Chapter 4 Cade's Descent into Jealousy

Cade was always an extremely powerful Alpha, well revered within his pack and by his peers. But of late, something much darker began to fester inside his belly-a gnawing, bitter jealousy. It was a feeling he had never known, and it was now beginning to consume him and push him toward some unthinkable edge.

Of course, it wasn't enough that he had marked Vanessa as his Luna, a move he had been so convinced would strengthen his pack and give him the respect he craved. He hadn't anticipated how, after having watched Jessie walk away bruised yet unbroken, he had been hit in ways he could never have imagined. She had been so easy to dismiss, so quiet and seemingly fragile. He had convinced himself he was doing the right thing in rejecting her, in choosing Vanessa. She was the stronger of the two wasn't she?

But now, Cade couldn't rid his mind of the image of Jessie all proud, standing beside Alpha Lucas the last time they'd seen her. A gleam in her eyes, of strength he'd never noticed before, haunted him. Worse still, Lucas had called her his second-chance mate, and they looked. happy.

"Happy," Cade spat under his breath. He fisted his hands as he wondered how Jessie-girl he'd thrown away-could be so happy when he wasn't.

The very thought of her in another Alpha's arms, radiant, smiling, and thriving within a rival pack, carved a streak of possessive fury through his being. This was supposed to be weak, a girl he had rejected because she was not worthy. Yet now, she shone with power and confidence. And Lucas-the thought of that strong Alpha protecting her, touching her, being the one by her side-burned deep in Cade's chest like a wildfire.

Vanessa must have sensed that. Ever since word had filtered down that Jessie was Luna of Bloodfang Pack, she had grown suspicious. She'd always thought that Cade's rejection would be the final nail-the one thing that would keep her half-sister broken forever. But Jessie had picked herself up, going on to find something with Lucas far stronger than what he had ever given her.

Her own insecurities now gnawed at her, too. Cade had grown more distant. His touches, once possessive and sure, now lacked warmth. He was obsessed with Jessie, and Vanessa knew it.

"You've been distracted," Vanessa said one evening, narrowing her eyes at him as he stood by the window of their packhouse staring off into the distance.

"Have I?" Cade's tone was cool, dismissive.

Vanessa took a step closer, her lips clamping. "It is Jessie, isn't it? You can't keep your mind from wandering back to her."

Cade said nothing now, but his jaw clenched-a sure give-away that Vanessa had hit near the mark.

"She's with him now," Vanessa said, continuing with a voice laced with bitterness. "Lucas. The powerful Alpha who apparently did what you couldn't-make her happy.

Cade's hands clutched the windowsill, his knuckles white. "She should've been mine. She should've stayed broken after I rejected her. But now, she's parading around with him like I never existed."

"Maybe you were too quick to reject her." Vanessa's voice was glacial. "Maybe you underestimated her."

Cade turned sharply, eyes afire. "What do you mean?

"You thought I was the stronger choice. But now, look at her, Cade. She is more than you thought she could ever be. And look at you now, left with me."

The venom in Vanessa's words stung but stirred darker things in Cade. A plan began to take root, born of jealousy and the need to regain control over what he had lost.

If she thinks she can just walk away and find happiness after what I did to her, she's wrong," Cade growled. "Lucas can't protect her forever. I'll destroy that perfect little life she's built with him. I'll show her she was never meant for a man like that.

Vanessa watched as Cade's face contorted from jealous to cold, calculated rage. The man she'd fought to make her mate was slipping away, overcome by the need to destroy Jessie's new life. And though a part of her wanted to reach out and stop him, another part of her was curious.

"How?" Vanessa asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.

His eyes darkened and closed the space between them, his lips curling into a wicked smirk. "I'll bring Bloodfang to its knees. Lucas won't see it coming. I know his weaknesses, and I will exploit every single one of them. And when Jessie is left with nothing-no mate, no pack, nothing-she'll crawl back to me, where she belongs.

Vanessa faltered, but her burning jealousy for Jessie conflicted with her loyalty to Cade. She knew he would stop at nothing until he had what he wanted. But the prospect of Jessie losing everything-of watching her fall once more-was too good for Vanessa to resist.

"I'll help you," Vanessa said finally, her eyes aglow with malice. "We'll make her regret ever thinking she could get away from us."

Cade smiled, a pleased smile. It was all falling into place. He would take everything from Jessie, just as he ought to have done when he first rejected her.

But on some buried level, Cade knew this wasn't about revenge. It was envy, plain and simple. For no matter how powerful he was, no matter Vanessa's presence, he could not abide that Jessie had found something he had never given her-love.

And that realization only seemed to steel him more in his resolve to destroy everything she now held dear.

Cade was pacing his office, his mind consumed by one thing-revenge. Jessie, the mate that he had rejected, lived a life now far better than what he had offered her. She was happy in the arms of Alpha Lucas, leading Bloodfang Pack as his Luna. It burned deep inside him, how strong she was, stronger than he'd ever given her credit for. All he wanted was to ruin everything, let her break and crawl back into his arms once more.

