Afflicted

by Novak, Ava

  “It’s too late. You are not going anywhere until she is yours. The wolf part of you isn’t going to let you walk away.”

  “Fuck,” Kaden said as he reached for the bottle on the counter and poured a second glass.

  “Just wait soon you’ll be singing a different tune.”

  “Like hell I am.”

  Kaden threw the drink back and slammed the glass down on the counter. Rick was wrong. Kaden didn’t want a damned mate and was leaving here without one. He could do it. The wolf side of him was not running the show.

  “Wanna bet,” Rick said as he poured Kaden another drink.

  “She isn’t even my type. She wears these geeky looking glasses.”

  Wait but they make her look sexy as fuck. Smart too. Ah shit!

  “Tell that to the wolf. He doesn’t give a damn. The scent is all he needs to go on to know that she is your type.”

  “I like tall women. She isn’t even tall.”

  “I told you the wolf doesn’t give a damn. Plus the wolf is always right about what woman is right for you.”

  “Argh, this is complete bullshit. I got too much to worry about not this. It’s just an unnecessary complication.”

  “Oh stop whining.”

  I don’t whine.

  “Well I have other things to worry about. Hopefully no one shows up to the auction this weekend. With any luck no serious buyers will show up.”

  “Rule number one your mate comes first.”

  “I’m not going to make her my mate so rule number one doesn’t apply. So as I was saying this auction needs to be won by me. It’ll be one thing I can nip in the bud.”

  “Alight say no more. I can take a hint but soon and I do mean soon the wolf is going to win. Put up all the fight you want Kaden.”

  “Fill her up,” Kaden said as he pushed his glass back over in Rick’s direction.

  The door opened and two shifters stumbled in giggling. Kaden looked over his shoulders as the two walked over to the bar supporting each other.

  Looks like they got the party started a long time ago.

  “Did you see the bitch’s face?”

  “I know it was hilarious. I tried hard not to laugh.”

  “She looked like she was about two seconds away from having a major heart attack.”

  “We need to drink to that.”

  Kaden listened to the two men’s conversation and they didn’t seem to notice he was sitting there as Rick refilled his glass.

  “Hey there uh Rick let’s get two bullfrog’s,” one of them shouted as they headed over to the pool table in the middle of the room.

  “Two bullfrogs’ are coming up fellas.”

  Kaden used the back of his hand to wipe away some liquor that was on his chin. He listened in to the exchange being had behind him. Now would be the time to step in, start making some changes, and cleaning up the pack. For a minute he assumed the two guys were harassing another female member of the pack. He just sat there and listened to their unknowingly confession.

  “You think the bitch got it this time. She doesn’t seem all that bright.”

  “Let’s hope she gets it after this auction. What we’ve been doing to her little sweet ass so far is child’s play.”

  “Ah, man the look on her face was priceless though. For a second I thought she saw us.”

  “Nope Victoria didn’t see us.”

  That’s all Kaden needed to hear.

  “Thanks for the drinks Rick. Now if you will excuse me but duty calls,” Kaden said as he got up.

  Without thinking twice about it Kaden took the bottle of liquor off the counter and headed straight for the pool table. He’d wondered since the moment his mother told him, which pack members had been bothering Victoria, and now the idiots responsible had fallen into his hands.

  They are putting us at risk, Kaden thought as he wondered over. The real reason behind his actions mere seconds from now was not because of them putting the pack at risk. It was the need to protect what was his. Everything happened so fast. Kaden hit one of the guys in the back of the head with the bottle, the other charged Kaden but he was pinned against the table as Kaden’s fist connected to his jaw.

  “Kaden what the hell are you doing?” Rick yelled. He ran from behind the counter to get to Kaden.

  “What did you do to her this time, huh? Do you jackasses realize you might expose us to humans? Have you lost your fucking mind? You are going to keep your fucking distance from Victoria Lane,” Kaden said each word to the flow of his punches.

  “Kaden I said that is enough. Now knock it the fuck off,” Rick screamed as he managed to pull Kaden off the guy.

  “If I find out you’ve been sniffing around Victoria and pulling your shit again I will make your ass regret it.”

  “Hey cool it King Kong,” Rick said as he went to help the one guy on the floor groaning in pain as he rubbed the back of his head where a cut was starting to gradually heal.

  “Ow, are you crazy attacking people for no reason,” complained the male that Kaden hit with a bottle.

  “You bastards deserve a lot worse for what you have been doing to that woman. Why the hell have you been bothering her?”

  “Who—you mean the human woman?”

  “Who the fuck else do you think I am talking about? I am talking about the woman who you have been terrorizing without a fucking good reason.”

  After standing on his own two feet without assistance he glanced over to get a look at his attacker. He paled as he recognized Kaden.

  “She deserved it for what she did. You should know. She wouldn’t let your mom keep those houses. She took them from us and is now auctioning them off.”

  “And where did you hear this bullshit?”

  “Your mom told the pack this. She has been trying to get the homes back for us.”

  “You are lying.”

  “No he isn’t lying,” Rick said as he stepped in Kaden’s path to prevent him from attacking the man.

