Free Kuma by Kassanna Page A

legs and felt the sewn ends drift up her thighs. “I was wondering if you were going to come by and check on me.”
    He turned his head and stared at her. “You know why I’m here, Seri.”
    “I do.” She lowered her voice to a silky purr and crossed her legs, making her towel gape wider.
    “What do you plan to say when you give testimony to the board?” He tapped his fingers on the tabletop.
    “I promise my statement will be glowing; however, it will cost you.” She leaned forward and set her elbows on the table.
    “Money is no object. Name your price.” Boris went still.
    “It won’t be that easy, Kuma. I swear that you and your brothers will keep Volkshire, and I will make it so that there is never any question to the Blaidd’s leadership.”
    “Exactly how can you guarantee that?”
    “Simple.”
    “I’m listening.”
    “Marry me.”
    “Sorry, come again.” He shook his head.
    Seri felt an upsurge of happiness; he hadn’t shot her down and was willing to listen to her proposition. Suddenly the sun shone brighter into the room, and quite possibly in the next few days, since she wouldn’t wait months. She would be Volkshire’s Alpha’s mate.
    “I said marry me. Of course, we’ll have to talk Scar into stepping down so you can assume his position.” Seri grew animated in her excitement, waving her hands as she spoke.
    “You can’t be serious?”
    She was taken aback by the chill in his voice and continued on. “Think about it. It’s a win-win situation. We get married and Scar steps down, allowing you to take over. That will squash any rumors about his human being in a powerful pack position as his mate, and with you as the new leader of Volkshire, Roman’s accusations will be moot. Everyone knows his issues are with Scar and not this town…” Seri beat back the fingers of desperations that were trying to take hold. “You’ll get to keep your beloved homestead.”
    He scrubbed his face with his hands. “Seri, you have lost your fucking mind. I’d rather go bankrupt paying your crazy ass off than marry you.”
    Her world went off-kilter for a moment and she leaned back in her seat. The towel came completely loose; she yanked the two sides together and wrapped the ends around one another. She uncrossed her legs and set her feet on the floor. Her euphoria was replaced by anguish. She fisted her hands and spoke through her teeth. “If you love this town and this pack the way you’ve spouted for years, then you’ll see the wisdom of my idea.”
    “I care about Volkshire deeper than you will ever know. I don’t love you though, and I will not be made miserable through your machinations. I have no desire to be Alpha and if anything happened to Rhys, then I would gladly turn the title over to Myka. Are you sure I can’t pay you off with money?”
    “Think long and hard before you refute my proposal.”
    “What can you do to me, Seri?” Boris pursed his lips.
    “I can make your life hell, Kuma,” she said quietly.
    Boris stood and looked down at her. The coolness of his voice reached his eyes. “Careful, Seri, I make a bad enemy with a long memory. You need to get your things together, I’ll have one of our sentinels escort you out of town.”
    “You’re kicking me out of Volkshire?” She shot out of her seat.
    “I thought that was obvious.” He turned his back on her and stalked to the door.
    “We would have been good together,” she whispered. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks and she hastily brushed them away.
    “No, Seri, we wouldn’t have. You have thirty minutes.”
    She watched Kuma leave. When the door clicked, indicating it had closed, she dropped to her knees and wailed. Her dreams shattered in the blink of an eye; she banged the floor with her hands. The pounding was nothing more than soft thuds in the carpet. It burned to breathe as she tried to take in a breath. She sat in the spot where she’d fallen, wrapped her arms around herself and rocked. Thoughts swirled