Chapter 13 Kai
Chapter thirteen
Kai
“Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it.” -Alan Moore
The whole pack is gathered on Salena’s spacious deck at her and Logan’s new house, overlooking a large backyard.
The moment she and Logan discovered this house, they knew it was perfect.
It had barely been on the market for a day when they put in their offer.
The property is only ten minutes from my place, and it backs onto the same stretch of forest that has been our sanctuary for years—where we’ve grown roots that run as deep as the trees themselves.
Declan moved out of my spare room and into the apartment above the bar, which gave Salena a life outside the bar. Her cat, Ghost, apparently made the move with her, though I’ll have to take her word for it—Salena and Logan are the only ones who can see the damn thing.
I flip the barbeque off as the sun begins its slow descent.
Its golden rays stretch across the yard, bathing the group in a warm glow as they settle into their seats on the weathered wooden deck.
Salena moves with purpose, her hair catching the fading light as she switches on the twinkling string lights she carefully hung earlier.
The tiny bulbs come alive, casting a gentle, magical glow that transforms the deck into a cozy retreat.
On autopilot, I take a seat, listening to the chatter around me. Suddenly, a jolt of pain shoots through my shin, and immediately my focus shifts to Salena. There is the hint of a question and worry in her turquoise eyes.
“What was that for?” I grumble.
“You have been lost in thought all day,” she replies.
“Yeah, you even burned the hamburgers,” Grady adds.
Glancing around the pack, I come to the realization that most of the day is a blur to me.
It’s been a whole ten days since Ash left, and an unsettling feeling has been gnawing at me.
There’s this undeniable sense that something isn’t quite right.
It weighs heavily on my mind, as if my gut instinct is trying to tell me Ash is in trouble.
Which is difficult to fathom, considering how capable and self-reliant she is.
“I’m worried about Ash,” I confess.
“Doesn’t she always disappear for a week or more at a time?” Felix asks.
I tip my head back, a deep sigh pushing past my lips. “Yeah, but this time feels different. If I just knew what she was doing when she disappears, I might feel better. She told me she was telling her bosses she was done.”
As I bring my head back up, I catch a glimpse of Salena’s eyes, which betray a flicker of surprise, followed by guilt. It’s the same look she used to give me when I’d take the blame for her mischief during our childhood.
“What do you know?” I ask, sitting forward.
Salena hesitates, her focus flickering around the group before settling back on me.
“Well, when Ash first showed up, I was concerned, so I had some people look into her.” Salena bites her lip, as if contemplating her next words. “I know who she works for.”
I frown, my attention shifting over to Logan before landing back on my sister. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“It wasn’t my place,” Salena answers with a shrug.
“Ash went on one last job, and she hasn’t returned. If you know something . . .” I let my words hang in the air.
Salena shifts in her seat, then hands her plate to Logan.
“She belongs to the Kotov family.”
In that moment, my heart freezes, and a blanket of silence drapes over the group. The tension in the air is noticeable as we collectively hold our breath, creating a silence so complete that even the sound of a pin dropping would have been audible.
“Who are the Kotovs?” Logan asks, breaking the heavy silence.
My heart picks back up then, beating almost painfully in my chest. “Are you serious?” I whisper harshly at Salena, knowing full well if I don’t force my voice down, I’ll start yelling.
“I’m sorry I said nothing before, but I never felt the need to tell you. And once you became a couple, I figured she would tell you.”
I jerk to my feet, the chair falling over behind me. “She wanted out. She told me this was her last job. Do you think they did something to her?”
Logan stands, placing himself between me and Salena.
“Kai,” he growls in warning.
“Fuck!” I snap and swiftly spin around, adrenaline surging through me as I pace back and forth, rubbing the back of my neck.
Salena stands and approaches me with a look of understanding in her eyes. “Kai, I’m sure she is fine. This is Ash we are talking about.”
“I know, but something feels off.”
“Ash doesn’t strike me as the type who would need rescuing,” Logan adds.
They don’t understand.
I take a step back, my frustration building up, and let out an exasperated sigh. “She isn’t invincible. I know you’re all wary of her, but if any of you were to go missing, she wouldn’t hesitate to find you.”
“You’re right,” Salena replies, placing a hand on my arm. “She would help.”