  “Then why didn’t you tell me this Rick.”

  “I thought your mom told you that’s why I didn’t say much. She did tell you? I mean you know the deal right, which is why I asked you to help out in the first place to see what you could do.”

  What the fuck are you doing mom? This is unacceptable.

  He realized that his mother was playing a dangerous game and he had to stop her in her tracks. She had him thinking one thing, but had the pack believing some bullshit that wasn’t true, and was putting the blame where it didn’t belong. It was almost like she wanted the pack to go bat shit crazy. He got it. She was upset from the lack of support from the pack and the blind eye to the abuse dealt out by Morgan.

  Still two wrongs don’t make a right.

  “The both of you and anyone else who is involved better stay away from Victoria.”

  “We were just having fun man. It wasn’t like we hurt her or anything.”

  “No you didn’t but I heard what you said. After the auction you were planning on taking it to the next level!”

  “We weren’t serious. Just joking that’s all.”

  Kaden took a menacing step forward.

  “Easy there Kaden. You already beat him real nice and good. Is this the way you want to make examples out of people or do you want to take a different route? ”

  Kaden took a few steps back. He growled out in frustration. This is not the way he wanted to leave his mark in this town with the pack. Kaden was a talking individual and he found that sometimes situations worked out better by simply talking it out. Rarely did he have to handle problems with his fists. Yet at the same damned time it felt good. Not the violence bit but the idea that he was protecting his fucking mate.

  Shit! Rick might be right. Fuck that I’m in control. She is not going to be mine. I can fight this.

  “Sorry for disrespecting your business Rick but these two fellas have been terrorizing Victoria Lane and I am putting an end to it,” Kaden directed at Rick before addressing the other two again. �
��I think you two get the idea. If it happens again just know I will ban your ass from this pack. Get out and go home.”

  The two men scrambled out the door. Rick shook his head and went back behind the counter. Kaden glanced down at the floor and looked at the broken glass that came from the bottle.

  Damn it Kaden. You were out of line. That was a bit excessive, Kaden thought as he stood there silently berating himself as he stared at the floor.

  “That mess isn’t going to clean itself. I am going to get a broom and a dust pan. You are cleaning it up not me. I got a bad back.”

  “I got it just bring it old man.”

  Kaden didn’t move an inch as he waited on Rick to retrieve the broom and dust pan. He suddenly felt like his father. He wasn’t Morgan and prided himself on not turning just as mean and hateful. No, he was the opposite of his father. He would never hurt anyone the way his father did for no damned reason whatsoever. Morgan always inflicted pain for the hell of it. Kaden didn’t lack self-control.

  I am not him.

  “Damn boy you got it bad and you haven’t even made her yours,” Rick said as he hurried back over to Kaden.

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Well you were over here knocking those two heads in for a human. You didn’t have to kick anyone’s ass but you did. I can only guess why and it’s because of your mate. Victoria right,” Rick said as he handed Kaden a broom to sweep up the broken glass on the ground.

  “No, I was just stopping those two from bringing unwanted attention that’s all.”

  “You must think I was born last night. Hell, she’s a looker.”

  Rick snickered as he nudged Kaden.

  “Rick not now man. I think my mom is on a mission to destroy this pack. I’m going to have to stop her and I get the feeling it’s going to be ugly.”

  I can’t allow her do whatever she has been planning.

  As Kaden cleaned up the floor he explained what happened when he went to the bank earlier this morning, skipping over details about Victoria that didn’t needed to be said, and repeated everything his mother had told him. And from the looks of it his mother wanted the pack riled up. A bunch of shifters mad was a bad thing, add a human in the mix that was deemed a threat, and shit was bound to get dangerous.

  Chapter Four

  Victoria woke up the next morning tangled up in sheets. She’d spent half the night surfing the net trying to keep herself from having negative thoughts and scaring herself any further. After lying on her bed for a good fifteen minutes,Victoria forced herself to get up to take a shower, then whip up a quick breakfast, along with a cup of coffee. Since she didn’t have to be at the bank until ten, Victoria called around for places that might be available. If she wasn’t capable of finding somewhere else to move then it might mean she would have to move out of town. Victoria wanted to feel safe again because right now she wasn’t feeling so secure after it seemed as if she was being watched.

  There is no way I am going to be able to find a place. I could just go back home. Viviane’s been asking for me to come back.

  Her half-sister had been asking for months that Victoria come back to civilization in North Carolina. It wasn’t like Victoria was upset or broken hearted anymore by the betrayal from her ex and best friend. Collins had been a nice retreat while she mended her broken heart. North Carolina at this point seemed like her best option. It was time to pack up and go back to the real world.

  Knocking at her door forced her to stuff the last piece of her toast in her mouth. She headed for the door.

  “Coming,” she said as she placed her glasses on her face.

  She opened the door an inch and poked her head out the door. Victoria assumed it was going to be no other than Kellie Wright standing at the door at seven in the morning. For a second she believed her eyes were playing tricks on her. An eyebrow quirked up as she noticed his hair was nicely tucked away in a ponytail at the nape of his neck.

  “Good morning.”

  Stop drooling Vic.

