Chapter 5 A father

A growl rumbled in Caiden's chest, and I felt my heart beat increase as I walked towards him. Every muscle in my body tensing with every step. The Alpha got to his feet. Compared to seven years ago, Caiden had grown stronger and more attractive. He seemed more aggressive and brutal, though.

I eventually overcame my fear and tried to cover up the old wounds that were still bleeding in my chest. "We need to talk, Caiden," I said.

Caiden took a step forward, surprise evident on his face.

“Hello, Kamara. Didn't occur to me that you're in fact still alive.” hearing his voice after so long, pronouncing my name, made me feel like I was in the past.

But I didn’t want to dwell on the past. I didn't have time for that.

Caiden's suspicions were heightened by the unsettling emptiness in my expression.

"I want to talk to you, ask your men to leave," I said, raising my voice above Caiden's.

"You have no right to make requests of me." Even though I was afraid by the harshness in his tone, I didn't back away.

Nevertheless, Caiden was interested in hearing what I had to say and told Kastor and Enzo to leave us alone.

Caiden's jaw twitched with rage as Enzo said, "I don't think it's right to leave you alone with a traitor."

"Are you saying that I am incapable of defending myself against an omega? Get out of here, Enzo," Caiden said, looking appalled.

Embarrassed to be reprimanded in front of Kamara, Enzo glanced at Caiden before walking away silently. It was clear he wanted to stay inside and watch Kamara get banished or humiliated. He left the room with a promise to himself that she would pay for it. He literally stormed out.

My mind felt like a blank sheet when I tried to think of a suitable way to begin the conversation, standing in front of him.

"Kamara, what do you want from me?"

The man in front of me was the one I had loved so much, and even though I couldn't figure him out, I couldn't help but feel drawn to him again. His eyes had a great emptiness and I wondered why.

Finally, in a shaky voice, I said, "I need to find my kids and I need your help."

Caiden's vacant stare changed to perplexity. It seemed like he didn't get what I was saying.

"Kids?" His eyes briefly flashed with disappointment as he said, "And why would I help you find your kids?"

I felt my strength ebbing with each word I said, "Because they're not just my children, Caiden—they're your children too, and they're quadruplets."

Caiden's expression showed uncertainty. There was an awkward silence between us for a few minutes as he seemed to take in what I had said.

"You flee the pack, and after running away for years, you return and claim that I am the father of four children?" Caiden's thoughts was racing so hard that he could not concentrate on any. There was a lot of sheer rage mixed in with a maelstrom of unsettling feelings in his mind.

With an angry growl, he said to me, "You're lying, Kamara. You're trying to get back at me for being rejected by doing this. You came to me seeking assistance since you were impregnated by some unknown human and you are unable to locate your children."

"Caiden, what are you saying?" I didn't think someone could be as strong and vicious as Caiden was at this moment to make me feel this way. "Well, how about we actually go ahead and find them first and you can find out if they're yours or not."

Caiden looked at me, his eyes a deep blue. With my phone out of my pocket, I showed him a photo of the quads on the screen. After all, the four kids had certain familiar and personal qualities that were hard to ignore. Looking at the picture, Caiden went numb and rigid.

I handed him the phone, my head full of memories, "Sterling, Noah, Lucas, and Kyler are seven years old. I had no choice but to flee after you rejected me as your mate. I was going to tell you that night that I was pregnant."

But Caiden remained silent. I didn’t want to dwell on the past, reopening old wounds. But I needed to be efficient and show Caiden that I was telling the truth.

“They killed my best friend and took my children.” I felt my face burn and tears well up. “I can’t sense them, I can’t even track them, but you, being their father, can.”

My concerned tone only agitated him further. Caiden's eyes fixated on mine, seeking sincerity in my words.

He didn’t look anywhere else but at me. But I couldn’t tell what he was thinking or what he intended to do with that information.

"Who are the people who took them?" His eyes gleamed as he talked.

My heart thumping, I said, "I don't know; they were gone before I got home. However, there were more than one." His tone was so urgent that it made my body shudder.

"I could tell that they were humans, not wolves, based on their scent." I mentioned. Even from a distance, I could smell humans. What I had learnt in the pack was still alive, even though my wolf was asleep.

"Humans?"

"Humans, Kamara."

"You allowed humans to abduct my children?" His eyes trembling with rage as he spoke.

I responded, trying not to lose my cool, "I didn't allow it. The boys didn't even know they are werewolves. They've been living like humans"

Caiden was furious.

"What makes you think you can just come in here and tell me that I'm the father of quadruplets, and that they were abducted by goddess knows who, and that the boys don't even know they're wolves?" Caiden yelled, becoming enraged.

With a chuckle, Caiden grabbed my arm softly. "What the fuck Kamara!"

Then I thought back to how I had to leave the pack, a tear rolled down my cheek. I still hurt from Caiden's rejection, and I felt like I was bleeding inside when I felt his touch again.

I said, "You see Caiden, I could have lived with my kids without you ever knowing that they actually exist, but I need your help. Their lives are at risk everyday and I can't even help but think about what might be happening to them right now."

It was as though he just realized the situation we were in as he retracted a few steps. After all this time, life must have a sick sense of humor to bring us back together. However, the pack continued to view me as an unwanted and rejected omega. My children are the only family I have after my parents passed away when I was only nine years old and Catherine recently passed. I wouldn't give that up, even if it meant having to cope with Caiden's wrath and disgusting attitude once again.