Bronze

Chapter 9 pt.4

^Nika!!!^ O-O

Leah

Kane's eyes glared down at us, jealousy all but consuming his bronze irises. 

I held back a whimper as his alpha authority drowned me. I couldn't let go of Oscar, but I also couldn't disobey Kane either, so I compromised and leaned Oscar against the wall of the stairs, resting my hand on his back for support. 

"Bring him to the border," Kane grumbled as he turned. 

I let out a sigh of relief and continued to help Oscar up the stairs and out to the fence. Once outside, he was able to carry himself and I let go. 

Though I could feel his anger, Kane kept himself calm. He busied himself by talking with the guards and watching how they trained. He even stood by Katherine and chatted with her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked as we walked side by side. 

Oscar glanced down at me and moved a strand of his blonde hair from his eyes. "Better," he said. "You?" His eyes kept shifted to the couple a few steps ahead of us. 

I bit my lip from saying anything I would regret. "I'm peachy." The words were forced and I knew he sensed the lie, but he didn't comment on it. He just stayed silent as we walked to the fence near the borderline. 

Many wolves liked to train out here. At least five groups were sparring around us. One male had the other in a headlock, while another match was more intense. Blood dripped from the larger opponent's nose. He stumbled on a log and landed on his elbows. The larger wolf pounced on him, bashing his face with his fists.

Nika was there, pulling the large, brutal wolf away by the shoulders. He snarled and Nika punched him in the nose. One quick jab and he was out like a light.

Ouch.

Both Oscar and I cringed at the sight. He fell flat on his back, smashing the grass beneath him. Nika bent down and checked for a pulse...I hoped he found one.

When we reached the gate, I reached over and grasped Oscar's hand. I tugged, and he came close to me.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" I asked hesitantly, fearful of the answer.

 He searched my face and exhaled forcefully. "Just stay away from the book," he said. He squeezed my hand, and then took a step without me. 

The ground beneath me didn't seem stable anymore. My knees wobbled, my ankles struggling to keep my body mass from falling.

"One more thing." Oscar pivoted the guard to his right and ran straight for me. He captured my face with his hands and pressed his lips to my forehead. "Markus will come."

Kane's vicious growl cracked the silent wind. The strength behind him was frightening. We both flinched as Kane ripped Oscar away from me.

Out of my arms, he shoved him toward the gate, snapping his teeth and daring him to come closer.

Oscar saluted me with two fingers at his temple, then swirled around on his toes and shifted. His wolf was a beautiful snow-white, with black paws and tail, like mittens for cold nights. 

I waved back, knowing he couldn't see me as he ran away. His scent finally blew with the wind as he disappeared behind the trees. 

The loneliness crept back after he left. I knew that Oscar wasn't going to stay forever, and he'd have to leave, but my heart yearned to have someone to talk to. I wanted a friend. Someone I could talk freely with and not have to worry about what I said or did. 

For the short hour I knew him, and however long he knew me before, we bonded. Our souls connected in a way that shook every particle of my being. 

We were friends.

Kane came to my side and gripped my elbow. Hauling me away, he ordered a few guards to watched the gate and make sure no one else got through. Then we were moving to the guardhouse.

I wrenched my arm away and glared. "What?" I seethed.

His eye narrowed on mine. Then, he snatched my arm again and dragged me, all without answering a word I said. His grip was unbreakable. His stare, destructive. 

This was the man I first met in that cell. 

I began trembling with the memories flashing before my vision. No more! Please!

Kane's lips met my ear. "Calm," he whispered. That single word made every shiver and twitch that moved through my body to stop and be replaced with a warmth that could only be described as 'him'. He was the warmth that I was feeling.

"We need to talk," he said after we managed to get inside. He opened a door and motioned for me to enter first.

The room was dark, but when I stepped through the threshold, the lights automatically flickered on. The first thing I noticed was the desk. The large L-shaped executive desk took up most of the small space, while bookshelves and a chair accompanied it. Forest green curtains hung from the only window on the back wall. 

"Yes, Alpha?" I asked respectfully. My mind was still telling form the staggering sense of calm that crashed over me. 

"You can call me Kane when we're alone," He muttered, taking a seat behind the desk and pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"I don't think that-"

"Just do it!" he snapped, eyes blazing gold as they glared at me. I nodded and leaned back to put distance between us. "I'm sorry. I just need a little time to control myself."

Curious, I tried connecting with him. Heat. Extreme heat and a blazing headache. My cheeks flushed as I pulled back my mind.

He was jealous of Oscar. That kiss he gave me must have set him off. 

I waited for Kane to calm down, his eyes shifting back- slowly- to his normal bronze. Then he relaxed his shoulders, let his breath out from his lungs, and lifted his eyes from their gaze on the floor.

"I need you to tell me about Alpha Markus."

My blood ran cold. "What about him?" I asked trying to sound dumb. 

"I heard the guards talking about him and an escaped runt. Was that you? Did you run from Alpha Markus?"

I nodded, unable to find the resolve in me to lie, but also not being able to form words as my mouth dried like the Sahara Desert. 

"Alla, Leah!" He yelled, aggravation clawing away at his control again. "Do you understand what he will do when he catches up to you?"

"He won't," I stated confidently. 

"Why is that? Because right now, my men are holding back his searchers near the southern gate." His hands found his hair as he ran his fingers through his soft locks. 

"Then I'll leave!" I yelped, standing to my full height as I stared down the alpha. 

He shook his head with an unplayful smirk. "You're not leaving me."

"Seriously Kane, what do you want from me?" I questioned, my own irritation getting the best of me.

My heart skipped a beat as the pull from the mate bond tugged at my soul. The invisible ropes wrapped themselves around my arms and legs and yanked, sending my body forward and landed straight into the edge of the wooden desk.

Kane's face was mere inches from mine. That earthy scene of his swarmed around me, and I couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't stop staring at his lips...

"The only way you'll stay safe is with me," he murmured, slightly getting closer with every word. I could kiss him, finally feel how soft his lips were, and no one would know. The door was closed and the rooms were soundproof.

What's the harm in one kiss?

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