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"Sometimes its love that hurts us most."

Amelia's POV

I waited for Kaden to get up and when he did he stretched and frowned. He looked over to where I was sitting on the couch.

"Kaden can I ask you something?" I asked and he ran a hand down his face and blinked the sleep from his eyes.

"What is it?" He said gruffly and I swallowed softly, suddenly nervous.

"Who was Emma?" I asked and his eyes widened a bit before he sighed.

"Emma was my mate." Kaden said and I frowned in confusion before shock overtook me.

"Your mate?" I breathed and he nodded.

So I was his second chance?

"Oh..." was all I could get out. I shuffled my feet uncertainly.

"Why'd you ask?" He growled and I blinked at his sudden change in demeanor.

"You mentioned her last night." I said softly and he scoffed before getting up and going to the bathroom. I heard the water from the sink running.

"Its not your business, okay? Just leave it alone." Kaden said harshly as he came back into the room. Rain growled inside me and paced around.

I opened my mouth to say more, but Kaden cut me off with a threatening snarl. I looked down and felt my lip quiver softly.

He's really overreacting. We just want to know what happened. Rain growled.

Kaden threw on some clothes and didn't give me a second glance as he went to the door.

"Amelia." I looked up at my mate's voice. He still avoided my eyes.

"Be a good girl, will you?" He said and Rain bared her teeth at his condescending tone.

Kaden left and closed the door behind him. What was his problem?

I sighed in frustration and went to get my boxing gloves from the drawer. In my haste I accidentally pulled on the top drawer not the one below. The top was Kaden's.

I was going to shut it when something caught my eye. It was a blank paper and I reached inside and grabbed it. Instantly I knew it was no ordinary paper and upon flipping it over my suspicions were made true; it was a photograph.

I was going to put it back, but the contents of the photo made me hesitate. I was too wrapped up in the way they were so close to each other. Too blinded by the whimsical smiles and joyful sets of eyes.

I walked back to the bed and sat on the edge as I let out a breath. My fingers shook slightly and my jaw ticked. My eyes squinted slightly and I bit down on my bottom lip and gnawed it softly.

I stared at the picture in dead silence.

The two young people in the photograph smiled back at me without a care in the world. The boy that was Kaden held a smile, a genuine smile, that I'd only seen on a few occasions. His golden eyes were bright and his arm was wrapped around the girl's shoulders as they stood practically as one for the picture.

The girl--whom had to be none other than Emma--was quite lovely. Her red fiery hair flowed to the nape of her neck and her green eyes shown with a stunning glow. Her smile revealed pearly teeth and brightened her face. Freckles dotted her cheeks. A blush was obvious as well in her cheeks and her eyes were cast towards the lens. Her figure was normal, not as curvy as I, but then again she'd been young, she'd probably not grown into it yet.

From what I could see, his former mate and I were polar opposites. My hair was dark brown, nearly black. My eyes were an ebony abyss, full of the hardships of my youth and present. Her skin had been pale, whereas mine was tan. Her hands looked dainty and clean; my hands, no matter how much I scrubbed, would always hold dirt of my past, not to mention the knuckles were permanently scarred by my physical outbursts. Her lips were rosy and thin, mine were pink and plump. Her face was rounded, mine was more sharply edged.

She was his first, I'd always be second.

She smiled as I slowly took on a frown. I stared at the picture. They both looked so happy. Would Kaden ever look that happy with me? How would I show him that I could bring him joy as well?

My finger ran over the photo and I swallowed the lump in my throat.

Rain had settled in the depths of me, too overwhelmed to make an appearance.

"What are you doing?" A deep growl made me jump and a small gasp escaped passed my lips. I'd been caught.

I looked up to see Kaden standing in the room. The door was wide open and I looked from him to the outside hallway. My mouth suddenly ran dry. How long had he been standing there?

"Nothing..." I breathed and Kaden growled before shutting the door. I flinched as it slammed.

"Nothing? Well it seems to me that you've been looking through my stuff." He said in an unnervingly calm voice.

"I didn't mean to-" I said and my eyes looked downcast.

"You didn't mean to go through my shit? Do you think I'm stupid?" Kaden snarled and marched over.

"I was just trying to get my gloves." I breathed and Kaden scoffed and stopped in front of me.

"Give me my damn picture." Kaden growled and I held it out to him. He snatched it away.

But the problem was, I hadn't let it fully go yet. Thus, when he yanked it away so...

Rrrriiip!

I stared at the half of the picture in my hand, dumbfounded. Silence raged on and I just stared at the piece in my hand. It had ripped right down the middle. I held Kaden and he held Emma.

"What the hell did you just do?" Kaden said in a strangled voice and my mouth gaped.

"Me? I didn't do that-I-you--" I began fumbling over my words and Kaden growled and pulled the other piece from my hand.

"Get out." Kaden spat.

"I-"

"Get the fuck out! Leave! I don't want you!" Kaden yelled and I felt coldness take over me as I stood from the bed. There was a time that I may've been scared by his anger... but now I just felt bitter pain.

I marched to the dresser and ripped my gloves from the drawer before turning around, all the while avoiding Kaden's glare.

Tears escaped from my eyes as I hurried to the door and flung it open before stumbling out.

He doesn't want us... Rain whimpered and I wiped my eyes as I made it to the stairs.

"Stop crying." I told myself as I ran my hand down my face.

I hated all this, why couldn't my life just be a happy one? Why did it always have to take a turn for the worst?

I lowered my head, my shoulders slumped, as I watched my feet move forward.