Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 274

Chapter 274: No Surprises Left

The door swung open on its hinges slowly, and Viktor strolled in with a smirk already sitting comfortably on his face.

Kira pushed herself up against the headboard and looked at him. That was all. There was no gasp, scrambling backwards, or wide-eyed horror. She simply sat there and watched him walk in like he’d come to deliver a room service order.

Viktor stopped a few feet from the bed, one eyebrow lifting. "No screaming? No tears? I have to say, I’m a little disappointed. I’d prepared for at least some dramatics."

"Sorry to ruin your afternoon," Kira said, shifting to get comfortable.

"You’re not even surprised to see me."

"Should I be?" She tilted her head. "You kidnapped me, Viktor. You’re hardly going to send someone else in to do the small talk."

He let out a low chuckle, and something about the sound made her skin crawl. It wasn’t his laugh.

"I always hope for the best in people," she went on, examining her nails as though the conversation bored her. "I do. It’s a terrible habit and I can’t seem to shake it. But nothing really surprises me anymore."

That much was true, though not in the way she wanted him to hear it.

Because sitting there, looking at that face, she felt something twist low in her chest. She’d sat across a table from Viktor for months. She’d let him tutor her, laughed at his awful jokes, taken the biscuits he’d smuggled in when the lessons ran long. She’d defended him more than once when Derek’s eyes narrowed at the mention of his name.

Whoever was wearing that skin now, it wasn’t him. She was almost certain the real Viktor had stopped existing a long time ago, and she’d been too busy being kind to notice.

He was going to be the first person she killed. She’d already decided that. But not yet. Not until she knew exactly what these people were, how they moved, and where the soft parts were. So she stayed exactly where she was, small and tired-looking against the pillows, letting him think he’d already won.

Viktor pulled the chair from the corner and dropped into it, one ankle crossing over his knee, arms spread wide across the back like the whole room belonged to him. He’d never sat like that. Viktor had been all careful posture and folded hands.

"You know, I always liked you," he said. "Genuinely. Most of them are so tedious. All that shrieking and begging. You just sit there and stare at me like I’m a maths problem."

"You’re not that complicated."

"Ouch." He grinned, entirely unbothered. "There it is. That mouth. I did wonder how long it would take."

Kira exhaled through her nose. "Can we cut the crap? Tell me why I’m here."

"Oh, come on." He spread his hands. "You already know why you’re here. You’ve known for months, even if you were pretending otherwise. Everything’s set. The preparations are finished. You’ll be meeting the Shadow King very soon."

"Good," Kira said. "I’m looking forward to it."

Viktor’s grin faltered for half a second before he covered it. "That’s an odd thing to say for a woman who’s lost every scrap of power she ever had. Bit confident, don’t you think?"

Kira smiled at him, sweet as anything.

"It’s honestly quite funny," she said, "how you spent all that time in a room with me and still don’t know the first thing about who I am." She held his gaze. "You’ll find out soon enough."

Something flickered behind his eyes. Not fear exactly, but a small, irritated crack in all that swagger. He recovered fast, standing and straightening his jacket.

"Well. In the meantime," he said, "we’re having lunch. And you’ll be eating properly, none of this picking at it business. You’re eating for three now, after all."

Kira’s hand moved to her stomach before she could stop it.

Viktor caught it and smiled. "The maids will be in shortly to get you ready."

He walked out, and the door clicked shut behind him.

Kira stared at it for a long moment. Then she let out a slow, shaky breath and pressed her palm flat against her belly.

Four days, she told herself. Four days and I’m out of here. All three of us.

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