Rose jumps to her feet. “Uhh, guys?”
We all turn our heads to see what has caught her attention.
The sound of an engine growing louder pulls our focus to the long driveway, where a sleek black Cadillac Escalade ESV barrels toward us, kicking up a cloud of dust in its wake.
The imposing vehicle’s dark armored exterior glints in the fading light, an unexpected arrival that immediately sends a ripple of concern through the group.
Salena doesn’t waste a second. Before I can even process what’s happening, she’s already in motion, darting across the deck with a speed and urgency that catches me off guard.
She’s down the stairs and moving toward the approaching SUV like a force of nature, driven by a purpose only she seems to understand.
The rest of us exchange quick, puzzled glances before we, too, spring into action.
By the time the Escalade comes to a halt, Salena is already across the lawn.
Felix is right on her heels, his body tense and ready.
Logan and I catch up just as the driver, dressed in a crisp black suit, steps out with the kind of grace that suggests he’s done this a thousand times before.
Without a word, he moves to the rear of the vehicle, opening the door with a smooth, practiced motion.
“State your business,” she snaps, her voice calm, but the warning is clear.
A towering figure emerges from the SUV, his sleek, tailored suit accentuating his commanding presence.
His short black hair, shaved close on the sides, contrasts with the tousled and stylishly messy top.
Piercing green eyes, flecked with hints of gold, lock onto Salena, acknowledging her as the alpha.
The air carries a faint scent of cologne, adding to his formidable stature.
“You must be Salena,” he says politely.
“Yes, and you are?”
The man takes a step forward and holds out his hand. “I’m Penn.”
Salena’s fingers wrap tightly around his hand and she shakes it. “What are you doing here, Penn Kotov?”
Penn dips his head in acknowledgment, and if he’s surprised that she knows who he is, he doesn’t show it.
“Kai, get it together,” Salena chides through the mental link.
I realize then that my breathing is out of control.
“Sorry.”
Salena doesn’t acknowledge me as she steps back and crosses her arms, waiting for Penn to reply.
“I’m searching for someone.” Penn’s gaze moves to Felix, then to me. “You’re Kai, the one Ashwiyaa wants to leave us for.”
The way he says it has my muscles tensing, and an inhuman growl escapes my throat.
Before I can think, before I can stop myself, the shift takes over.
My bones crack and reshape, my skin rippling as my body morphs into my wolf form.
The world sharpens around me, scents and sounds becoming more vivid, more acute.
The predatory instincts kick in, and I step closer, my claws digging into the ground with each deliberate move.
My lips curl back, baring my sharp teeth, and my muscles tremble—a clear sign of the violence I’m holding back.
But to my annoyance, Penn doesn’t flinch.
He doesn’t retreat, doesn’t even seem the least bit intimidated.
Instead, he just smirks, a lazy, infuriating grin that makes my blood boil even more.
His hands remain casually tucked in his pockets, as if he’s completely unbothered by the fact that I’m moments away from sinking my teeth into his flesh.
These are the assholes who have Ash. The thought crashes through my mind like a wave. The idea that they’re holding her somewhere, keeping her from me, only makes my rage surge higher.
Penn tilts his head slightly, his smirk widening as if he finds my display of aggression amusing. It’s like he’s daring me, testing how far I’m willing to go, and it takes everything in me to hold back, to not lunge at him and rip that smug expression off his face.
Salena takes a step toward me, and I feel a sharp flick on my ear. “That’s not getting it together, Kai!” she grits out.
“Shift back, pup. We have matters to discuss, and we don’t have all night. If you wish to find Ashwiyaa, then time is of the essence,” Penn commands, his voice sharp and impatient.
His tone snaps me into action, and before I know it, the world around me begins to swirl.
The familiar sensation of my bones reshaping, muscles contracting, and skin reforming washes over me as I shift back into my human form.
As soon as the transformation is complete, I waste no time stalking toward Penn with single-minded determination.
“Where is she?” I demand, my voice low and dangerous, barely containing the storm of emotions raging inside me.
“Faerie,” he replies, the single word dropping like a stone into the pit of my stomach, instantly rooting me to the spot. My feet freeze in place, and for a moment, it feels like the world has stopped turning.
“What?” The word slips out before I can even process the full weight of what he’s just said.