Page 57 of Broken Wolf Heart
“The research you did,” Grey says to Severin, and I try to breathe deeply, to calm the fire in my veins. “Do you have a list of names of the people you experimented on?”
“I’m afraid access to those records isn’t part of the tour,” Dr. Severin says.
This time, it’s Crow who takes a step forward with his fists balled, but Grey holds up a hand to stop him.
“If that’s what you think, then I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood our presence here,” Grey tells the doctor in a voice that’s deceivingly calm compared to what I feel through our bond right now. “Lexi is your new high alpha and you?—”
“I’m human,” Dr. Severin interrupts with a note of smugness, and I can’t help but snort at the way he obviously thinks that will somehow protect him now. “Which means I don’t answer to any alpha.”
“You are alive at the mercy of my wolf,” Grey snarls.
My feet are moving before I realize it, and I step between them, snagging Mia’s knife from her hand as I go. Pressing the tip into Dr. Severin’s throat, I meet his eyes, letting him see thefury I’m barely leashing. He flinches, but then goes utterly still when the knife’s tip threatens to puncture his skin.
“And mine,” I tell him quietly.
At that, Severin swallows audibly.
“We’ll take those records now,” Mia says with fake sweetness.
“I’ll get them.” Davina makes her way to the central computer where she starts typing in a flurry of keystrokes.
I turn my attention back to Severin. “You used me against my will. And my parents before that. For years, you injected poisons and drugs into people, leaving them broken or worse. How can you still think that’s okay?”
“I gave you purpose,” he says, triumph shining in his cold eyes. “You were the key to the next phase of evolution. And from what I hear, your wolf is the most powerful and lethal this pack has seen in generations. You should be thanking me.”
Fury rises like bile in my chest. Baring my teeth, I press hard enough with the knife to draw blood. Through the bond, I feel the darkness pulse, egging me on, and it’s impossible to tell whether that darkness belongs to me or Grey or both.
“Listen, dude’s a prick,” Mia says from behind me. “But are we really doing this?”
I don’t answer her. Neither does Grey.
“I thought we were doing things different than the old man did,” she points out.
I don’t answer, my voice lost to the beast hovering just beneath my skin.
Crow says something I can’t hear over the roar in my ears.
A moment later, Mia appears at my side. “Lex, he’s not worth it,” she says quietly. “Or if he is, this is not the way. I don’t want you to lose yourself just to end this piece of shit.”
Maybe it’s the fact that it’s coming from her, a girl who, not ten minutes ago, casually stabbed a guard in the leg for me, buther words reach the part of me that my wolf’s fury is trying to bury.
I blink.
Some of my humanity leaks back in.
The wolf snarls as I shove it back. My pressure on the knife’s tip against Severin’s throat eases a little. Bright red blood trickles from the tiny wound, and I have to turn away from the sight of it before my wolf takes control in her thirst for more to spill. My veins burn with what feels like some kind of chain threatening to snap.
Mia gently covers my hand with hers and slips the knife out of my grasp. Severin stumbles aside, pressing a hand to his bleeding neck.
I meet Mia’s eyes, my hands shaking with the effort of leashing my beast.
To my relief, there’s no judgment or pity in her expression. Only understanding. “He’s done hurting people,” she says. “Done hurtingyou.”
I nod, not trusting my voice.
“Are you okay?” Davina’s voice cuts through the silence.
I look over, half-expecting to find her worrying over Severin. But she’s looking at Grey.
