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The bed is too soft. Too warm. My sheets tangle around me like theyβre trying to trap me in this restless sleep I canβt escape. I roll onto my side again, toss the pillow beneath my head, and stare at the ceiling, unable to corral my thoughts. Every time I close my eyes, the same nightmares returnβwhispers in the woods, shadows chasing me, a voice pulling at something deep inside me.
With a frustrated sigh, I swing my legs off the bed. The cool floor brings brief relief. I stand, pace the room for a moment, then head for the door. The hallway is dim, lit by a soft orange glow flickering from distant sconces. As I step out, I freeze.
Heβs there.
Just a few feet away, Kane stands against the shadows, his presence as dark and untouchable as the night itself. He doesnβt notice me right away, his focus fixed on the hallway ahead. My throat tightens. My mind blanks. That look on his faceβthe coldness in his eyesβit never fades. Not even when heβs near.
I clear my throat, the sound slicing through the silence. βEldricβ¦ heβs gone, right?β
Kaneβs gaze shifts to me. He nods, his expression unreadable. The fierceness in his stare sends chills down my spine.
βWhere are you headed?β His voice is low, gravel dragged across stone. That harsh edge makes my heart pound harder.
βJustβ¦ waterβ I answer quickly, stepping past him. βI couldnβt sleep.β
Kane doesnβt move, but I feel his gaze tracking me. He follows silently, his boots making no sound on the polished floor.
βWhy havenβt you slept?β His question catches me off guard. Itβs so direct. So unexpected.
I glance over my shoulder, raising a brow. βLike you care.β
His jaw tightens. The lines of his face sharpen. He steps forward, closing the distance between us in one smooth move. His breath brushes my ear as he speaks, rougher, more commanding.
βAnswer the d@mn question without pissing me off for once.β
I swallow hard, trying to steady my voice. βItβs because of you.β The words tumble out before I can stop them. βEver since you chased me in the woods, I canβt stop having nightmares. Every time I close my eyes, theyβre there. The shadows. The voices.β
Silence stretches between usβjust our breathing, slow and heavy, in the dim light. Kane stands still, his face unreadable, his gaze locked with mine.
βFollow meβ he orders after a beat.
I hesitate, but something in his tone compels me. I donβt want toβbut I do. I follow him through the hall, the cold stone walls pressing in as we head toward the suite at the end of the corridor.
Kane opens the door with ease. Darkness swallows me the moment I step inside. His suite mirrors himβmysterious, imposing. No soft colors. No warmth. Just shadows and sleek edges. A dim lamp casts a sickly yellow glow across dark wood furniture.
Kane moves straight to a drawer beside his king-sized bed, every movement deliberate. The soft click of the drawer echoes in the quiet. He pulls out a small white pill container. Without a word, he hands it to me.
βTake one. Itβll help with the dreams.β
I eye the bottle warily. Iβve never liked medicineβespecially not the kind that feels like itβs meant to numb me.
βI h@tΓ« medicineβ I mutter, harsher than I intend.
Kaneβs gaze sharpens. His lips twitchβalmost a smirk.
βDo you think I care?β His voice drops to a near growl. βTake it or donβt. Your choice. Iβm not here to babysit your excuses.β
I cross my arms, the heat of his words wrapping around me. He doesnβt waver. Something about the way he standsβunmoved, unaffectedβmakes my heart race.
He pops the cap, fingers steady, eyes never leaving mine. He holds one pill between two fingers.
βYouβve been up long enough. Take it.β
My mind screams to refuse. But his voiceβthat dark, irresistible edgeβpushes me to obey. I take the pill from his hand. Our fingers brush. A jolt of heat shoots through me despite the coldness of his skin.
βWater?β he asks, nodding toward a nearby glass.
I stare at itβuntouched, still, daring me. My fingers tremble as I wrap them around the plastic bottle. I force down the lump in my throat, lift the pill to my lips, and swallow.
To my relief, it doesnβt taste awful. If it had, I mightβve gagged and embarrassed myself.
βThank youβ I whisper, setting the bottle back in place.
βGo back to bedβ he orders.
βI want to go homeβ I say quietly.
βYouβre not leaving this place until I figure out what you areβ he snaps.
