"An accident?" I tensed the moment I heard those words. I had a feeling this was something Caden didn't want to talk about. I opened my mouth to steer the conversation elsewhere, but before I could, Caden spoke in a low, distant voice. "You could say ... it was one of those outbursts during my rebellious teenage years." And then, he told me the whole story behind his ear piercing. It turned out that the cold, aloof heir of the Eclipse Pack had once gone through a rebellious phase of his own. To outsiders, growing up in the Eclipse Pack sounded like a dream—lavish upbringing, elite status, and everything a werewolf could envy. But to Caden, it never felt like a blessing. He had been subjected to strict discipline from a very young age. In fact, it was so strict that it made him feel like his life was completely different from everyone else's. By the end, Caden let out a soft sigh. He wasn't born cold or unfeeling. Once upon a time, he had tried to resist the rigid system of the Eclipse Pack. Just once. That was when he got his ear pierced. Now, when he looked back on that version of himself, he found it a little laughable—almost childish. But that single moment marked a shift. That was when he began to shut down emotionally and started viewing the world with quiet detachment. I listened silently until he finished. Then, glancing at the faint pink of his ear, I leaned in close and let out a warm breath against it. "So even our Mr. Holbrook had ... a wild and endearingly rebellious phase like that ... " I never would've imagined Caden had gone through anything like that. I was someone who had grown up wrapped in affection, yet I learned resilience on my own. His upbringing ... it was something I simply couldn't relate to. Still, the image of a little kid coldly rocking an ear piercing made me want to laugh. "Not gonna lie, I kinda wish I could've seen it," I said to Caden with a teasing grin. But before I could say anything more, he scooped me up without warning.I yelped in surprise, instinctively squirming. "Caden!" He didn't respond. He simply carried me straight into the bedroom and dropped me onto the bed. My elbow sank into the soft blanket beneath, and a bad feeling crept over me. Just as I started to sit up, Caden leaned in, pressing me down. His knee wedged between my legs. Meanwhile, he loosened his tie as he stared down at me, eyes dark and unreadable. Seeing that brewing storm in his gaze, I realized perhaps I had gone a bit too far with my teasing. "Caden ... " I whispered, blinking as I tried to sit up. But he'd already caught one of my wrists and pinned it beside me. With a flick of his hand, he tossed the tie aside. His shirt hung open, revealing his pale skin and elegant collarbone as he lowered his face toward mine. "Then take a good look at what I'm like now," he said, voice low and dangerous. It made my heart skip a beat. "Still missing something," I murmured, lips curving slightly as I gave him a once-over. "What's missing?" he asked, leaning in until our foreheads nearly touched. I blinked, lifting my free hand to trace his jaw. "Take a guess?" "I don't want to guess ... " he murmured, his voice husky and thick with heat. And just like that, the air between us turned smoldering. Just as our lips were about to meet, Caden's phone rang. He frowned in frustration, clearly annoyed. He didn't seem inclined to answer, but I suddenly came to my senses and pressed a finger to his lips. "What if it's something urgent?" Though reluctant, Caden had no choice but to answer since I'd already spoken. He pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, then quickly sat up and composed himself before taking the call. "What's up, Grandpa?" "Took you long enough to answer," Richard's grumbling voice came through. Caden gave me a sidelong glance, then replied with infuriating calm, "I was handling something important." My face flushed instantly. I reached out and gave his arm a light smack, only for him to pull me right into his arms. "Rosie's with you too? Perfect. The two of you should come back together tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" Caden asked, frowning. "Of course! You remember my birthday is coming up, don't you? If you dare say you forgot, I'll come over and knock some sense into you!" Still, Caden's expression didn't shift. "Your birthday isn't for another four days." "Come back early and stay with me for a bit. Besides, I miss Rosie." "All right then," Caden replied.