Page 12 of Kai's Hunger

Creeg took a deep breath and went to work. Three stitches in and a tear trickled down the side of Lily’s cheek and her face paled. It was the only sign of her pain. Courage, the woman had buckets of it. I raged at the pain she suffered. She should’ve allowed Creeg to numb her, but she was stubborn. I could force the issue, but if she was to be my mate, then I needed to let her have some leeway. Because there would be many things she wouldn’t have any say over.

“Done,” Creeg muttered. “And I hope to God I never have to do that again.”

Lily smiled at his brother. “Surely, with five brothers, you’ve had to do stitches before.”

Creeg placed a hand against Lily’s cheek. “Never to a woman and never without something to dull the pain. You’re very brave.”

“Thank you, for everything,” she whispered as she closed her eyes.

I watched as her breathing evened out. Asleep. The pain had worn her out. Thank heavens for that. I spared an apologetic look toward my brother. “I’m sorry.”

Creeg was quiet as he sanitized his instruments. When he finished, he turned back toward me, leaning against the counter. “She is yours?”

I sighed, then released Lily’s hand, placing it gently on the table alongside her body. “It’s killing me not claiming her even now. My brain is telling me to hold off, she’s injured and doesn’t know about our kind.”

“Wyatt will have your nuts in a vice, Kai,” Creeg warned.

I shrugged. “You don’t understand.”

“Then explain.”

I spared my brother a frustrated look. “She’s mine. Not even our alpha can go against nature.”

Creeg snorted. “He’ll sure as hell try though.”

I knew Creeg was right. Wyatt had a particular hatred for humans. None of us quite understood why and it’d never been an issue ... until now. Now, I knew that I’d do whatever it took to keep Lily.

Whatever it took.

I leaned close and kissed Lily on her cheek, then pulled back. “I need to go speak with Wyatt. Tell me when she wakes.”

“I like her for you.” Creeg grinned. “Good luck.”

I didn’t say anything else as I moved away from the bed and headed for the door. When I pulled it open, my alpha stood against the far wall, simmering with anger, his tall frame tense, fists clenched at his sides. I knew when my brother was ready to fight. I’d seen it plenty of times. Been on the receiving end. A storm was brewing behind Wyatt’s piercing gaze, and his eyes were fixed on me. An unspoken challenge hung heavily in the air.

“We need to talk,” I muttered, bracing myself for an attack.

Wyatt pointed to a closed door several feet away. “Office, now,” he growled, stomping away and expecting me to follow.

I had little choice. Once inside, Wyatt turned on me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I refused to back down. “She’s mine,” I stated, the fact undeniable.

Wyatt closed the distance until we were practically nose to nose. “No, she’s human.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, staring down my alpha. “It doesn’t seem to matter.”

My brother cursed under his breath, then went to the small fridge and took out a beer. “So, you hear her in your head, do you?”

I rolled my eyes as I dropped into a chair. “You know I haven’t exchanged yet.”

“Then toss her,” he ordered, slamming his beer onto the desk.

I could feel my claws extending at Wyatt’s disrespectful tone toward Lily. “That’s not happening.”

Wyatt kicked his head to the side. “Are you challenging me?”

“I respect you too much for that, but I won’t lose Lily. If I have to leave the compound, then so be it. If I have to join another pack, so be it.”

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