<Chapter 26-1
Chapter 26-1
Kiana
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It had only been a month, but Razor’s Edge was a disaster. Chairs had been smashed to bits. The
inside and outside walls had graffiti. The liquor wall was completely empty. It broke my heart to
see her like this. She’d been my prison. My chance at an identity. My torment.
Now she was just mine, and she was a mess.
“One of the guards told me that there was some rebellion while Troy was gone. One or two employees didn’t like it when Troy killed the manager,” Finn said as he walked up behind me.
“What did he do anyway?”
“Tried to r**e me,” I said flatly as I turned around. The frustration in me eased a little. It was good
to see him. “I’m not well-liked here.”
He gave me a tight smile. “I gathered that, too. Turns out the happy couple you played in Wisteria
Woods was a lie.”
“Did you volunteer to guard me, or is this a shit assignment for the new guy?” If Finn hated me now,
I wanted to know.
“You and I are more alike than you think, Kiana. I volunteered. I hope you don’t mind.”
He smiled, and I couldn’t help but give him one in return. “You want to impress your new pack.
Befriending me is not the way to go.”
“Then maybe this isn’t the pack for me,” he said simply and looked around. “So what are we doing
here?”
Blowing out my breath, I glanced around the restaurant. “Throwing out the spoiled food, checking to see if there’s any money left in the safe, taking stock of the broken furniture and appliances.
Then we’ll see if anyone in the pack is desperate enough to work for me, and try to re-open for
business.”
“Oh? Is that all?”
Snorting with laughter, I made my way through the dining room. “I asked Troy if I could see you when we returned, but he said you were in training.”
“Hmm. There were challenges. Gauging how strong my wolf was. I endured more fighting than
when I was a rogue in a violent territory. When the fight was over, they’d grin, clap me on the back, and tell me how well I did. Being part of a pack is different as an adult than a child.”
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<Chapter 26-1
“I wouldn’t know. You’ve had more experience than me.”
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Damn it, the kitchen had been pristine when I left. Whoever had vandalized it left half-eaten food
on the counter. It reeked.
“I thought you were here for years.”
“Yes, but I stayed here. I had a room upstairs. I kind of miss it now.”
“You stayed here? Like, only here? Didn’t that drive your wolf mad?” Finn asked in disbelief.
“My wolf is a little different than yours.” Even now, she curled and stretched inside me. Ever since we’d returned with Troy, she’d been content. With her mate. She was even asking to run with him.
I hadn’t allowed it. For years, I’d protected her. Now, I couldn’t convince her that Troy was still our
enemy.
And she was mad at me.
“So you want to get the place open out of vengeance?”
Running my hands on the dusty chopping block, I frowned. “I know how it sounds. I’ve got mixed feelings about this place as well, but at times, it has been my sanctuary. My only sanctuary.”
“And now you need it to be a sanctuary again, away from Troy?”
He was fishing. He already knew that Troy and I weren’t happily mated, but we were supposed to be changing that perception. For the pack, at least. That means him as well. I gave him a tight smile. “It’s just a good place for me to be while we figure everything out.”
The back door opened, and I whipped my head around and went rigid. Finn didn’t move a muscle, but I could feel the wolf inside him ready himself.
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