Page 62 of Kin of the Wolf

“To be honest, I’m more partial to the idea ofhimdead. You won’t be a problem to deal with if he’s not around. How the hell did he become a bipedfuris anyway?”

I wanted to say I’d been in the process of kicking his ass when we’d been fighting one-on-one, so I had to be more of aproblemthan he thought. But insults weren’t going to get me what I wanted.

“Killing him isn’t acceptable,” I said. “Name your price for the antidote.”

“The ivory box.”

I didn’t have to manufacture a growl. I’d known he wanted that.

“Andyour mother’s medallion after she passes.”

“You don’t want much, do you?”

“Neither of those things should be yours anyway.”

“They’re notyourseither.”

“Nope, but I’m going to take them. Just like I’m going to take the pack.”

Hell, maybe he would give me enough to hand the arbiter without an in-person video recording. But I needed more than this. His ambition to take over the pack wasn’t a secret. Mom had already talked about it. Everyone probably knew about it. I needed more out of him, especially since the pack would consider me, the female who’d disappeared for decades, an unreliable witness.

What I wanted and believed would work to sway the elders was Augustus admitting he was acting like a mafia boss out there and making a bad name for the Savagers. And I wanted it in a video confessional that I could show to everyone.

“You’ll have to talk to my mom if you want the medallion,” I said, “but I agree to trade the wolf case for the antidote.”

“I want the case and for you to promise to hand over the medallion to me once your mother passes.She’snot going to give it to me. We already know that.”

“I thought you wanted it for your wife, not yourself. It’s for female werewolves, you know.”

“I’m getting it for her. I’m a good husband.”

“Uh-huh.” I hadn’t seen his wife during any of our confrontations, which made me wonder how much time they actually spent together. Hadn’t Mom said they were separated? Maybe his wife had learned after marrying him what a douchebag he was. “I need the antidote right away. Where do you want to do the exchange? Someplace neutral.”

“Come to my house tonight.”

“That’s notneutral. I want to meet at a park.”

“My house is where the antidote is.”

“You don’t havepockets?”

“The vials are big.”

Yeah, right.

“If you want the antidote,” he continued, “you’ll come here. Eight p.m.”

I ground my teeth, but if I argued too much, Augustus mightsuspect Duncan wasn’t in that bad of a state. If I did anything but give in to his demands, it would be suspicious.

“I need the antidote right away,” I said, putting a desperate hitch in my voice.

“Tonight is soon enough,” Augustus said firmly. “That poison takes a couple of days to kill. Besides, I’m having a little gathering tonight, and I have to get the place ready.”

“You’re afraid to meet me alone?”

“I don’t know what schemes you’re concocting.”

“You’rethe one who poisoned my friend, and you accusemeof scheming?” My palms were so damp my phone almost slipped out of my grip. I was scheming my brains out.

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