Page 66 of Pack Kasen: Part 1

My mouth snaps shut and I stare at him, shocked I told him something I have never told anyone before. My dreams—and my nightmares—have always been mine alone. No sharing with anyone.Ever.

He gives me another thoughtful look. “Curious.”

“What did you…” I let my voice trail off.

I shouldn’t be asking him what he did. I should be asking myself why I answered.

He wanders over to his desk. “I have shifters in here who get into fights and don’t want to get others into trouble. I’ve learned to hone my instincts in getting the truth out of people.” He refills my water glass and walks over to me. “A short series of easy questions followed by the real question I want answered seems to work wonders. Here.”

“Why are you talking to me?”

“Because that’s what people do. Talk to each other.”

His innocent expression doesn’t change, but he’s laughing at me. He has to be. “Even ferals?”

He cocks his head to the side as he scrutinizes me. “Do you consider yourself a feral?”

I take the water from him. “No.”

He opens his mouth.

I shake my head. “That trick won’t work twice on me, old man. I promise you that.”

His brief smile softens the hard angles of his face.

I glance at the window, in the direction where I heard a howl that I assumed was a dream, but I don’t think it was at all. I think it was the Wolf King howling. “What’s going on out there?”

Gregor’s amusement fades. “Aren is finding out what happened.”

“And once he’s found out?”

“That’s for him to decide.”

The door swings open before I can take advantage of having someone who actually answers my questions and treats me like I’m human.

The men who ambushed me on campus and brought me here fill the doorway. Their eyes flick from me to Gregor. “Aren says she needs to go back in the cage.”

Gregor frowns. “She doesn’t belong in the cage.”

Thanks, old man. At least someone in this place is capable of using their brain.

One of the guards shrugs. “Aren’s orders.”

One guard unhooks me from the bed, leaving the chain wrapped around my wrist, and keeping a firm grip on the end of the chain. Even if I knocked him back, there’s no way I’d get past the other guy who doesn’t so much as blink as he watches me.

I smile at Gregor as I get to my feet. “Thanks for the water.”

He nods.

“But not for the trick question,” I add.

The corners of his eyes crease when he smiles. “If you want to talk about it sometime, I’m here.”

“Talk about what?”

“The reason you were crying out,” he says. “It sounded as if you were in some distress.”

I don’t talk about the basement. Now that’s a Pandora’s box I’m not sure I want to open, even if I knew how to. Or have a reason to.

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