But this time, Cade knew he couldn't do it all on his own. Bloodfang was strong, Lucas a formidable Alpha, and Jessie. Jessie was so far from the timid little girl he had once thought so little of.

He needed help. And he knew exactly where to get it.

Behind his desk, Cade picked up the phone, drumming his fingers across the cool surface as he weighed his next move. Rogues-violent, unpredictable, and hungry for chaos. They despised the structured world of packs, and most had been thrown out because they were violent and unstable. Still, they did have their uses. If he could unite them, if he could point them in the direction of Bloodfang, then maybe-just maybe-he'd be able to take down Lucas and Jessie.

And with Bloodfang destroyed, Jessie would be crawling to him. Cade grinned at the thought.

A knock on the door interrupted his musings. Vanessa stepped in, her face a mask of cold curiosity.

"You've been in here for hours," she said, folding her arms across her chest. "What are you planning, Cade?"

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze holding hers. "I'm going to destroy Bloodfang."

Vanessa's lips quivered with a smile. "How?"

"I've made some allies," Cade answered, his tone low. "The rogues."

Vanessa's eyes went wide, but her face quickly steadied. "The rogues? They're unstable, Cade. How can you trust them?"

Cade smirked. "I don't. But they want what I do-chaos, destruction. They'll tear through Bloodfang if I give them the right incentive."

Vanessa went to his desk, curious. "What is in it for them?

Territory," Cade said matter-of-factly. "Once Bloodfang falls, the rogues are free to terrorize their lands. And in the chaos, Jessie will be defenseless. Lucas won't be able to safeguard her when his pack is falling apart around him."

Vanessa's eyes shone with the prospect. "And once Jessie's back in our clutches, we can finally make her pay for everything.

He nodded, his mind whirling as his plan was perfect. He would dangle something in front of those rogues that they couldn't resist: land, power, and the opportunity to bring down a pack they despised. In turn, they would do his dirty work for him and tear up the life Jessie had settled into with Lucas.

"I've already sent word to a rogue leader," Cade said, continuing, "They'll meet me tonight. Once the alliance is in place, we'll strike Bloodfang."

Vanessa's heart was racing in excitement, but a small part of her just couldn't help the tiny doubt that picked at her mind. Jessie had been such a surprise-a girl who'd survived Cade's rejection and found strength in Lucas. But this. this was another story altogether. Cade's plan was brutal, and if it worked, there would be no turning back for Jessie.

"What's the next step?" Vanessa asked, voice steady.

"We meet the rogues," Cade said, his voice rising from his chair. "Then, we attack."

Later that night, Cade found himself standing at the edge of the Darkwood forest, the wind carrying the scent of danger on the air. The meeting spot he had chosen was deep within rogue territory, far from any pack borders. It was a lawless place, perfect for the kind of dealings Cade had in mind.

He heard footsteps approaching, tensed, his senses on high alert. A group emerged from the shadows-rogue werewolves whose eyes were aglow with the unmistakable ferocity of wolves that had long since abandoned the ordered life of the packs. Leading them was a hulking figure, Axel, a rogue Alpha who fought dirty and whose thirst for violence was bottomless.

A smirk curled Cade's lips. Indeed, this was the kind of rogue he needed for this particular job.

"You're Cade?" Axel returned in a deep voice as he stepped closer to him, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"That's right," Cade returned coolly, not batting an eyelash under Axel's scrutiny. "I hear you've been looking to expand your territory.

Axel snorted low in his throat, sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. "I've been looking for a lot of things, Cade. What makes you think I'd listen to an Alpha like you?"

"Because I can give you Bloodfang," Cade said, getting straight to the point. "Their lands, their power-it'll all be yours.

Axel was intrigued, but didn't show interest just yet. "Bloodfang, eh? That's one solid pack. What's in it for you?"

Cade's eyes clouded over as his voice oozed malice. "Jessie Miller. She's mine, and she's hiding there under Lucas's protection. I want her back, and I want that pack to burn."

Axel's grin spread further. "You want revenge against your little mate?

"She was never strong enough for me," Cade spat. "But Lucas. he's made her into something she's not. She needs to be reminded of who she really is."

Axel looked Cade over, his gaze assessing desperation in his eyes. Finally, he nodded. "Alright, Cade. You've got yourself a deal. We'll tear Bloodfang apart, and you'll get your little mate back."

Cade's heart raced with a dark sense of satisfaction. A deal was made, and finally, the wheels were in motion. Bloodfang would fall, Jessie would be his once more, and Lucas would pay for the audacity to take what was rightfully his.

With the rogues gone into the night, Cade was left standing alone in the forest, the wicked smile that spread across his face the only thing there. Soon enough, everything that Jessie had built would crumble down, and then she would have no other choice but to crawl back to him, broken and defeated.

And this time, he wouldn't let her go so easily.