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Kent
“Oh, come now, Kent, I know you’re there. Open up, please.”
The prim, proper English accent grated on Kent’s nerves. Viktor hid himself behind this air of civility and propriety but it was all bullshit. Everyone knew he was a lion amongst zebras, looking for his next feast.
Granted, Kent wouldn’t be able to figure out why Viktor was here if he chose to stand there before the door without actually acting. On top of that, Foster was dressing herself and would be out any second. What would Viktor think of Foster being here? Not that Kent cared one way or the other; only how Viktor would treat Foster because of it. If Viktor even whiffed Foster was something to him, something more than a student…
Kent wrinkled his nose to stop that train of thought and all but ripped the door open.
“What do you want, King?” he drawled out.
Viktor smiled as he stepped into the room without an invitation. “Is that how you speak to a fellow Alpha?” he asked. “Just because you’re an animal, Kent, doesn’t mean you need to act like one.”
“Aren’t you the same animal as I?” Kent asked, cocking his head to the side as he followed Kent into the room.
“We may belong to the same species, but you and I are nothing alike,” Viktor said. “You know.” He whirled around abruptly, his white teeth twinkling as he gave Kent a smile that caused his stomach to knot with unease. “I’ve heard the most astounding rumor. There’s a new student placed in your pack that’s been followed by death, not once, but twice. What do you say to that?”
“And I’ve heard you have a son who’s followed by death even more than she is,” Kent said, eyes narrowed. He shouldn’t be surprised Viktor found out about Foster. Hell, he would expect the entire school knew about her. But Viktor rarely went out of his way to learn about new students. What had he heard that made him go out of his way and interrogate Kent about it?
“Shouldn’t I be concerned about any new student within the boundaries of the academy?” he asked, splaying his fingers on his chest. “I am responsible for them –”
“You’re responsible for your pack,” Kent corrected.
“Exactly,” Viktor said. “Which means I should know when a student has been chased by and met with death.”
Kent narrowed his eyes. Viktor’s straight blonde hair fell past his shoulders, pale blue eyes looking towards the hallway, as though he knew exactly where Foster was but pretended not to. The problem with Viktor was he thought he was so much smarter than anyone else when the truth was, he wasn’t as clever as he seemed.
“And you come to my private quarters to inquire about her?” Kent asked. “This couldn’t wait?”
“We both know you and I have somewhere to be tonight,” he said.
Kent pressed his lips together. He might be frustrated with Viktor’s presence, but at least he hadn’t approached Foster himself. He could have done that. Hell, he still might. But at least Kent was aware of his interest in her.
“Master Grey assigned her to my pack,” he said. “She’s been here a couple of days. She’s human. What else is there to know?”
Viktor didn’t frown the way Kent expected him to. Viktor always had a slight distaste for humans; however, if what Rainey said was true, wolves couldn’t possess the type of magic Viktor was interested in. It would have been humorous if Viktor had been interested in anyone else but Foster; for someone who despised humans and saw them as mere food, the fact that only they could get whatever it was he wanted was ironic.
“Everything,” Viktor said. “Master Grey approved her himself, which means she’s different than most students.”
“Well, she arrived after term, so of course Master Grey would be the one to approve her presence here,” Kent said.
“And what of the fact that a wolf too young to officially attend the academy as a student, who worked in the kitchens, was found dead in her room?” Viktor asked, glancing down at his nails. “How can you turn that fact into something mundane?”
“Her name was Lucy,” Kent said through gritted teeth.
“Ah, yes, Lucy,” Viktor said. “Tragic, indeed. How is the new student taking it? It must have been a shock to see a dead body in her room. Unless, of course, she put it there.”
“What, exactly, are you implying?”
“Tell me,” Viktor dropped his hand on the back of the couch before wrinkling his nose and frowning. He whipped his hand off of it, as though it had burned him in some way. “Has Master Grey been informed of Lucy’s murder and where the body was found? Does he know that your ward is responsible?”
Kent couldn’t keep himself from reacting. His eyes widened slightly and he clenched his teeth together. How in the hell could Viktor know about Foster being assigned to him as his ward? Had Master Grey told him? Kent didn’t think so. Everything was being done under the radar. Then again, Kent couldn’t predict the old man. If he could, he would have gotten himself out of taking responsibility for Foster in the first place.
“Oh, yes, I’m well aware of the nature of the relationship between the two of you.” He paused, cocking his head to the side as his eyes narrowed at the hallway. “Although, why she’s in your quarters, fresh out of the shower, is another matter entirely.” He swept past Kent, the corner of his thin lips curling into a smirk. “I’ve never known you to bring back a partner to your room, Kent. But a student? Your ward? I would have expected that from Jeff, but notyou.”
Kent growled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” He arched a brow. “Then tell me, Kent, why is she here? Why do I get the impression you’re protecting her from something…or someone, when death has followed her? Aren’t you worried you might be the next victim? Or perhaps, you’re worriedshemight be the one to putyoudown.”
