novelxo Chapter 36
Hailey's POV
"You want me to be honest?" Cayden asks me.
"Please.’ I answer him and he smiles at me, my knees just about ready to buckle and send me to the ground, no thanks to those pearly whites.
"I think you are the most beautiful woman to ever walk this earth and that dimwit is lucky to have you, if only he could start acting like a real one.” Cayden says to me. His compliment does not surprise me, it is the amount of anger filled in his words when he talks about Jaxon. Truth be told, I wholeheartedly agree with Cayden on Jaxon being a world class A hole but the conviction in his words? Wow.
I did not expect that from him and I like that he is upset about Jaxon's treatment of me.
"Thank you.” I speak.
"No, I mean it, Hailey. You deserve so much better and considering the shit you were born into, the truth being kept from you and that shit bag expecting you to be able to hold your own against a Shera, who might I add, was trained to be a warrior when you are as newly born as a baby wolf? He insulted you.” Cayden says to me.
The pain that came with Jaxon's words returns tenfold and I feel my body drain of whatever energy that was left. Cayden catches me, not noticing that my body was playing its dramatic play again, trying to faint from extreme hurt or possible heartbreak since I have not heard from Jaxon since leaving his pack.
Cayden carries me in to the house and I enjoy being in the arms of a strong man for a little bit, even if they are not the arms of the man I have fallen in love with, Cayden is doing a good job at somehow comforting me.
I find myself drawn to him and his scent, it warms my soul just being in his presence and when he speaks, the whole world shuts down for a second and I get to listen to him speak.
"Are you crushing on Cayden?" My wolf asks me and I feel my cheeks heat before I open my eyes to realize I am in bed and my alarm has not even gone off yet. Once again, the person my subconscious decides to dream about is Cayden. I feel the judgement coming from my wolf who is against all these warm and fuzzy feelings we feel for Cayden.
"Oh relax! Not like I am going to act on those feelings.” I say out loud but my wolf just grunts and disappears to the back of my mind. I decide to get out of bed and get ready, beating my dad and Cayden to the training fields today.
They arrive not soon after me, applauding my early arrival and I curtsy, feeling proud of myself too. Cayden came to training once again, shirtless and day by day, it was getting to me just a little bit more. We can't deny he is sculpted to perfection but also his training days have paid off, the body was a work of fine art and steel.
We spent most of the morning teaching me combat skills, taking no breaks on my orders and doing some gym exercises. I am sticking to my plan on awakening the strength deep with me that is of an alpha and I need to make sure I am never put in the position for someone else to save me.
"Alpha, it is time." One of my dad's men say to my dad. He looks at me first before heading out and leaving me with Cayden.
"You do know why he was called away right?" Cayden asks me and I shake my head no.
"Well, your father has to get ready for the execution of all the people we apprehended at your mates pack that tried to hurt you and those that attacked the pack.” Cayden tells me. The thought of killing someone has my stomach turning, good thing it is not up to me yet but I sort of understand the ways of the wolf... it is just that I am more in tune with my human side than my wolf side. It could be to my detriment if I don't come to terms with the ways of life now and being the daughter of an alpha, I am expected to be just as brutal and unforgiving as my father, which I am not. I do not have the traits of being a complete heartless monster...
See what I said there? I called my father a monster just because he is a wolf and now, deep down, maybe I believe us all to be monsters. All the insane strength, the ability to break bones and shift, the way we heal and just the way of life... this is a complete 180 turn to the life I was raised in and what I am used to.
"Do we have to watch them be executed?” I ask Cayden, who nods his head yes.
"Actually, you are required to stand with your father during the execution, which gives you front row view of the action. They will lose their heads and die human, not allowed to shift in to their wolves and rejoin all our fallen. Blood will fall on you and it is your duty to not scream or wipe it off, you are to spend the whole day drenched in their blood... sort of like a brag to all those that seek to harm or fight you, that this will be their blood if they ever try." Cayden tells me, speaking in excitement as my body begins to dread the day.
Why did I even bother waking up so early if this is the day, I have to be barbaric? I can pretend to be watching an execution but to go about my day drenched in someone's blood? Why me?
"Do I really have to walk around all day covered in someone's blood?" I ask Cayden and he chuckles. "That is our way. If your mate was in a talking mood, he would say the same thing. In fact, I think they will be in attendance to watch the whole thing since it was their pack that was attacked. Let me find out from my father just who is coming to watch.” Cayden says to me and he runs off towards the house. I feel the blood drain from my face....
It was already bad enough that I have to watch people be killed, even worse that I will be sitting front row to watch it all. Oh, let us not forget the fact that I have to parade myself bathed in blood of the deceased, around the pack all day... no. That is not all, I will have to endure all of that in front of the boy that is supposed to be the love of my life and universe, maintaining a straight face not just for my pack but to act tough in front of Jaxon so he does not have anything else to hold over my head!
What am I to do?