Chapter 13 - Kaiden

Within just a few hours, Jet had sent Grayson to meet with me. I was shocked the guy was back from his hunting for Reginald and Leon so quicky, but I guess he'd been circling around the Williams territory tracking the scent when it went cold.

I'd informed Kit, of course, seeing as the guy was her brother, and I didn't think I'd ever seen her eyes get so damn big.

"Kit, he's changed just as much as I have. He's Jet's beta now, and he's not going to care about any of that shit from before."

She scoffed. "Oh, that's great. Well, I fucking do, Kaiden. He was nearly as bad as you, thank you very much, and the guy is my brother. He's supposed to be…I don't know, maybe just a tiny bit caring. Ugh."

Before I could respond, there was a pound at the door. Grayson was here.

"You don't have to stick around, Kit. By all means, go back to the alpha house."

She narrowed her eyes at me. I wasn't trying to hide the fact that I didn't want her coming on the mission, so if she wanted to finally listen to me and dip out just to avoid her brother, I wouldn't complain.

"No chance."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. Just then, Grayson's footsteps shook the floor just outside, and he barreled into the room for a hug. It had been months since I'd actually seen him in person, and having him here felt like I was maybe—finally—catching a break.

"Grayson."

He strode over, and we clapped each other on the shoulders as we hugged hard.

"Fuck, dude. It's been too long." He pulled back, his blue eyes sparkling as he grinned. "Wish it was for a better fucking reason."

I nodded, rolling my eyes as it changed into a somber shake of the head. "No shit. Still, I need the help. I'll fucking admit it, and there are few other wolves I'd want standing next to me right now."

"Few? Which asshole do I need to beat," he smirked.

Shaking my head again, I lead him farther into the room toward the couch—toward his sister.

"Gray, as much as I loved to see you and Brooks go at each other, I think you're better served in the field when we assassinate Eli."

His eyes flared wide, that icy blue standing out against his tan skin. "Shit, so that's why you needed the help with Williams. Well, you know I have to say."

We both laughed, saying the old line of ours simultaneously. "Where you go, I go."

It was so good to have Grayson here. Still, I knew things were about to get complicated.

"Hey, bro."

Kit's voice cut in through our laughter, and I watched as Gray's eyes flicked to her and shock smoothed over his features. His usual frost and clove scent picked up that char fragrance, and I grimaced.

"Holy fucking…" Grayson faltered, and I had to bite back a laugh at seeing his mouth gape like that. "Kit? How in the hell are you here?"

"That is a very long story. The CliffsNotes version? When I ran away that day, I wound up with the Williamses. I just escaped their abusive, drug-selling asses, and Lupe dragged me here. Now, I'm going to help Kaiden with the infiltration if he'll get this head out of his ass and let me."

Gray was flabbergasted, utterly frozen stiff after hearing his sister's exceptionally blunt summary. After a moment, he shook himself, walking up to her with his brow furrowed.

"You're helping Kaiden?"

She nodded. "Yup."

"And what? You live here now?"

With a shrug, Kit offered, "Kidnapped? Guest? The line is a little wishy-washy."

Grayson snorted. "Right. Okay…well, I guess…"

Tension hung, and I wasn't really sure what he was going to say. Gray knew as much as I did that we were assholes to Kit. I knew he felt bad about it, but he didn't seem to be letting it affect him very much.

At least not to me, but I wasn't being super honest about my own feelings, now was I?

"Yeah?" Kit dragged out, eyeing him like she was ready to fight him—human or not.

"I'm sorry, Kit. I was a shitty brother. I should have done better."

Gray's voice was low, and I could smell the swirling bitterness of regret in his scent. Kit's eyes took a turn going wide this time, and she stepped back, her lips parting slightly.

"Oh. Th-thanks." She crossed her arms. "I'm still pissed. But…thank you."

Grayson nodded, not asking for anything more than Kit was willing to give.

