4

9 YEARS OLD KANDACE VISITS

  "You think I care about that," Father snaps into his phone as he talks to one of his allies.

    I have only been half listening to his argument for the past twenty minutes. I have been too focused on my new cage. It's taller than the last one. I can sit up straight in it. My back doesn't have to curve down. The silver of the bars looks new and super shiny.

  "I will fucking kill you! That land was once my families. I have proof! The Kincaids are descendants of the last King! I am owed what was ours," Father shouts and I flinch a little as his voice activates my defenses.

   When Rupert Kincaid is angry people get hurt. Sometimes he hurts me, but mostly he hurts people I love. I have begun to predict his moves based on his emotional state and right now anyone near him is in danger.

  "Fucking Scavenger," Father snaps as he slams his office phone down.

   He takes deep breaths as he stares at his office door and I hold my breath while keeping my eyes downcast.

  "Kandace," he whispers suddenly and my ears prick as he grabs his phone again. He pulls out his book of telephone numbers and flips it until he finds what he is after.

   Curiosity is coursing through me as my Father dials the number for some woman that seems to be the answer to his current problem. Father never needs a female unless he wants to use or hurt her. The fact that he has this woman's number is shocking to me.

  "Kandace, my dear. How are you," Father says in a voice I hardly recognize.

   He pauses and listens to her answer. He even chuckles a few times before saying anything else.

  "Well, I wanted to revisit our last conversation we had some years back. You see my plans didn't work out the way I had hoped and I was once again interested in a partnership," Father says looking eager.

  I can barely hear the woman's shrill voice as it filters through the mouthpiece of the phone, but she sounds excited as she replies to him.

  "Excellent. I will see you tomorrow then," my Father says sounding close to being actually nice.

   He hangs up and stands looking pleased with himself.

  "Perfect. Thurman's bitch might just be the female I need," Rupert says before looking at me.

   "I am feeling so happy I think I will go visit your mother. She deserves to experience my joy with me," Father says with a disgusting sneer pulled across his face.

   I almost heave up my dinner as I picture him visiting my Mother in her prison downstairs. I know what he does to her during his visits he has made me watch before as punishment for poor training days. He strides from the room with a definite bounce in his step and I wish I could rip his throat out.

*******

   "I was surprised to receive your call yesterday, Alpha Kincaid," Luna Kandace says as she sits across from my father in a tight green dress that leaves nothing to the imagination.

  "I apologize. Time seems to have slipped past me. I did not mean for us to go so long without seeing one another again," Father says with a smile, and the blonde blushes before leaning toward Father's desk.

  She pushes her sizable chest out and bites her lip.

  "I've missed you," she says excitedly and Father gives her a smirk before standing.

   My stomach turns as I realize what is about to happen. Before he can reach her I turn and face the wall. Sounds of kissing fill the office and I begin to count backward from one thousand. I sound out each number very slowly as I say them in my head and when I reach number one I stop. I allow my ears to check the sound of the room and I am surprised to hear they are talking again.

  "Keeping him close is smart. While I believe he is a weak pathetic runt he is my only son. He has the Kincaid blood coursing through his veins. But enough about my son. We have a common goal. I want the land your mate has and you want me for a mate. Both of our wants will be met with the death of Patrick Thurman," Father says, and I relax completely.

  They have already finished their disgusting pair bonding.

"Alright but who's son gets to be Alpha once we join together," Kandace says, and eery silence fills the office.

  "What are you talking about," Father finally asks and Kandace sighs.

  "Well, my son is strong and capable. If you feel as if yours is weak then my son could take on the responsibility of Alpha," Kandace says and Father growls.

  "Alpha Thurman has a son," Father states, and Luna Kandace buffs.

  "Of course. My mate and I created life just after the first time we met. He was... I believe two when I visited you last. We didn't share any romantic feelings that time around so I didn't disclose that my mate and I had a son," Luna Kandace says and I try to rack my brain on how I missed her visit.

   Now that I know what she looks like I remember seeing this woman once before, but not a second time. This is her second time here. Unless she is lying to my father hoping he won't question when her last visit was.

"It doesn't matter when you had the little bastard what matters is it complicates my plan. We can't leave a single soul who can lay claim to your mate's land. I want it. It once belonged to an ancestor of mine and I intend to reclaim it. As far as who will be Alpha... I have a plan for that as well," Father says as he bangs his fist on his desk.

  "Fine. Kill the male if you need to. His father is a weak Alpha. He will probably be the same way... But I want something in return. If I have to lose my son I want the bitch my mate loves killed. She and her daughter," Luna Kandace snaps after a brief moment and I glance at her.

  She doesn't seem to actually care that my father is going to kill her son. My mother would lay down her life for me and Adeline... This female and Father were made for each other.

  "Well, I am sure I can arrange for that to be taken care of as well. Keep your phone close by. I will call you with further instructions once I think of a plan," Father says and the cold as ice Luna smiles.

  "I knew coming to you was the best idea I ever had," Kandace says as she stands to her feet.

  She pulls down her tiny dress and smooths the front while smiling at my Father.

  "Would you like another round before I leave," she asks with a smirk and Father gets that ruthless glint in his eye for a brief second.

  "No, Luna. I am sure your mate felt our first time around. Let's not keep him waiting for you," Father says, and a guilty look actually enters the Luna's eyes before she turns and leaves the room.

  Father scoffs as soon as the door clicks behind her.

  "Fucking her is like fucking a couch. If the bitch underneath me isn't screaming and crying what's the point," he grumbles, and I glare at him.

  He moves back to his desk and begins to take notes as I stare at him. I imagine his head exploding and me stomping on his bloody corpse. When I grow tired of that scenario I imagine tying him down and whipping him.

As the light outside the window begins to dim Father yawns and leaves without a word in my direction. Peace fills the space around me and my eyes lock onto the branches I can see through Father's window. The light is fading fast, but I like thinking about the trees and looking at them. Father knows that about me. He often covers the window during the day so I stopped looking up there until he leaves.

  "One day," I whisper as I trace my fingers up and down the shiny new bars.

Faint tingles prick my skin, but I keep petting the bar. My body no longer shies away from the silver around me. My skin doesn't burn when pressed against it. It's almost as if the silver has become my friend.

Father thinks it keeps me locked up, but it actually protects me. He doesn't like the burn of the metal so he only ever touches the latch to let me out. In my cage, I am free of him. In my cage I am safe.