His words twist something in my chest. My brows knit in frustration, but I hold my tongue. Arguing wonβt help. Not now. I breathe and let it go.
Truth is, I donβt really want to go backβnot to the house, not to that life. I just want to see my brother. My big brother. And my little sister. Mostly him. I miss him so much it aches like a hollow echo in my chest.
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The scent of breakfast does nothing for me. Bacon sizzles on the plate in front of me, golden eggs sit perfectly fluffed beside it, and thereβs even a slice of toast buttered to the edge like someoneβs trying too hard.
Too bad Iβm not in the mood to be pleased.
I sit at the long dining table, fork in hand, stabbing the same piece of egg over and over. Maybe five times. Maybe six. Iβve lost count. The yolk smears across the plate like an abstract painting of my moodβconfused, messy, vaguely pissed off.
Kane sits across from me, stone-faced, unreadable, sipping coffee like itβs the only thing keeping him alive. He hasnβt said a word. No good morning. No grunt. Nothing.
I poke the toast, dragging it through the yolk like it might bleed.
βAre you going to eat, or just keep torturing the d@mn food?β Kane snaps.
I blink, caught. Then narrow my eyes.
βIβm not hungry.β
He leans forward slightly, cup clinking as he sets it down.
βThen stop pretending. Donβt sit here playing with your plate like a sulking child.β
βBetter than pretending to care about anything at allβ I mutterβnot quite loud enough, not quite soft either.
His jaw ticks. A muscle jumps in his cheek. Before he can retort, the door opens and Lyall steps inβcrisp, composed, and annoyingly unbothered.
βAlphaβ he says, dipping his head, βyour ride is ready. The convoy is waiting at the gate.β
Kane stands immediately, pushing back his chair with that smooth authority no one can ignore.
And I see my chance.
βI want to come with youβ I say suddenly.
His back stiffens. He doesnβt turn.
βNo.β
βBut Iβve been locked in this place for days. Iβm losing my mind. I wonβt be a problemββ
βYouβre safer here.β
I push up from my seat, the chair scraping harshly. βI donβt want to be safe! I want to feel something again! You said you were trying to figure out what I am, right? Maybe youβll find out faster if Iβm with you instead of rotting in this fancy cage.β
He turns, eyes dark, dangerous. βYou are notββ
βIβll behaveβ I cut in, fists clenched at my sides. βNo running. No escaping. Iβll help, if I can. Justβ¦ donβt make me sit here another day staring at walls and books I donβt care about.β
Kane exhales sharply through his nose, gaze narrowing.
βYou could use the libraryβ he offers dryly.
I roll my eyes. βIβm not a book girl.β
The silence stretches. Tense. Heavy.
Then, finally, he mutters, βFine. But you stay within sight. You do anything stupid, and Iβll have Lyall drag you back here by the throat.β
βSounds charmingβ I say with a smile I donβt mean.
Lyall, still by the door, arches a brow like this is all entertainment. Kane storms past him without another word.
And I bolt after him, heart racingβnot from fear, but from the rush of not being left behind.
Not today.
β’β’β’β’β’β’
The black car glides to a smooth halt in front of a towering glass building. It looms above like a modern-day templeβcold, elegant, untouchable. I stare up at it, swallowing the knot in my throat. The reflective surface shimmers under the sunlight, almost daring me to turn around.
But I donβt.
The moment Kane steps out, the atmosphere shiftsβlike the windβs been sucked out of the sky. People outside, dressed in sleek suits and pencil skirts, snap to attention. Some lower their gazes. Others simply freeze. A woman drops her phone. A man fumbles with his briefcase. I even catch one intern whispering a hurried prayer under her breath.
Kane walks like he rules the worldβand maybe he does. Every step echoes with power. Authority. Fear.
I trail behind him, struggling to keep up as his long strides carry him through the marble-floored lobby. His presence is suffocating in the best and worst ways. Everyone moves aside like the Red Sea parting. Eyes dart away. No one dares speak. Itβs almost holy.
Or terrifying.
Inside the elevator, one of his assistantsβa young man with thin glasses and nerves stitched into his bonesβrushes in, breathless, clutching an iPad with trembling hands.
