They sat on the couch, drank their hot chocolate and just talked. Hollie told Kyle everything about herself, from her earliest memories about her parents to her life in the Black Blade pack. It felt really good to just talk and not be judged. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart, and she could breathe properly.
They continued talking for hours, and she really felt as though she had known Kyle for a long, long time. He told her about himself, his friends, his business and about the town of Nightbrook.
“I’ve lived in Nightbrook for so many years, yet it’s only now that I realize how little I know about the town and its inhabitants,” Hollie said sadly. “The Black Blade pack was a closed community, and we weren’t allowed to socialize with anyone outside the pack. It’s almost like...”
“A cult,” Kyle finished for her.
“Yes. You can’t question the cult leader,” she said with a bitter laugh. “The Alpha and Beta are bloody criminals, but you can’t expose them. They’ll find a scapegoat to take the blame for them. Can you believe they accused me of embezzling the pack funds? Me, a lowly cook who isn’t even allowed to take charge of anything!”
“That’s what cults do,” Kyle said. “There’s always a bogeyman. The accusation can be completely ridiculous, but they’ll use irrational fear to brainwash their members.”
“None of the senior lieutenants spoke up for me,” Hollie said bitterly. “I’m sure they know that the charges against me are bogus. How can anyone believe the utter garbage that Jake and Jasper spewed out of their mouths?”
“No one wants to be the next target, the scapegoat,” Kyle answered. “The whole system is corrupted, rotten to the core.”
“I’m so glad I’m out,” Hollie said. She put her mug down and grimaced. “But they’ll come for me. They won’t let me go so easily.”
“They will not lay a finger on you,” Kyle swore. “You are out of the Black Blade pack for good.”
Hollie didn’t respond. She wanted to believe Kyle, but she knew how vengeful and vindictive Jasper was. He would hunt her down to exact his pound of flesh.
She looked up and saw Kyle’s burning gaze on her. There was no mistaking the desire and hunger in his eyes.
She could feel molten heat pooling between her thighs and she had to press her legs tightly together. Her core began to throb insistently, maddeningly. Kyle’s eyes glowed when he scented her arousal.
Hollie blushed deeply and stammered, “I...I think I should go to bed now.”
They both stood up at the same time.
Hollie collided into Kyle’s solid chest and he caught her around the waist as she stumbled back.
Her breathing quickened as Kyle slowly and gently pulled her closer.