Chapter 99 WHAT'S NECESSARY

Chapter 99 WHAT'S NECESSARY
Kali's POV 

The corridor outside Diego’s study was hushed, but the weight of what I’d overheard pressed loud in my chest. My chest rose and fell rapidly, but that wasn't even the worst part. I was frozen in place, and I didn't want to think of what was going to happen if Diego were to come out here. 

I knew I should move, that was the right and only thing to do, just so I wouldn't get caught. But no matter how hard I willed my brain to come up with the necessary commands that my body required to move, it just didn't work. It was as if the part of my brain responsible for movement, had totally shut down and I had no idea what to think of it. 

Time seemed to slow to a halt, and for a moment I honestly thought I'd stopped breathing. My mind whirred with a million and one thoughts all at once, but only one stood at the forefront of the others. 

What was Diego going to do now? Was he going to come out here to investigate? 

The questions had barely registered itself at the back of my mind, before a loud screech cut through my thoughts. It pierced through the night and I hated how I was able to recognize the sound and where it had come from. 

A chair, but not just any chair. It was Diego's that had probably let out a screech the moment he got out of it. 

“Who's there?” Diego's voice slipped into the hallway, and I pressed my eyes shut. “Who is it?”

“Where are you going?” Leo cut in, and I heard Diego pause in his footsteps. “Are you really going to check? I'm sure it's one of the maids. She'd probably just dropped something she shouldn't have while preparing to serve dinner.” 

A wave of silence stretched after that,, and I muttered a prayer to the moon goddess immediately. If she could get me out of here, then I wasn't going to snoop on Diego ever again. 

Unless it was totally necessary. 

“Fine.” Diego let out after what seemed like forever. Leo must have parted his lips to speak, because Diego added again. “”No, Leo. I've had enough of this conversation. It ends now.” 

I didn't bother sticking around anymore. As I slowly made my way out of there, only one word echoed at the back of my mind. 

Alive. The man was alive. He was still alive. 

My fingers trembled against the banister as I backed away, careful not to let my feet slide on the stone floors. Underneath my skin, Venus, prowled inside me, tail swishing like she was pleased with this revelation.

I told you he wasn’t like the others, she whispered, smug as ever.

“That’s not the point,” I hissed under my breath. “He lied. He made me believe I failed.”

And you still ran back here, eager to see him. Her tone held every bit of mockery you could find. Don’t try to pretend otherwise.

“That’s because I need to ask about my punishment.” It was probably foolish of me to hold on to this, especially after what I'd heard, but no matter what happened, I just couldn't shake it off. “That’s it.

“ No. It’s because of the kiss. Admit it, Kali. You want him to touch you again.”  Venus’ laugh rang through my skull, low and wicked. “ You want him to run his hands over you and maybe take it to the next level too.” 

Heat crept up my neck at her words, and I shoved her voice aside before she could dig deeper.

By the time I reached my chambers, my resolve was iron clad, and I wasn't sure I would have had it any other way. Tonight, I would confront him, not about what I’d overheard, not directly, but I’d make him squirm. I wanted to see if the great Diego would stumble and if dinner time wasn't the perrecr moment to let it unfold, then u had no idea ehat else would suffice. 

As the hours passed, I liked to tell myself that I had an inkling goe dinner was going to go, but it was an entirely different ball game the moment the time came. 

Dinner was tense. Diego sat at the head of the long table, his dark eyes flickering up every now and then as though testing how long I could hold his gaze. I tried my level best to remain and act normal, while I let my fork scrape against the plate, feigning nonchalance while my thoughts burned.

“So,” I said lightly, stabbing a piece of meat, “do all your tests end in blood, or only the ones you don’t plan to tell me about?”

“What?” The cutlery in his hand stilled, a d for a moment I felt my resolve falter. His attention shifted to me immediately,like a blade drawn from its sheath, but I refused to flinch. “what's that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” I turned my attention back to the meal in front of me. “I was only asking.”

