2 Chapter 2

The sound of silence echoes through the empty halls of Kyles huge house, the steps and breathing becoming louder the further I bathe in the quiet. I wasn't tense, if anything I felt more at ease on my own than I do with Kyle or anyone else that comes by.

By afternoon I'd finished cleaning the entire house, scrubbing and vacuuming every room, dusting and I even manage to get the laundry done. I'd say it's a pretty productive day, despite doing this at least three times a week. The four guest rooms are always clean in case of surprise visitors from Kyles family, so I like to keep everything sparkling.

Sipping at the glass of ice water, I casually inspect the counter tops as I wander around. Like most days I find myself feeling useless, once I'm done cleaning there's nothing left to distract from the realisation that I'm completely alone.

Knocking on the front door jolts my brain awake, in a flash I tense as if I'd just been shoved into a pool of freezing water.

Assuming it's Rosa, I head to the front door and unlock it. My glass in one hand, I grip it as I pull the door open as the person knocks again. Impatient much?

"Hey-" I greet, only to be shoved aside as the door is tossed open. Instantly I'm taken by shock, the glass slipping from my hand and shattering on the marble, my bare feet ache as fragments of glass pierce my skin. My breath vanished, both out of fear and awe.

A man, standing just under seven foot, lean with muscle, his shoulders board and tense as he turns to me. My eyes drink him in, entranced by him, his scent, his beauty, his aura. The ice blue eyes that stare so blankly at me, flicker with some kind of emotion, possibly recognition.

Where did he come from?

I shouldn't stare, my heart shouldn't flutter, my gut shouldn't tighten with longing. But it does, and I couldn't stop it.

"Where is Kyle?" The mans menacing growl startles me.

Instantly, I scurry away from him as he steps towards me, out of sheer fight or flight instinct that has set like concrete within me since I was a child. The pain of glass sinking up into the soles of my bare feet instantly makes me whimper, my feet slipping on the water, I fall backwards.

Hands grab my waist, catching me mid fall, saving me from injuring myself further. The moment I realise how close he is, my heart hits my stomach, terror filling me for a short moment.

"You are wise to be frightened." That menacing tone growls again, although seemingly softer this time.

My wide eyes flicker quickly over his face, his inviting lips, his cold hard eyes. So much like Kyles, but brighter, and somehow more like ice.

"You're bleeding." The man/beast mutters, frowning at me, almost with anger.

"As are you." I voice, frowning back at him, noticing the deep red dripping down the left side of his face, coming from within his hair.

"Come on." He grunts, disapprovingly.

I yelp as he lifts me into his arms with ease, carrying me as if I weigh nothing to him. I remain partially frozen, barely breathing as I stare at the side of his face with huge wide eyes of shock. The man appears to be unfazed, a blank expression, one I think he wears a lot.

"Who are you?" I dared to ask, once he's set me down on the kitchen counter obviously, I'm not a complete psycho.

I watch him as he reaches under the sink, pulling out the first aid kit as if he's been here before. Yet I would remember him, I'm here nearly everyday, there's no way I'd forget his face.

"Kage, and you?" His response is thick with tension, his eyes never leaving mine even as he begins pulling the glass from my foot.

The pain doesn't make me flinch, it's the one thing that I'm not afraid of anymore.

"L-...Adrielle." I quickly stare, clearing my throat as I look away from him. My heart pounds within me, but not because I'm afraid, no, this is something else.

"Fast healer." He comments, tapping my foot when I look at him with confusion. Saying nothing, I nod, knowing I can't exactly tell him why I heal so quickly, I can't tell anyone.

The first aid is unnecessary, I heal too quickly for anything to be useful.

Once he's removed all the glass, he wipes the drying blood off. I stare at him, a little weary of the tingling that covers my skin, like a silent plea for him to come closer.

What do I feel like this?

The man begins to wipe the blood from his face, harshly scrubbing into his hair which can't be good given he's wounded. Still, the brute man doesn't even flinch, like he doesn't feel the pain. Perhaps he's like me?

"Here." I sigh quietly, offering out my hand. The man merely glances at me, as if disturbed.

"I've got it." He growls at me, definitely more animal than man. Talk about whiplash?

Suddenly feeling angry, a flash of strength and confidence takes over me. I snatch the cloth from the mans hand, ignoring his surprise as I yank him closer.

"Refusing help only makes you look weak." I snap at him.

Instantly realising what I'd said and done, I freeze. My eyes widening into globes, I look at the mans face, which is quite close I realise. His eyes are narrowed, despite the clear surprise in them at my actions.

"Excuse me?" He grinds out through gritted teeth. Yep, definitely angry.

"Nothing." I whisper, suddenly feeling more exposed than I have in a very long time. Stupid, that's what you are Adrielle, it's like you want to get killed right now. I mentally scold myself.

