The Alpha Wants Everything Book 2 The Devil's Baker
Chapter 74: I’ll Try To Be….Nicer!

Cameron could hear the laughter from outside, as his family approached the house.

“Well, my dear, it sounds like our dinner guests have finally arrived.” Cameron said to Kenzi.

“They’re pro-prob-prolly hungry,” Kenzi said, nodding her head.

“You’re probably right. They most likely smelled dinner from the house” Cameron agreed. He had heard her stumble a few times on the words she was trying to say and when she informed him that she was never allowed to attend school he had to fight to control the anger he felt. His wolf huffed and grumbled and they made the decision right then and there to help her as best they could.

“Are you sure we can’t keep her?” Kennedy was asking as they walked in the front door.

“You’re not keeping my mate. You ask me again and I’ll bury you” Adonis shot back.

“Just for a little while longer” Kennedy begged,

“You just don’t know when to quit, do you brother?” Steve asked.

“Come now Steve, do you smell that? I don’t know what it is, but I want it” Kennedy said. “It’s torture, it’s cruelty, our little brother can’t bring his mate here, allow her to cook for us then just take her away”

“You have a point, that is down right inhumane” Steve agreed.

“I didn’t allow her to cook for you, you both highly encouraged it. So your torture is the result of your actions and therefore your fault” Adonis replied.

“That was a very Elijahy response….I think you’ve been spending entirely too much time with him” Kennedy quipped back. ….grrRrRrrrRrRrrr….

“There’s my baby brother!” Kennedy broke out laughing

“Phones off!” Cameron called from the kitchen.

“Well hello to you too dad” Kennedy said as he entered the kitchen. “Is that anyway to greet your sons?”

“Keep it up and I’ll let your baby brother bury you” Cameron said to him before he released a hearty laugh embracing Kennedy in a hug.

“How was your trip?” Steve asked when he too entered the kitchen accepting the hug from his father.

“It went!” Was all Cameron would divulge at this time.

“Hello son, did you get bigger?” He said, when he saw Adonis a smile gracing his face

“Hello dad” Adonis greeted, embracing his father in a hug.

“Are you two going to behave?” Cameron addressed Jackson and Tyler.

“We always behave” Jackson replied with a smile

“Cows and a party.” Was all Cameron had to say to wipe the smile off his face.

“Wasn’t our fault. We din’t tell the cows to trash the party” Tyler interjected.

“You caused a stampede,” Elijah reminded them. Jackson and Tyler just looked at each other.

“We behave!” Jackson said with Tyler nodding beside him in agreement.

“Adonis, stop sampling the tiny little chef in the kitchen” Cameron called over his shoulder. They all broke out laughing when they heard her squeak.

“I can’t help it. She’s oh so tempting” Adonis replied as he held Kenzi and her very pink face to his chest.

“And I’m hungry” He whispered in her ear.

“I’m not a snack!” She sputtered into his chest. And there goes her mouth! Jackson and Tyler were the first to break, followed by Kennedy.

“Ok then. You heard her, she’s not a snack. Now get to the deck and set up” Cameron said, pushing Adonis out of the kitchen and away from Kenzi.

“I hope you made lots. I invited some guests” Clara said as she entered the kitchen with Brenda, a bunch of kids and The Royals. ….grrrRRRrrrr…. Released from Adonis as he saw Kane standing in his father’s kitchen.

“He’s jus grumpy cause he’s hungry” Kenzi said before anyone else could say anything. And there it goes again!

“You might want to check the stove now dear” Cameron said, trying not to laugh.

“Ok!” Kenzi replied, turning back to what she was doing. Adonis curled his top lip slightly.

“Adonis, did you forget your manners?” Cameron asked,

“No, I greeted him right the first time” Adonis replied,

“We got off on the wrong foot,” Kane said,

“The deck!” Cameron pointed out of the kitchen. Jackson and Tyler pushed Adonis out the back door trying not to laugh, with Elijah following behind.

“Why don’t the rest of you join the others outside?” Cameron suggested. “Not you!” He said to Kane.

“Yup!” Kennedy took a small child from Brenda and another’s hand then led Brenda out of the kitchen with his oldest following behind them. Followed by Steve, Clara and their four kids. Johnny glanced at Kane but he nodded and the others left as well.

