The Three Who Chose Me

Thorne

Blood trickled down from my nose, warm and wet. I could taste the metallic tang on my upper lip, but I didn’t feel pain—just a blinding, seething rage that ignited every nerve in my body. My hands curled into fists at my sides as I glared at Kiel.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snarled, my voice low, deadly.

He stood there, chest heaving, his own face flushed with fury. "What’s wrong with me?" he snapped. "What the hell is wrong with you, Thorne?! You’re a monster!"

I took a step closer. "You better watch yourself."

"I’m ashamed to call you my brother," Kiel spat. "I mean it. You’ve lost your damn mind."

I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward until we were nearly nose to nose. "You think I’m in the mood to listen to your sob story?" I growled. "The only reason I haven’t put your head through that wall is because we’re in public. One of us has to pretend to have some goddamn restraint."

"You said you wanted to use her for sex," Kiel shouted. "You said it like it was nothing. Like she was nothing. That’s not just wrong—it’s disgusting. And you expect me to stand by and do nothing?"

My jaw clenched. "Come with me," I growled, shoving him hard. He stumbled backward, nearly colliding with Beta Archer, who immediately fell into step behind us with that usual look of uncomfortable diplomacy written all over his face.

"Kiel. Move." I didn’t give him a choice. I stalked through the corridor, forcing him ahead, until we reached the hallway just beyond the meeting chamber. The second the doors closed behind us, I whirled on him.

Archer tried to interject. "Guys, this is getting out of—"

"Does it look like we’re throwing punches?" I snapped, eyes flashing toward him. "Mind your business, unless you want to make it yours."