours as I cried myself to sleep. 

That’s how Jamie found me in the morning. “Oh, sweetie. Come on, get up.”

I was currently sprawled across my bed, my feet entangled in the sheets, my eyes puffy and red-rimmed as I look through my lashes at him. “I don’ wanna.”

“Well you're a gonna.” He winks, speaking in that cute way of his that I've always loved.

“Okay, but only because I love you.” I smile at him, because you cant look at Jamie without doing so. He brings out the best in everyone. “Did you know?” I ask, my smile fading just slightly as I stare up at him.

“I assumed their was something he wasn't telling me. I didn’t think it would be that, though.” He replies, his voice solemn. My eyes begin to fill with tears. 

“Come on, lets go get some ‘Ben & Jerry’s’. They always seem to cheer you up, nowadays. Cookie Dough flavour, right?”

I nod a yes and he kisses my forehead before leaving the room so I can have some privacy to get dressed. Because I don't have the energy to muster up anything nice looking I shrug into and sweatshirt and a pair of sweats. I shove my feet into a pair of cons and then head out of the room to find Jamie helping himself to cereal. 

“You know what I want to do today?” I ask him, as I take a seat next to him at the bench.

He replies with his mouth full of fruit loops: “What’s that?” But it sounds to my ears like: “Rots Vayt?”

“Hang out with my boys. It feels like forever since I’ve spent time with you, Daxton and the twins. I’ve missed it.” I pause, gorging his reaction. When he smiles I continue. “What do you think?”

“I think thats the greatest idea you've had in a long time. Let’s go get the boys.” 

***

(Cade’s POV)

I’d been avoiding Scarlett. I couldn’t face her at the moment. Not after the other night. God, why did she have to go and do that. I was trying—and failing—to be her friend and then she goes and lays one on me. 

I missed her. I wanted her back. Screw this curse, I needed her and I’m pretty sure she needs me too. She may not admit it just yet, but she still loves me and that’s never going to change. Fate brought us together for a reason. 

A knock on my bedroom door draws me out of my thoughts. I know it’s her even before I open the door. Her smell drifts around my room and my arms ache to hold her. “Hi.” I watch as her lips form the words. 

“Hey. What are you doing here?” I ask, casually. 

“Well, the guys and I are spending time together and we thought we’d ask the pack if they wanted to play soccer. Girls on boys. You wanna play?” 

“Sounds fun, I’m in.” I watch as her eyes brighten with my words. She squeals in excitement and runs out of the room. Me on her heels. Literally. I accidentally step on her heel and we both go tumbling onto the hallway floor. I pull her into my arms and turn so I take most of the impact. 

We land in the most cliche of positions. 

Scarlett’s hair creates a curtain around her face as she stares down at me in shock. Our lips are only a breath away and I restrain myself from closing the small space. “Are you okay?” I whisper, smiling. 

She laughs and nods before hopping up and holding a hand out to me. Without taking her hand I effortlessly do a kip up and before she can blink I’m in a standing position before her. “Or you can do that.” She murmurs breathlessly. 

I just smirk. “Come on, I have a game to win.” 

***

(Scarlett’s POV)

Oh, no. He was not winning this one. We’d already split up into teams and were having setting up strategies. 

“Alright girls, I know just how were are going to do this.” Me, being the devious person I am, made sure only mates joined the game or guys and girls that were hooking up. Us girls would never win by playing by the rules so I had an idea. Tease and distract. “Alright what’s going to happen is we are going to tease our men and distract them so they basically give the whole game to us without even knowing what’s happening. Got it?” I watch as the grins appear on all the girls faces and before we know it our referee, Jamie, blew the whistle, letting us know it was game time. 

I take my place on the field, which was next to Cade in the middle circle. Just before Jamie got ready to throw the ball in the air for it to be touched by one of us I bent down, pretending to stretch. The girls and I were only wearing sports bras and shorts or yoga pants and I could already tell this was going to be an interesting game. 

When I heard a quick intake of breath by Cade I knew I’d already won. He was putty in the palm of my hand. Wiggling my bum for no reason at all but the fact that it would be funny I stretched back up facing Cade and his now, lust filled eyes. 

Jamie lifted his arm, indicating he was about to throw and before Cade even knew what was happening the game was on and I was darting down the field with the ball. I quickly passed the ball to Casey, who passed it to Joelle and kicked the ball straight into the goal where her mate, Max, was looking at her in surprise. She walked up to him and planted a kiss straight on his lips before darting out of his reach, placing a finger to her lips and touching her ass as a signal to kiss her ass. 

I high-fived her as she walked past me and back to her spot on the field. 

Suddenly someone grabs my arm and pulls me to his chest and I immediately feel something hard and erect against my back. Cade’s voice whispers lustfully in my ear, “Don’t mess with the bull, pretty girl. You’ll get the horns.”

***

(Cade’s POV)

An hour and a half later we called the soccer game quits and it was safe to say that the girls won by a landslide. I also think it was safe to say that the guys and myself just let them win so they’d keep parading around and teasing us like they were. You could tell most of them would be heading straight to their rooms to get it on as soon as possible. But I wanted to talk to Scarlett. 

My eyes scan the yard for Scarlett and I see her walking away with her friends. “Hey, Scarlett!” I quickly jog to catch up to her. 

“Hi.” She smiles, looking up at me with those eyes that reached right into my soul. 

“I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute?” I pause, looking at her friends. “Privately.”

“Yeah, sure. Where do you wanna talk?” Taking her hand I lead her away from her friends and into the woods towards the river. 

When we reach it I sit down alongside the water. The sound of the rushing water, birds chirping and little feet scampering the only sounds until the silence between us is broken. 

“What did you want to talk about, Cade?” Scar whispers, her voice hesitant. 

“I’ve kept it from you too long and I realise now that I owe it to you to tell you. I said I’d wait until after all the rogue business dies down to tell you why I rejected you, but I need to tell you.” 

“Okay. I’m listening.” 

So I tell her. About my great, great, great Grandfather Antonio and who he and his pack was. About Maria and the curse that was brought with her. How every second generation would be a ruthless killer like Antonio. How I rejected her because I wanted her to be safe from all this. 

“I never wanted to reject you, but I thought it would be the best thing for you.” 

“Cade, you have to know that you are not him. Despite the fact that you rejected me and were mean to me for all those years before that you were one of the best people in my life. You are nothing like Antonio. Or any of those generations after him.” I loved her. I knew now especially that no one would ever compare to her. She was the definition of perfect. 

“Thank you for believing in me, even when I don't believe in myself. You have no idea what that means to me.” 

“It’s okay, Cade. I understand and I’m here for you. Whenever you need me. When you don't feel strong and don't think you have a good hold on yourself. When you're unsure of what’s going on inside that brain of yours. I’m here. Don't forget that.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry I rejected you.”

“I know. I forgive you.” 

I would wait for her. It didn’t matter if it was two hours from now or even twenty years. She was my soul mate. The only person my dark heart could ever muster up love for. It was her.

She was my everything.