Chapter 24 Kane
Kane
My office is quiet, the soundproofed walls sealing it off from the constant hum of the Tower’s activity.
The insulation is there for practical reasons– wouldn’t want anyone eavesdropping on enforcer logistics– but I won’t pretend I don’t appreciate the benefit.
Noise is an irritating distraction that I work best without.
Violet’s the opposite. She keeps the TV droning on even when she isn’t watching it, or music pulsing from a portable speaker she carts from room to room. Noise seems to be a comfort to her. It must make her feel less alone in that apartment.
She won’t be alone for much longer. My workday is nearly done, and it’s been satisfyingly productive.
A morning meeting with Alpha– brief, efficient, and mercifully free of posturing– followed by getting out of the office for the first time in weeks to conduct patrol audits in person.
It’s good for the lower-level enforcers to be reminded who they answer to.
And even better to remind them that when they’re on the clock, someone’s always watching.
There’s still a mountain of shit in my inbox. Disciplinary reports, patrol logs, an endless drip of requests for security details. None of it feels particularly urgent. My wolf is more content than he’s ever been, his energy as calm as the surface of the lake at sunrise.
Violet’s to blame for that. Or to credit, depending on how you look at it.
Somehow, she and I have settled into something dangerously close to a routine.
Work, home, eat, fuck, sleep. A nice steady pattern.
Last night, she offered me her leftover takeout.
The night before, I sat through half an episode of some shitty reality competition show while she ranted about her favorite contestant being eliminated.
The temperature in the apartment isn’t hostile anymore.
It’s almost… normal. Peaceful, even. And that alone should be a warning.
Peace never lasts. Not in my line of work, not in my life in general. It’s a fragile thing, easily shattered, and I’ve learned the hard way that when things start to feel easy, it usually means something else is about to go to hell.
The sharp ring of my cell phone cuts through the silence, jolting me out of my thoughts. I snatch it up before it can ring a second time, not bothering to check the caller ID before answering.
“Kane.”
“Long time, big brother. What have you been up to?”
I smile despite myself at the sound of Whit’s voice– my little brother and a goddamn thorn in my side. “Some of us work for a living,” I reply, rubbing at the edge of my jaw, tension easing a fraction.
He snorts a laugh. “You still drowning in pack bullshit, or did you finally get over your control issues and learn how to delegate?”
“You know what Dad used to say,” I sigh, swiveling in my chair and letting my gaze drift toward the skyline beyond the window. “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”
“Isn’t that what put him in an early grave?” Whit jokes lightly. “Might wanna rethink that strategy. I’d like you around till you’re old and gray.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter.
Humor may be his coping mechanism, but it’s not mine.
Our parents dying in the line of duty isn’t a punchline.
It’s a constant reality for me; a weight I carry every time I send enforcers out on assignments that might turn sideways.
Every decision echoes with the reminder that sometimes doing everything right still isn’t enough.
“Anyway,” Whit says, mercifully changing the subject. “We need to catch up. You got time to meet up at the lake this week?"
"Uhhh” I draw out the word, dragging a hand through my hair. “I’ve been staying in the city lately. But I’ll see what I can do.”
“The city?” he asks, surprise clear in his voice. “There something going on I should know about?”
“Mate’s in the city,” I say. “Turns out, my wolf likes to keep me up all night if I’m not sleeping next to her.”
“Shit,” he murmurs, hissing an inhale. “Am I a bad brother if I admit I forgot you had a mate?”
“The worst,” I deadpan. “But you’ve got enough going on. I’ll let it slide.”
“What happened to the Pairing being just for show?” he presses, amusement creeping into his tone “Couldn’t keep your hands off her, huh?”
“Something like that,” I grumble.
He whistles. “You dirty old man. Isn’t she, like, half your age?”
“Fuck off,” I scoff. “She’s…” I pause, doing the math despite myself, and immediately regret it when I realize how close that jab lands. “She’s twenty-three.”
“Exactly,” Whit replies, smug as hell. “Hey, I don’t blame you. I saw her picture in the press release.”
“Choose your next words very carefully,” I warn.
He snorts a laugh. “Easy, Tony Soprano. You know your mate’s a knockout. Anyway, you should bring her to the lake–”
“No,” I cut in, tone flat.
