“I’m not telling you anything.”
Caleb chimes in, “To develop your skill and precision, without ancestral powers, would take any wolf years of experience. For someone as experienced as yourself, I’m surprised you’d lack the mental strategy to throw us off your tracks. You should know that defensiveness would only feed an enemy’s intrigue.”
Crap.I hate when he’s right. I do know better.
“Well said, but regulation can be taughtifshe’d let me teach her.”
“I don’t want to fight. I want—”
“To go home?” He chuckles. “What home? Your only option is to work with us.”
I bite my bottom lip.
“But since you won’t do so willingly... If you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to identifying your weakness. It won’t take long. Let’s see... Do you have family?”
“No.”
Don’t answer him!Right.
I need to let him figure it out. I hold my chin a little higher.
“Friends?”
Don’t answer, don’t answer.
The king grins. “You have friends. That’s nice. Do you want them to live?”
“Of course I do but—”
“Then tell me their names or.”
Maroon orbs glare at me, and I gulp. Large, pointed canines with strings of saliva wrapped around them appear as his jaws of death open. Even I know I couldn’t take him.
My choices are death or betray Casey, which I’d never do.
I roll out my neck and shoulders and hold my chin high.
Guess this is it.
The king’s breath is hot against my skin as he inches closer. I shut my eyes tight, waiting for my end. Caleb blurts, “Casey. I’ve already threatened her with the little girl.”
My eyes shoot open and find Caleb. My upper lip twitches into a snarl at the snitch. I swear the next time death shows up at my door, I’m telling him they have the wrong house and pointing to Caleb instead.
“And even with that threat, she’s still planning to run.” Dax challenges Caleb directly. “What’re you going to do about it?”
Like a demonic, possessed doll, Caleb’s head turns slowly toward me. “I’m going to make sure she knows if she runs, I’ll find her.” He steps to me, inches from my face and snaps a collar and a leash in place. “Every time.”
Chapter NINETEEN
Jay
“Do you even know where we’re going?”
I don’t know if we’ve been walking for a long time, or if I’veneverbeen this way. I typically know exactly where we are. I’ve spent more time in this forest than most wolves do in their lifetime. Especially some alpha pup. Most people can camp, but to live off only the land is a whole other experience he isn’t prepared for, given his cushy lifestyle.
“I knowexactlywhere we are.”
“You seem pretty confident for someone who grew up with four walls around them,” I say.
