Page 9 of Wolf

A growl rumbles in my chest. “I’ll be the one doing the fucking, baby.” I release her, pacing the room once more.

Thiago watches me, his brow furrowed. “Is there a problem, little brother?”

He knows I’m growing restless. I can’t take this anymore. The restraint on my urges is suffocating me. I need to break free and let the darkness inside me run wild. “No, why would there be a problem?” I ask.

Thiago’s jaw clenches as he approaches me, lowering his voice. “I can’t have you losing it, not right now.”

My eyes narrow as I gaze at Kali. Watching her makes my blood sing, but it’s not enough. I need more. I need to see the fear in her eyes, to feel her tremble.

The thoughts swirl in my head. I imagine all the ways I could make her scream, all the ways I could shatter her fragile spirit. It’s a sickness, but I embrace it. It’s what makes me strong, what sets me apart from the weak fools around me.

“Matias,” Thiago hisses, drawing my attention back to him. He knows me too well, knows the darkness that lurks beneath my skin.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” I spit before stalking toward Kali.

She senses my approach and stiffens, her eyes darting to mine. There it is, that flicker of fear. An intoxicating drug I can’t get enough of.

I grab her roughly, yanking her to her feet from where she remains, kneeling after Thiago’s last request. She gasps, her body colliding with mine. I can feel the heat of her through my clothes, and it makes me want to rip them off and take her right here, in front of everyone.

But I can’t. Not yet. Ileana’s orders still stand, and even I’m not foolish enough to defy her outright. But there are other ways to break her and make her mine.

“You think you’re so strong, don’t you?” I whisper. “But I see right through you. I see the weakness, the fear. And I’m going to use it to destroy you.”

She shudders, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I can practically taste her terror, and it makes my mouth water.

I release her abruptly, shoving her away. She stumbles, catching herself before she falls.

I turn away, my mind racing with possibilities. I’ll find a way to break her, to make her mine. And when I do, it’ll be a hunt like no other. My little rabbit won’t stand a chance.

I need something more. I need to see her tremble, hear her beg, feel the rush of the hunt and the thrill of the chase.

A grin spreads across my face as an idea takes root. Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll give Kali a taste of freedom, a glimmer of hope, and then snatch it away, crushing her spirit once and for all.

The training continues, but my mind is elsewhere, already plotting my next move. Ileana’s rules be damned—I’ll have her, one way or another.

5

KALI

Ilie awake in the cell, unable to sleep. It’s hard to believe my friends can sleep after the day we’ve had. Matias’s cryptic words replay in my mind like a broken record.

You think you’re so strong, don’t you? But I see right through you. I see the weakness, the fear. And I’m going to use it to destroy you.

The most concerning thing of all is that I think he sees right through me in a way no one has ever done.

A door creaking open pulls me from my thoughts. Matias stands there again, his dark eyes fixed on me. My heart races, unsure of what he has in store. Stepping forward, he grabs my arm and yanks me to my feet, dragging me from the cell.

This time, he doesn’t take me to the room. Instead, he leads me down an unfamiliar corridor, the air growing colder and the walls closing in. I shiver, both from the chill and the dread.

Where is he taking me?

Matias stops before a heavy metal door, slides a key in, and unlocks it before pulling it open to reveal a long, dark tunnel. My breath catches in my throat. “Where are you taking me?” I ask.

“I’m setting you free,” he says coldly.

I stare at him, dumbfounded. “Free?” I echo, glancing back down the corridor toward the cell. I don’t want to leave my friends.” This has to be a trick. Why would he set me free?

“Walk,” Matias commands, giving me a firm shove toward the opening.

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