βSir, you have the investor call at nine, followed by the board meeting at ten-thirty. Then the marketing review and your lunch with the senatorββ
Kane raises one hand without looking.
The assistant freezes mid-word, blinks rapidly, then nods.
βI understand, sir. Iβll have them cancelled.β
The rest of the elevator ride is silent.
By the time we step onto the top floor, Iβm nearly dizzy from the weight of everything. The air is different up hereβcleaner, colder, expensive. Kaneβs office doors open, revealing a sleek black-and-silver interior with windows stretching from floor to ceiling. The city looks like a toy set below us.
Once inside, the doors shut with a soft but definitive click. Weβre alone.
Kane sheds his jacket and tosses it over the back of his chair before settling behind the massive obsidian desk. He taps something on his monitor, then turns to me.
βThereβs a list of tasks on the screen over there.β He gestures to a secondary desk off to the sideβclearly not for decoration. βI want them sorted and organized before noon. That includes follow-up calls with suppliers and a brief summary of last monthβs financial reports.β
I blink, staring at him. βWaitβ¦ hold on. Thatβsβ¦ thatβs a lot. Iβm not your assistant.β
He leans back in his chair, amber eyes gleaming with something dangerousβand amused. A slow smirk curls at the edge of his lips.
βYou are today.β
βYouβre serious?β I gape at him.
βDeadly.β He reaches for a glass of water and takes a slow sip, never breaking eye contact. βBetter get started, sweetheart. My assistants usually donβt survive their first day. Letβs see if you do.β
Moon Goddess help me. Iβd rather face the shadows in the woods again.
But Iβm not about to back down. Not in front of him.
So I walk over to the screen and crack my knuckles.
βHe better be paying me in gold for thisβ I mutter under my breath.
From behind me, I swear I hear him chuckle darkly. Just once. Quiet. But real.
That makes it worse. So much worse.
πππ
The name echoes in my head like a curse.
Dark Howl.
Thatβs where she is.
I grip the steering wheel so tight, my knuckles turn bone white. My breath is shallow, uneven, and my heart pounds like war drums behind my ribs.
Nevaeh. My little sister.
At the mercy of him.
Kane Ironclaw. A monster dressed in skin and power.
The tires scream against the pavement as I press harder on the gas, weaving between lanes like a lunatic. I donβt care. I canβt care. My only thought is her.
Is she alive? Did he hurt her? Did he touch her?
I slam a palm against the steering wheel, growling through clenched teeth.
d@mn it, Nevaeh. Why didnβt you tell me?
The road blurs as I speed past cars, headlights flashing, horns blaring behind me. A truck swerves to avoid me, its driver laying on the horn so loud it pierces through the chaos in my mind.
At a red light I barely see, I skid to a halt just in time, the tires shrieking like a banshee. A car screeches up beside me, and the window rolls down fast.
A middle-aged man sticks his head out and yells, βAre you trying to kill someone?! Youβre not the only d@mn person on the road, @$$hOle!β
I barely turn my head. My pulse thunders in my ears.
βWatch it before you kill a family!β the guy spits before peeling off.
I stare at the road ahead, fists trembling against the leather. My jaw clenches so tight it aches.
They donβt understand.
No one does.
She isnβt just my sister.
Sheβs my entire world.
After our fatherβ¦ after everythingβ¦ I swore Iβd protect her. That Iβd never let her fall into the hands of monsters. And now, here she isβcaged in the territory of a man with blood on his hands and a curse in his soul.
A man like Kane Ironclaw.
I know what heβs capable of. Iβve heard the stories. Hell, everyone has. Alphas fear him. Elders avoid him. He isnβt just a manβheβs a storm that devours wh@tΓ«ver comes too close.
And my baby sister?
Sheβs standing in the eye of it.
I punch the dashboard, letting the pain ground me for a moment. A shallow breath. Then another.
Focus.
Sheβs still alive. She has to be. And if she isnβtβ¦
My grip tightens again, rage bubbling just beneath the surface.
Then Iβll burn that FuΓ§king packhouse to the ground.
The light turns green.
And I donβt ease into the driveβI launch forward like a bullet, the engine growling beneath me like it shares my fury.
Iβm coming for you, Nevaeh.
And if that bastard so much as laid a finger on youβ
Heβll bleed.
