Page 33 of Wolf Hunter

Wow, he’s close. Way too close. His chest presses against mine, and at once, his hand on me turns brand hot.

“Care to explain things to me?” he prompts.

“How do you know we’re safe? How do you know no one is going to hear us?”

“Because my brothers and I used to hang out here as kids. There’s no better place if you want to avoid being found. Besides, if anyone happens to open the door and find us, it will look like I stole you away for a… private moment.”

He stops himself from saying more, focusing on my mouth for a long moment.

“You’d be lucky to end up in a closet with me.” I press the tip of my index finger to his chest yet again.Yup,holy muscles for days,Batman.

Away from the stifling presence of whatever ghost Reid “doesn’t” have in his house, the lust springs up inside me like a thunderbird in flight, ready to either claim me or burn away my soul. I haven’t decided which one it is yet.

“Just like you were lucky to have your tongue in my mouth,” I say. “I should have bitten it off.”

“Look, Tash–”

“Stopcalling me that!”

“I’m not going to deny the attraction, because you’re too smart and you’d see through any kind of lie. What I want to know is why you’re really here, besides to kill me,” he says, “and what you’re looking for. I’ve been pretty damn lenient so far.”

He has, and that’s the terrible part. He’s been a kinder person than I ever bargained for, and outside him pushing the boundaries with his kiss—let’s be honest, I wanted it too—he’s actually been nicer than I would have been if the roles were reversed.

I’d have just slit his throat and been done with it, saving myself the hassle of conversation.

A slit throat is the fastest and smartest way out of this situation. Instead, I give him enough of the truth to get him off my back without giving everything away.

“My sister disappeared years ago, and your wolves are responsible.” I glance down at the floor. “I’m here to look for her.”

Reid shakes his head. “Your sister isn’t here.”

“Clearly,” I reply, rolling my eyes. “I didn’t sense her.” I sense nothing outside of a total creep factor, actually.

“It’s impossible for you to sense her in your room. The magic prohibits any kind of spellwork,” he retorts with a hint of smug satisfaction in his tone.

“I meant in the hallway,” I correct. “I didn’t get a feel for her at all. She’s not in this house, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t here at one point. I’m going to find her.”

Reid blinks at me. “How do you know my people are responsible?”

Notice he didn’t claim any sort of personal culpability, the shit.

“I just know,” I tell him, not willing to give away any more. “You’re going to have to take my word on it. My sister is one of many kidnapped women, and all signs point to the Redcliff Pack being responsible.”

“I understand wanting to do everything for your family, but that doesn’t explain why you wantmedead.”

The question in his voice doesn’t help. If anything, it hurts, because my heart twists, and the pain makes me blink.

“You’re thealpha. You’re the leader of your people, and all the blood spilled here is on your hands. Including hers.” My throat clenches. “You are what your vicious father made you to be.”

A snarl lifts his lip. “What do you know about my father?”

“I know he’s a man who didn’t hesitate to slaughter anyone who stood in the way of getting what he wanted. A man who left a trail of fear and bodies in his wake.”

His family is the reason the witches live in fear.

But I refuse to be afraid of Reid right now. I’ll take him out eventually. Once I manage to get out of here.

“You know nothing about me,” he hisses. “You know nothing about the cage I’ve been born into or how I’ve had to handle things to try to keep the people I love safe.”

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