“Sorry to desert you dear, but there is something I need to discuss. Are you going to be alright in the kitchen?” Cameron asked Kenzi,

“Yes.” Kenzi nodded as she moved effortlessly between the counter and the stove.

“Ok, call if you need help” Cameron said as he moved from the kitchen back to the living room.

“How bad?” He asked when he was alone with Kane,

“How bad?” Kane arched his brow at him.

“How bad did you personally screw up with Adonis? You’ve been looking for him, and if you want him to talk to you then I need to know just how bad you screwed up.” Cameron said, matter of factly. “Apologies for my bluntness, your highness, but I have had a rather long couple of days with the shifter council, and them beating around the bush. And now I get to tell my other two sons that if they don’t drop their ties to their brother. They are out of the werewolf community.”

“What?” Kane’s brow furrowed. This was news to him.

“The council has been pulling in all packs that are either aligned or allied to the demons and giving them an ultimatum. From what I understand seven packs have already severed ties with the community and three are thinking about severing ties with the demons. Alliances are being broken and lives are on the line. Demons don’t do anything unless they are provoked, and the council is hitting the hornets nest with a stick.” Cameron explained.

“I had no idea!” Kane said,

“Doesn’t matter, you are The King and in Adonis’s eyes that makes you the council and as long as they are doing this, he will have a hard time trusting you. Now how badly did you screw up?” Cameron repeated his question.

“I touched his mate and wouldn’t let her go. I scared her.” Kane replied, and Cameron let out a deep sigh. “He already punched me for it,” Kane added, his jaw still hurt and he still sported the bruise.

“I see that. He held back.” Cameron told him “Demon’s leave scars.” He added when he saw the look that crossed Kane’s face.

“It wasn’t my….I never meant….I fucked up” Kane said, he knew better. He knew that unless you knew and were on friendly terms with the other Alpha, touching another’s mate was justification for war. He wanted to talk to Adonis, but that was not how he wanted to do it though.

“Sit down son,” Cameron said, offering him a chair. Kane dropped into the one close to him and cradled his head in his hands.

“How bad did I fuck up?” Kane asked,

“Well if we were going to put it on a scale of 1 to 10…. I would have to say 20” Cameron replied. “But it’s because you don’t know the reason. Understand that and this can be fixed.”

“They aren’t guaranteed to be accepted by them so demon’s put their mates on pedestals,” Kane said.

“That they do. They worship them. Adonis was told he would never have a pack, a mate and no one would ever love him. He found her a few years ago, and he was forced to leave her behind. It took him three years to replace her again and it hasn’t been an easy journey to get to this point from what I understand. So when you refused to give her back to him….”

“He thought I was trying to take her away,” Kane finished.

“Might not have been your intention, but the one person he was told he would never have was being held away from him by another” Cameron went on.

“I can see how he would get there,” Kane replied.

“You two have a lot of similarities. I’ve heard stories about you as well.” Kane’s eyes snapped to the older man sitting in front of him. He could only imagine the stories he’s heard.

“He one upped me when he created a pack” Kane replied.

“Do you know why he created a pack at ten?” Kane shook his head.

“Alpha Ethan was losing alliances, they saw how he was treating his own son and they wanted nothing to do with someone that turns on one of their own, but it was because his brother Alpha Eric was going to kill him. It was going to be his first act when he became Alpha. Adonis had no choice. So he, Jackson and Tyler created Black Shadow Pack, he had to become an Alpha before his brother to save his life. Ethan lost every alliance he had after that and his Elder Council forced him to give his pack to his eldest.” Cameron told him.

“He was going to kill him?” Kane said, Cameron just nodded.

“Why do you think he hates them so much? When Adonis started getting stronger and stronger, they began to see him as an asset. They tried to get into his good graces, but it wasn’t until after his mother Elena died that he spoke to them again. He was fifteen. Adonis never got the childhood you got. The one he should have received. He’s had to fight every step of the way, for everything. When he was rejected by the council he still fought to prove them wrong. Adonis just wanted to be like everyone else. It was because he was different that he was treated the way he was. Eighteen and they denied him graduation, something broke in him and he stopped fighting and accepted who he was, who they thought he was. The man outside that I call son, became The Devil our kind created. No one has the right to be surprised or shocked by anything he says or does. He is a good man, a good boy, but everyone has their breaking point. But it makes you wonder what he would have been like had he not reached his. Had he just been given the chance he deserved.” Cameron said. “And he’s one upped you a few times, but I’m biased” Kane could only laugh at that. Listening to Alpha Cameron speak about Alpha Adonis like a proud father, it put The Devil in a new light.