If Diego was mad by my little game, he didn't show it. Instead, his gaze lingered on me for a moment too long, before turned back to his plate. He'd barely dug into his meal, when my voice echoed again. 

“You didn't answer me.” I purred, making sure to avoid eye contact with him. “Is that how a wise alpha like you makes decisions?”

“Careful now , Kali.” he murmured, his voice as cool as a cucumber “That sounded a lot like you were accusing me of something.”

“Accusing? No.” My heart skipped but I leaned back in my chair, feigning boldness. “ Just wondering if your methods are always so cruel. You never did tell me what my punishment was.”

“Is that so?” A slow smile curved along his mouth, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “And here I thought you’d forgotten.”

“You’re provoking him.” Venus purred in my head and I had no idea she was all the fire I needed to get this on with “Good. Let’s see what he does when you bite back.

Later, when the dishes were cleared and the staff had been dismissed, I turned to leave. Somehow, I was unable to catch up with him before he left. Somewhere in the middle of dinner, he'd gotten up to make a call, and hadn't returned to the table. If I had known…..

The rest of my thoughts didn't make it to the front line, as something pulled me out of my little monologue. I blinked back to the present, and the first thing I felt was someone's hand wrapped around my wrist. 

My feet plummeted to the ground immediately, until someone's voice echoed all around me. 

“Tell me, Kali,” Diego drawled. “How long did you stand outside my study tonight?”

My breath caught in my throat, but he didn't even give me the chance to respond. One minute he was still holding me, and the next, he was pulling me down what seemed to be an empty hallway. 

We didn't walk for long, before he shoved me against one of the nearest walls. 

“I….” turned slowly, but he stepped closer,  closing the distance between us like a predator who’d tracked his prey to the edge of a cliff.

“Don’t bother lying.” His hand lifted, brushing a stray strand of hair from my cheek before gripping my jaw. His hold on me wasn't  cruel but firm enough to remind me who held the power here. His eyes gleamed as he spoke. “You eavesdrop, then you try to bait me at dinner. Do you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“I wasn’t….”

“You were.” The finality in his tone made my pulse stumble. “You want to know your punishment, little wolf?”

“Then here it is. For every truth you steal from me,” His thumb traced my lower lip, slow and deliberate, while my body betrayed me. I shivered at the contact but that did nothing to stop him. “I’ll take something from you in return.”

“ Yes.” Venus pressed against the walls of my mind, practically howling in delight. “Let him take. Let’s see if we can survive it.

“Really?” I swallowed hard, my voice barely steady. “And if I refuse?”

“You won’t.” His mouth curved, into a dark and knowing smile. 

The heat in his gaze pinned me in place, and I realized then that punishment wasn’t what I feared. It was how much I wanted it. 

I didn't miss the heat that radiated off his body in huge waves. His masculine scent coiled all around me, and I caught myself taking a huge whiff on him when I wasn't even looking. From the corner of my eye, I 
could trace his perfectly sculpted abs through the shirt he wore, and I hated myself for wanting to run my fingers over him so badly. 

“So what's it going to be?” His voice was as low purr as he pulled me back to the present. “Are you….”

“No.” I cut him off before he could get any more words out. “You don't get to do this. You don't get to pull me in and shut me out whenever you want, especially after lying to me.” 

“So you really were at my study.” Something else replaced his tone, something dangerous but I didn't mind. “Why were you eavesdropping?”

“That's not the right question.” I shook my head. “the right question should be, why did you lie to me all in the name of a test!?”

Diego's lips parted, but before I had the chance to hear whatever it was he had to say, Leo burst in 

“I'm sorry to interrupt.” He announced, but he didn't look the least bit sorry. “but we have a problem. There's a message from the council, and it's not good.”

I knew for a fact that the second part of his sentence wasn't for me, but somehow, I caught the reaction on Diego's face and believe me when I said it wasn't pretty. 

What the hell would the council want, and at such short notice too?