  “Oh yeah um hello….good morning to you,” Victoria stammered as she ran a hand through her hair to comb any loose strands into place. She stopped as soon as she realized what she’d been doing.

  “I didn’t wake you did I,” he asked.

  “No. Not all. I was just finishing up breakfast.”

  Hmmm, nice biceps! Can that shirt get any tighter? Now is not the time to get hot and bothered.

  Victoria cleared her throat. She ceased staring at his muscled upper arms.

  “So what are you doing here?”

  “I am here to fix this door and to apologize for the actions of the individuals who’ve been nothing but a nuisance to you. They won’t be doing it again. I made sure of it,” he said firmly.

  His hand went over her head, touching the door, his fingers traced over the painted offensive word. Victoria ducked to move out of his way but didn’t really need to do so due to her five foot six height. Kaden towered over her completely.

  Why would he even care? Oh but it’s sweet of him regardless.

  “You made sure of what,” Victoria said as she folded her arms to hide her pebbled nipples. She wasn’t even cold or near horny. Her nipples seemed to have a mind of their own this morning. It didn’t help that Victoria was braless.

  “No one will be bothering you and doing obscene crap like this,” Kaden replied as his arm dropped back down to his side.

  “And how is it you came to know who is responsible for spraying the word bitch on my door?”

  “I did some snooping around. Don’t worry you can trust me. They won’t...anyone won’t bother you again.”

  “You did some snooping around. I didn’t ask you to do that but thanks I guess but it doesn’t matter. I’m packing up and heading back to North Carolina. My sister has been trying to get me back there for some time now. Now seems like the best time to go.”

  “When are you leaving?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. There is lot I have to do prepping wise. I can be very lazy when it comes to doing anything regarding moving.”

  “Well I am going to get started on this door.”

  “Do you really have to replace it?”

  She wanted it to be replaced but didn’t know if it was a good idea for Kaden to be the one doing it. Victoria wasn’t going to complain too much. It’s just that she had an extremely strong attraction to Kaden and Victoria wasn’t exactly sure what to do about it.

  “It won’t take long. It needs to be replaced. It should be replaced.”

  “You are not my knight in shining armour buddy. You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know but I want to.”

  You are more than welcome to other things. It’s a beautiful thing you can’t read my mind.

  Victoria fought back a smile as her mind headed straight for the gutter. She ran over every porno scene she’d ever watched that involved a handy man coming over to fix something but things led down a very proactive path. And it was one she started to visualize containing her and Kaden.

  Stop going there Vic! Gosh I have a dirty mind.

  “Sorry my mother isn’t here at the moment.”

  Victoria exhaled as she snapped away from her fantasy.

  “Where is Mrs. Wright? I sent her a text message last night. I’m sure she told you about this,” Victoria said as she nodded at the door.

  “Yeah we discussed this when I went home last night. She is handling some family matters at the moment.”

  “I wished she would have texted me back to let me know she wasn’t going to be here. I’ve been expecting her. We have to talk about me breaking my lease.”

  “Right, because you are moving. I hope you aren’t letting someone’s actions make you run.”

  Victoria frowned at Kaden. She didn’t know what to make of the way he said run in such an excited tone. As if he found pleasure in the fact that she was leaving.

  Don’t let your imagination run wild, Victoria thought as she shook her head
.

  “If you want I can come back later to get started.”

  “No, you are here now. Go ahead and do what you came here to do. I’m just going to be in the back on my laptop surfing the net. Just call me if you need anything.”

  “It won’t take long. I’m just replacing the door and it’ll be a piece of cake. I grew up building houses. I’ll be done in no time.”

  “Do you still do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Build houses?”

  You look like you do on top of other things.

  “No not like I used to.”

  “Why don’t you?”

  “It’s long story.”

  “What and complicated too?” Victoria asked as she playfully rolled her eyes.

  “Well something like that.”

  Her breath hitched a little as she met his gaze. She shook her head and broke contact. There was no way in hell he was looking at her in that way. Kaden was staring down at Victoria with such an intensity that was nothing short of pure blatant desire. Victoria chose to ignore it. The man didn’t even know her and they’d only met yesterday. Suddenly Victoria actually wanted Kaden to want her but not just for something that was restricted to the bedroom. She wanted a man to possess her, love her, and cherish her as if she was the woman that was made for him. Victoria pegged Kaden as the type of man who knew what he wanted and it was clear he desired her but Victoria just didn’t understand why when he’d only met her freaking yesterday.

  Maybe he is just as much sex deprived as I am. I doubt it not with his fucking looks. I bet women drop their panties at the snap of his fingers like magic. Mr. Panty Dropper.

  “I guess I will leave you to it. I have to go apartment hunting and stuff,” Victoria said while turning around to retreat. “Just call me if you need anything.”

  ***

  Kaden snapped out the trance he was in when Victoria disappeared around a corner out of sight. A growl rumbled at the back of his throat. He fucked up big time by coming over here. Her scent seemed to get more distinct and had Kaden more captivated. Never would he have stood there just talking like that. He wasn’t much of a talker when it came to the opposite sex. For a second he started to believe that Rick was right.