“If you want Adonis to talk to you, then you need to talk to him” Cameron said

“I’ve been trying” Kane replied

“You’ve been trying to talk to him as The King. A position that has no sway or power with him. Though I am curious to see what would happen if you tried to command Tyler to do something. You need to talk to him man to man. You need to build a rapport, he needs to see that you two are similar then and only then he might actually listen to what you have to say” Cameron told him. Kane sat there and thought about that. They’re roads were similar. They both were told they would never get a mate. They both held on tight when they did replace theirs. There wasn’t anything he didn’t do for his mate. He was now wondering what battles Adonis fought for the little pixie. If Dax was right she had a helluva past.

“Are you all trying to get me bit by the mini monster? Elijah is apparently wondering the same thing. Why not Jackson or Elijah?” Kane finally said. Cameron let out a laugh at that.

“Because Jackson would laugh at you, and Elijah would flat out tell you no, if he didn’t out right ignore you first. Tyler is a wild card. He’s the youngest of the four so it would be interesting to see what he would do,” Cameron replied.

“Probably bite me,” Kane replied.

“I think dinner’s ready,” Kenzi called from the kitchen.

“Try after he’s eaten something, he’s less likely to bite. Ask Adonis about attending a Mate Ball when he was twelve” Cameron suggested, getting up from his chair. “Tell him about your sister. If that fails, ask about the council member, his answer might surprise you. You two have a lot of common ground” With that said Cameron disappeared into the kitchen.

The deck was set up and as everyone took their seats there were clear lines of division. The Royals on one side, the demons on the other, with the normals in the middle. Cameron had left Kenzi alone in the kitchen for thirty minutes, which seemed to be more than enough time for her to make several different sides to go with the drunken pear pork chops.

“How?” Damon asked, as food just kept coming out of the kitchen.

“I don’t know,” Johnny replied, trying not to drool.

“She’s frickin magic!” Was the only thing Carter could say.

“You might need to go get her,” Jackson said quietly as they were all waiting for the appearance of Kenzi.

“The Gamma look like he bout to bite his own arm off” Tyler added, his grin spreading more with the whimpers he was hearing.

“That little one really does like to cook, she made my kitchen hers” Cameron said laughing when he put the last dish on the table and took his seat.

“She owns the packhouse kitchen as well” Steve replied,

“The cooks all wait for her to tell them what to do the second she enters it.” Kennedy added.

“That is one special little girl,” Cameron nodded his head.

Adonis stood up from his seat and entered the house to replace Kenzi still busy at the counter. He had no idea what she was doing, but it looked dessert related meaning it could wait till after dinner.

“Why don’t you like Kane?” She asked, still moving around the kitchen. He was not prepared for the sudden question and stood there in stunned silence.

“I don’t dislike him per say” Adonis finally replied,

“Then why don’t you talk to him?” Kenzi asked when she finally looked at him.

“After what happened yesterday, I’m not sure how trustworthy he is” Adonis responded,

“I don’t think he meaned to scare me” Kenzi said,

“I don’t think I helped the situation either,” Adonis confessed. He knew for a fact he didn’t help the situation, when he saw Kane’s hand on her, he panicked. When Kane didn’t let her go, his worst fear unfolded before his eyes. Someone took her away from him.

“I’m not….scared of you or Odin. I was when he….licked my back. I thou-ght he was going to make me his s-se-sec….uther supper, but I’m not….scared no more” Kenzi told him, wrapping her arms around him as she cuddled into his chest. Special Lil Button! Odin gushed in his head. No, she clearly was not afraid of him.

“Maybe jus talk to him, at least be nice and stop growling at him. I like Dax and she won’t talk to me if you keep growling at Kane,” Kenzi scolded him. A smile broke across his face when he saw how serious she was.

“I….will….try to be….nicer….to him….today, that is the best I can promise,” Adonis told her back.

“That’s all I ask.” Kenzi nodded her head and went back to the counter.

“There are a bunch of hungry wolves on the deck sweetheart and no one is going to eat until you’re with us,” Adonis told her.

