Page 21 of Pack Kasen: Part 2

I watch him disappear into the forest. Before I lose sight of him, he dips his hand into his pocket and pulls something out. A cell phone, I think.

“What’s his problem?” I mutter.

“Don’t know. Don’t care.” The Wolf King grins at me. "I knew you would return."

"I am here to take you up on your offer.Ineed a killer found.Youneed to get rid of someone. That’s all. You, I would prefer to see as little as possible while I'm here." I turn to grab my bag from my trunk, already regretting my decision to come.

He grabs my wrist.

I look at him. "Or I can leave?"

"Or I can lock you up. Stop you from going anywhere,” he says, voice silky with his soft threat.

I look at Finan. "Is he an idiot? Was he dropped on his head as a baby? Perhaps some other unfortunate accident in his youth might explain his inability to learn from his mistakes?"

Aren growls.

I yank my arm free. “You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I’ll do this on my own.”

He hauls me right back, scowling down at me from his six-foot something height. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t need me, and if there’s one thing I know how to do well, it’s hunt.Stay.”

My eyes narrow at that last word.

“Please,” he grinds out.

I blink, surprised he knew the word existed.

His lips twist in a half-smile that is far sexier than it has a right to be. “Tagge won’t leave unless he sees us together, so you turning up when you did was perfect timing. I was getting ready to live in the forest with the squirrels. Not sure how well Finan would have done in charge, but I’m sure he’d have done all right. Probably.”

“Of course you were.” Finan releases a quiet, tired sigh that almost makes me smile. “Nice you think so highly of me.”

Aren points his chin at my car. “You got any bags you need Finan to carry out?”

I should have known he would relegate the task to his beta.

I walk back to my car. “No.”

“What are you doing?” he calls after me.

“Getting my bag myself.”

No sooner have I pulled my duffel from my trunk than the Wolf King is slamming my trunk shut and taking the bag from me.

He tosses it back to Finan. “Take it up to our room.”

Dangerous,dangerouswords.

“What did you say?” I ask.

But the Wolf King is leading—and I use that word lightly because it feels an awful lot like dragging—me into his house.

The last time he led the way inside, he had a length of silver chain wrapped around my neck. He might not have a silver chain this time, but the grip he has on my upper arm feels unbreakable.

“You’re time for dinner. We’ll eat. You can laugh at my jokes, and Tagge will leave my home, never to return.”

“Why don’t you just tell him to leave?” I try not to appreciate the gorgeous dark wood and gray stone interiors of the Pack Kasen log cabin. But I fail. It’s a beautiful home. I can’t help but appreciate it as much as my wolf loves our remote forest surroundings.

And the food smells are incredible. I stopped at a drive-thru on my way up here, but I demolished the burgers, fries, and a large chocolate shake hours ago. Someone must have heard my stomach growling for Aren to lead me straight to the source of those yummy smells.

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