“Ripping out spines. So I’ve heard.”
His jaw flinches. I take a sip from my coffee, resisting the urge to smirk. But as I swallow, a tremor courses through me, imagining what strength one would truly need to punch through sternum, flesh, and vertebrae. How sharp those reaping talons are. How monstrous, indeed.
The flash of cobalt in his eyes is so quick I almost miss it. “I said that it’s what I do best, not what I’m most proud of. I don’t make it my aim to inspire fear in my subjects. Fear doesn’t equate to loyalty. So, naturally, when I smell terror on you and realize it’s directed at me?—”
My eyes widen. “Excuse me?”
"Lycans have scent receptors fifty times sharper than any other species. Human emotions have distinct scent signatures. Take how tense you are, for example. When you lied to me the other night, your pheromones went sour. When you’re frightened, the scent resonates with a smoky quality. That’s how I was able to locate you during Lupercalia. If you’re aroused, it dips sweet enough to give me a fucking toothache.”
My toes curl tight enough to cramp. Maurleen never gave me the indication that mates could bethisintuitive. How am I supposed to keep lying about my identity if he cansmell it?
I need to figure out what his augment is. Before it can be used further against me.
“Is there any part of my personality that you don’t find woefully off-putting?”
He huffs, lips on the cusp of a smile. “On the contrary, I’d say you’re the most intriguing human I’ve ever met, Vessa Lemaire.”
A chirping notification lights up his phone screen. But he doesn't bother to break our mutual gaze. Still as death, he assesses me. Scenting, listening to the rise and fall of my chest.
Rolling my eyes, I expel a sigh. "Are you through intimidating me,Alpha Commander? Or will that be all?”
Dropping the predatory glare, Axe runs a hand through his wavy mane. The soft light of the office paints his hair burnished gold. “I don’t enforce that title among my own, unless necessary. With you, it’s Axe. Just Axe.”
The Beta reappears in the doorway, adjusting his headset. “Lorray’s standing by for you. He’s on line two.”
“Tell him he’s supervising patrol tonight. And Monday.”
Jabir chuckles. “Cora won’t like that one bit.”
“She’ll live.”
“What’d he do? Mouth off again?”
Axe cocks his brow incredulously. “What do you think?”
Jabir offers his arm to me. As the two of us duck out of the doorway, Axe stands. His jaw is stiff. Eyes weary.
“One more thing, Vessa. Don’t stray far from your room tonight. It’s a full moon.”
Axe
Qinnu finds me in the kitchen as the sun starts to sink below the horizon.
“It’s time,” he drawls, slipping on a pair of leather gloves.
From his drawstring bag, he removes a pair of shackles made of pure silver. Qinnu leads me into the narrow hall, which has been cleared along with the rest of the main level. By sunset, most mated pairs have retreated to the privacy oftheir own homes. Those who remain without a partner slip into the wilderness, where they can fully surrender to the moon’s influence.
“You’re an asshole, you know that?” he gripes, turning the second latch of the steel door.
“I need you out there. Steer the other males as far away as you can,” I say, beginning my descent. A lightbulb flickers overhead. “Don’t act like you haven’t gotten laid every night this week.”
Qinnu grunts, amber gleaming in his eyes. He doesn’t deny it. If he wasn’t so transparent wearing his mate’s stench, it’s also plain to see in the way he puffs his chest.
By the time we reach the bottom, sweat beads on my forehead. Under my skin, the wolf squirms. At the end of the hallway are two bunkers flanked opposite of each other. Qinnu steps through the door on the right. In the supply closet, he kicks off the rug, revealing a familiar hidden door.
He barks at me to turn around. “You’re not going any further without the cuffs.”
Breathing heavily, I do as he says, peeling off my shirt. My palms are clammy as I undo my belt, letting my trousers hit the floor. Qinnu jerks me backwards, clamping the thick shackles on my wrists. I flinch, feeling the reprimanding sizzle from the restraints. Silver can’t stop the inevitable, but it’s pretty damn effective at deescalating the shift.