“I’m almos done,” She said.

“No, you’re done!” He threw her over his shoulder and carted her from the kitchen.

“But….but….but” She protested as she squirmed to get off his shoulder.

Sitting back in his chair Adonis dropped her into his lap.

“Now if you sit in your own chair, will you stay?” Adonis asked her. Snickers could be heard around the table as Kenzi went to answer him but nothing came out of her mouth.

“That’s what I thought,” he replied as he turned her to face the table using one arm to keep her secured to him.

“Whatcha workin on this time Lil Kenzi Cakes?” Jackson had to ask as he fought back his laughter.

“Molten dulce de leche mocha lava cakes, with a boozy bourbon fudge sauce,” Kenzi replied. They all stared back at her, and for the longest time no one said a word.

“You’re going to be fat” Kennedy broke the silence first, as he looked over at Adonis. Laughter broke out around the table at the look on Adonis’s face.

“I’m not worried, Kennedy. I’ll burn it off when I bury you” Adonis fired back, causing the laughter to get louder.

“Can I just skip to dessert?” Dax asked.

“No you can not,” Kane replied beside her.

“Well now that we know what is waiting after dinner, let’s dig in,” Cameron said. Food was passed around the table and conversation flowed.

“How did you and Kane meet?” Kenzi asked Dax.

“I threw paper weights at him,” Dax replied, Kenzi scrunched her face concern washing over her.

“Are you ok?” Kenzi asked Kane, that didn’t sound very good to her. Johnny tried to contain his laughter, but the concerned look on the little pixie’s face made it rather hard.

“That the same look her had on her face over the fuckin yogi” Jackson tried not to break out laughing, but when Tyler broke he couldn’t hold back.

“Yes, thank you. I’m fine” Kane fought to get it out, he was too busy trying not to laugh.

“Did I say something?” Kenzi asked, she didn’t understand why they were all laughing. When she looked up at Adonis he could see the confusion creasing her brow.

“No sweetheart” He kissed her forehead, erasing the creases that furrowed her brow. “Your concern for Kane is rather touching, but I’m sure he had it coming.” He added the last part as a devilish smile crossed his face when he looked at Kane. Kenzi turned to face him, her eyes wide.

“What did you do?” She asked, it had to be something pretty bad to get paper weights thrown at him, those things are heavy.

Kane fought to suppress the growl he wanted to release. The Devil was pushing his buttons intentionally. When he saw the smile across his face, he knew he was getting to him. The fuck is this guys problem? Ky huffed. I think he’s testing us! Why? To see how far he can push us! Why? Because I can’t imagine dealing with demons is easy! Demons need to have fun, repeating on a loop in his head. Course not, they’re all assholes! No, demons need fun, and our idea and their idea of fun might be two totally different things!

“He did deserve it. He pissed me off” Dax replied, squeezing his thigh, calming him immediately. When he saw the smile get bigger on Adonis’s face, he had to figure out a way to not lose his control.

“How many tines has he piss-ed you off?” Kenzi asked. Forks hit plates and they all stared at her wide eyed.

“Ero solo io o suonava male detto da lei? (Was it just me or did it sound wrong from her?)” Marco asked,

“No, that sounded wrong,” Johnny replied.

“Suona più normale quando lo dice Marcus! (Sounds more normal when Marcus says it!)” Marco added

“And he’s three,” Johnny agreed.

“Hey!” Kenzi snapped her eyes to Jackson. “What I say bout that?”

“Don’t say the bad words. But you all say them all the tine, I jus wanna say one” Kenzi protested.

“Fine, say dammit” Jackson offered,

“Dammit!” Kenzi repeated,

“No!” Jackson shook his head. Kenzi looked at Tyler for backup but he too was shaking his head.

“Sweetheart, you can’t say bad words,” Adonis agreed.

“Aww, biscuits” she huffed and slumped into Adonis’s lap.

“Well that sounds much better,” Kennedy said, and the table erupted into laughter again.

With dinner and dessert done, they all continued to sit around the table conversing. Adonis continued to test Kane, pushing his buttons gauging his reactions. How far is this guy gonna push us? Ky asked. To our limits, if we can handle him, the rest will be easy! Asshole! Again he caught the smile on Adonis’s face.

