Kai. Was. Pissed.
He glared at Blake and Jace as they stood before him, his blood humming with power as he slowly rose to his feet. He planted himself like a stone wall between them and Cassie's room. These were the same men Cassie had rejected, and now they dared to show their faces again.
When he'd stepped into his apartment, he hadn't moved far from the door. He stayed there and listened. They wanted her to go back with them. She told them no.
He'd spent the entire afternoon sick with worry. She was hurting, and he felt it so deeply it made it hard to breathe. He wanted to comfort her, to hold her, to take the pain away. But how could he, when she'd shut him out?
Their relationship had always been easygoing. This was their first real fight, and it wasn't over something small. Cassie felt betrayed. And even if he didn't fully understand why, he knew she had every right to feel that way.
All he wanted was to fix the damage he'd caused. To move forward. Hearing that she felt the same way about him made his chest ache in the best way. He wanted more than anything to take that next step with her.
But first, he had to deal with the intruders standing in her apartment.
Ten minutes ago, he'd gotten the urge to check on Cassie. Using the spare key she'd given him for emergencies, he let himself in. Everything looked untouched, nothing out of place. But something in him stirred, restless and on edge, and it made him stay. He was glad he did.
If these men were really her family, why were they sneaking into her apartment like thieves? He already knew the answer. She'd told them no, and instead of respecting that, they came to take her anyway.
And for that, they'd pay. Dearly.
"Came to steal her away?" Kai snarled, his voice dangerously low, his posture rigid.
Blake stepped forward, jaw tight, eyes flashing angrily. "We don't answer to you," he snapped. "I'm next in line to rule our people. You answer to me."
Kai's lips curled back over his teeth, a soft growl vibrating in his throat. "This is the human realm. Your title means nothing here. But mine?" He tilted his head, gaze burning through Blake. "Cassie's protector? That still stands."
"Kai," Blake said, his tone sharpening to a threat, "she's my niece. Her father gave us orders. She's going home…with or without your permission."
Kai let out a slow, mocking laugh, the sound laced with danger. "And who exactly is going to take her?" He stepped closer, the room seemed to grow two sizes too small. "The two of you?" He leaned in, his voice dropping to icy Arctic levels. "This apartment's too small for you to shift. And because of my curse, and your wolves' strength, you can't shift in my presence. So tell me, Blake…" His eyes gleamed. "Do the odds still look good to you?"
Before Blake could respond, he continued darkly. "I'm asking you nicely. Leave."
Jace raised his hands slightly, trying to defuse the escalating storm. "Kai, please. There's a lot at stake. She needs to come with us."
Kai didn't even glance at him. His eyes were locked on Blake like a predator scenting blood. "I don't give a damn what's at stake. She rejected you. She doesn't want to go. When she wakes up and tells me she's ready to leave, I'll let her walk out that door. Until then…" he took another step forward, "...she's mine to protect."
Blake's hands clenched into fists at his sides. His eyes blazed golden. "We don't have time for this! People are dying. Her aunt is dying. We can't afford to wait for her to get ready. Things are falling apart back home!"
Kai's snarl was cold, and sharp. "That aunt who's dying…did she give a damn about Cassie when she was healthy? No? Then spare me the guilt trip. Your realm turned its back on us. Now it's crumbling?" He scoffed. "Sounds like karma."
Blake narrowed the gap between them, eyes narrowing menacingly. "We are taking Cassie. Two against one. You may be a werewolf but you grew up in the human realm. You're soft. This world makes wolves lazy. Weak."
Kai's expression twisted into a grin, feral and unforgiving. "Is that so?" His voice dropped to a growl. "This is your last warning. Walk out…or crawl out."
Blake bared his teeth, nostrils flaring. "The only one crawling out of here will be you."
Kai's smirk vanished.
"Very well then."
Kai's hands slid to his lower back, beneath his shirt, twin blades drawn in one swift, deadly motion. He exploded forward, a blur of muscle and power, driving the first blow straight at Blake's chest.