Page 26 of Kai's Hunger

I nodded. “I need to speak to Lily first. She saw Fostine.”

Fostine snorted. “I didn’t shift in front of her,” she muttered. “Just tell the little human it was a wolf and send her on her way.”

“That human is my mate,” I said, trying to stay calm. “You will treat her with respect.”

“This is my home!” She shot to her feet and got in my face. “Or have you forgotten?”

“I’ve forgotten nothing,” I replied. “You left here of your own free will. Wyatt warned you what could happen. Father warned you.” I closed the distance separating us. “Dad is a prisoner because he went after you!”

She started to speak, but Wyatt stepped between us. “Fostine, calm down.” He turned toward me. “Go, let me know what you find.”

“Anything to get away from her.” I turned to leave, Trakker followed close behind. One more thought occurred. I scowled back at my sister. “Stay away from Lily.”

Fostine’s smile was reassuring this time.

Wyatt saw my hesitation. “I will watch over her personally,” he offered.

I didn’t want my brother near Lily, but her safety overrode my possessive instinct. “Thank you,” I replied before leaving the room. When Trakker and I reached the door leading upstairs, I glanced over and said, “Give me a few minutes to speak to her.”

“You have my sympathies, brother,” Trakker replied as he followed me to the upper level. “I can’t even imagine how freaked out she was when she saw Fostine.”

I could still see the terror on Lily’s face. “She was more upset by the fact that I was speaking to a seemingly wild animal, and it obeyed.”

Trakker slapped me on the back. “Yeah, good luck explaining.”

“I don’t have time for that now. I just want to make sure she doesn’t try to leave before I have a chance to...”

“A chance to tell her we’re a race of shifters that can breathe underwater and need blood to seal a mate bond?”

I glared at my older sibling. “Thanks for summing it up for me,” I ground out. “Super fucking helpful.”

He chuckled. “That’s what family is for.”

I watched my brother saunter off toward the kitchen, wishing I had the time to slap him upside the head, before taking the stairs two at a time. I could admit that I was too eager to see Lily. To reassure her. How I was going to do that was still a mystery. When I approached her door and knocked, she yanked it open and glared at me. “I thought you’d forgotten about me.” She moved back to let me enter.

I smiled at the ludicrous idea. “I could never forget you, Lily.” When I noticed her suitcase sitting near the door, I pointed at it. “You said you’d give me a chance to explain.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, explain. I can’t wait to hear this.”

I ran a hand through my hair, then strode to the bed and sat. “Fostine is ... family.”

“Like a beloved pet?” She shuddered. “That’s one scary-looking pet, Kai.”

“More wild than tame,” I clarified. “And she’s been missing for two years. We didn’t think we’d ever see her again.”

“And you spoke to her as if she were a person. Stranger still, she obeyed. I’ve never seen a pet do that.” She narrowed her gaze. “There are things you’re keeping from me. I can feel it.”

She’d moved closer. Close enough for me to touch. I reached out and took her hand in mine and tugged until she was standing between my widespread thighs. “It’s true. There are things I’m keeping from you. But in time I promise to tell you everything.”

Her shoulders slumped forward and she let out a heavy sigh. “Why can’t you just tell me now? Are you into some sort of illegal exotic animal trade? Because there’s no way Fostine is a wolf. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like her before. What is she?”

“We aren’t into anything illegal. You have my word on that. Fostine is unique, that’s true. She’s what’s known as aYucilon.”

“I’ve never heard of that breed.”

Breed. I worried Lily would always view my family in that light. “No, you wouldn’t. TheYucilondates back to prehistoric times. Today there aren’t many left in existence.”

“And if someone found out about her they’d want to take her,” she surmised. “Maybe even study her.” She cursed under her breath. “I’m emphatically against animal abuse of any kind.”

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