Kane spun around and started walking toward the door. My heart raced as I nced around, searching for somewhere to hide. Spotting a pir nearby, I darted behind it and pressed myself against its cool, solid frame.


    Peeking out cautiously, I noticed Kane''s officials storming out of the meeting hall, their faces twisted with anger. Thankfully, none of them seemed to notice me as they marched past the pir. But then, I saw Kane emerge from the hall, and I instinctively held my breath.


    ''Wait a second! Why am I even hiding?'' The question popped into my head, leaving me momentarily frozen. Was it because earlier, I had confidently told Beta Finn that my brother would never humiliate anyone and would always make fair decisions? Yet, my brother had done the exact opposite.


    My thoughts were interrupted when a hand suddenly grabbed mine and yanked me out from behind the pir. I nearly gasped but quickly stifled the sound when I realized who it was.


    Kane.


    Without a word, he started dragging me in another direction. My brows furrowed as I frowned at him, but I didn''t pull away or yell. I was too worried about damaging my brother''s reputation.


    Kane led me to a quiet corner, far enough from the meeting hall that no one could overhear us. "What are yo-" I began, but before I could finish, he shoved me against the wall, his dark eyes burning with fury. "How could you just stand there and listen as I was humiliated?" he growled. "You didn''t even try to stop him."


    I stood there, stunned. How had he known I was there? My eyes widened as the realization hit me-he must have caught my scent. His heightened senses betrayed my presence.


    "Why would Ie?" I asked, forcing a shrug, though my heart was pounding.


    His frown deepened. "Do you know why I held back while your brother kept spouting nonsense? It was because of you. I thought-" He stopped mid-sentence, shaking his head as if disappointed. "I thought you would step in. That you would say something."


    I crossed my arms. "Excuse me? Why would you expect me to defend you?"


    His sharp gaze pinned me in ce. "So you don''t care about how I felt in that meeting hall?"


    I blinked, caught off guard. What was he even talking about? Why would I care about how he felt?


    "You''re out of your mind, Kane Thorne. Why would I care? Who are you to me that I should care?" I shot back, my voiceced with irritation.


    For a moment, he appeared speechless, his expression unreadable. I didn''t understand why I was even engaging in this conversation. I moved to leave, but he mmed his hands against the wall on either side of my head, trapping me just as he had that night at the Moonveil Pack party.


    A chill ran down my spine as I remembered what happened then. I didn''t want a repeat of it.


    "If you try something like that again, I''ll-"


    "w me?" he interrupted with a mocking scoff.


    0 11:24


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    His taunting words made me pause. My eyes flickered to his chest, and I was reminded of that night in the forest when I had wed him out of desperation. Yet, he had never mentioned it or asked me to heal the wounds. Why was he so calm about it?


    Kane''s voice broke through my thoughts. "I wanted to make an alliance with your pack, to take the first step toward peace between us. But what did your brother do? He rejected me outright, publicly, as if I were beneath him."


    Bitterness shed in his eyes, making it hard for me to meet his gaze. I looked away and muttered, "You deserved it."


    His expression hardened, and he leaned closer. I turned my head to the side, avoiding his piercing stare. "My family weed you into our pack house, invited you personally," he said, his voice low and sharp. "Even after my divorce, they continued to treat you with kindness. But you and your brother? You mocked me. Taunted me. Treated me like I wasn''t an Alpha but some powerless outsider you could insult whenever you wanted."


    His words stung, but they also annoyed me. Without thinking, I pushed him back, forcing him to st umble slightly.


    I red at him, my voice firm and unyielding. "Everything my brother did was right. I''ve been waiting for this day. Your family treated me kindly, yes-but only because I earned their respect. You? You''ve never done anything to deserve mine."


    Before I could say another word, he closed the gap between us and crushed his lips against mine.


    I froze, shocked by his sudden action. Then I began to struggle, trying to push him away, but Kane grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind my back. The movement brought my body flush against his, trapping me even closer.


    His hand slid to my waist as he deepened the kiss, his lips moving against mine with a fiery intensity that sent my wolf into a frenzy. Memories from long ago flooded my mind, stirring emotions I had buried.


    I tried to calm myself as my vision blurred and my ws extended involuntarily. In a burst of anger, I raked my ws across his chest.


    Kane groaned in pain, breaking the kiss. He nced down, his chest now bleeding from the deep scratches I''d left. His eyes darkened as he looked back at me, the intensity in them almost feral. "You''ve given me plenty of wounds, darling," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Let me return the favor."


    Before I could process his words, his mouth was on mine again. This time, he bit my lower lip, sharp enough to draw blood. I hissed in pain as the metallic taste filled my mouth.


    He pulled back, his gaze locked on me with a mix of rage and something else I couldn''t quite ce. I touched my lips, my fingersing away stained with blood.


    Furious, I grabbed his cor and red at him. "How dare you kiss me without my permission?"


    His expression remained defiant as he leaned closer. "I don''t need anyone''s permission to touch you," he said, his voice a dark promise. "Not even yours."


    11:24