Page 11 of Property of Karev

Turning to the president of this motorcycle club, I let my shoulders drop and take a seat. “Fine. It’s not like I have a choice with that guy over there keeping me hostage. Not very nice.”

Triton chuckles. “I’m only doing what VP asked me to do.”

VP. I glance at the name patch on Karev’s chest. Vice president. Sevrin has one that states President.

My eyes go wide and then narrow at the VP in question, who happens to be my fated mate, and repeat, “Not nice at all.”

“Explain again, Lea,” he rumbles.

“It’s Azalea,” I correct.

The man holds my stare, and I notice the corner of his mouth twitch before he huskily says, “Lea.”

Triton’s voice breaks the tension between us when he starts to talk. “So, you have two sisters. Anger and murder, you’re jealousy. Furies. Your father rules the Maryland underworld. It’s not a complete surprise that one of his daughters is the fated mate of a hellhound. I mean, Karev’s ancestors did guard the gates of the underworld.”

“Clearly, it’s not something we need to discuss. These two are fated mates, but the shit Karev was tied to? The deal Calvania forced upon him? It was fishy. He was off the hook...”

Karev nods and cuts Sevrin off to finish with, “But if I claim my fated mate I have to deal with Calvania because his intention was to chain a hellhound to his services. Why? I have no damn clue. Though, my mate says she can’t go back for that reason, and also because she’d have to kill her sister who still wants me.”

“The sister who you needed to marry if you didn’t get the coins in time?” Levan asks.

“Yes, Alora, she’s the oldest. Alora insulted a hellhound who fancied her,” I murmur and wring my hands.

I remember my father was injured a few months ago. He was almost beheaded and took months to heal. I tried to check on him, but I was kept out of his room by the werewolves guarding him. Did the hellhound do that? Ugh. I hate being the one left out of things.

“Which is why he hired a pack of werewolves,” Karev states, leaving me to nod.

We always had some security, but not to the amount we have now.

Which makes me say, “Maybe he’s scared because he almost lost his head, and it took months to recover...he almost didn’t.”

“A hellhound almost killed him?” Shock asks. “Why wouldn’t the hellhound incinerate him, and go for beheading instead?”

I pull my shoulders up and let them drop. “Dunno. No one tells me anything.”

Karev sighs and steps closer. “You mentioned your father wanted an alpha hellhound. One with three heads and you didn’t know there was such a thing until you saw me shift. So, your father doesn’t know I’m an alpha? Is he looking for one because the hellhound Alora insulted is one too?”

Jealousy spikes inside me when I hear my sister’s name tumble from his lips and it makes me snarl, “Don’t say her name.”

“Dude. You might need to claim her to tone down the jealousy. If mere voicing a chick’s name makes her flip her shit, and one touching you ends up dead? Holy shit...she’s lethal,” Levan whispers.

“She doesn’t like it because that one is obsessed with wanting me,” Karev calmly states while holding my gaze to add, “She reeks of smoke, Lea.”

Smoke. Not cookies and waffles. Relief calms down the jealousy. Karev gives me a sexy smile and shoots me a wink. My belly flops and I can feel a wave of tingles spread through my veins.

Remembering what Annetta said, I tell him, “When Alora found out Drexel only had two heads, she insulted him and dumped his ass, because he told her he was a powerful hellhound and he clearly wasn’t.”

The smile slides off his face, and he harshly snarls, “Drexel? How the fuck do you know Drexel?”

“I don’t. Annetta told me about it before I got here. I didn’t even know about a hellhound having two or three heads. Seriously, no one tells me anything. When I got home after I followed you, my father was still trying to calm down Alora. Who I’m sure is still seething and doesn’t want another hellhound because she’s put her sights on you.”

“Not gonna happen if I’m your mate,” he easily fires back.

I huff out a frustrating breath. “Didn’t you hear me say all those things? If you claim me, my father will force you to fight for him. I can’t let you get hurt or used. Again, your buddy needs to release the magic so I can go home.”

Karev points at his denim cut. “You’re not going anywhere. You put your essence on me, which in return makes you mine.”

For a fragment of a second, I want to point out the fact that the red smudge is on the other side of his denim cut. On the other hand, it feels good to hear him say he’s mine as I am his.