Page 82 of Bite The Power That Feeds

“You can’t go in there!”

The door flew open like Kingsnake had kicked it in. He entered the study with flames in his eyes, immediately staring at King Elias and the distance between us, which was the length of the entire room. The anger dampened—but only slightly. “Get out.”

King Elias immediately rose to his feet.

I rolled my eyes at the scene he’d just caused. “I don’t want to speak to you—”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He rounded on Elias. “I said, get out.”

King Elias hurried, leaving his own study and shutting the door behind himself.

Kingsnake grabbed the vacated armchair and pulled it across the rug until it was right in front of me. He dropped into the chair and faced me. “We aren’t leaving this room until this is resolved.”

“You don’t get to dictate the terms of my anger. I’m pissed off, and I’ll be pissed off as long as I want. Reconciliation doesn’t happen on your timetable.”

“But it will happen.” It wasn’t a question, but it sounded like one, his hope coming through.

I looked away. “Like you’ve said before…never assume victory before the battle even begins.”

His stare remained resolute, but the emotions inside him were like the tide under the full moon. They suddenly became bigger and stronger as they crashed against the shore. “Why are you alone with him in his study?”

“Wow…what a great apology.”

“I just don’t understand—”

“Because he’s the King of Raventower, my home.”

“Yourformerhome. Grayson is your home now.”

“Now my former home as well.”

A spark of anger rushed through him.

“And we have an oncoming assault from the werewolves. Trying to figure out logistics.”

“And that’s all?” he asked in disbelief.

I looked at him head on, my legs crossed with my elbow on my knee. “Kingsnake, no matter how angry I may be with you, there’s no way I would ever—”

“I’m not worried about you. I’m worried about him.”

“Even if he did try something, the fact that it would upset you means you are worried about me.”

His eyes shifted away. “I’m afraid I fucked everything up…and drove you into the arms of your former lover.”

“You did fuck everything up, Kingsnake.”

He averted his eyes again.

“But you’re the man I love…in spite of everything.” It was hard just to say that because he’d hurt me so damn much.

His eyes came back to me. “When we played that game with Cobra, you said you hooked up with some random guy at a bar when Elias—”

“You’re really going to throw that in my face right now?”

“I’m not throwing it in your face. I’m just explaining my insecurity. And hooking up with Elias is the perfect way to get back at me…”

I looked away, the insult like a slap in the face. “You’re the one who betrayed me, but I’m the one who needs to make you feel secure in our relationship?”