“Well dinner and dessert were both delicious. When you leave here my dear I want both those recipes” Kenzi’s cheeks blushed pink, her nose wrinkled and she couldn’t fight the giggle that escaped her.

“That’s adorable!” Kennedy said. “And I hate to do this again, but I need to Kenzinap her one more time today, I’m not quite finished with her.”

….grrrRRRrrrr…. Escaped from Adonis as he held tighter to Kenzi in his lap.

“Can I help?” Dax asked. She really wanted to talk to the little pixie again, she didn’t really have the opportunity to do it earlier in the kitchen with Tyler there and didn’t know if she’d get a chance tonight with the party.

“Absolutely. But let’s just get this straight right now, I am not kidnapping you, you volunteered and you can’t kidnap the willing” Kennedy said, when he caught the look from Kane. ….grrrRRRrrrr…. Adonis wasn’t sure he liked that. Odin liked it even less and began grumbling in his head.

“Oh stop that you big grump. You’ll get her back tonight. I’m well aware of how we’re not allowed to keep her. Of all the things dad couldn’t drill into your thick head you had to pick sharing” Kennedy complained. ….grrrRRRrrrr…. “Why couldn’t you pick that one?” He added when Adonis growled at him again.

“Maybe if you stop poking him brother, he’d stop growling at you” Steve offered.

“Adonis let her go, there is a kitchen that needs cleaning and you can’t do that and hold onto her at the same time and no that is not a challenge” Cameron said, a smile on his face.

Adonis grumbled some more but he took his arms from around Kenzi.

“Stop that, you’ll see her later” Kennedy interrupted when Adonis kissed her. ….grrrRRRrrrr…. Kenzi giggled, kissed him one more time, said thank you for the dinner and let Kennedy lead her and Dax back to the house. Tyler was about to get up and go with her when he caught the slight head shake from Adonis. He stifled a snarl, but slumped back into his chair.

“Easy Tyler”

“The fuck?”

“Let’s just see what Alpha Kane does”

“I don’t like it!”

“Noted!”

Carter was getting up from his seat as well, when he sat back down, a surprised look crossed his face but he said nothing. Just obeyed whatever order Kane sent through the link.

“Keep an ear on that!”

Getting up from his seat Adonis moved into the house to start cleaning up and Tyler angled his seat so he could get a better listen of the packhouse. Jackson went to get up to help Adonis when Cameron stopped him.

“Kane can help,” He said. Jackson, Tyler and Elijah shared a look as they watched Kane nod and get up from his seat. Clever old wolf! This is gonna get us hit again! Let’s just see what happens! Cujo’s gonna bite us, that’s what’s gonna happen! Settle down Ky! Kane shared a look with both Johnny, Damon and Kenneth.

“This gonna be interestin. $50 say Adon clock him again” Jackson made the bet.

“I’ll take that bet” Johnny accepted immediately.

“Fanculo” Kenneth grumbled,

“Son bitch!” Tyler barked. Cameron could only laugh.

“You two still bet on everything?” Steve laughed when he saw the grins break out on Tyler and Jackson’s faces.

“Sounds like they’re just as bad” Cameron added when he looked towards Johnny and the others.

“I want my money back,” Johnny stated.

“You already lost money to them?” Steve asked “What did you bet on?”

“The outcome between Carter and Tyler” Johnny replied,

“And you didn’t bet on Tyler?” Steve asked.

“Thought Carter could take em,” Jackson replied laughing. “Don’t get me wron, fuckin impressive that boy go four rouns wit Tyler. But Tyler can take out an Alpha by hisself” Jackson said proudly of his brother. Johnny went wide eyed.

“Are you serious? You knew that. That was a sucker’s bet. That’s cheating, you played me” Johnny snapped his attention to Jackson who started laughing.

“Fuck yeah I cheat. The fuck you so shock for?” Jackson choked out. “Easiest $50 I ever made”

“They cheat at everything. Just wait till you play cards with them” Cameron said.

“We ain’t that bad!” Jackson said, defending them. Tyler was nodding.

“Not that bad….Tyler can you go to Vegas? What about you Elijah?” Steve asked.

“They never caught me, and technically they never caught Tyler either,” Elijah replied.

“You were kicked out of Vegas?” Damon asked

“Yeah. It was bullshit too, they couldn’t prove nuttin” Jackson huffed.

