Alpha Ember (ALPHA KANE BOOK 2)

19. Kneel

Ember

"I can't believe a bit of seaweed is the answer to our problem," I said after Fiona had picked Ian up and left. "It can't be that simple, can it?"

"Magic is pretty fickle, especially the fae kind," Kane replied. He straightened a book on the desk, whirling his swivel chair around to look up at me. "Why are you standing?"

We were in his study, the room Alpha had wanted me to plant his bug in. It was brightly lit and immaculately organized, with shelves containing files on pack members, their occupations and distant relatives. Information that wasn't safe on computers in case a wandering hacker stumbled upon it. Or the FBI. There was also a desk that was smaller than Light's- and less intimidating- that had two chairs behind it, one for each alpha. But sitting would only make my drowsiness worse- not that I was going to tell Kane that.

"I'll stand. If we're both sitting at the desk it might make him nervous, like he's being interviewed."

"You're sleepy," Kane observed.

I looked away from him. "I'm not."

I heard his chair turn back to the desk. "We should take a nap after this," he said.

My eyes jerked back onto him. "Nap?"

But the study door opened then and Tom entered, posture tense with uncertainty. He wore the look of a cornered animal ready to bolt at the slightest wrong move. It was different from last night when he'd cried from relief, maybe because he'd allowed hope into his heart. The pain of betrayal stung worse when hope had coaxed us into reassurance.

"Have a seat," Kane said, voice firm yet calming. "Or stay standing like Ember if you're afraid of falling asleep."

The tight press of Tom's lips disappeared and a small smile took its place. He sat down, thin shoulders loosening. "I'm not sleepy," he said.

Unlike me he was telling the truth. Unease aside, his face looked both well-rested and healed. Bluebell told us he'd been given injections of silver- hence the reason for the smell but no sign of wounds- but that was another thing Fiona had taken care of earlier. As a result his bruises were gone and he didn't resemble a well-used punching bag anymore. He had a cute face actually, small and adorable like the rest of him. How anyone could raise a hand not once but countless of times to a person this harmless was beyond me. Just the thought of him being in pain stirred at my protective instincts and before I knew it, I'd moved around the desk and started to put an arm around his shoulders.

I caught myself with a gasp, cringing. "Sorry."

Thankfully he didn't look offended or disturbed as he'd been when Bluebell had tried to touch him last night. He only watched me with those dark inscrutable eyes of his. "You're not very good at hiding your feelings," he said.

A snortle from behind the desk.

I glowered at Kane.

He folded his hands. "I told you."

"I think it's a good thing," Tom said, chewing distractedly at his nails. "My mate, Wen-" he sucked in a breath, paused for a moment as if her name had clogged his throat and was threatening to choke him. I put a hand on his back, running it up and down the soft fabric of his t-shirt until the heavy scent of fear in the air faded. "Wendy was very good at hiding how she really felt, at least until it was too late for you to defend yourself," he finished.

"Is she an old wolf?" Kane asked.

Tom shook his head slowly. "Young, but the alpha she took her current pack from was pretty aged. He was my alpha. She killed him and her mate."