Page 95 of Smoke and Moon

Chanin’s nostrils flared as he moved deeper into the warehouse.He could smell the sour stench of sweat and filth coating the unwashed body of the man seated in the chair—no odor of fear emitted from the man yet.

“I knew it wouldn’t be long until you showed up,” Valko murmured, his head bowed, and arms cuffed around the back of the metal ladder chair, bolted and welded to the floor.The tight position of Valko’s arms kept the man from shifting, but the silver laced along the inner rings of the cuffs prevented the man from breaking the links between the cuffs.

Chanin didn’t respond as he kept himself in the shadow, slowly circling the ingrate, the traitor to his kind.He saw Valko’s hands fist, just a small show of his nervousness at Chanin’s silence.

The rogue Lupine’s hearing and sense of space were just as good as Chanin’s, and he watched as Valko tried to track his steps.The other man subtly moved his head from left to right as he attempted to determine which direction an attack would come from

However, Chanin had no desire to sneak up on Valko to wound or kill him; he’d come at him face-to-face.

Boris and Bleddyn stood behind the table, silent, allowing Chanin to command the interrogation.

“Whatever you want to know, I won’t tell you,Alpha.”Valko sneered and tried insulting Chanin with how he spoke his title.

Chanin wasn’t fazed.

Valko lifted his head, and he glanced to the right.

Chanin stood behind him but far enough in the shadows that he was right out of Valko’s sight range.“Oh, Valko...you will talk.Before I finish with you, you’ll open your rotten mouth and tell me what I want to hear.”

“Fuck you, Chanin!Farkas is the true Alpha.I only answer to him.”

A loud chuckle erupted from Chanin as he stepped behind the man and bent close to whisper in his ear.“Is that all the taunt you’re working with, Valko?”

The man reared his head back and attempted to strike Chanin in the face, but Chanin anticipated such an amateurish move and used it to snatch a handful of Valko’s hair.The greasy strands forced Chanin to extend his claws and bury them in the man’s scalp for purchase so his grip didn’t slip.“You think I care what you or any of Farkas’s minions think about me?I don’t.All your lazy, entitled asses are scum and barely deserve an ounce of my thought.”

Valko winced.He squeezed his eyes shut against the pain.“Fuck you, Chanin!Fuck you!”

Chanin cuffed his right ear before he let him go.

“Ow...asshole!”

He circled the chair and stood before Valko, both now in the light.

Like an idiot, still making pussy moves, Farkas’s second-in-command’s left leg came out in a flash and tried to take out Chanin’s knee.Chanin grabbed Valko’s foot in both his hands and twisted violently to the right.

Snap.

Valko howled in pain.

Chanin released the man’s foot, let it drop hard to the ground, and smiled as Valko whimpered.

The way Valko’s foot lay at an odd angle against the floor, the man would have to keep his leg stretched forward or cause himself more pain.

Sweat ran down Valko’s dirty face as he shot Chanin a harsh look, his eyes flashing amber.“Let me out of these restraints, and I will shift and rip your fucking heart out!”

“That’s the problem.You can’t shift, so your wolf can’t heal you fast.And your slow-healing foot is a little painful, isn’t it?”

Valko’s lips peeled back as he flashed his extended canines at Chanin.

Chanin wasn’t afraid of Valko’s wolf if they had to fight, but hell no, he needed answers.“Where is Farkas hiding?”

The treacherous man turned his head to the side.“It’s not as if I tell you and you’ll let me go.”

Chanin’s stance was wide as he folded his arms over his chest and eyed Valko.“No.I won’t.You’ll be punished for acting against Pack law, but I would allow you to choose to die quickly.”

“Kiss my shitty ass, Chanin!”Valko barked.

“So, the hard way.”Chanin nodded.

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