I wanted to give a little insight to Eric's thought process so far. This takes place after the training room incident.
some profanity.


After the council meeting is adjourned, Eric leaves the conference center. He lights up a cigarette, his mind deep in thought. He needs to get his head straight...the only way he knows how to release is by something physical, like fucking or fighting. Jade isn't an option right now, so he decides to head for the gym. Eric stalks his way through the Pit, making a beeline for the weight room. A few guys he normally lifts with greet him with a nod. He throws the butt of his cigarette on the ground, sitting on the bench.

He's still on edge from his encounter with Jade, needing to do something to get his rage and aggression out before he does something he'll regret and can't explain later.

Sweat pours into his eyes as he pushes the free weight above him as hard and fast as he can, but he barely feels it. He's furious with himself...He's furious with Jade. He's just fucking furious in general and has got to get his shit together.

"What the fuck is happening to me," he mutters.

He's always been in control; never letting anyone, never mind a female, get the best of him. He always thought women only serve one purpose, never to be taken seriously. Most likely the reason he's never had a real relationship with one. He's of the mindset that if she turns out to be a pain in the ass, get rid of her and move on to the next without a single thought. He can get the same thing from one that he can get from another. Women are disposable.

At least they were, before Jade.

Jade has gotten to him, whether he likes it or not. He actually feels bad about hitting her...something that has never, ever happened before. The simple truth is she matters to him, as much as he doesn't want her to. His behavior last night brought that to the surface, making him question why it was having such an effect, why it was bothering him so much. His Erudite-rooted logic made him lay the whole situation out in his mind to analyze their root problem.

The fact of the matter is, Jade's so out of Ayden's league it's not even funny. A man like Ayden does not deserve a woman like Jade. She's the best of best and should be with the best...someone worthy of her, not some foot soldier with no real promise.

Jade should forget about Ayden and be with him...and what he so abruptly realized is how much he wants to be with her.

But after what he did last night, he doesn't know if that'll even be possible. He throws the weight back on the bar, heading toward the punching bag. He hits, kicks and punches until his knuckles and legs are bloody. This is a pain he can deal with and in fact a very welcome distraction. Finally, the bag breaks right off the chain from his force. He squeezes his eyes shut as he catches his breath.

Any other woman would've been a cowering, sniveling mess when he dragged her into the Training Room. Any other woman would've completely broken to his will, submitting to him with no question...but not her. Jade absolutely made the right choice when she picked Dauntless. Not only did she stand her ground and fight back, she actually had the balls to hold a knife to his throat. For a second he really thought she might actually cut him.

Instead of pissing him off, it turned him on even more.

Jade never ceases to amaze him. Any woman that could take him down and gain the upper hand deserved to rank first. Though in reality… Jade doesn't know this…he sort of let her win.

As pissed as he was, he wasn't as rough as he could have been because he thought they were going to end up fucking. When she stabbed the knife by his head and left, he thought she'd come back. After realizing she wasn't, Eric followed her home to finish what they started, this game of cat-and-mouse thrilling him to the core. When he walked into her bathroom, it was obvious she was expecting the fight to continue…but that was the last thing on his mind.

Eric felt a strange pang in his chest that she thought he wanted to hurt her...when all he wanted was to be with her.

He shakes his head with a silent chuckle. Jade wanted him to stay as much as he did, though she won't admit it. Jade is the best sex he's ever had, leading to the best sleep of his life with her in his arms. Eric wipes his face with a towel, some of his frustration subsiding as he heads for his penthouse.

Once he gets home, he takes a quick shower. After pouring himself a glass of whiskey, he lights up a cigarette and steps out to his balcony. Smoke circles his head as he stares into the cityscape, pondering another fact.

It's time to get serious about his future in Dauntless. If he wants to ascend to the Dauntless throne one day, certain things will be expected of him and the image he presents. There're already several challenges he'll need to address. In addition to being the youngest leader, he's also the only one on the council not married or in a relationship heading that way. He's also the only leader that doesn't have a child.

As Jade so blaringly pointed out once, he's not only expected but required to produce children.

A King needs a Queen, whether he likes it or not. Until now, none have been an acceptable option. Jade is beautiful, smart, brave...the very embodiment of what the Dauntless deem ideal for society. She's a true Dauntless, worthy of a top place in their faction hierarchy. Eric can give her that...Ayden can't.

Eric knows he and Jade are a true match, the most logical one they could make. As insipid as he finds personal relationships to be, he sees the bigger picture here. Eric needs Jade by his side, and so she will be...one way or the other.

Eric ashes his cigarette, clenching his jaw. Jade may not see it yet, but she belongs with him... not some fool that rides around the city, oblivious to the fact that every time he's gone, Jade finds herself in Eric's bed, gasping and trembling from what he did to her, making her feel things Ayden never could.

Eric swirls his whiskey, puckering his brow as he realizes something else.

Jade is the first woman to ever make him feel jealousy, and he doesn't know where it came from. He has no time or patience for the usual bullshit he's seen women try to pull with men. He can see right through that ploy, but that isn't what this is. Jade is not using Ayden to make him jealous, she's using Ayden as a shield. At first, he wondered why should he give a shit if she decides to be with Ayden for the time being? It'll eventually fizzle out, and Jade will wind up with him, where she belongs.

Eric thought that was exactly what Jade was going to tell him, the night she said Ayden was no longer her boyfriend. An unexpected sense of relief and excitement overcame him, thinking she'd finally ended it with the idiot and he could start getting things on track. Jade would finally be officially his...the only bed she'd be in from now on, would be his.

When she instead told him that she was going to marry Ayden...he saw complete red, as well as realizing the grave mistake he'd made.

Eric takes another drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly as his eyes narrow. His mistake was in thinking that Ayden wasn't a worthy adversary, that Jade's relationship with him would eventually just come to its' inevitable end in due time.

He didn't put effort into sabotaging it, because he didn't think he'd have to.

Eric shakes his head in disgust, realizing he has to rethink his whole strategy. He laces his hands over his stomach, gazing at the setting sun. Jade has another thing coming if she thinks he'll actually let her marry Ayden just to spite him.

He has one card to play against Jade if it comes down to it, and he has a feeling it will. That card is safely locked in his file cabinet, though Eric won't use it unless she gives him no choice. Eric already gave Jade several warnings that she could end it, or he would do it for her.

If Jade chooses not to listen, she'll find out the hard way.