Page 58 of The Wolf King's Mate

And I didn’t even blame him for it. In his position, I wouldn’t have been sorry either.

“Sorry about the king’s visit,” I said.

He grunted, and hung up.

Enzo took the phone out of my hand and put it in his pocket, rage still burning in his eyes.

He took a step toward me. I was already leaning against the wall, so there was nowhere to go. “Explain, Princess.”

“Fletcher’s pack doesn’t trust him anymore, and challenged him until?—”

“Not that.” His voice was sharp.

“You’re going to have to clarify, because you could be referring to any number of things that were said.”

“He was relieved not to spend heat with you.”

“Oh. That.” My heart pounded.

Emotions I didn’t want to feel surged to the surface. I fought hard to keep them at bay.

“Aspen,” he warned.

“We were raised together. We’re not blood-related, but he’s only a few weeks older than us, and we grew up together. Neither of us was ever interested in each other. He screwed me every month because he had to, not because he wanted to or enjoyed it.”

There was no way around the pleasure. Not during heat. But when the lust died down, shame and guilt always followed.

Silas hated me. Not loudly, and he wasn’t cruel about it, but he did. I would’ve hated me too in his shoes.

“Why can’t their wolves handle each other?” Enzo asked.

Now, we were getting into the darker shit.

“Things happened in the past. A long time ago. They’ve been at odds ever since. I don’t want to say any more than that.”

He took another step toward me.

With a deep breath in, our chests would meet.

“I’m notasking.”

“Good, because I’m not telling you.”

His chest vibrated in warning. “Great. I’ve been itching to pay another visit to the Stone Pack.”

My body stiffened.

That was a clear threat. Not to me, but to Silas.

That bastard was smart enough to know that there was only one way to force me to answer him.

And fuck, I hated him for that.

I hated that he was big enough and strong enough to force me to give him what he wanted. That he could trap me. Cage me. Make me breakfast, then come in here and demand I tell him horrible things from my past.

My fists clenched, my body trembling.

“Silas had a twin brother. Simon.” My voice shook even more than my body. “He died the first time I went into heat. Silas rightfully resents me and Fletcher for it.”

---