Hours bled together in the locked room. Jax had slid a plate of food under the door (more meat) which I chose to ignore.The voices in my head had quieted to a background hum, perhaps sensing Kael's absence, or maybe just biding their time.
Then, a new presence. Not a chaotic whisper, but a single, focused point of cold.This was different. Sharper. More intelligent. And terrifyingly familiar.
"Hello, Riley".
The voice was smooth as po, resonating directly in my mind. It was the voice from the coffee shop, from my apartment.
I shot up from the bed, my heart hammering. "Get out of my head," I whispered into the empty room.
A low, mental chuckle. "...I am not your enemy, little Key... I am sorry for my earlier... deception. I was testing your will. It is stronger than he believes…"
I pressed my hands to my temples. "Kael said I shouldn't talk to you."
Of course he did. The voice was dripping with condescending pity. He doesn't want you to know the truth. He doesn't want you to know that the ritual to reclaim his throne... the one that requires your 'willing participation'... has only ever had one outcome for the human involved.
My blood ran cold. "What outcome?"
The voice felt closer now, as if someone had sat down on the other side of the door. It was unnervingly intimate.
...he has not even told you my name, has he? He calls me 'brother' or 'usurper'... he makes me a monster in your mind...
I stayed silent, but I was listening. Hard.
"...my name is Kain... the voice said, the name settling in my mind with a strange, elegant weight. ...and I would very much like to speak with you, Riley Miller. Properly. Without the bars…"
"Did he tell you he used to be king? That he ruled the werewolf clans until I overthrew him?Tell me… has he informed you of your purpose yet? Has the exiled lone wolf mentioned why he dragged you from your quiet little life?"
My breath caught…. Kael hadn't told me anything.
The lock on the bedroom door clicked open.
My heart slammed against my ribs. I stared at the door handle, frozen. Jax was right outside. He wouldn't have...
...your guard is taking a well-deserved nap... the conversation is just for us...
The door swung inward slowly, revealing the empty main room beyond. Jax was slumped over the table, unmoving.
And standing in the doorway of the cabin, leaning against the frame as if he owned the place, was a man. He was tall, with the same powerful build as Kael, but where Kael had sharp edges and stormy rage, this man was polished. He wore dark, expensive-looking clothes, and his hair was perfectly styled. He smiled, a warm, charming gesture that didn't quite reach his cool, intelligent eyes.
"Hello, Riley," Kain said, his real voice a smooth, cultured baritone that matched the one in my head perfectly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you properly. I believe we have a great deal to discuss."