Page 6 of Wolf

Andre snickers. “Better hide your little piggies, or he might just huff and puff and blow their houses down.”

Thiago’s deep, rumbling laughter fills the air, mingling with their delight. But I remain silent. Their attempts at humor fall flat against the storm brewing within me, the primal hunger that consumes my every waking thought.

As the conversation steers toward different topics—the latest shipments, territory disputes, and the never-ending game of power—I find myself drowning them out. Their words become a distant buzz, a meaningless hum that fades into the background.

My mind wanders, fixating on the memory of Kali’s defiant eyes and how her body trembled beneath my touch. I can still feel the heat of her skin, the racing pulse of her heartbeat as I pinned her against the wall.

The urge to hunt, claim, and possess rises like a tidal wave within me, threatening to sweep away any semblance of control. I clench my fists beneath the table, my knuckles turning white with the force of my grip.

Thiago’s gaze flickers to me, a silent question in his eyes. He can sense the darkness churning beneath the surface, the barely restrained violence that simmers in my veins.

But I don’t meet his stare. Instead, I let my thoughts spiral deeper, imagining all the delicious ways I’ll break Kali. I imagine how her resistance will crumble, piece by piece.

A smile curls at the corners of my mouth at the thought. Let them laugh and joke; let them cling to their false bravado. They have no idea the depths of my obsession, the all-consuming need that drives me.

For I am the wolf, and Kali is my prey. And I won’t rest until I’ve devoured her, body and soul.

3

KALI

Irock back and forth, sitting on the cold, hard floor of the cell, my mind reeling from everything that’s happened. If I thought things couldn’t get worse, I was wrong. Watching Blake get sold to that monster was devastating. And then seeing Taren beat Matias to a pulp—the violence was horrifying.

But what has me shaken is how worried I feel about Matias. I hate him for what he’s done to us, for the way he’s forced me into these awful, compromising positions. Yet I can’t stop thinking about him, can’t stop replaying our encounters in my mind. My body betrays me, aching with an unwanted arousal whenever I think of his touch.

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to ward off the chill. The sound of footsteps has me looking up, and I see Alice approaching. She kneels beside me, her blue eyes full of concern.

“Kali? Are you okay?” she asks softly, gently touching my shoulder.

I let out a shaky breath, unable to meet her gaze. “No, Alice, I’m not okay. Nothing about this is okay.”

She shifts closer, pulling me into a comforting embrace. “I know, I know. It’s all so horrible. But we have to stay strong for each other.”

I nod against her shoulder, feeling the tears threatening to fall. “I’m trying, Alice. I am. But Matias, he...” My voice trails off, unable to describe the turmoil inside me.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Alice soothes, running a hand through my hair. “I’m here. We’re here for each other. We’ll get through this, I promise.”

Her words are a balm to my frayed nerves, and I cling to her, letting the tears fall silently. Blake isn’t here, but I don’t voice that concern.

I take a few deep breaths, trying to steady myself as Alice holds me. Her warmth and comfort are the only things keeping me from completely falling apart.

After a few moments, I pull back, wiping my tears. “Thanks, Alice,” I whisper, my voice hoarse. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She gives me a small, sad smile. “We’re in this together. No matter what.”

I nod, trying to muster up some inner strength. But it’s hard when my mind keeps drifting back to Matias, to the way his touch ignites something within me that I don’t understand. It’s like he’s a drug, and I’m hopelessly addicted, even though I know he’s poison.

Luna clears her throat and sits on the other side of me. “No matter what happens to us, even if we end up in different places, we must remain strong for each other.”

I nod at Luna’s words, trying to draw strength from them. She’s right—we have to stay strong, no matter what. Even if we’re separated, even if we’re put through hell, we can’t let them break us.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “You’re right, Luna. We can’t let them win. We have to keep fighting, keep holding onto hope.”

Alice squeezes my hand silently in support. “Exactly. We’re stronger than they think. We’ll find a way out of this, somehow.”

I want to believe her, want to cling to that hope. But it’s hard when every day brings new horrors, new degradations. And with Matias...

I shake my head, trying to banish thoughts of him. I can’t let him get into my head or have that power over me, but it’s easier said than done.

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