31 Caine: A Fool or a King

CAINE

Fenris’s response makes me realize what I’m thinking and I groan, driving my fist into the nearest wall again. It’s a new habit, developed about ten minutes ago. The ster crumbles under my knuckles, leaving a crater the size of my hand. “Fuck. You’re in my head again.”

I most certainly am not, Fenris replies, his voice dripping with disdain. iI /iwould never put isuch /iidiotic thoughts iin /iyour headi. /iiMy /iigoal /iihas /ialways ibeen /iito /iikeep /iithe /iigirl /iwith us, in iour /ipack–not set iher /iup iin /iisome /iipathetic /iihuman /iapartment ilike /ia ikept /iiwoman/i.

The truth in his words stings worse than my knuckles. These thoughts–this obsession with providing for her, protecting her from afar–they’re mine alone, turning me into a hypocrite. I killed Brax for breaking ourws, didn’t I?

“What the hell is happening to me?” I demand of my wolf, grateful this section of the lodge is empty. Talking to the air isn’t umon in a pack–we all have arguments with our wolves, and they aren’t always confined to our heads–but it’s not the kind of conversation I want others overhearing.

What’s happening iis /iithat /iiyou’re /iifighting /iiyour /iinstincts iwhile /iipretending /iit’s imy /iiinfluence/i. It’s iexhausting to /iiwatch/i.

I press my forehead against the wall with a groan. “She’s human, Fenris.” If she wasn’t, this would all be easier. I still couldn’t take her as a mate, but at least it would give me options…

iThe /iiuniverse /iidoesn’t /ifollow your irigid /ilittle rulesi, /iiCaine/i.

Blood rushes in my ears as frustration surges. “Thews exist for a reason. Humans and shifters don’t mix–they never have.”

There iare /iiprecedents/i.

“Like Brax?” My mockingughter echoes through the empty corridor. “His mate ran away. Humans don’t belong in a pack.”

iIt’s /ilikely her mother was inot /iBrax’s fated matei. /iiOr /iiif /ishe was, he treated her so terribly ishe /ifelt ilife /iwas ibetter /iiwithout /iihim/i. It says more iabout /iiBrax /iithan /iiit /idoes iabout /iher ihuman /imother.

“Assumptions,” I mutter, but I don’t have the heart to say things like maybe her mom was the iproblem/i. I’ve met Brax. There’s no way a human woman was the problem. “It doesn’t matter. The girl will return to human society where she belongs, and that’s final.”

iThen /iiwhy /iihaven’t /iiyou /iisent /iiher /iialready/ii? /iiWhy /iiobsess /iover her injuries, her mealsi, /iherforti? /iMy jaw clenches. “I’m gathering information.”

iYou’re /istallingi. /i

31 Caine: A Fool or a king

O

“I’m being thoroughb!/bb” /b

iYou’re /ibeing a icoward/ii. /i

A growl rips from my throat.

The truth ihurts/ii, /iidoesn’t /iiit/ii? /iFenris continues, relentless. iYou’re /iiterrified /iiof /iiwhat /iishe /iimakes /iiyou /ifeel. Of ihow /iiyour /iicontrol /iislips /ievery itime /iiyou’re /inear iher/ii. /iiOf /iithe /iipossibility /ithat ithe /iLycan iKing /iimight /iiactually /iineed /iisomeone/i.

“Enough. You’ve pushed too far”

iAnd /iiyou /iihaven’t /iipushed /ifar enough. iAll /ithis isolitude /iimade /iiyou /iiforget what /iiconnection /ifeels ilike/i. iYou’re /iso scared of irepeating /iithe /iipast that /iiyou /ican’t isee /iiwhat’s /iiright /iiin /ifront iof /iiyou/ii. /i

The burn of my tattoos intensifies, spreading across my neck and down my spine like liquid fire. Fenris is pulling away, separating himself from our shared consciousness.

I’m igoing /iito /iirest/ii, /ihe announces, his voice growing distant. Later, iI’ll /ivisit ithe /iigirl /iimyself/ii. /i

“You will do no such thing,” I snarl, but I can feel him receding, retreating to a ce within me

where I cannot follow.

It’s ibing /iipointless /iifor /ime to isee /iiher /iiwhen /imy iBonded /iikeeps /iidestroying whatever /iiprogress /iiI /iimake/i. iI /iibring /iher ifort/ii; /iiyou /iibring /iher iterror/ii. /iiI /iioffer /iiwarmth/ii; /iiyou /iioffer /iithreats/i. iAnd /iithen /iiyou /iiwonder /iiwhy /iishe’s /iscared iof /iiyou/ii. /i

I flinch.

iI /iiam /iiyour /iother ihalf/ii, /iiyour /ibncei–/iand itely/i, the only one iof /iius /iiwith /iany isense/i.

The burn of the tattoos diminishes as Fenris retreats deeper, severing our mental connection. I’m left alone in the hallway, my breathing heavy, staring at a cracked wall.

Fine. That furry bastard’s right about one thing–I’ve been stalling. But it’s not fear driving me. It’s practicality, damn it. The girl needs protection, and I need information. I can’t in good conscience send her out without making sure she has everything she needs.

We both saw what was in her backpack. I have no idea how she thought she was going to survive with just her meager stash of supplies, but the girl is ignorant of the world, sheltered due to Brax’s selfishness.

It’s my job to keep her here, safe under my watch, until I can set her free.

At least, that’s what I tell myself as I storm off once more, ignoring the pull urging me to go see her again, to breathe in her scent.

Maybe the truth is moreplicated than I’m willing to admit. Maybe I feel a little of the pull Fenris keeps existing is between us. Maybe, just maybei, /iI want to hold on to that little human, too, desperate for a peace only her scent can bring me. 1

But that doesn’t make her my mate. It makes her a liability. A weakness I cannot afford.

31 Caine: A Fool or a King

The kingdoms of men rise and fall on the backs of such weaknesses. How many have crumbled because they ced their hearts above their duty? How many packs have dissolved into chaos when their alphas chose passion over reason?

I reach the end of the corridor and pause, looking out the window at the Blue Mountain territory stretching before me. The sun hangs low in the sky, casting long shadows across thend. And now without its alpha, thrown into turmoil because of a girl who smells like blueberry muffins.

If I were wise, I’d send her away tonight. Put her on a bus to Sterling City with enough money t start a new life. Cut this strange connection before it grows any stronger.

But wisdom has never been my strong suit. And Fenris is right about another thing–I’m not sending her anywhere until I understand exactly what’s happening between us.

Whether that makes me a fool or a king remains to be seen.