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Within a couple of minutes, Cassian returns. He looks around the damaged lab with mild irritation. “I’ll get this place cleaned up. You don’t have to worry about him anymore. He won’t approach you again. Come. I’ll take you back to your cell. There’s nothing you can do here today.”

He’s being surprisingly civil. Not that I trust him.

As we walk, he suddenly asks, “Why haven’t you asked me about moving you to another place to sleep?”

My skin crawls. “I feel safer with the wolf,” I bite out.

I see him smirk. “Let’s see how long that lasts. Get in. Your meal will be sent to you.”

I make a big show of trying to walk around the wolf lying on the floor of our cell. I can feel Cassian’s eyes on me as I huddle in a corner as far away from my companion as possible.

“You could ask me to give you a proper room.” He sounds smug, and when I look at him, my eyes narrow into slits.

“I don’t need any favors from you.”

I see the flash of anger cross his face. “Fine. Stay here. But don’t blame me when this beast rips off your arm when you roll over in your sleep.”

I ignore that. But when he walks away, I call out, “Don’t forget my food! My blood sugar drops if I don’t eat! I can’t help you if I’m dead, Cassian!”

The silver wolf gazes at me, and I gave him a weak smile.

“Please don’t kill me today. Because you might want to.”

The food arrives an hour later,and Cassian sets it down before me. “Eat. I wouldn’t want you to die without finishing my task.”

“How considerate of you,” I say sarcastically. When he lingers, I stare at him. “Do you mind? I don’t like an audience when I’m eating.”

He tilts his head. “You’re losing weight. Your clothes are hanging off you.”

I tap the dish with my finger. “Speaks volumes about how much you’re feeding me. Are you worried that if you give me enough to eat, I might suddenly gain some superhuman strength and break through the cage and run away?”

He looks amused. “I don’t see you getting past me. Even if you did, you’d have to contend with the twenty guards stationed outside.”

My lips twist in an angry smile. “You’re so funny. Now, if you’re done trying to half-starve me, can you leave? I’d rather not see your face any more than I have to.”

He leans down and grabs my jaw, forcibly tilting my head back, his voice harsh. “I don’t care much for your rudeness, Maya.”

I swallow but refuse to back down. “Well, then, it sucks that you’re stuck with me, isn’t it?” I push his hand away. “My food is getting cold. Unless you put some poison in this that you want to watch me eat, go away. I’ve had enough of you shifters for one day.”

“Insolent little thing, aren’t you?” he murmurs, releasing me.

“I’m sorry, I forgot I was supposed to be nice to my captors,” I sneer at him.

“Any other shifter would have killed you already.” His voice is quiet.

“Why haven’t you, then?”

He shrugs, watching me with a curious expression on his face. “I don’t know. I’ll send you some more food.”

Once he leaves, I let out a sigh of relief and look toward the beast in the corner. “Can you believe him? He’s crazy on steroids.”

I make sure nobody is around before uncovering the dish.

A steak. How nice. Lately, the quality of my meals has been improving.

I cut off a little piece for myself and then scoot over to the wolf in the corner with the plate. “Hurry up. Before he comes back.”

He quickly starts to eat the meat, and I use his distraction to approach him. He’s used to my touch now, so he doesn’t react immediately. Taking the syringe from my bra, I consider surprising him, but I have a feeling I wouldn’t like his reaction. Taking a deep breath, I show him the syringe, and he goes stiff.