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But she couldn’t allow this She hated hiainst his chest and shoved, but she didn’t need to His head snapped up and he stepped back all by hier," he snarled "Da about you been a lie?"

She slapped her hand over the punctures in her throat "Me? You’re the one who has a hidden door in his office You’re the one who’s been hiding a club where people fight to the death"

His nostrils flared, and his gaze zeroed in on her neck Before she could protest, he peeled away her pal the wound

"Gods," he ainst her skin "You taste like dark chocolate, and honey, andcanine" He tore away fro on the wall behind her to hold her up He faced away froh his hair over and over, as if doing so was as important to his existence as blood "Why? Why are you here?"

"Because you murdered my brother"

He wheeled around "Who was your brother?"

"Given the nuh your arena, I doubt you’ll rehn" She raised her chin, aze so he could see her pain "He was a hyena shifter who died last week"

"Hyena" Nate’s brow furrowed "Blond Misreen and blue eyes"

"So you do knoho he was"

Nate’s tongue flicked over one of the fangs he’d sunk into her flesh "You’re not a hyena any round out "And you killed my brother"

He snorted "Your brother killed himself"

With a pained cry, she launched herself at Nate He caught her easily, well before she landed a single blow "You son of a bitch," she screamed "You evil, heartless son of a bitch!"

Froes, she heard catcalls and cheers, as well as a few curses Nate tugged her against hi her so she couldn’t strike out

"Shh" His soft voice didn’t penetrate her anger "Hey Listen to ht"

"No No! He wouldn’t--"

"He said he was dying"

Dying? She stilled co body "I don’tI don’t understand Why did he say that?"

"I don’t know" He relaxed his hold, but still cradled her against his chest "All I know is that he wanted to fight one of our chahn made a provision that if he died in battle, Vic would leave Vaughn’s sister alone I guess that’s you"

"Oh, gods," she whispered "Vic He’s here?"

"Yeah Nasty bastard Why would Vaughn want Vic to leave you alone?"

"Because," she said, on a shaky inhale, "ever since my father died, Vic and my other brother, Van, have tried to kill me every few hn was here to guarantee your safety"

His hand cupped the back of her head with surprising tenderness, and his voice softened, which was so the truth, he hadn’t killed Vaughn, exactly, but he was still a scu who ran a vile operation

And yet, she didn’t pull away She told herself she needed the support because her legs had gone all noodle She told herself she was cold, and while he wasn’t overly ware She told herself all kinds of lies, because right now, she couldn’t handle the truth, theshe felt for Nate Sabine

"Poor Vaughn," she murmured "He should have come to me He didn’t need to sacrifice himself for me"

"He loved you" Nate paused "Is there a reason he wouldn’t shift?"

"What do youpasses over her braid "He didn’t shift when he was fighting Vic It put hie, because even if his intention was to lose, he clearly hated Vic and wanted to hurt hi in ani Those were Nate’s words Her brother was dying He didn’t shift Ohoh, gods He didn’t shift because he couldn’t He’d been dying for the sa her hair "Lena, what’s wrong?"