Bought by the Beast King (Katerina and hunter) novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

KAT

Watson summoned me to work early in the morning. My shoulder blades stung where the fabric rubbed across the bruises, reminding me of how stupidly proud I’d been not to ask Hunter for help. I hadn’t even gone out to eat any of the food he’d cooked.

He must have slept on the pullout bed because he’d been gone by the time I walked out of my bedroom.

I’d tried to work in the bedroom, but his reaction kept running through my head. Or should I say, his overreaction? Confession? Who mentioned killing like it was a normal thing? He’d been so intense, as if burning every bruise to his memory. The memory brought the chill back in my bones.

Yet a treacherous part of me wondered what it would be like if our arrangement were real. If I allowed myself to have this without the rules. Without the transactions. Without the threat of exposure. But that was just a fantasy. The second I relaxed, I’d end up locked in Lordswood Castle again, entertaining dicks like Justin Carter and his brothers.

Sighing, I walked through the Bureau doors, bracing for Mr Watson’s wrath. I was about to get fired. I shouldn’t have given him such an ultimatum; I should have kept my mouth shut. The Bureau was the most prestigious agency. They couldn’t have treated me like shit forever.

By the time I reached his office, my knuckles hovered uselessly near the door. It was a far cry from when I’d stormed in.

“Come in, Miss Munroe.”

Damn wolves.

Straightening, I tugged my collar higher, praying my bruises stayed hidden. Mr Watson sat behind his desk as he had the last time, but this time his eyes tracked me the whole way across the floor.

“You wanted to see me, sir?”

He didn’t speak at first. Just looked at me, and then his gaze lingered on the edge of my face. Damn. I’d forgotten about wolf vision. He could see what my makeup couldn’t hide. How many people would see my face and assume the worst, like Hunter had? My pride couldn’t handle that.

“Are you done throwing your tantrum?” he asked.

“It wasn’t a tantrum,” I muttered, lowering my gaze. “I was just stating facts.”

Shut up, Kathrine.

“Get back to your desk. Abandon your role again, and I’ll take it straight to Human Resources.”

He bowed his head over his paperwork, already dismissing me.

That was it? I slipped out, closing the door softly behind me. Relief and confusion warred in my chest. Why had he given in so easily?

“She has some nerve showing up again,” someone whispered.

“She actually challenged an alpha.”

I looked up to see I already had eyes on me. With my chin down, I hurried to the office, offering a promise to the Goddess. If this blew over quickly, I’d be good. I’d make sure no one ever had a reason to look too closely at me. All I had to do was muzzle my mouth and stamp down my pride, even if it killed me.

The office was busier than I’d ever seen it. Even Melanie had her head down, typing furiously instead of gossiping with her friend. I walked straight to my desk and found a small pile of files, as if everything was really back to normal.

“Kat.”

Edward stopped at my desk. His usual smile was gone.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course she’s okay,” Melanie said without looking up. “She probably spent all night on her back to get her job back.”

Don’t take the bait, Kathrine.

My fists clenched on my lap, but I forced a bright smile for Edward. “I’m fine. Really. You should get back to work.”

Melanie snorted but didn’t say anything else. Once I logged into the system, I realised why everyone was so busy. There was a major case that required all hands on deck. Except mine. All the information was redacted because I didn’t have the clearance.

So I was relegated to administrative tasks, basically demoted to less than a legal secretary. At least it was better than cleaning the toilets.

Don’t rock the boat, Kathrine. Keep your head down and survive.

When lunchtime came around, I was first out of the door. The halls were oddly empty, and those I saw rushed around with the same urgency. Even the lobby was nearly deserted.

“What the hell are they all working on?” I asked myself as I walked towards the cafeteria. The researcher in me was curious. I knew it wasn’t the missing princess case because that was whispered about everywhere, especially when Father increased the reward.

My foot stopped mid-step when I walked into the cafeteria. Piercing blue eyes rooted me to the spot.

That man from the elevator and outside the gates sat at a table alone, with nothing but a hot drink in front of him. And his eyes were on me. Again. Unease crawled down my spine. There was something about him that had my instinct screaming for me to stay away. Dressed in a suit, he looked like anyone else around the Bureau. He was handsome, probably too handsome with his dark hair and sharp cheekbones, but I still wouldn’t approach him even in a crowded space in broad daylight.

Forcing my feet to move, I chose my lunch and paid for it. The back of my neck prickled the whole time. Did

he know me?

My heart raced. Was this because of the announcement from my father? He’d recognised me.

When I turned back, the table was empty, and only his steaming half-finished drink remained. I wasn’t imagining that. First Nathan Rivers and then this man. Something was going on.

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