The man allows me to clean his wound, from what I can see through his thick head of dark silky hair, there's something shiny stuck inside the large hole, stopping it from healing.

"This might hurt." I murmur in warning.

Using my fingers, I dig into his flesh, unfazed by the blood and tissue hanging out, I gently grab the shiny little object. Carefully pulling it from his exposed skull, I examine the shiny metal, frowning as I realise what it is.

"You got shot in the head?" I blurt out, my tone...scolding?

"Barely." Is his response, silent as I clean the wound. Unlike mine, his doesn't heal instantly. In a few minutes the healing process should begin, it won't take long after that. It depends on how strong he is.

"How do you know Kyle?" I decide to ask, handing him the squashed bullet, the metal heating my skin slightly upon contact.

"How do you know him?" His ice blue eyes stare at me, unwavering, literally seeing into my soul. I felt exposed to him, like he was seeing every memory, every secret.

"I'm his girlfriend." I murmur, as if not wanting him to know. Why? I've never hid our relationship.

"Unsurprising, you're fragile, and you're submissive, exactly his type." The man gives a hard smile, his ivy blue eyes forming into slits, words spoken with maliciousness.

Flinching, I move away from the man as the urge to cry burns at my eyes. Perhaps it's because Kyle has a type, or maybe it's because this stranger has somehow hurt my feelings with the truth. No, His opinion is of no value to me.

"Whatever business you have with Kyle can wait until he's home, you need to leave." I state, my voice filled with strength that I didn't know I could muster anymore.

"Can't do that."

"Why?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows in irritation. Who does he think he is?

Calling the police isn't exactly an option, Kyle lives in the middle of nowhere. Plus, he isn't the type of man that takes lightly to strangers coming into his home, especially humans.

"He's my brother." Kage admits with a look of death on his beautiful shadowed face.

For what feels like the billionth time in the past five minutes, my heart hits my gut. Out of shock, I gape at him, partially seeing some resemblance. Blue eyes, dark hair although this man has darker hair and brighter eyes. Kyles are more gentle. Still, the man was build with sheer brute power, Kyles build is slightly more buff, strong, but not domineering like the man in front of me.

"He would have told me about you." I say, frowning, I shake my head. He's lying, of course he is. Still, part of me cringed at the thought of it being true, after all I'd just been so openly rude to him.

Kyle would have mentioned a brother, and Rosa would definitely have mentioned another Uncle, she never stays quiet about their family. I think she's just in love with her family, which is cute, I've never had that.

"Call him if you don't believe me." Kage shrugs, careless to what I think, or what I know.

For a moment I debate, planning to just exactly that, at the same time I don't want to do what he says. I want to prove that I'm not submissive and fragile, I don't need Kyle assurance of this man. I trust Kyle, right?

"Like I said, whatever your business with him, take it elsewhere." I say, the slight slither of fear in my voice hopefully going unnoticed.

Yes, I'm afraid, sue me. This man is terrifying, nothing like Kyle, there's no way they're related.

The mans mouth tilts upwards slightly, a menacing smirk, my palms instantly sweat. Flustered, I attempt to hold my ground, failing miserably.

"I've watched men tremble in my presence, and here you are, smaller than any of them and quite possibly the bravest." The man says, his eyebrows raised with false amusement, a dark promise shadowing his handsome face.

"Maybe you're just not as frightening as you think you are." I retort in a low, sarcastic murmur, unintentionally voicing my thoughts.

In that moment, I felt I've run through my veins. My eyes snapping upwards, staring at the man without breath in my lungs, silently wishing I could take back my words. I assumed he'd rip my head off where I stand, and yet his features remain still, his ice blue wash eyes flickering with slight amusement.

"I'd hold my tongue if I were you, I'm known to have quite the temper." Kage states, his voice as amused as his half hearted smirk, flashing a single dimple.

Kyle doesn't have dimples. My mind whispers, the voice within the dark pit coming forth like a curse.

Taking his words into consideration, I seal my mouth shut almost immediately, sensing the rising beast inside of him. It makes me skin itch, the urge to flee growing stronger.

"Good girl." He mutters, eyes flickering around the kitchen, boredom in those orbs of icy steel.

"I'll be back at some point, ensure Kyle is here next time I arrive." Kage's demand drips with authority, ordering me into submission.

I nod faintly, my heart pulsing rapidly within, fear gripping me. The tall man eyes me over once more, before backing out of the kitchen and walking out of the house. His hands resting calmly in his pockets, shoulders firm and his head high, I couldn't help but notice his walk, it's raw power. Grace, stealth, traits of a natural born Alpha.

Kyle is a beta, if they were related then Kyle would also have Alpha blood. Which of them is lying?