Page 42 of Pack Kasen: Part 1

As we enter the living room, I pass a large hole in the wall. There have been many holes in the past, and I foresee many more in the future. I’ll have someone fill it, touch up the paint and no one will know there was ever a hole there.

My gaze snags on Troy, laughing with Cruz on the decking. He’s had more than his fair share of women in our pack and in others wanting to warm his bed. He didn’t say what he was doing near the feral early this morning, but I can guess.

As if he feels the weight of my stare, he glances over at me and his smile freezes.

A snarl rumbles from my chest and Finan says softly, warningly, “Aren…”

Before I can attempt to kill my enforcer for the second time this morning, I walk outside, jog down the decking and toward the forest.

“Aren. The feral?—”

“Not now, Finan,” I cut him off as I walk away.

I need to run off my frustration.

Hell, Finan was right before. Iamabdicating my responsibilities for a few minutes of peace. So would anyone.

13

KAT

I’m talking myself out of doing something stupid when the door slams open with enough force to make me jump.

Touching the bars again, even with my hands wrapped with the T-shirt I considered removing, would not have been a good idea. I’m already a prisoner here. The last thing I need is for the Wolf King to walk in and find me topless.

The Viking stalks in, bristling with rage. If this was the first time I’d seen him this enraged, I might fear for my life.

I passed that point hours ago.

Maybe even the day before.

I can smell my pee, smell how desperately need a shower, my teeth feel like they’re covered with a layer of fuzz, and I’m stuck in a situation where absolutely none of this is my making.

And thisjackassis the one responsible for it.

Behind him, Finan, the reason I’m not gasping for water, slips in to stand against the wall next to the door. His expression is blank.

To my surprise, the Wolf King pulls a small, perfectly ordinary looking silver key from his sweatpants pocket and unlocks my cell door. “You’ve been flirting with my enforcers.”

I force myself to glance casually at the key, note which pocket he returns it to, and away again, feigning boredom.

I don’t care what I have to do, but that key is mine, and I mean to take it.

As he steps into the cage with me, his amber eyes briefly flare gold, and I know for that split second I was looking at his wolf.

I remain sitting cross-legged on the floor as he stands just inside my cell, heavily muscled arms crossed over an equally powerful chest. “No, I haven’t.”

“Aren…” Finan steps forward, looking concerned.

The Viking lifts one hand in a sign for silence, but he never takes his eyes off me. “None of my men will let you out. Flirt all you want. It won’t happen.”

“Is that why you’re here? To show me what you’re made of?” I peer up at him, resting my elbow on my knee with my chin in my palm, feigning boredom as I calculate how I can bring this jackass down. “Well, I’m very impressed. Well done.”

His lips flatten and he uncrosses his arms. “You’re trying to provoke me into killing you.”

“Wrong. I’m trying to provoke you toleave.”

Anger tightens his face, and I watch it melt away like he’s using brute force to not let it overwhelm him. His smile is taunting when he glances at the bucket in the corner of my cell. “You really have been fully embracing living as an animal.”

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