“What’d you do?” Damon asked,

“Cleaned out three and a half casinos” Elijah replied.

“Cleaned out?” Johnny asked,

“They took the house,” Jackson replied.

“Three times?” Damon was wide eyed.

“They was workin on the fourth. Then they ask us to leave. They say Tyler cheatin, but can’t prove it. Can’t prove it, he ain’t cheatin.” Jackson shrugged his shoulders.

“They weren’t going to give Tyler the money he won, Jackson took down six banks of slot machines and threatened to take down more if they didn’t” Elijah said.

“Din’t take that house, but we sure broke it real good.” Tyler added, bumping fists with his brother.

“They gave him the money, but on the condition we not allow to go back. We not even allow to step foot in Vegas” Jackson said.

“How did you go four rounds with him?” Steve asked Carter.

Kane walked into the kitchen and Adonis eyed him for a second pausing his movements at the sink briefly before he carried on what he was doing. We should just ignore him! Odin grumbled. Why would we do that? Why not? You’re in a mood! Kennedy keeps stealing our mate! I’m sure it’s for a good reason! He better give her back! If he doesn’t you can bury him! Promise? Cross my black heart! We should still ignore him, it’ll be entertaining!

“It wasn’t my idea,” Kane said, moving slowly towards the kitchen.

“I’m not going to bite you, regardless of what Cujo thinks” Adonis didn’t raise his head. “I won’t answer questions, so don’t ask”

“Ky!” Adonis arched a brow at him

“His name is Ky not Cujo” Kane told him

“Did I offend him?” Adonis asked, going back to the dishes

“A little bit” Kane replied,

“Hmm!” Was all Adonis said. Just ask him what he wants! Why? So he can go away and stop annoying me! Green apples and lavender! Stop that! I made a promise to be nice, or do you want to be hit by a truck! Fine, I won’t bite him!

They worked in silence for a bit. Adonis lost in conversation with Odin over what Kennedy was planning, and Kane thinking of how he was going to replace common ground with The Devil. Maybe stop calling him that! Ky suggested. Maybe he should stop acting like one! Maybe he’ll stop acting like one, when he stops being treated like one! Why are you defending him all of a sudden! I’m not! Yes you are. Twenty minutes ago you were calling him an asshole! Yeah, but I think he can hear us, how else did he know I called him Cujo and said he was going to bite us!

“Did you really attend a mate ball at twelve?” Kane asked,

“Oh good….chit chat!” Adonis tried not to roll his eyes, he made a promise to his mate to be nice to Kane.

“Yes….I attended a ball at twelve, it sucked. I was jumped, beat up, and at the sight of my blood and my wolf’s eyes they called me The Devil, a name I hadn’t heard in two years” he replied with a sigh. Kane had to rethink this common ground, having never attended a mate ball he wouldn’t know what to say or ask, and clearly Alpha Adonis didn’t want to talk about it.

“Is it killing you to be nice to me?” Kane asked, he saw Adonis fight back the snarl that wanted out.

“I made a promise” Adonis replied,

“A promise? You made a promise to be nice to me?” Kane asked, he wasn’t sure whether he was offended by that or not. I’m offended! Ky grumbled.

“Kenzi thinks that if I’m mean to you, you won’t let Dax talk to her. And she likes Dax, she’s finally someone Kenzi doesn’t have to crane her neck to talk to.” Adonis replied. He on the other hand was still highly suspicious of her and her motives.

“So she asked you to be nice to me and there isn’t anything you wouldn’t do for your mate so you made her the promise. Was it because you’re not guaranteed to be accepted by one or because you were told you’d never have one?” Kane asked. When Adonis’s only reply was a bit back snarl he knew both reasons were right.

“I was sixteen, it was just after my father passed that my Elder Council first told me I would never have a mate,” Kane said.

“Are they still breathing?” Adonis asked,

“For the most part, I did replace most of them,” Kane replied.

“Couldn’t kill your council, so you tore apart the eastern states?” Adonis mused,

“I did” Kane couldn’t deny that. “You tore apart a country”

“I did! Looking for your artist or because you were having a tantrum?” This time Kane failed to answer and a smile played on Adonis’s lips.

“It’s not on the same level as you but….”