"Look," Kit eyed the both of us, "I'm starving. Aside from being utterly bored in your room, that's why I came over here. I'm…I'm getting something to eat."

Heat bloomed within my veins. I knew that Grayson had picked up Kit's use of "your room." Goody .

"Kitchen is open. Down the hall at the very end." I nodded in that direction, and Kit offered a nod back, turning on her heel and exiting.

As soon as she was gone, Grayson wheeled around to face me, landing a solid punch on my arm and glaring at me like I'd, well, like I'd fucked his sister.

"What the hell, man?!"

I took a step back, letting the burn in my bicep slowly fade. Jesus, this is so not what we should be talking about right now.

Still, I knew Gray had a reason to be up my ass about it. Kit was his sister, and even though he'd never admitted it, he cared about her. Whenever we were messing with her, he was the one to determine how far it could go.

"It's not like that, Grayson." I allowed just a hint of the alpha in my blood now to come to the surface. "Yes, she was in my chambers, but just because I didn't want her in the cell in the basement. I slept in the woods last night after a run."

He narrowed his eyes at me, and I could tell that he was both aware of my alpha push and not as susceptible to it because he wasn't of my pack. Gray held that dark stare for a long time, zeroing in on me as he sucked in a deep breath of the air to catch my scent.

The guy wasn't about to find any hint of falsity. I wasn't lying. Sure, I'd run from the room, unable to stop a shift because Kit was getting under my skin like she always did, but he didn't need to know that part.

"Fine. Fine. But here's something that'll surprise you." Gray glared, and I doubted that my friend since childhood would be able to do much that caught me off guard. "I don't mind that you like her. I never have, idiot. I mind that you won't fucking talk to me about it."

Well, shit. Color me wrong.

"Gray, I—"

"Unless you're about to apologize for damn near barking at me, you can stuff it, old friend. I just want you to be honest with yourself for a change."

I just gaped, staring at him with wide eyes and my brows up to my hairline. Since when had he been so damn good at reading me? Was I that transparent?

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I just…fuck, man. Where did all this insight come from?"

He grinned, stepping up to me and clapping me on the shoulder. "You lived with Jet. You know how he is. It's worse with the twins around. And Senna does not help, either. I'm not sure I love being this ‘connected' to my emotions. It's…weird."

Grayson grimaced, and all I could do was laugh. I pulled him in for another hug, pounding on his shoulder as I replaced that alpha bark with a swell of appreciation and empathy.

"I do remember that." I sighed. "And yeah, I should have said something. It's just…it's not that simple, I guess. But what about you? How's life with my sister?"

I waggled my brows at him, turnaround being fair play and all.

"Oh, umm…"

Frowning, I cocked my head. "Umm?"

Grayson wouldn't me my eyes, and for the first time in a while, I thought I might have to kick his ass—and it was on behalf of Kenzie, no less.

"I don't really have time for a mate right now, do I? I'm always out in the field for Jet and…I'm not sure I believe in all that shit anyway."

I didn't know what to say. It was such a change from what I'd heard from Gray, from both of them, previously that it hit me like a slap across the face.

"What? You can't be serious. Things were going so good between you two. Why the sudden change?"

With a shake of his head, Grayson flicked his stare to the floor and back. "Like I said, I'm out in the field too much. It's dangerous. This…this is better for both of us."

My frown deepened. "Did MacKenzie agree with that?"

Grayson chewed on his lip, and the frustration boiled in my blood. "She's over it. Trust me. I mean, come on. It's just me. I'm nothing to fuss over."

For a moment, I just glared at him, but who was I to say anything about relationships? It wasn't like I was doing a good job at them myself.

"Uh-huh. I'm going to let that slide." I met his eyes. "For now."

"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes. "You do that. Besides, I think you have an infiltration we're supposed to be planning, right?"

I nodded. "Right."

And with that, we both dropped the topic of relationships and sisters.

***

I was back in my room—with Kit.

