Bought by the Beast King (Katerina and hunter) novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17

HUNTER

Her voice still cut through me, even through the damn phone. The beast I’d just shoved back lunged again, slamming against his cage hard enough to make me tense. I used the distance between me and Kat to my advantage, forcing him back so I could think.

She was changing the game. What was it now? Playing hard to get so my beast would chase her? Or had I been right earlier? She’d been watching me when I went through her things.

Either way, I’d need to map out every hidden camera before my next move.

Kostas lingered at the door, looking back at me. I flicked my hand for him to go, and followed his footsteps down the hall where Jasper still waited.

“Hunter?” Kitty said.

It was the middle of the night; why was she calling me? She sounded a little off, too. My gut coiled. Was the killer putting pressure on her? Trying to sniff me out?

“I can’t give you a timeline right now, Kitty,” I said flatly. “I’ve just broken my lease. It will take a little time to get back on my feet. Unless you want me to call the Bureau to reschedule my interview?”

“No,” Kitty said quickly.

“You just gave me a list of rules, now you want to back out before you’ve held up your end of the deal?” I asked, growling.

There was silence on the other end of the phone, but I heard her shaky breath. What the hell was going on over there?

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Kitty said, and then the line went dead.

The urge to go back to her gripped me again, but my duty lay with my people. How could I leave without talking to these girls? Talia’s murder was still making headlines, and her community was still drowning in fear.

But I still wanted to go back. I wanted to find out what or who had made her call me so late.

I wanted to feel her next to me again.

I shot to my feet, already ripping my clothes off as I crossed the study to the door on the other side. The cool night air did nothing to calm the beast. I sensed all the eyes on me as I jogged through the manicured lawns, past the pool and courts that never looked right in the forest.

My beast tore free before I stepped through the treeline. My bones snapped, my body stretched, and thick, dark grey fur covered my skin. The forest became still. Completely silent. But I sensed my prey all around me, shivering.

Paws ripping through the dirt, the wind blowing through my fur, I followed my nose, choosing my prey, picking them off one by one. Hunting was the only thing that would settle me. But even with my muzzle wet

and the ground littered, Kitty’s voice kept ringing in my head.

It was only when the sun cracked the horizon that I stopped hunting and jogged back home. My warriors were already training in the large field on the farthest end of the estate. They all stopped, heads lowered, not batting an eye at the blood that slicked my skin.

I was back in control by the time I showered and headed back out of the house. It was clear now that I’d have to ignore Kitty until I could face her in person.

Kostas was waiting outside, somehow looking worse than he had the night before. His eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes wrinkled like he’d slept in them.

“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing his head.

Years ago, the werewolf prince would never have willingly submitted to me.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” he said. “I’ll wait for the Bureau’s reports.”

He walked down the steps and then paused.

“Last night. That phone call,” he said.

“What about it?”

“Who was that?”

“My business has nothing to do with you,” I growled.

“I know. It’s just that I heard… You’re right,” Kostas said.

And then he walked to his waiting car and drove off. How long until he started bothering me again?

I followed after him, heading out of my territory, the Cedar Grove pack. It was not as large as Lordswood, but we were lycan. Even our omegas could gut a werewolf if they had to. And, despite the shit my uncle pulled when I arrived, I never demanded their servitude.

It was late morning when I drove through the compound where the first girl lived. I probably should have waited for Elijah; he was better with people. More patient. But there were things only I could do.

I knocked on a door, and a man cracked it open. He looked as haggard as Kostas. His eyes widened when they landed on me, and he immediately bowed and opened the door wider.

“Your Majesty,” he said.

“I’m here about what happened last week. Your daughter was Talia’s friend?”

“Yes,” the man said, stepping aside for me. “Please come in.”

My eyes scanned the small hallways as I walked in. I sensed two other people in the house, and the air was heavy with a mixture of fear and sorrow. This family, like the rest of them, didn’t look well off, and most of the furniture was old and worn. This monster targeted lower-ranked wolves without the financial backup to

protect themselves.

“April hasn’t spoken since we brought her home,” the man said. “We don’t know anything else besides what she told the agents.”

“Can I see her?”

The man’s hands clasped together, and his heartbeat spiked.

“She’s my little girl,” he said. “Whatever happened… I couldn’t protect her. But I hope you’ll allow me to protect her from this. She’s not okay, Your Majesty. She hasn’t come out of her room.”

I could understand that. Despite what people thought, I wasn’t a monster.

“Maybe I can help ease the weight she’s carrying,” I offered. “Let me see her.”

The man hesitated, still looking down, before he nodded. He led me up their narrow staircase to a floor that only had three doors along the hallway. I guessed two of them were bedrooms, and I knew exactly which one April hid in.

When I opened the door, a girl barely out of her teens sat in a corner, knees to her chest. A kitchen knife lay at her feet, next to a tray full of an untouched meal. The windows were boarded, and the air was stale.

I’d seen this many times. The killer had more victims than the ones we’d already buried.

“April?”

The girl lifted her head and grabbed her knife. Her hands trembled too much to hold it steady.

“I won’t hurt you,” I said gently, not stepping into the room. “I’ve come to help. Will you let me?”

The girl shook her head. Tears welled in her eyes, and her fear almost overwhelmed me. I’d seen the scene she and her roommates had walked into. Such a trauma would be hard to heal without help.

“Look at me,” I ordered gently, releasing a sliver of my aura. “You’ll be okay.”

The girl’s shoulder loosened. “You can’t let the monster win. You need to live your life, and leave the worrying to me. I’ll get him.”

I watched my words work on her, as the tears finally fell down her cheeks.

“I told her not to go with him,” she whispered.