Page 8 of Hidden Pain

“I know.” Brayden bowed his head and strode off back to where he’d come from.

“I’m really sorry,” Lily repeated as both Kingsley and Hunter led her back into the room and to the bed.

“We know. It’s why you’re in here,” Hunter assured her, offering a rare glimpse of his kindness this time.

“What are we going to do now?” Kingsley asked Hunter. He knew tonight would be all about getting Lily settled into her room and earning her trust.

In an instant, the stern expression on Hunter’s face reappeared, and the bossy alpha wolf instructed, “Go run a bath. I think it’s about time we got Lily clean.”

Chapter Five

Lily sank back down into the bath, allowing her long brown hair to flow freely under the warm bubble-filled water. It was the first bath she’d had in a long time—she welcomed the feeling of being clean. It was better than the dirt of the dungeon and being trapped in that room. Even though she’d been constrained by a magical barrier rather than bars, and the room wasn’t as small as the cage of her youth, it’d still been a prison.

She couldn’t quite believe she’d been given roomsthisfancy without having to provide a service to the alpha of the pack holding her. She decided to accept it for now but continue to be wary and on the lookout. The first moment she wasn’t being watched, she’d try to escape and find her way back to Nuka. He’d be waiting for her with open arms and praise for completing the task he’d given her. He might even decide to upgrade her rooms at his mansion to something similar to these. Her current ones were servant’s quarters, high in the building's attic, and they were often drafty. She couldn’t complain, though. He’d given her a home when no one else would.

“Do you need more hot water?” The deep timbered tones of the wolf alpha drifted into her thoughts.

“No, thank you,” she replied politely and sat up, the water dripping down her naked body. To a shifter, nakedness in front of each other was common place and nothing to be concerned about. However, it was different among humans, and one ofthemnow sat on the toilet watching her intently. She didn’t trust Kingsley despite the nice guy act. She could tell that the wolf was playing bad cop while the human was being the good one. It wouldn’t persuade her to trust him, though. The first chance she got, she was off and back to Nuka.

“I think I’ll get out,” she announced, not taking her eyes off Kingsley. If he was going to stare at her, she was going to stare right back. His human stench filled the room—it was him who needed a bath, not her.

She got to her feet, and Hunter handed her a towel.

“Go into the bedroom. I’ve put some clean clothes on the bed for you,” he ordered.

She looked up at him and cocked her head with a new found confidence. “What if I don’t want to wear them?”

“Don’t argue with me,” Hunter replied and stormed from the room.

“I’m sure he gets off on being bossy,” Kingsley said as he came up behind her and handed her a smaller towel for her hair. “If you don’t like the clothes, you can change them. There’s a whole wardrobe full for you.”

She reluctantly took the towel and wrapped it around her head without responding to him. Kingsley grunted and went back into the bedroom. She followed.

When they entered, Hunter was sitting on an armchair in the corner of the room.

“We have a few rules for you. One, you don’t leave this room without one of us being with you. It’s not because we don’t trust you but for your own safety. There are a few people here who aren’t keen on you being allowed to stay.”

Lily nodded. She knew it was best to just agree and bide her time until they left her alone. She dropped the towels on the floor. Kingsley’s heated gaze was instantly on her body again. Human men were completely ruled by their dicks. She bet he was aroused. She sniffed the air but found no evidence of it. That was strange. She grabbed the purple and black pajama bottoms that had been placed on the bed and slipped her legs into them. They were surprisingly comfortable.

Hunter continued, “Number two, no shifting unless I sanction it. I must be with you when you do shift.”

She turned and frowned at Hunter.

“Not unlessyousanction it?” she spat. She’d had enough of the good cop/bad cop routine.

“Yes.” Hunter leaned forward on the chair, his brows knitted together with a look of authority.

“You do know you should let me go before Nuka comes to get me. It’ll lead to less bloodshed that way,” she replied nonchalantly while putting the vest pajama top on.

Hunter laughed. “I don’t think so. He won’t come for you.”

“How can you be so certain?” she retorted.

“Show her.” The wolf looked toward Kingsley.

“I’m not sure…” Kingsley started, but Hunter interrupted him with a look, It was his usual show of being the big man in the room: the one holding all the cards and slowly playing them one-by-one. Kingsley obeyed, and taking a phone from his pocket, he pulled up the email program and scrolled down to a message before turning the phone around, so she could see the screen. She read quickly.

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