“It doesn’t matter if you were told by one group or a number of them. What matters is stupid people with big mouths felt the need to point it out….repeatedly. You can only hear something so much before you begin to believe it to be true.” Adonis cut him off. It didn’t matter to him that he was told by everyone and Kane was only told by his council, they were both told the same thing.

“How long did you look for her?” Adonis asked,

“How long did you look for yours?” Kane countered. The tug to Adonis’s lips was quick and brief, but Kane caught it, he didn’t want to get his hopes up. The Devil did promise to be nice after all.

“How many did Cujo threaten to eat?” Adonis asked instead. Both he and Kane knew the answer to the first question. They both actively looked for their mates for eight years.

“A few. How many did Cujo actually eat?” Kane asked.

“He might have maimed a few, never ate any of them. Whore’s taste bad and give him heartburn,” Adonis replied. Kane couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. Not what he thought they would be bonding over, but at this point he’ll take what he can get.

“Did you really try to bury your sister?” Adonis asked the question, catching Kane by surprise. He hated talking about Lacey.

“She’s not my sister” Kane replied,

“Doesn’t answer my question” Adonis countered as he picked the cloth back up to continue with the dishes.

“I did. I was four and she wasn’t my sister. She didn’t feel like family. I….felt….no connection to her” Kane answered. He could have lied, but if he can read minds then he already knew the truth.

“You have a stronger one to your ranks, you view them as your family, instead of your actual blood” Adonis stated what Kane didn’t. Kane looked at him, listening to the way Adonis’s men spoke to him, it appeared they were in agreement on that as well, family didn’t always mean blood. He wanted to ask how he did that, but Adonis had told him and the others he would not answer questions about it.

“How does your wolf know how to talk freely?” Kane asked. If he wouldn’t answer questions about how he does the freaky mind thing maybe he would answer that question.

“How come yours doesn’t?” Odin asked.

“I didn’t know it was possible,” Kane replied, as he looked at the man that was standing next to him.

“One of my many fine traits! I don’t believe normals possess what it takes to have their wolves speak freely like demons can. And Odin likes to show off” Adonis replied. I really do!

“My father’s name was Odin,” Kane’s eyes widened at the name of Adonis’s wolf.

“Something tells me he wasn’t a deranged psychotic hell beast, prone to sudden bouts of uncontrollable rage.” Adonis replied. Asshole! Am I lying? Asshole! Truth hurts Odin! Asshole! Is that all you got? Shut up….asshole!

“No, he was not,” Kane said, “Do you two get along?”

“Do you get along with yours?” Adonis counterered.

“Touche!” Kane replied. “And I didn’t have a tantrum,” he added. Ky was howling in his head. Shut up you! You tore up the eastern states! You tore up the eastern states, that was your tantrum! Ky just laughed harder. Adonis just arched his brow.

“So, Cujo had the tantrum,” Adonis said, trying not to laugh at the look that crossed Kane’s face.

“And what would you call what you did across Canada?” Kane asked,

“I found my mate, humans interfered and I lost her then spent the last three years looking for her. I had a tantrum!” Adonis replied.

“You don’t like humans?” Kane asked,

“Not the biggest fan, unless they are mates I have no real purpose for them. I have however met a few I don’t want to actually kill.” Adonis replied. Yeah the little spitfire!

“No offence, but aside from normals they are the only other species I have come across that are capable of rejection and degradation because someone shines brighter than them.” Adonis answered the question before Kane could even think to ask it.

“Demon’s don’t degrade?” Kane asked

“We don’t degrade our own. We may tease, toy, and torture each other for fun, but we don’t ever make our own feel less than they are. We don’t ever make our own feel worthless, unworthy or unwanted. Like they’ll never be good enough. We don’t treat them like burdens, telling them they are unimportant and they don’t matter. We don’t punish them for breathing, for being different and trying to exist in a world that refuses to accept them. We leave that to your kind and the humans. We don’t reject!” Adonis replied, he had to take several deep breaths to keep control. Odin raged in his head at every word he spoke, everything his mate went through her whole life, everything he went through flashed before his eyes.

Kane couldn’t argue with that, he’s seen it over and over again. Lacey did it all the time. Dax went through it. And he had a feeling that what he was just told was a brief history of the little pixie. Something that happened to her at the hands of humans and carried on with his species. Coupled with the hell The Devil was put through, Alpha Adonis had every reason to hate both.

