The Brotherhood

06

All Kane wanted to do was fall into his tiny little twin bed in the furthest corner of the room where his pack slept and pass out for the next twelve hours. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like that was going to happen. Instead of being warm in his bed after hours of training today, he was being summoned to the Supreme's office. 

He had the overwhelming urge to pummel something. Kane would rather chew on glass than sit and have a conversation with the Supreme. He had more important things to do than talk about whatever the hell this meeting was about. For instance, he could be taking a bath or more importantly, he could be sleeping. 

Kane had left Finley out in the courtyard swinging endlessly at the stump they'd fashioned into a punching bag. After helping her train for the past two and a half weeks, Finley had improved quite a bit. She'd gotten stronger. She no longer slipped out of her fighting stance because of the weakness of her legs. Her arms had also grown more powerful, able to pack more of a punch than before. For the first time since he'd known her, Kane was starting to be a little bit afraid of the damage that Fin could do. She would be a force to be reckoned with when they had finished training. 

Baela bumped into his legs as they walked along. Her wet nose nudged him in the foot as he walked through the stone hall. Kane gazed down at her to see that she had her tail tucked between her legs. He reached down and stroked her coat, pausing to scratch behind her ears in the way that he knew she loved. Baela's lips quirked up slightly in what Kane thought was a hesitant smile. Her tail remained between her legs and it was enough to make fear well within him. Whatever waited for him in the Supreme's office couldn't be good. 

Kane rose slowly to his feet and walked just as slowly to the end of the hall where the old oak door to the Supreme's office stood. He raised his fist and knocked once. He knew that the Supreme would hear it and if he didn't, then his bonded, Coyle, would. The sable coated Anatolian shepherd dog was usually always completely aware of his surroundings. Not that the Supreme wasn't. 

"Come in," came the voice from the other side of the door. 

Kane pushed the door open and found the Supreme sitting behind his huge oak desk. Papers were stacked on either side of him on the desktop. A feather quill rested in a pot of ink in front of the Supreme like he used it all the time for official business. The thought made him want to snort. Kane could never imagine wanting to sit in this stuffy office signing papers all day instead of having his boots on the ground, fighting alongside his brothers. 

The Supreme looked up from the papers on the desk to meet Kane's gaze. He didn't smile at Kane. It seemed like this was going to be a serious conversation. Though Kane couldn't imagine what it could possibly be about. 

"Have a seat," The Supreme ordered him with a gesture toward one of the brown, leather cushioned chairs that sat in front of the large oak desk. 

Kane sank down into one of the chairs. It was by far the most comfortable chair he'd ever sat in in the compound. It was also by far the biggest. He seemed to dwarf every other chair in the compound with his massive body. Sometimes he wasn't sure how Warren hadn't broken any furniture yet with his hulking body. 

Kane glanced up and found the Supreme studying him with lowered brows. Kane had always like the Supreme, had always thought that the Supreme was fair and just with the brothers. That's why the uneasiness that he felt seemed so misplaced. He couldn't erase the feeling though Especially not when Baela's anxiety coursed through him with each heartbeat. 

She sat beside him, her massive head coming up over the arm of the chair. Baela kept glancing toward the corner of the room by the bookshelves that stood like sentries behind the oak desk. Coyle laid there on a plush, feather stuffed dog bed. Baela didn't take her eyes off of Coyle, even though it seemed like overkill to Kane. If the Supreme really wanted to take him on, he doubted it would be in this office. The Supreme was much more likely to issue a formal challenge that Kane would have no choice but to accept. It would be the best way to do away with a threat to his authority.