Suddenly, that conversation with her brother was looking better and better. We'd met up in the kitchen after Grayson and Lupe gave me their thoughts about the plan to assassinate Eli. After we'd all talked about how I really couldn't let Kit stay behind, it'd been decided that she was coming.

Now, standing across from her while Kit sat on my bed, my heart felt very much like it was going to burst out from between my ribs and splatter her in viscera.

"You okay there? You're just staring."

Blinking, I shook my head to refocus. "Yes, sorry. I was…thinking."

"About?" Kit cocked a brow at me, and the way her sweet, round face lit up when she was giving me shit was far too charming.

The scoff that left me was equal parts defeat and exhaustion. "Oh, you know, just how the attack tomorrow could very possibly go horribly wrong if we're not careful. How the drugs seem to power up wolves, and those wolves can wipe the floor with another wolf let alone a human. And you'll apparently be there. Right in the line of fire."

Kit rolled her eyes, recrossing her legs underneath her as she made herself nice and comfy in my bed.

"Such a pessimist. It is what it is, Kaiden. We need to do it. You need to do it with my help. So, get over it. Focus on tackling the situations that come up while we're killing the dick."

I laughed, continually stunned by Kit's way with words. She was such a firecracker, those years of brutality ridding her of the shyness that didn't serve her well.

Still, Kit wasn't this booming presence. She was smooth curves and unflinching determination to my sharp angles and perpetual cynicism.

"I don't know how you do that." I sagged, dragging myself over to the bed and sitting next to her. "It's not like your life has been sunshine and roses, and you're just…handling it."

Sliding back a bit but still turning to face me, Kit looked shaken by my proximity. She quickly schooled her expression, and as she tucked a chestnut curl behind her ear, my wolf nipped behind the scenes. He was getting more and more difficult to ignore, that voice in my head starting up again.

Mate. Your mate. You need her. You need her now.

"I don't have much other choice. When you've lived as basically a slave for years, you get used to taking it one day at a time. If I don't ‘handle' it, I don't survive."

I nodded. Damn, that was a rough sentiment to swallow, but I could understand what Kit meant.

"It's still impressive."

Kit's brows shot up as she put her hand to her chest, my attention briefly flicking to her full curves.

"I'm sorry. Did you just compliment me?"

I rolled my eyes. "Haha."

"Well, well, well. And here I thought the big bad wolf himself would never change. But look at you now."

My heart skipped at the familiar nickname, and a memory of the time I'd nearly claimed Kit right on the riverbank sprang forward in my head. It made my cock twitch against my leg, my wolf howling in agreement with what I'd almost done.

What he wanted me to do now.

Tension suddenly pooled in my gut, and I could feel the fucker push through this layer of humanity. He wanted out. Shit, this is bad. I should go now before it gets worse .

"Kit, I…" I tried to breathe around the swelling scent of lilac; why was it stronger? "We should just get some rest. It's going to be a busy few days."

Her brows rose again. "Oh, right. Rest. Umm…will you be…sleeping in here? Should I…"

Strip, little Kit. That's what you should do. Claim her, Kaiden. Do it.

I tried to shake the thoughts away. "Umm, I can leave. I'll sleep in the main house. It's not—"

"I don't want to kick you out of your own room, Kaiden. I'll just…well, hell. I guess I could sleep in the closet."

She giggled softly, and the sound went straight to my cock. When Kit got up to head in that direction, my hand snatched her wrist on instinct. I didn't honestly know what I was doing, but before I could even think, I had Kit in my lap, a low growl reverberating through me.

"No. Don't. I…" I lowered my face into the crook of her neck, breathing in that scent as Kit trembled in my hands. "Goddamn it, Kit. Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

I pulled back enough to see her wide stare and parted lips. The feeling of her curves in my grip, the weight of her supple thighs pressing into me…I needed her.

Right the fuck now.

"I—"

But I didn't wait for her words. I couldn't. Instead, I crashed my lips against hers, finally kissing Kit.