“Kenzi!” Kane said. Adonis stopped washing the plate that was in his hand when he felt his grip tighten on it. He again fought the snarl that Odin wanted to release.

“Is a special girl” was all Adonis said, then he went back to doing the dishes. He would not talk about her, he would not tell her story. For two reasons, one being it was not his story to tell, the second being he promised to be nice. If he told Kenzi’s story, he would lose control of not only his temper but Odin’s as well and not nice things would happen.

“Why does she always smell like cookies?” Kane asked,

“I don’t know, but I’m told it’s not the same cookie smell for everyone.” Adonis replied.

“You don’t smell it?” Kane asked,

“No, to me she smells like lavender and green apples” He replied, washing another dish and passing it to Kane to dry.

“Two scents?” Kane’s never heard of that before.

“One I can smell, one everyone else can smell,” Adonis said.

“Special girl indeed” Kane said as he dried another dish.

He had one last question and he wasn’t sure how this was going to go for him. The council might be a touchy subject.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” Adonis said, interrupting Kane’s thoughts. He was speechless, he could only look at him and wait for him to proceed. He was curious at what he would say.

“It was not my intention to take his head off,” Adonis clarified. “I only meant to scare him. After we got back to the house on graduation, something broke. Cameron demanded an audience with the council to ask why we weren’t allowed to walk the stage with the others. The answer they provided….I lost control of mine and Odin’s temper. I hit him and his head came off and there was no taking that back. There was nothing I could possibly say that would make the head reattach itself and the man not be dead. The look of utter fear on the faces of the rest of the council as I stood there covered in the blood of their fallen had Odin clawing for more. That was the first time we realized fear drove our beasts. It was the absence of guilt or remorse that had me make the threat. They have not tried to interfere since, but if they do I am a man of my word. I will go through with my threat, more heads will roll and not one ounce of guilt will be felt over the blood shed.” Adonis clarified.

“What was their answer?” Kane asked,

“Why should we let The Devil walk the stage? It is clear he will amount to nothing but a bloodthirsty savage. Why should we allow light to shine on him? When he will do nothing but destroy everything we have worked to build. A heinous abomination to our kind and to think they will ever be accepted is nothing more than a reprehensible, delusional thought.” Adonis replied. ….grrRrRrRRRrRrRrrr…. The growl slipped past him with the last words he spoke. The plate he was clutching tightly broke in his hand and his blood spilled into the sink as an inferno blazed in his eyes. No fucking wonder he hates the council! Ky commented in his head. No wonder he hates our kind! Kane had nothing, no words came to mind. The council single handedly created

The Devil.

The laughter outside carried on, when Kane and Adonis rejoined them on the deck.

“Son bitch” Jackson growled when he saw not a mark on Kane.

“Yes!” Johnny was on his feet. “Pay up, it’s a red one” Johnny held out his hand for Jackson to pay him. Tyler broke out laughing at the look on Jackson’s face when Johnny said that to him.

“You two made a bet?” Kane asked,

“Yeah, $50 he wouldn’t hit you” Johnny said, collecting the money from Jackson.

“Picked the wrong day to make that bet” Adonis told Jackson.

“Clearly, the fuck?” Jackson huffed.

“He promised the little pixie he’d be nice to me,” Kane replied.

“Only for today, tomorrows a whole different story” Adonis said, a wry smile crossing his face.

Cameron was trying not to laugh. Adonis was not going to make this easy on The King. He never did when he knew someone wanted something from him, he made them work for it. If he hadn’t made the promise to Kenzi, The King would have walked out of the kitchen with a new bruise.

“My son is a stubborn boy, and I wish you luck,” Cameron replied. Jackson and Tyler both erupted into laughter. Elijah turned his head away, but the shaking of his shoulders told he was cracking up as well. They all knew just how stubborn Adonis could be.

“Thata understatement,” Jackson choked out.

“He gonna need more than luck” Tyler added,

“Yeah, he gonna need hope an a prayer” Jackson said,

“Yeah, he better hope he got horseshoes an pray he don’t fuckin lose ’em” Tyler was howling. Johnny was trying to cover his laughter, but Damon broke on the other side of Kane and Kenneth was right beside him. Even Carter was struggling to fight it back as Marco hit the deck.

“You’re all assholes” Kane said, shaking his head and that just set them off even more.