“Alright, alright,” Whit chuckles. “Just let me know when you’re free to meet up, and we’ll talk then.”
“Soon,” I agree.
We exchange goodbyes, and I end the call, tossing my phone onto the desk.
I do miss the lake house.
Out there, everything is simple. Water, wind, trees. Space enough to breathe, to disappear if I want to. I used to think I’d retire there someday– cut myself off from the world, never have to answer to anyone again.
Now, the idea of sitting up there alone, day after day, suddenly doesn’t hold the same appeal. Because she’s in the city.
A knock comes at the door, brisk and exactly on time.
I don’t bother looking up as I call out, “Come in.”
Frazier opens the door and steps inside with the careful posture of a man entering the den of a predator. “You wanted to see me? Ready to go over that report?”
“Sit,” I direct, flicking my fingers toward the chair opposite my desk.
He does, spine straight, shoulders tight. Good to see he’s still got a healthy fear of me.
“So,” he begins, clearing his throat. “What do you think? Do we move on this tonight?”
“What’s your take on this report?” I ask, arching a brow.
Frazier blinks. “Mine?”
I nod, patient but expectant.
He hesitates the way he always does before saying something he thinks I might not like. But if he wants to advance in the ranks, he needs to learn to speak plainly.
“I mean, it could just be illegal betting,” he starts slowly, “but if that’s the case, the pack should be getting a cut.
” He sits up a little straighter, finding his backbone.
“So, either the guy that runs the place is just greedy, or he’s funneling the money somewhere else.
The obvious assumption being the rebels, of course. ”
“The rebel angle is speculation at this point,” I state.
“Yes, but…” He shifts his weight in his chair. “Any possible rebel activity has to be escalated. Right?”
“It does,” I agree, leaning back.
“Should I coordinate a team, then?” His eyes light with anticipation, eager for action.
“Nah, I’ll handle this one,” I mutter.
Fuck. The last thing I want to do is work late tonight, but Dad’s voice echoes in my head like it always does. If you want something done right, do it yourself.
Frazier blinks. “Solo?”
I jerk my chin in a nod. “Problem?”
“Isn’t a full op required for anything rebel-adjacent?” he asks carefully.
“If I get confirmation it’s connected, we’ll proceed accordingly,” I say, drumming my fingers against the desk as impatience bleeds through my control. “No sense in making noise until we know what we’re dealing with.”
He nods, but there’s a glimmer of doubt behind his eyes. I don’t fault him for it. Questioning orders– internally, at least– is often the difference between blind obedience and competence.
“I don’t want this blown out of proportion,” I add, tone flattening into finality. “We don’t need another mess on our hands like the warehouse raid.”
My jaw tightens on reflex. Everything about that night still pisses me the fuck off.
An enforcer didn’t respect the chain of command and went right to Alpha with a tip about a rebel meeting, and by the time I was informed what was happening, there was no changing course.
I didn’t even make it to the city from the lake until it was all over.
Sloppy execution. No meaningful intel. Just bodies in cuffs and sentences handed down.
It never should’ve gone that way.
And yet… if it had gone differently, Violet wouldn’t be in my life.
I don’t let myself linger on the dangerous feeling that thought stirs.
“Understood,” Frazier says. “If you change your mind and want backup, I’m on call.”
I nod. Decent of him to offer, but unnecessary.
“Dismissed.”
He’s on his feet immediately, slipping out of the office. The door clicks shut behind him, sealing me back into the quiet.
I heave a sigh, rolling my neck on my shoulders. Of course this lands on my desk at the end of the day, when all I want is to go home, have some dinner, and crash.
After eating my mate for dessert, of course.
There it is again– the tightness in my chest that has nothing to do with work. It isn’t the sudden change in plans. It isn’t the potential of brushing up against rebels.
It’s her.
It’s the slow, insidious realization that we’re getting closer in ways I can’t afford. Going on as we have been will only confuse things, so it’s probably for the best that I take some time away. Put some much-needed distance between us.
I’ve got a job to do.
I begrudgingly pick up my phone, typing out a text message to give her a heads-up about the break in routine.
Working late. Don’t wait up.